News and views

Transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) was performed in around 34,500 patients in 11 European countries in the first five years following European approval of the devices in 2007, new data show. ...

Tissue-engineered human organs – the next generation of treatments for chronic heart diseases – will soon become a multi-billion dollar medical market according to an analysis by the research and consulting firm GlobalData....

Can you tell right from left bundle branch block? Are they clinically important?...

News in brief from the world of cardiology...

We continue our series in which Consultant Interventionist Dr Michael Norell takes a sideways look at life in the cath lab…and beyond. In this column, he (or perhaps his trusty steed) consider the changing role of the medical secretary....

Highlights of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting held in San Francisco last month included the first study to show a benefit of treating ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients in community hospitals with fibrinolysis before transfer for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), as well as evidence supporting the use of PCI in hospitals without surgical back up. There were also positive results for eplerenone in MI, ranolazine in diabetes, and a new IV anti-platelet agent – cangrelor – in PCI. But perhaps the biggest story of the meeting was the removal of the PREVAIL trial from the programme at the last minute because of an embargo break by the sponsor. ...

The Scottish Heart and Arterial disease Risk Prevention (SHARP) charity has aimed to reduce and prevent premature morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease in Scotland since its formation. The recent SHARP Annual Scientific Meeting - held on November 22nd–23rd 2012 in Dunkeld - highlighted the SHARP prize, initiated two years ago to encourage young researchers. Dr Alan Begg reports....

Correspondence from the world of cardiology...

Treatment of chronic heart failure (HF) is underpinned by a firm evidence base. The same cannot be said for most acute HF but this may be set to change, as discussed at the British Society for Heart Failure (BSH) Annual Day for Training and Revalidation. Held on February 7th 2013, at the Wellcome Collection Conference Centre, London, this meeting included a number of excellent presentations and interactive case-based discussions focussing on particularly challenging and controversial issues. Dr Michael Pope reports on some of the highlights....

Practical handbook of advanced interventional cardiology: tips and tricks (4th edition) Authors: Nguyen T, Hu D, Chen SL, et al. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012 ISBN: 9780470670477 Price: £62.99...