Twelve-month outcomes with a paclitaxel-eluting stent transitioning from controlled trials to clinical practice (the WISDOM Registry)

The WISDOM Registry tracked clinical outcomes in patients receiving a slow-release, polymer-based, paclitaxel-eluting stent during the transition from randomized trials to commercial use in everyday interventional cardiology practice. Although randomized trials of drug-eluting stents have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of these devices in less complicated, de novo lesions, observation of long-term clinical outcomes is required to monitor safety as use of this revolutionary technology expands to broader patient populations. In total, 778 patients were enrolled at 22 sites in 9 countries where the TAXUS paclitaxel-eluting stent first received market approval. Patients with de novo or restenotic coronary lesions eligible for stenting were enrolled. Clinical follow-up was conducted by telephone at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the procedure to capture reported stent thrombosis and major cardiac events (death, myocardial infarction, and reintervention on the target lesion). Clinical follow-up at 12 months was completed for 92% of patients. The 12-month rate of physician-reported major cardiac events was 5.2%, with a target lesion reintervention rate of 2.0%. The low overall stent thrombosis rate of 0.6% included no stent thromboses >30 days after the index procedure. Low target lesion reintervention rates were also observed in the high-risk subgroups: patients with diabetes (4.0%), vessels <2.5 mm (2.5%), lesions >20 mm (3.6%), and multiple stents in a lesion (1.4%). In conclusion, the paclitaxel-eluting TAXUS slow-release stent exhibits long-term safety and efficacy in uncomplicated and higher risk patients and lesions seen in everyday clinical practice.     

Platelet Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Integrin Blockade in Coronary Artery Disease: Current State of the Art

Platelets have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, acute coronary syndromes, and ischemic complications after percutaneous coronary intervention. Fibrinogen binding via platelet surface glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptors constitutes the "final pathway" in platelet aggregation leading to thrombus formation. The GP IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors, a new class of antiplatelet agents that have emerged in recent years, show great promise in reducing complications of coronary angioplasty and acute coronary syndromes. This review will examine the biology of platelet GP IIb/IIIa receptors, the various classes of GP IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists, the results of the latest clinical trials, and their implications in current clinical practice.     

Comparison of biodegradable and newer generation durable polymer drug-eluting stents with short-term dual antiplatelet therapy: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized trials comprising of 43,875 patients

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis - Newer generation durable polymer drug-eluting stents (DP-DES) and biodegradable polymer DES (BP-DES) have similar efficacy with dual-antiplatelet therapy...     

Impact of combination evidence-based medical therapy on mortality following myocardial infarction in elderly patients

Antiplatelet drugs, beta-blockers, statins, and angiotensinogen-converting enzyme inhibitors reduce mortality following myocardial infarction (MI). The data on the impact of combination evidence-based medications on mortality following acute MI in elderly patients are limited. In this study, 5529 patients with MI admitted between January 2000 and December 2003 were assessed. Based on discharge use of evidence-based medications, the patients were divided into those using 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 medications. The impact of medications on 1-year mortality was assessed for patients younger than 75 years and 75 years and older. Mean age of the patients was 63+/-13 years (71% male). The unadjusted 1-year mortality post-MI was 18.3% and 52.7% for young and elderly patients, respectively. Compared with patients with 0 medications, the adjusted odds ratio for 1-year mortality was lower in patients with 1, 2, 3, and 4 medications in both groups. Use of combination evidence-based medications was independently associated with lower 1-year post-MI mortality irrespective of age.     

Shortening of median door-to-balloon time in primary percutaneous coronary intervention in Singapore by simple and inexpensive operational measures: clinical practice improvement program

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is the standard reperfusion strategy for ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction in our center. We aimed to shorten the median door‐to‐balloon time from over 100 minutes to 90 minutes or less. Methods: We have been using three strategies since March 2007 to shorten the door‐to‐balloon time: (1) the intervention team is now activated by emergency department physicians (where previously it had been activated by coronary care unit); (2) all members of the intervention team have converted from using pagers to using cell phones; and (3) as soon as the intervention team is activated, patients are transferred immediately to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (where previously they had waited in the emergency department for the intervention team to arrive). An in‐house physician and a nurse would stay with the patients before arrival of the intervention team. Results: During 12 months, 285 nontransfer patients (analyzed, n = 270) underwent primary PCI. The shortest monthly median door‐to‐balloon time was 59 minutes; the longest monthly median door‐to‐balloon time was 111 minutes. The overall median door‐to‐balloon time for the entire 12 months was 72 minutes. On a per‐month basis, the median door‐to‐balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 10 of 12 months. On a per‐patient basis, the median door‐to‐balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 182 patients (67.4%). There was 1 case (0.4%) of inappropriate activation by the emergency department. While waiting for the intervention team to convene, 1 patient (0.4%) deteriorated and had to be resuscitated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Conclusions: Improved health care delivery can be achieved by changing simple and inexpensive operational processes.