The association between vegetation size and surgical treatment on 6-month mortality in left-sided infective endocarditis – European Heart Journal (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Early Surgery and Mortality Among Patients with IE and Large Vegetation – American College of Cardiology (free)

2019 AATS/ACC/ASE/SCAI/STS Expert Consensus Systems of Care Document: A Proposal to Optimize Care for Patients with Valvular Heart Disease – Journal of the American College of Cardiology (free)

Commentary: 2019 Expert Consensus to Optimize Care for Patients With Heart Valve Disease – American College of Cardiology (free)

Effect of an Incentive Spirometer Patient Reminder After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Surgery (free for a limited period)

Invited Commentary: Benefits of Incentive Spirometry: Still More Work to Do – JAMA Surgery (free)

Simple intervention leading to improved outcomes, but confirmatory studies are required (see invited commentary).

Heart and Lung Transplants from HCV-Infected Donors to Uninfected Recipients – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Hepatitis C-infected hearts and lungs safely transplanted – Brigham and Women’s Hospital (free) AND Hepatitis C Not A Barrier For Organ Transplantation, Study Finds – NPR (free) AND Hepatitis C-infected hearts and lungs can be safely transplanted, study says, opening way to more donors – STAT (free)

Related: Study: Transplant of Hepatitis C–Infected Kidneys Into Uninfected Recipients (link to abstract and commentaries)

The Brazilian Society for Cardiovascular Surgery (SBCCV) and Brazilian Society for Extracorporeal Circulation (SBCEC) Standards and Guidelines for Perfusion Practice – Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery (free PDF)

Editorial: The SBCCV/SBCEC Standards and Guidelines for Perfusion Practice: A Landmark for Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Brazil (free PDF)

Approaches to the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial-Esophageal Fistula After Catheter Ablation for Atrial Arrhythmias – Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports (free)

Indications for echocardiography of replacement heart valves: a joint statement from the British Heart Valve Society and British Society of Echocardiography – Echo Research and Practice (free)

Perioperative Management of the Diabetic Patient Referred to Cardiac Surgery – Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery (free)

Epidural analgesia for adults undergoing cardiac surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass – Cochrane Library (free)

Summary: Epidural analgesia for heart surgery with or without the heart lung machine in adults – Cochrane Library (free)

“Compared with systemic analgesia, epidural analgesia may reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, respiratory depression, and atrial fibrillation / atrial flutter, as well as the duration of tracheal intubation and pain, in adults undergoing cardiac surgery.”

Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation: a review – Journal of Thoracic Disease (free)

Comparison of transcatheter aortic valve implantation with other approaches to treat aortic valve stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis – Systematic Reviews (free)

Bilateral versus Single Internal-Thoracic-Artery Grafts at 10 Years – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Single vs. Bilateral Internal Thoracic Artery Grafting – American College of Cardiology (free) AND Randomized Trial Comparing Bilateral with Single Internal-Thoracic-Artery Grafting for CABG Shows No Significant Difference in All-Cause Mortality – Cardiology Now (free) AND CABG: Death at 10 Years Similar With Bilateral or Single Internal Thoracic Artery Grafting – Cardiology Advisor (free)

Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of In-Hospital Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting – Journal of the American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Unplanned PCI After CABG – American College of Cardiology (free)

Related Commentary on Twitter

#PCI in post-CABG patients may mean higher morbidity and mortality: https://t.co/bRMWCKIZEM #JACC #cvCABG pic.twitter.com/LoRw1orZpb

— JACC Journals (@JACCJournals) February 4, 2019

Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms: Pearls and Pitfalls – emDocs (free)

Related: Clinical Cases Referring to Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Thoracic Aortic Pathologies Involving the Aortic Arch (free guideline and clinical cases)

The Role of Imaging in Measuring Disease Progression and Assessing Novel Therapies in Aortic Stenosis – JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging (free)

Clinical cases referring to diagnosis and management of patients with thoracic aortic pathologies involving the aortic arch: a companion document of the 2018 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) and the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) expert consensus document addressing current options and recommendations for the treatment of thoracic aortic pathologies involving the aortic arch – European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (free)

Original Guideline: Current options and recommendations for the treatment of thoracic aortic pathologies involving the aortic arch: an expert consensus document of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic surgery (EACTS) and the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) (free)

Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Heart Rhythm Society Joint Position Statement on the Cardiovascular Screening of Competitive Athletes – Canadian Journal of Cardiology (free)

Related Review: Cardiac Screening of Young Athletes: a Practical Approach to Sudden Cardiac Death Prevention (free)

Related Position Statement: Recommendations for Participation in Competitive Sports of Athletes with Arterial Hypertension (free)

Related Research: Sudden Cardiac Arrest during Participation in Competitive Sports (link to abstract and commentaries)

Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists/European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthetists Practice Advisory for the Management of Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery – Anesthesia & Analgesia (free)

Surgical left atrial appendage occlusion during cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis – World Journal of Cardiology (free)

International consensus statement on the peri‐operative management of direct oral anticoagulants in cardiac surgery – Anaesthesia (free)

Early Surgery in Valvular Heart Disease – Korean Circulation Journal (free)

Long-term Survival following Multivessel Revascularization in Patients with Diabetes (FREEDOM Follow-On Study) – Journal of the American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Long-term FREEDOM: At Nearly 8 years, CABG Maintains Mortality Benefit Over PCI – TCTMD (free) AND FREEDOM Follow-On Study Findings Further Support CABG Over PCI in DM Patients With CAD – American College of Cardiology (free) AND AHA: CABG Still Better for Multivessel Disease in Diabetes – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Randomized Trial of Endoscopic or Open Vein-Graft Harvesting for Coronary-Artery Bypass – New England Journal of Medicine (free)

Commentaries: Endoscopic Vein-Graft Harvest for CABG Associated With Similar MACE, Less Pain vs Open Procedure: REGROUP – TCTMD (free) AND AHA: Endoscopic Vein-Graft Harvesting Redeems Itself in CABG – MedPage Today (free)

“Ten Commandments” for the 2018 ESC/EACTS Guidelines on Myocardial Revascularization – European Heart Journal (free)

See Original Article: ESC/EACTS Guidelines on Myocardial Revascularization (free)

Off‐ Versus On‐Pump Coronary Surgery and the Effect of Follow‐Up Length and Surgeons’ Experience: A Meta‐Analysis – Journal of the American Heart Association (free)

Editorial: Long‐Term Survival Following Off‐Pump Coronary Surgery: Does Surgeon Experience Make a Difference? (free)

Non-invasive imaging of the coronary arteries – European Heart Journal (free)

European position paper on the management of patients with patent foramen ovale. General approach and left circulation thromboembolism – European Heart Journal (free)

Related: Patent foramen ovale closure, antiplatelet therapy or anticoagulation therapy alone for management of cryptogenic stroke? A clinical practice guideline – The BMJ (free)

Atrial septal defects – Journal of Thoracic Disease (comprehensive review – free articles)

Outcomes of Patients With Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis Followed Up in Heart Valve Clinics – JAMA Cardiology (free)

Commentaries: Study IDs predictors of mortality in asymptomatic aortic stenosis – Cardiovascular Business (free) AND Silent Aortic Stenosis Outcomes Good With Close Surveillance – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Restrictive compared with liberal red cell transfusion strategies in cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis – European Heart Journal (free)

Related study: Outcomes after Restrictive or Liberal Transfusion for Cardiac Surgery (link to abstract)

Partial Oral versus Intravenous Antibiotic Treatment of Endocarditis – New England Journal of Medicine (free for a limited period)

Commentaries: Partial Oral Treatment of Endocarditis – POET – American College of Cardiology (free) AND New treatment can halve hospital stays for some patients with heart infection – ESC Press Releases (free)

2018 ESC/EACTS Guidelines on myocardial revascularization – European Heart Journal (free) (via @escardio see Tweet with Key Infographics)

Fourth universal definition of myocardial infarction (2018) – European Heart Journal (free) (via @escardio see Tweet with Key Infographics)

Six-Month Outcomes after Restrictive or Liberal Transfusion for Cardiac Surgery – New England Journal of Medicine (free for a limited period)

“In moderate-to-high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery, six-month outcomes show that a restrictive red-cell transfusion strategy is noninferior to a liberal strategy” (via @NEJM see Tweet with Visual Abstract)

2018 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease (free PDF)

News Release: Societies Release Updated Guideline for Treating Adult Congenital Heart Disease Patients (free)

Key Points to Remember: 2018 AHA/ACC Guideline for Adults With Congenital Heart Disease – American College of Cardiology (free)

Imaging the adult with congenital heart disease: a multimodality imaging approach—position paper from the EACVI – European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging (free)

Timing of intervention in aortic stenosis: a review of current and future strategies – Heart (free)

The Past, Present and Future of Heart Transplantation – The Korean Society of Cardiology (free)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery consensus guidelines on bicuspid aortic valve–related aortopathy: Executive summary – The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (free)

Effects of restrictive red blood cell transfusion on the prognoses of adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials – Critical Care (free)

Association of Surgical Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion With Subsequent Stroke and Mortality Among Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery – JAMA (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Heart surgery: To have or not to have…your left atrial appendage closed – Mayo Clinic, via ScienceDaily (free) AND LAA Closure Tied to Better Heart Surgery Outcomes – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Cardiac and Vascular Surgery–Associated Acute Kidney Injury: The 20th International Consensus Conference of the ADQI (Acute Disease Quality Initiative) Group – Journal of the American Heart Association (free)

Perspective by Dr. Eugene Braunwald: Aortic Stenosis: Then and Now – Circulation (free for a limited period)

Hybrid Coronary Revascularization in Selected Patients With Multivessel Disease: 5-Year Clinical Outcomes of the Prospective Randomized Pilot Study – JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Hybrid Revascularization: 5-Year Outcomes – American College of Cardiology (free)

Preoperative 6-Minute Walk Distance Is Associated With Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction – The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: 6-minute walk test predicts cognitive problems after heart surgery – Cardiovascular Business (free) AND Simple walking test helps predict risk for cognitive issues after heart surgery – Elservier, via EurekAlert (free)

Advances in critical care management of patients undergoing cardiac surgery – Intensive Care Medicine (free for a limited period)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter

Radial-Artery or Saphenous-Vein Grafts in Coronary-Artery Bypass Surgery – New England Journal of Medicine (free for a limited period)

Commentaries: More Data Show Benefits of Multiple Arterial Over Saphenous-Vein Grafting in CABG: Meta-analysis – TCTMD (free) AND Radial Artery or Saphenous Vein Grafts in CABG – American College of Cardiology (free)

Effect of Ticagrelor Plus Aspirin, Ticagrelor Alone, or Aspirin Alone on Saphenous Vein Graft Patency 1 Year After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Ticagrelor + Aspirin, Ticagrelor Alone, or Aspirin Alone on SVG Patency – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

““The major limitation of the DACAB trial is the selection of vein graft patency as the primary outcome”. Agree:we’re starting to understand CAD is a bit more complicated than an open duct (also for this reason, medical practice requires clinical outcomes)” (via @camialderighi see Tweet)

Mitral valve interventions in heart failure – ESC Heart Failure (free)

A Review of Malignant Primary Cardiac Tumors – American College of Cardiology (free)

Recent advances in managing tricuspid regurgitation – F1000 Research (free)

Management of Patients With Aortic Valve Stenosis – Mayo Clinic Proceedings (free)

Review: Management of Left Main Coronary Artery Disease – Journal of the American Heart Association (free for a limited period)

Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Systems – Journal of the American College of Cardiology (free for a limited period)

Long-term Thromboembolic Risk in Patients With Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery and Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation – JAMA Cardiology (free for a limited period)

Commentaries: Postoperative A-fib Not as Bad as Nonsurgical A-fib for Thromboembolism – TCTMD (free) AND Fib after CABG linked to minimal long-term stroke risk – Cardiovascular Business (free)

European Society of Cardiology, acute cardiovascular care association, SCAD study group: a position paper on spontaneous coronary artery dissection – European Journal of Cardiology (free)

Commentary with key points to remember: European Position Paper on Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Related position statement: Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Current State of the Science: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association – Circulation (free)

Fluoroquinolone use and risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection: nationwide cohort study – The BMJ (free)

Related: Aortic Dissection and Aortic Aneurysms Associated with Fluoroquinolones: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – American Journal of Medicine (free) AND Fluoroquinolones and collagen associated severe adverse events: a longitudinal cohort study – BMJ Open (free) AND Risk of Aortic Dissection and Aortic Aneurysm in Patients Taking Oral Fluoroquinolone – JAMA Internal Medicine (free)

Meta-analysis: Long-Term Outcomes of On- Versus Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting – Journal of the American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Long-Term Outcomes of On- vs. Off-Pump CABG – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

“Off pump CABG. probably best used in a limited set of patients…” (via @keaglemd see Tweet)

Mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting versus percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting for coronary artery disease: a pooled analysis of individual patient data – The Lancet (free)

This meta-analysis of randomized trials showed CABG had a mortality benefit over PCI in patients with multivessel disease, particularly those with diabetes and higher coronary complexity. There was no mortality benefit in patients with left main disease.

Transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement in severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis  – Journal of Geriatric Cardiology (free)

Association of Vegetation Size With Embolic Risk in Patients With Infective Endocarditis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Infective Endocarditis Vegetation Size vs. Embolic Risk – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND Larger Endocarditis Vegetations More Likely to Embolize, Kill – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Current State of the Science: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association – Circulation (free PDF)

See also: Commentary: Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Making strides, long journey ahead! (free) AND Top Ten Things to Know (free PDF)

Short-Term Versus Long-Term Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation in Elderly Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Individual Participant Data From 6 Randomized Trials – JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Duration in Elderly Patients – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Short-term Dual Antiplatelet Therapy was not associated with increased risk of ischemic events in elderly patients and was associated with a significant reduction in major bleeding.

Delirium in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit – Journal of the American Heart Association (free)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter

New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation After PCI or CABG for Left Main Disease: The EXCEL Trial – Journal of the American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: One in Five CABG Patients Develop New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation: EXCEL – TCTMD (free) AND Post-operative AFib common in CABG, linked to future stroke, death – Cardiovascular Business (free)

Opinion: Heart Stents Are Useless for Most Stable Patients. They’re Still Widely Used – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)

Transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement in patients at low surgical risk: A meta-analysis of randomized trials and propensity score matched observational studies – Catheterization Cardiovascular Interventions (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Meta-Analysis Raises ‘Red Flag’ on TAVR in Low-Risk Patients – TCTMD (free)

“Data from six studies show that while short-term mortality is similar between TAVR and SAVR, more low-risk TAVR patients die by 2 years” (from TCTMD)

2017 EACTS/EACTA Guidelines on patient blood management for adult cardiac surgery – Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia (free)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter

Association Between Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion and Readmission for Thromboembolism Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Concomitant Cardiac Surgery – JAMA (free)

Commentaries: Largest Study to Date Supports Surgical LAA Closure in A-fib Patients – TCTMD (free) AND Thromboembolism Less Likely With LAA Closure Added to Cardiac Surgery – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Randomized trials are needed to confirm these interesting findings. 

Integrating new approaches to atrial fibrillation management: the 6th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference – EP Europace (free)

Isolated tricuspid regurgitation: outcomes and therapeutic interventions – Heart (free)

Percutaneous PFO Closure Tied to Lower Risk for Recurrent Stroke – Physician’s First Watch (free) AND Meta-Analyses Support Stroke Prevention With PFO Closure – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Original article 1: Device Closure Versus Medical Therapy Alone for Patent Foramen Ovale in Patients With Cryptogenic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Original article 2: Percutaneous Closure Versus Medical Treatment in Stroke Patients With Patent Foramen Ovale: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Medical management of aortic disease in Marfan syndrome – Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery (free)

Alternative drug may prevent atrial fibrillation following heart surgery – NIHR Signal (free)

Original article: Colchicine for primary prevention of atrial fibrillation after open-heart surgery: Systematic review and meta-analysis – International Journal of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Safety of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Cardiac Devices – The New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: MRI scan safe for most people with older pacemakers, defibrillators – Reuters (free) AND Even Thoracic MRI Safe for ‘Legacy’ ICDs, Pacemaker Systems: Large Cohort Study – Medscape (free registration required) AND MRIs safe with older pacemakers, study finds – MedicalXpress (free)

Defining Quality in Cardiovascular Imaging: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association – Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging (free)

Top Ten Things to Know: Defining Quality in Cardiovascular Imaging (free PDF)

Commentary: “Quality” in Cardiovascular Imaging – Getting to the Heart of the Meaning (free)

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Therapies: The Next Frontier – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

All-cause mortality and major cardiovascular outcomes comparing percutaneous coronary angioplasty versus coronary artery bypass grafting in the treatment of unprotected left main stenosis: a meta-analysis of short-term and long-term randomised trials – OpenHeart (free)

“PCI is associated with a reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular outcomes at short-term follow-up in patients with LMCA stenosis; but at long term, MACCE rate is increased for PCI”

Transcatheter vs surgical aortic-valve replacement in low- to intermediate-surgical-risk candidates: A meta-analysis and systematic review – Clinical Cardiology (free)

Association of US State Implementation of Newborn Screening Policies for Critical Congenital Heart Disease With Early Infant Cardiac Deaths – JAMA (free)

Commentaries: Newborn Screening Policies For CHD Associated With Lower Infant Deaths – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND Infant CCHD deaths cut by 33% after mandatory pulse oximetry testing – Cardiovascular Business (free) AND Screening for Critical Congenital Heart Disease at Birth Saves Lives – CDC (free)

Related guideline: Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Pediatric Cardiology Association Position Statement on Pulse Oximetry Screening in Newborns to Enhance Detection of Critical Congenital Heart Disease (free)

Clinical recommendations for cardiovascular magnetic resonance mapping of T1, T2, T2* and extracellular volume: A consensus statement by the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) endorsed by the European Association for Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) – Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (free)

Ischemic mitral regurgitation – Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia (free)

European Society of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Disease Statistics 2017 – European Journal of Cardiology (free)

“The European Atlas of Cardiology brings together data from 56 countries to demonstrate the prevalence and cost of cardiovascular disease, and the need to utilise resources more effectively” (RT @OUPMedicine see Tweet)

Management of tricuspid valve regurgitation: Position statement of the European Society of Cardiology Working Groups of Cardiovascular Surgery and Valvular Heart Disease – European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (free) (via @rafavidalperez)

Outcomes after Angiography with Sodium Bicarbonate and Acetylcysteine – New England Journal of Medicine (free)

Commentaries: Neither Sodium Bicarbonate nor Oral Acetylcysteine Prevents Contrast-Induced Kidney Injury – Physician’s First Watch (free) AND PRESERVE: No Benefit from Sodium Bicarbonate, Acetylcysteine After Angiography – Medscape (free registration required)

Restrictive or Liberal Red-Cell Transfusion for Cardiac Surgery – New England Journal of Medicine (free)

Commentaries: TRICS III: Restrictive Red-Cell Transfusion Noninferior to Liberal Use in Cardiac Surgery – TCTMD (free) AHA: Restrictive Blood Transfusion OK for Select Patients – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Related article: Transfusion Requirements After Cardiac Surgery: The TRACS Randomized Controlled Trial – JAMA (free)

Mechanical or Biologic Prostheses for Aortic-Valve and Mitral-Valve Replacement – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Mechanical heart valve often the safest choice – Stanford Medicine (free) AND Mechanical or Biologic Prostheses for Aortic-Valve and Mitral-Valve Replacement? – NEJM 360 Resident (free) AND Mechanical or Tissue Valve for AVR and MVR – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND Mechanical Valves Show Mortality Benefit Over Biologic Valves – Medscape (free registration required) AND Heart valve replacement success may depend on age, valve type – Reuters (free)

European guidelines on perioperative venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (free PDF articles):

– Editorial

– Executive Summary

– Intensive care

– Mechanical prophylaxis

– Patients with preexisting coagulation disorders and after severe perioperative bleeding

– Inferior vena cava filters

– Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery

– Neurosurgery

– Surgery in the elderly

– Surgery in the obese patient

– Surgery during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period

– Day surgery and fast-track surgery

– Chronic treatments with antiplatelet agents

– Aspirin

2017 Multimodality Appropriate Use Criteria for Noninvasive Cardiac Imaging: Expert Consensus of the Asian Society of Cardiovascular Imaging – Korean Journal of Cardiology (free)

Pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart defects: a European consensus statement – The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health (free)

Commentaries: All babies in Europe should be screened for heart defects at birth – OnMedica (free) AND Call for Europe-wide screening of babies for heart defects – MedicalXpress (free)

Percutaneous coronary intervention in stable angina (ORBITA): a double-blind, randomised controlled trial – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Small Trial Raises Big Concerns That PCI In Stable Angina Is Just A Placebo – Cardiobrief (free) AND Diving Deep Into The ORBITA Trial – Cardiobrief (free) AND ‘Unbelievable’: Heart Stents Fail to Ease Chest Pain – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free) AND ORBITA: PCI Offers No Symptom Improvement Over Sham Procedure – TCTMD (free)

The Care of Children With Congenital Heart Disease in Their Primary Medical Home – Pediatrics (free)

PCI Strategies in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiogenic Shock – New England Journal of Medicine (free)

Editorial: Back to the Future in Cardiogenic Shock — Initial PCI of the Culprit Lesion Only (free)

Commentaries: CULPRIT-SHOCK Disputes Benefit of Immediate Multivessel PCI in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock – TCTMD (free) AND CULPRIT-SHOCK: Culprit Lesion Only PCI Vs. Immediate Multivessel PCI in Cardiogenic Shock – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Daytime variation of perioperative myocardial injury in cardiac surgery and its prevention by Rev-Erbα antagonism: a single-centre propensity-matched cohort study and a randomised study – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Why Heart Surgery May be Better in the Afternoon – Scientific American (free) AND Afternoon heart surgery has lower risk of complications, study suggests – The Guardian (free) AND Aortic Valve Replacement: Afternoon Surgery Linked to Fewer Adverse Events – Physician’s First Watch (free)

Elevated blood pressure and risk of mitral regurgitation: A longitudinal cohort study of 5.5 million United Kingdom adults – PLOS Medicine (free)

Commentaries: High Blood Pressure Is a Risk Factor For Mitral Regurgitation – Medical Research (free) AND High Blood Pressure May Raise Mitral Regurgitation Risk – TCTMD (free) AND Inevitable or preventable? High blood pressure linked to mitral regurgitation – Cardiovascular Business (free)

2017 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on the Management of Mitral Regurgitation – Journal of The American College of Cardiology (free)

Commentaries: Expert Consensus Decision Pathway for Management of Mitral Regurgitation – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND ACC Recommends ‘Structured Approach’ to Mitral Regurgitation – MedPage Today (free registration required)

2017 Appropriate Use Criteria for the Treatment of Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis (free)

Commentaries: 2017 AUC for Management of Severe Aortic Stenosis – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND First Appropriate Use Criteria Issued for Severe Aortic Stenosis – Medpage Today (free registration required)

Older people with acute coronary syndromes may benefit from routine invasive therapy – NIHR Signal (free)

Original article: Revascularisation compared with initial medical therapy for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes in the elderly: a meta-analysis – Heart (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

2017 EACTS Guidelines on perioperative medication in adult cardiac surgery – European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (free)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter (free)

Long-term Outcomes of Multiple Arterial Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Population-Based Study of Patients in British Columbia, Canada – JAMA Cardiology (free)

Commentaries: Study: Triple-Vessel CABG Strategy Matters in the Long Run – MedPage Today (free registration required)

In patients with multivessel disease who are undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, multiple arterial grafting (MAG) is associated with reduced mortality, repeated revascularization, myocardial infarction, and heart failure when compared with left internal thoracic artery (LITA) supplemented by saphenous vein grafts (LITA+SVG).

Diagnosis and Management of Noncardiac Complications in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (free PDF)

News release: Looking beyond the heart in adults with congenital heart disease (free)

Commentary: Think Outside the Heart: Noncardiac Complications and Considerations in the Adult Congenital Patient (free)

Top Ten Things to Know: Diagnosis and Management of Noncardiac Complications in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease (free PDF)

Predicting 30-Day Mortality for Patients With Acute Heart Failure in the Emergency Department: A Cohort Study – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Tool may help accurately predict 30-day mortality for emergency department patients with acute heart failure – 2 Minute Medicine (free) AND Simple tool accurately predicts 30-day mortality for patients with acute heart failure in the ER – MedicalXpress (free)

See Calculator: MEESSI-AHF RISK MODEL

Current Practice of State-of-the-Art Surgical Coronary Revascularization – Circulation (free)

Guidelines for the Management of Congenital Heart Diseases in Childhood and Adolescence – The German Society of Paediatric Cardiology (free PDF)

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography vs Functional Stress Testing for Patients With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA Internal Medicine (free)

Invited commentary: Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography—The First Test for Evaluating Patients With Chest Pain? (free)

Commentary: Coronary CT Angiography vs. Stress Testing: Meta-Analysis Offers Mixed Results – Physician’s First Watch (free)

Coronary Computed Tomografic Angiography (CCTA) was associated with a very small reduction in the incidence of myocardial infarction (0.7% vs 1.1% = 0.4% absolute risk reduction), but without differences in death or cardiac hospitalization. Patients undergoing CCTA were significantly more likely to undergo invasive coronary angiography (11.7% vs 9.1%), revascularization (7.2% vs 4.5%) and were also more likely to receive a diagnosis of new CAD and to have initiated aspirin or statin therapy.

Acute Coronary Syndromes: The Way Forward From Mechanisms to Precision Treatment – Circulation (free)

D-dimer to guide the intensity of anticoagulation in Chinese patients after mechanical heart valve replacement: a randomized controlled trial – Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Source: ACP Journal Wise ($)

Interventions for treating tuberculous pericarditis – Cochrane Library (free)

News release: Treatment for tuberculosis infection of the membrane around the heart (free)

“For HIV-negative patients, corticosteroids may reduce death. For HIV-positive patients not on antiretroviral drugs, corticosteroids may reduce constriction. For HIV-positive patients with good antiretroviral drug viral suppression, clinicians may consider the results from HIV-negative patients more relevant”.

2017 HRS Expert Consensus Statement on Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Lead Management and Extraction – Heart Rhythm Sociey (free PDF)

Association of Guideline Adherence for Serial Evaluations With Survival and Adverse Clinical Events in Patients With Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis – JAMA Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Serial Echos Valuable in Patients with Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis – Physician’s First Watch (free) AND Close Watch on Aortic Stenosis May Improve Outcomes – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Survival and Cardiovascular Outcomes of Patients With Secondary Mitral Regurgitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Even Mild Secondary Mitral Regurgitation Tied to Reduced Survival – MedPage Today (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Aortic Wall Inflammation Predicts Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Expansion, Rupture, and Need for Surgical Repair – Circulation (free)

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention vs Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients With Left Main Coronary Artery Stenosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA Cardiology (free)

Commentary: CABG, PCI show similar long-term outcomes – Cardiovascular Business (free)

Benefit of Patent Foramen Ovale Closure Seen in Selected Patients with Cryptogenic Stroke – Journal Watch (free)

Original articles from the New England Journal of Medicine: Patent Foramen Ovale Closure or Antiplatelet Therapy for Cryptogenic Stroke (link to abstract – $ for full-text) AND Patent Foramen Ovale Closure or Anticoagulation vs. Antiplatelets after Stroke (link to abstract – $ for full-text) AND Long-Term Outcomes of Patent Foramen Ovale Closure or Medical Therapy after Stroke (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

c: mendelian randomisation study – The BMJ (free)

Commentary: Going to university may cut your risk of heart disease – NHS Choices (free)

Palliative Care in Heart Failure: The PAL-HF Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial – Journal of The American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Palliative Care Intervention Improves Quality of Life in Advanced Heart Failure Patients – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND Palliative Care & CHF: PAL-HF trial – Pallimed (free)

Aortic Wall Inflammation Predicts Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Expansion, Rupture, and Need for Surgical Repair – Circulation (free)

Public Reporting of Surgical Outcomes: Surgeons, Hospitals, or Both? – JAMA Forum (free)

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Clinical Outcomes and Risk of Recurrence – Journal of The American College or Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Long-Term Outcomes of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND Spontaneous Coronary Dissection Often Followed By MACE Long Term – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Beta-blockers were associated with less recurrence in this observational study.

Improving the Appropriate Use of Transthoracic Echocardiography: The Echo WISELY Trial – Journal of The American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Improving Echo Appropriateness: Audit and Feedback Intervention Works – TCTMD (free) AND Improving Appropriate Use of Transthoracic Echocardiography – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

ACC/AATS/AHA/ASE/ASNC/HRS/SCAI/SCCT/SCMR/STS 2017 Appropriate Use Criteria for Multimodality Imaging in Valvular Heart Disease (free)

Commentary with highlights from the document: Appropriate Use Criteria Published for Valvular Heart Disease Imaging Tests – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Acute aortic dissection: pathogenesis, risk factors and diagnosis – Swiss Medical Weekly (free)

Impact of Obesity on Intensive Care Unit Resource Utilization After Cardiac Operations – The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Obese cardiac patients a drain on ICU resources – Cardiovascular Business (free) AND Obese Cardiac Surgery Patients a Burden on ICU Resources – TCTMD (free) AND Post–Cardiac Surgery ICU Usage Rises With Increasing Obesity – Medscape (free registration required)

How should we deal with non-culprit lesions during a STEMI? A mid-night conundrum – Evidently Cochrane (free)

Original article: Complete versus culprit-only revascularisation in ST elevation myocardial infarction with multi-vessel disease – Cochrane Library (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Underweight associated with highest mortality and costs after cardiac catheterization (free) (the results have not been published yet)

Commentaries: Underweight and Overlooked: Low BMI Patients May Be Highest-Risk Post-PCI – TCTMD (free) AND Underweight Patients Fare Worse After Heart Catheterization – Medscape (free registration required) AND ESC 2017: Underweight Is Associated With Highest Mortality and Costs After Cardiac Catheterization – PracticeUpdate (free registration required)

Comparison of Coronary CT Angiography, SPECT, PET, and Hybrid Imaging for Diagnosis of Ischemic Heart Disease Determined by Fractional Flow Reserve – JAMA Cardiology (free)

Commentaries: SPECT, PET, and CTA—Acronyms or Better Imaging? – JAMA Cardiology (free) PET More Accurate for Diagnosing CAD Than SPECT and CT Angiography: PACIFIC Study – TCTMD (free) PET Dominates in Non-invasive CAD Detection Accuracy – MedPage Today (free)

Closure of left atrial appendage during heart surgery protects the brain (LAACS) – ESC Press Releases (free) (the results have not been published yet)

Commentary: LAACS: LAA Closure May Protect Against Long-Term Cerebral Ischemic Events – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

The Prognostic Value of Coronary Artery Calcium in the PROMISE Study – Circulation (free PDF)

Editorial: Computed Tomography or Functional Stress Testing for the Prediction of Risk: Can I Have My Cake and Eat It? (free PDF)

Commentary: Prospective Multicenter Imaging Study for Evaluation of Chest Pain – PROMISE – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

2017 ESC/EACTS Guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease (free) (RT @rafavidalperez see Tweet)

Commentary: European Societies Issue New Valvular Heart Disease Guidelines, With Important Shifts – TCTMD (free)

See also: #ESCCongress Slides (free PPT file)

2017 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation: The Task Force for the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) (free) (RT @rafavidalperez see Tweet)

Commentary: ESC Updates Guidelines for Treating STEMI Patients – TCTMD (free)

See also: #ESCCongress Slides (free PPT file)

CI Versus CABG in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes and Multivessel Disease – Journal of The American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Patients With Type 1 Diabetes and Multivessel Disease Have Greater Benefit From CABG Than PCI – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND Revascularization in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

CABG Appears Superior to PCI for Patients With Type 1 Diabetes, Multivessel Disease – TCTMD (free)

“The observational findings support existing recommendations favoring surgical revascularization in patients with diabetes” (from TCTMD).

Review: Minimally invasive valve surgery in high-risk patients – Journal of Thoracic Disease (free)

Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement in high risk patient groups – Journal of Thoracic Disease (free)

Multimodality imaging assessment of mitral valve anatomy in planning for mitral valve repair in secondary mitral regurgitation – Journal of Thoracic Disease (free)

Papillary muscle approximation in mitral valve repair for secondary MR – Journal of Thoracic Disease (free)

Hybrid repair of aortic arch aneurysms: a comprehensive review – Journal of Thoracic Disease (free)

Global, Regional, and National Burden of Rheumatic Heart Disease, 1990–2015 – New England Journal of Medicine (free)

Editorial: Rheumatic Heart Disease — An Iceberg in Tropical Waters (free) (RT @NEJM see Tweet with interesting table)

Quick Take Video Summary: What is the Global Burden of Rheumatic Heart Disease? (free)

Commentary: Death rates from rheumatic heart disease falling since 1990 – Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (free)

Smoking Cessation Pharmacotherapy Among Smokers Hospitalized for Coronary Heart Disease – JAMA Internal Medicine (free)

Commentaries: Smokers hospitalized for heart attacks often don’t get cessation drugs – Reuters (free) AND Smokers Hospitalized for CHD Rarely Receive Cessation Pharmacotherapy During Hospitalization – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Five-Year Outcomes after On-Pump and Off-Pump Coronary-Artery Bypass – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Off-Pump CABG Raises Long-Term Mortality Risk – Cardiobrief (free) AND Newer method of open-heart surgery carries more risks, study finds – STAT (free)

Review: Mitral valve prolapse and Marfan syndrome – Congenital Heart Disease (free)

Role of nutrition support in adult cardiac surgery: a consensus statement from an International Multidisciplinary Expert Group on Nutrition in Cardiac Surgery – Critical Care (free)

The 10-Year Prognostic Value of Zero and Minimal CAC – Journal of The American College of Cardiology (no abstract – $ for full text)

Commentary: Calcium in Arteries Influences Heart Attack Risk –  UT Southwestern Medical Center, via NewsWise (free) AND Study: Calcium in arteries influences heart attack risk – UPI (free)

“Half of the participants had no calcium deposits in their arteries or a zero coronary artery calcium, or CAC, score, and had less than a 3 percent chance of a cardiovascular event over a 10-year period despite having other risk factors for heart disease and stroke such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high bad cholesterol levels” (from UPI)

Increasing Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation and Permanent Atrial Arrhythmias in Congenital Heart Disease – Journal of The American College of Cardiology (link to abstract and infographic – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Atrial Fibrillation in Congenital Heart Disease – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Review: The Future of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging – European Heart Journal (free)

Source: Medscape

Eliminating Creatine Kinase–Myocardial Band Testing in Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Value-Based Quality Improvement – JAMA Internal Medicine (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)

Author interview: Eliminating Creatine Kinase–Myocardial Band Testing in Suspected ACS (free)

Commentaries: Eliminating CK-MB Testing in Suspected ACS – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND Research review recommends eliminating widely ordered blood test for diagnosing heart attacks – Johns Hopkins Medicine, via Science Daily (free)

“Review is first publication from national consortium of academic medical centers working to eliminate unnecessary medical tests, treatments and procedures” (from Science Daily)

Review: Left atrial appendage occlusion for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation – Clinical Cardiology (free)

Surgical Guidelines for Perioperative Management of Older Adults: What Geriatricians Need to Know – Journal of The American Geriatrics Society, via Medscape (free)

ANMCO Scientific Statement: clinical management of hypercholesterolaemia in patients with acute coronary syndromes – European Heart Journal (free)

Optimal timing of an invasive strategy in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomised trials – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Optimal Timing of an Invasive Strategy in NSTE-ACS Patients – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

An early invasive strategy does not reduce mortality compared with a delayed invasive strategy in most patients with NSTE-ACS, but seems to reduce mortality in high-risk patients.

ESC Joint Working Groups on Cardiovascular Surgery and the Cellular Biology of the Heart Position Paper: Peri-operative myocardial injury and infarction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (free)

Summary with 10 key points to remember: Perioperative Myocardial Injury and Infarction After CABG – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

A meta-analysis of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) or open aortic cross-clamping by resuscitative thoracotomy in non-compressible torso hemorrhage patients – World Journal of Emergency Surgery (free)

This meta-analysis, mainly from observational studies and including 1276 patients, suggests a positive effect of REBOA on mortality among non-compressible torso hemorrhage patients.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation for aortic stenosis –NICE Guideline (free)

Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis After Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement – Circulation (free)

Commentary: Fewer infections in mechanical heart valves – Karolinska Institutet (free)

In this large cohort with follow-up time of up to 18 years, the risk of endocarditis was about 50 per cent higher with a biological prosthesis than with a mechanical prosthesis.

Comparison of Stenting Versus Bypass Surgery According to the Completeness of Revascularization in Severe Coronary Artery Disease: Patient-Level Pooled Analysis of the SYNTAX, PRECOMBAT, and BEST Trials – Journal of The American College of Cardiology (free)

Commentaries: Surgery vs. Stents With Complete Revascularization – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND PCI Matches Surgery for Multivessel Disease: But technical success with percutaneous procedure is critical – MedPage Today (free registration required)

Related study: Long-Term Mortality After Coronary Revascularization in Nondiabetic Patients With Multivessel Disease – Journal of The American College of Cardiology (free)

Results are comparable as long as complete revascularization has been achieved, additional randomized trials testing this hypothesis needed.

Long-Term Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Complications in Takayasu’s Arteritis: A Multicenter Study of 318 Patients – Circulation (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Prognostic Factors in Takayasu’s Arteritis – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Damage control resuscitation in patients with severe traumatic hemorrhage: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (free)

See also: Guideline Summary: National Guideline Clearinghouse (free)

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (free)

See also: Guideline Summary: National Guideline Clearinghouse (free)

Operative fixation of rib fractures after blunt trauma: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (free)

See also: Guideline Summary: National Guideline Clearinghouse (free)

Review: The Diagnosis and Treatment of Hemoptysis – Deutsches Ärzteblatt international (free)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter

Review: Management of elderly patients with a non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome – Netherlands Heart Journal (free) (RT @Gas_Craic see Tweet)

Review: Management of malignant pleural effusion: challenges and solutions – Cancer Management and Research (free)

Summary with 10 key points to remember: Acute Aortic Syndromes: Diagnosis and Management – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Original Article: Acute aortic syndromes: diagnosis and management, an update – European Heart Journal (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Viewpoint: The Evolving Story of Overlapping Surgery – JAMA (free) (RT @pash22 see Tweet)

Commentary: 3 steps to restore patient trust in overlapping surgeries – FierceHealthcare (free)

This interesting viewpoint discusses the practice of scheduling overlapping surgeries, in which a qualified practitioner finishes noncritical parts of the first operation while the primary surgeon moves to the next surgery.

Review: Diagnosis and treatment of cystic lung disease – Korean Journal of Internal Medicine (free)

Clinical Review: Three-dimensional echocardiography in adult congenital heart disease – Korean Journal of Internal Medicine (free)

Detecting human coronary inflammation by imaging perivascular fat – Science Translational Medicine (free)

Commentaries: Scan finds heart’s ticking time bombs – BBC News (free) AND New way of reading scans can predict heart attack risk, research finds – The Guardian (free)

Pericarditis as a Marker of Occult Cancer and a Prognostic Factor for Cancer Mortality – Circulation (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Pericarditis as a Marker of Occult Cancer – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Association of delay of urgent or emergency surgery with mortality and use of health care resources: a propensity score–matched observational cohort study – Canadian Medical Association Journal (free)

Commentary: Patients whose emergency surgery is delayed are at higher risk of death – Canadian Medical Association Journal, via EurekAlert (free)

Source: STAT News Newsletter

“Delayed operating room access for emergency surgery was associated with increased risk of inhospital mortality, longer length of stay and higher costs”.

Re-designing the pathway to surgery: better care and added value – Perioperative Medicine (free)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter

Prognostic Value of Noninvasive Cardiovascular Testing in Patients With Stable Chest Pain – Circulation (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: CT angiography appears better at predicting future risk for patients with chest pain – Massachusetts General Hospital, via ScienceDaily (free)

Source: EvidenceAlerts (free resource to find articles of interest)

“The most important result indicated that the ability of coronary CTA to identify nonobstructive coronary artery disease – a less-than-70-percent narrowing of a coronary artery – identifies an at-risk group of patients not found by functional testing” (from ScienceDaily)

Comparison of Outcome of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Versus Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation for Non–ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome – The American Journal of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Source: EvidenceAlerts

In patients with Non–ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome and left main or multivessel CAD, CABG significantly reduced the risk of death from any causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke compared with PCI with drug-eluting stents

A Meta-analysis of the Impact of Aspirin, Clopidogrel, and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Bleeding Complications in Noncardiac Surgery – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Source: EvidenceAlerts (free resource to find articles of interest)

“Antiplatelet therapy at the time of noncardiac surgery confers minimal bleeding risk with no difference in thrombotic complications. In many cases, it is safe to continue antiplatelet therapy in patients with important indications for their use”

Trends and Outcomes of Off-Label Use of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Insights From the NCDR STS/ACC TVT Registry – JAMA Cardiology (free)

The JAMA Network – For the Media: Study Examines Use, Outcomes of Valve Replacement Procedure Performed for Off-Label Indications

Commentary: Outcomes of Off-Label Use of TAVR – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

“A randomized controlled trial directly comparing TAVR with surgery among specific subsets of off-label populations is needed to provide convincing evidence, and significant ‘off-label’ use captured in registries such as this should motivate such prospective randomized studies” (from Latest in Cardiology).

Review: Trans-catheter aortic valve implantation: Contemporary practice and the future – Cardiology Journal (free)

Guideline summary: Consensus on Surgical Treatment of Infective Endocarditis – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)

Original article: 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) consensus guidelines: Surgical treatment of infective endocarditis: Executive summary (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients With Coronary Stents Undergoing Elective Noncardiac Surgery: Continue, Stop, or Something in Between? – JAMA (free)

Inspired by War Zones, Balloon Device May Save Civilians From Fatal Blood Loss – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)

Practice Guidelines for Preoperative Fasting and the Use of Pharmacologic Agents to Reduce the Risk of Pulmonary Aspiration – Anesthesiology, via Medscape (free registration required)

Thirty-Year Mortality After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: A Danish Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study – Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Many good years after heart bypass surgery, but something happens after ten years – Aarhus University, via Science Daily (free)

“For patients who make it through the first month after the operation is close to that of the population in general. But 8-10 years after a heart bypass operation, mortality increases by 60-80 per cent” (from Science Daily)

Recommendations for the Use of Mechanical Circulatory Support: Ambulatory and Community Patient Care: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (free PDF)

See also: News release (free) AND Top Ten Things to Know (free PDF)

Related: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Adults and Children With Mechanical Circulatory Support: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (free PDF) AND CPR in Patients With Mechanical Circulatory Support – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology(free)

A New Renaissance in Pericardial Diseases – Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases (special issue with series of review articles on the management of pericardial disease).

Source: Hospital Medicine Virtual Journal Club

1 – Introduction: A New Renaissance in Pericardial Diseases (free)

2 – Structure and Anatomy of the Human Pericardium (free)

3 – Pathophysiology of the Pericardium (free)

4 – Acute Pericarditis (free)

5 – Recurrent Pericarditis (free)

6 – Constrictive Pericarditis: A Practical Clinical Approach (free)

7 – Pericardial Effusions: Causes, Diagnosis, and Management (free)

8 – Pericardial Masses, Cysts and Diverticula: A Comprehensive Review Using Multimodality Imaging (free)

9 – Congenital Absence of the Pericardium (free)

10 – Surgical Management of Pericardial Diseases (free)