Top Cardiology News: 2019

The year 2019 witnessed another active year for research and clinical advances in the field of cardiology. New drugs, devices, diagnoses, prognoses and treatment in cardiac sciences have set a new paradigm shift in this specialty.

The most popular health news articles that our editorial team found most revolutionary in cardiac science in the year 2019 are shown below:

1. Angiography with PCI no better than medical therapy in stable CAD with CKD: ISCHEMIA- CKD trial

The International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness With Medical and Invasive Approaches—Chronic Kidney Disease Trial was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2019.

It found that initial invasive strategy in patients with stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) did not reduce adverse clinical outcomes (death and myocardial infarction) compared to an initial conservative OMT (optimal medical therapy) strategy.

2. TAVR is a valid alternative to SAVR in patients with low surgical risk

The study, "Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients," was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

It found that the use of TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) in low-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) patients lowered the risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular death at 1 year compared with SAVR (surgical aortic valve replacement) use.

3. Alirocumab reduces risk of recurrent MI in ACS patients: ODYSSEY trial

The study, "Alirocumab and Cardiovascular Outcomes after Acute Coronary Syndrome," was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

It found that the administration of alirocumab in patients with a history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and already receiving high-intensity statin therapy, reduces the risk of recurrent ischemic cardiovascular events compared to placebo.

4. Colchicine cheap and effective option for secondary prevention after MI: COLCOT Trial

The study, "Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Colchicine after Myocardial Infarction," was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

It found that patients who received a daily dose of 0.5 mg colchicine after myocardial infarction (MI) had a significantly lower risk of ischemic cardiovascular events than placebo.

5. Dapagliflozin reduces hospitalisation and CV death risk in heart failure patients: Dapa-HF clinical trial

The study, "Dapagliflozin in Patients with Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction," was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

It found that dapagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, reduces hospitalization and CV death risk in heart failure patients with or without diabetes.

6. Aspirin useful for primary prevention of CVD in many patients, new study refutes guidelines

The study, "Personalized Prediction of Cardiovascular Benefits and Bleeding Harms From Aspirin for Primary Prevention: A Benefit–Harm Analysis," was published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

It found that daily aspirin may benefit many patients without existing cardiovascular disease, finds new study. It refuted the findings of some studies advocating against the role of aspirin in primary prevention.

7. COMPLETE revascularization bests culprit only PCI at reducing death risk and MI recurrence: ESC 2019 Update

The study, "Complete Revascularization with Multivessel PCI for Myocardial Infarction," was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

It found that opening all the clogged arteries with stents could significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction (heart attack) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarctions as compared to opening only the single clogged artery that caused the heart attack.

8. SGLT2 inhibitors reduce risk of heart attack and death: BMJ

The study, "Use of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and risk of major cardiovascular events and heart failure: Scandinavian register based cohort study," is published in the BMJ journal.

It found that type 2 diabetes drug sodium-glucose transport protein 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are associated with a lower risk of heart attack and death as well as of major cardiovascular events.

9. CABG superior to PCI for left main coronary artery disease, confirms NOBLE trial

The study, “Percutaneous coronary angioplasty versus coronary artery bypass grafting in the treatment of unprotected left main stenosis: updated 5-year outcomes from the randomised, non-inferiority NOBLE trial,” is published in The Lancet.

It found that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) carries a higher risk of major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events compared with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the revascularization of patients with left main coronary artery disease (CAD).

10. Edoxaban dual therapy, safe alternative after PCI in AF patients

The findings from the ENTRUST-AF PCI trial were presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2019 held together with the World Congress of Cardiology in Paris, France.

It found that dual therapy without aspirin (Edoxaban + a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor) is non-inferior to standard triple therapy (oral anticoagulant, aspirin, clopidogrel) for the prevention of bleeding after coronary stenting in atrial fibrillation patients.

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