Cardiophile MD Archive

A recent study by Brott GT et al for the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs. Stenting Trial (CREST) Investigators published in NEJM compared carotid stenting with endarterectomy. The trial was unique in that it involved both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with carotid stenosis and there was strict credentialing for both surgeons and interventionalists for inclusion as [...]

There could be a genetic background for at least those cases of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) which do not resolve in the usual pattern in the post partum period. This has been suggested by a new study published in Circulation. Karin Y. van Spaendonck-Zwarts et al found first degree relatives with un diagnosed dilated cardiomyopathy for [...]

Aortic regurgitation is more likely to occur in subpulmonic ventricular septal defect (VSD) than perimembranous VSD. Aortic cuspal prolapse occurs in 4 – 9% of VSDs and aortic regurgitation in 2 – 6% of VSDs. But the prevalene of aortic cusp prolapse in subpulmonic VSDs is upto 73% and the occurrence of aortic regurgitation about [...]

In the yester years, beta blockers were contra indicated in heart failure. But now we have evidence from multiple randomized controlled trials that beta blocker are useful in heart failure with upto 40% reduction in one year mortality. It is worth remembering that most of the clinical trials enroll younger patients and the standard of [...]

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an evolving modality of treatment. Conventional repair of AAA was surgical. A recent study published in NEJM compared endovascular repair with open surgical repair. This randomized study involved over 1200 patients from 1999 to 2004 in 37 hospitals in the United Kingdom. They were followed up till [...]