Cardiology
Expert discussions on heart failure, arrhythmias, interventional procedures, and cardiovascular risk management.
Recent Discussions
How frequently should outpatient mobile cardiac telemetry be ordered following resolution of post-CABG-related atrial fibrillation for patients off anticoagulation?
I am not a big user of MCOTs in general so I would say that I rarely use them in the postoperative setting. I very much like MCOT monitors but the struggle with reimbursement often makes it a challenge. we do routinely get atrial fibrillation burden with our standard event monitor which certainly im...
What is your approach to risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with pre-excitation syndrome?
When addressing pre-excitation on EKG, some good references include: ACC online expert analysis 2012 PACES/HRS expert consensus statement Editorial on the 2012 PACES guidelines about the challenges of being more aggressive In general, I agree with Dr. @Dr. First Last and the ACC expert analysis that...
Is there any difference in the cardiovascular risk reduction profile of brand name Vascepa versus generic icosapent ethyl for patients with hypertriglyceridemia?
The major clinical trial data (Bhatt et al., PMID 30415628) showing benefit for Icosapent Ethyl were with medication provided by the company that ultimately branded the medication. That is no different from the clinical trials showing the benefit of statins or anti-hyperglycemic medications. We do n...
How do you counsel patients with non-statin associated inflammatory myopathies about statin use?
Patients with non-HMGCR-associated myositis could try statins, keeping in mind that they could develop statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS). Therefore, would start with fluvastatin/pravastatin/pitavastatin (that are less likely to cause SAMS) at a low dose and slowly escalate if there are no sid...
In a patient with severe TR, when is the best time to start thinking about T-TEER?
When tricuspid regurgitation is symptomatic and is refractory to optimal medical therapy. Prior to irreversible RV dysfunction and hepatic dysfunction. In patients deemed too high-risk for surgical intervention.
When should you consider adding clonidine to an antihypertensive regimen for patients with advanced CKD?
Clonidine patch is useful in severely uncontrolled hypertension. In patients with CKD, not responding to conventional medications - like calcium blockers. Though the side effect profile is not great, it is less expensive and practical.
What has been your stepwise approach to oxygenation, including when to consider the use of inhaled nitric oxide or epoprostenol, in refractory hypoxemia due to cardiogenic pulmonary edema in patients who are otherwise not ECMO candidates?
Stepwise Approach to Oxygenation in Refractory Hypoxemia Due to Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema: Initial Stabilization and Oxygen Therapy: Start with supplemental oxygen to maintain SpOâ‚‚ > 90%. Use noninvasive ventilation (NIV), such as CPAP or BiPAP, to provide positive end-expiratory pressure (PEE...
Would you consider PPM implantation for patients during their hospital stay following TAVR if they were to develop lengthening PR intervals and widening LBBB QRS duration exceeding 150ms afterwards?
Would do an EP study to guide me further.
Would you consider adding niacin to the lipid lowering regimen in statin-intolerant patients who cannot afford PCSK9i or bempedoic acid?
Yes, in a patient who absolutely cannot take a statin or other common alternatives such as ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, or Bempedoic acid, Niacin for ASCVD risk reduction is still a reasonable choice. While the combination of statin and niacin has been shown to be unhelpful (and possibly of greater ...
Among patients with recovered LVEF on GDMT with a reversible cause for heart failure (i.e., tachycardia-mediated or alcohol-mediated cardiomyopathy), would you consider de-escalation of GDMT?
There are several cardiomyopathies wherein complete recovery in LV function is observed, especially those associated with tachycardia or thyroid disease, with alcohol cardiomyopathy ranking second. However, discerning whether the improvement in function stems from the biology of the disease or the u...