Abbreviated ticagrelor based dual antiplatelet therapy in acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Few randomized clinical trials have evaluated the safety and efficacy of abbreviated ticagrelor based dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS); however, these trials were underpowered to detect differences in hard clinical outcomes.

Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases was performed through June 2024, for trials that compared abbreviated (≤3-months) versus standard 12-months ticagrelor based DAPT in ACS. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality.

Cardiac Rehabilitation After Hospitalization for Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Purpose Of Review: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) carries a high burden of morbidity and mortality. Cardiac rehabilitation over the past century has developed as an important tool in treating and preventing future myocardial infarction events in this critical group. We summarize the rationale and literature evidence supporting the use of cardiac rehabilitation and its role in ACS patients, with an emphasis on its impact on outcomes following hospitalization.

Healthcare Providers' Experience Using Telehealth During the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Predominantly Rural Patient Base: An Online Survey.

Introduction: COVID-19 led to the rapid adoption of telemedicine with a significant spike in the literature concerning the patients' perspective of its use. The providers' perspective has been less well studied. Med Center Health is a healthcare network that provides services in 10 southern Kentucky counties that are home to over 300,000 people with approximately 61% of this population living in areas defined as rural.

Angiographic-only or intravascular ultrasound-guided approach for left-main coronary artery intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in percutaneous revascularization of left-main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) warrants further exploration. We aimed to collate all available data on the merits of IVUS in LMCAD to help decision-making.

Methods: The MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases were queried for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational cohort studies (OCS).

Patient Perspectives With Telehealth Visits in Cardiology During COVID-19: Online Patient Survey Study.

Background: The rise of COVID-19 and the issue of a mandatory stay-at-home order in March 2020 led to the use of a direct-to-consumer model for cardiology telehealth in Kentucky. Kentucky has poor health outcomes and limited broadband connectivity. Given these and other practice-specific constraints, the region serves as a unique context to explore the efficacy of telehealth in cardiology.

Relation of Patent Foramen Ovale to Acute Mountain Sickness.

Over 50% of patients who rapidly ascend to extreme altitudes develop various symptoms known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), which rarely can be life threatening. It is unclear why some patients are more susceptible to AMS than others. Our objective was to determine whether patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a risk factor for AMS.