Cardiology

Evaluation and treatment of pericarditis: a systematic review

    • Review highlighting the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of pericarditis

Stress testing and non-invasive coronary angiography

  • Review article that discusses the various modalities available for stress testing and their respective utility and limitations

The SHOCK Trial

  • Comparison of mortality in patients who have MI complication by cardiogenic shock stratified to either early vs late coronary revascularization

The Hypothermia after Cardiac Arrest Study Group. Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia to Improve the Neurologic Outcome after Cardiac Arrest

  • Does therapeutic hypothermia improve neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest?

2013 ACCF/AHA guideline for the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction

  • 2013 ACCF/AHA STEMI guidelines

2014 AHA/ACC guideline for the management of patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes

  • 2014 AHA/ACC NSTEMI guidelines

Primary angioplasty versus intravenous thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction: a quantitative review of 23 randomised trials

  • A review of 23 articles comparing effectiveness of primary angioplasty versus intravenous thrombolytic therapy in treatment of patients with STEMI

PLATO

  • Comparison of ticagrelor vs clopidogrel in the treatment of ACS, both NSTEMI and STEMI

CURRENT–OASIS 7

  • In patients with ACS undergoing PCI, what is the ideal dose of aspirin and plavix to give and does it affect mortality?

Intensive versus moderate lipid lowering with statins after acute coronary syndromes

  • In patients hospitalized for ACS, how does statin dosing affect mortality, and is there a mortality difference between patients treated with moderate intensity vs high intensity statins?

Acute heart failure syndromes

  • Review article highlighting the demographics, clinical presentation, pathophysiology, and treatment of acute decompensated heart failure

Diuretic Treatment in Heart Failure

  • Review article highlighting diuretic treatment and the evidence behind it in heart failure

Inotropes

  • Review article highlighting pharmacology, mechanism of action, and clinical indications for various inotropes in heart failure

DOSE

  • Prospective randomized trial comparing continuous IV lasix vs twice daily IV lasix in patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure

PARADIGM HF

  • Comparison of angiotensin-neprilysin inhibitor to ACE-inhibitor in patients with NYHA class II, III, or IV heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

PIONEER HF

  • Comparison of angiotensin-neprilysin inhibitor to enalapril with patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure

SOLVD

  • How does the addition of enalapril to standard therapy affect patients with congestive heart failure compared to placebo?

CHARM-Alternative

  • In patients who cannot tolerate ACE-inhibitor because of intolerance, does addition of candesartan improve outcomes?

COPERNICUS

  • Does carvedilol improve survival in patients in patients with severe heart failure NYHA class III or IV?

MERIT-HF

  • Does metoprolol improve survival or symptoms in patient with NYHA II-IV heart failure with reduced ejection fraction?

RALES

  • In patients with severe heart failure with reduced EF already on heart failure therapy, does the addition of spironolactone decrease mortality and morbidity?

A-HeFT

  • Does the combination of isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine have survival benefit in black patients with NYHA III or IV heart failure?

CARE-HF

  • Does cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with heart failure due to left ventricular dysfunction have an effect on mortality or morbidity?

SCD-HeFT

  • In patients with HFrEF with EF <35%, does the addition of amiodarone or ICD to standard therapy decrease mortality?

DANISH

  • In patients with HFrEF EF <35% with non-ischemic etiology, does ICD placement reduce mortality compared to standard medical therapy alone?

MOMENTUM 3

  • Comparison of pump thrombosis and outcomes between new generation LVAD Heartmate 3 vs previous generation Heartmate 2

Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

  • Review article that highlights treatment of atrial fibrillation

AFFIRM

  • Compared treatment with rate or rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation

AF-CHF

  • In patients with heart failure with EF <35% and atrial fibrillation, is there a difference in mortality between rate control vs rhythm control stratagy?

RACE II

  • In patients with atrial fibrillation who are treated with rate control strategy, what is the optimal target heart rate?

Catheter ablation to maintain sinus rhythm

  • Review article discussing catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation

ROCKET AF

  • In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, is rivaroxaban non-inferior to warfarin for prevention of stroke or systemic embolism?

CASTLE AF

  • In patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure with EF <35% on standard HF therapy and with ICD in place, does catheter ablation decrease mortality or morbidity compared to medical management of atrial fibrillation?

PARTNER

  • In patients with severe aortic stenosis deemed too high risk for surgical valve replacement, does TAVI improve mortality or morbidity compared to standard therapy with balloon valvuloplasty?

The effect of aortic valve replacement on survival

  • In patients with aortic valve disease (stenosis or insufficiency), does aortic valve replacement have an effect on survival?

PARTNER 1

  • In patients with severe aortic stenosis who are surgical candidates but high risk, is TAVR non-inferior to surgical aortic valve replacement?

PARTNER 3

  • In patients with severe aortic stenosis who are low risk surgical candidates, is TAVR non-inferior to surgical aortic valve replacement?

Mitral-valve repair versus replacement for severe ischemic mitral regurgitation

  • In patients with severe MR due to ischemia, is there a difference in left ventricle end systolic volume (used as surrogate for left ventricle remodeling) or survival between mitral valve replacement vs repair at 12 months?

Two-year outcomes of surgical treatment of severe ischemic mitral regurgitation

  • In patients with severe MR due to ischemia, is there a difference in left ventricle end systolic volume (used as surrogate for left ventricle remodeling) or survival between mitral valve replacement vs repair at 2 years?

Two-year outcomes of surgical treatment of moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation

  • In patients with moderate MR due to ischemia undergoing CABG, is there a difference in left ventricle end systolic volume (used as surrogate for left ventricle remodeling) or survival between mitral valve replacement vs repair at 2 years?