Impact of Switching From Prasugrel to Clopidogrel Shortly After a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Without a Loading Dose of Clopidogrel.

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of administering prasugrel at the time of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and switching to clopidogrel, without reloading.

Background: Prasugrel has faster onset of action and appears to be of greater benefit than clopidogrel, particularly early after PCI. However, long-term prasugrel increases bleeding.

Cardiac troponin release following hybrid coronary revascularization versus off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objectives: Cardiac ischaemic marker release is associated with adverse clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery. We sought to compare the release of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) after hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) with off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB).

Methods: Using data from a prospective single-centre registry, we compared cTnI measured at postoperative day 1 following one-stage HCR and OPCAB among patients with normal baseline cTnI.

Frequency of coronary angiography and revascularization among men and women with myocardial infarction and their relationship to mortality at one year: an analysis of the Geisinger myocardial infarction cohort.

Objectives: To determine sex bias in the selection of strategies to evaluate patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and determine if the choice of strategy influences survival.

Background: Controversy exists regarding the role of female sex in the use of invasive evaluation for AMI and its possible effect on adverse outcomes.

Methods: Electronic health record data from the Geisinger Acute Myocardial Infarction Cohort (GAMIC) was analyzed which included 1,968 men and 1,047 women admitted to the Geisinger Medical Center between January 2001 and December 2006 with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Comparative study of same sitting hybrid coronary artery revascularization versus off-pump coronary artery bypass in multivessel coronary artery disease.

Objective: We compared the outcomes of same sitting robotic-assisted hybrid coronary artery revascularization (HCR) with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) in similar patients with multivessel coronary artery disease.

Background: HCR is a novel procedure in selected patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). Although there are some data on staged HCR, the data on same sitting HCR are limited.