Transcarotid versus transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: In the 2021 Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) registry, 8.9 % of patients underwent TAVR via access sites other than the femoral artery. Transthoracic approaches may be contraindicated in some patients and may be associated with poorer outcomes.

Hepatocyte growth factor is associated with greater risk of extracoronary calcification: results from the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis.

Background: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a biomarker with potential for use in the diagnosis, treatment and prognostication of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Elevated HGF is associated with calcification in the coronary arteries. However, knowledge is limited on the role HGF may play in extracoronary calcification (ECC).

Cardiovascular Outcomes Associated With Adult Electronic Cigarette Use.

Electronic cigarettes (E-Cigs) have been advertised as a safer alternative to smoking. However, E-Cigs use, like smoking, delivers ultra-small aerosol particles, which may be associated with cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to look into the association between E-Cigs use and cardiovascular disease outcomes.

A Vanishing Left Atrial Cystic Mass: A Ruptured Blood Cyst?

Cardiac blood cysts are very rare in adults. Their etiology, pathogenesis, and optimal management remain unclear. We report a case of a large left atrial cystic mass with clinical and imaging characteristics of a blood cyst that vanished between chest CT angiogram and trans-esophageal echocardiogram examinations done 2 days apart, without embolic phenomena.

Clinical Outcomes of Sentinel Cerebral Protection System Use During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with and without the use of the Sentinel Cerebral Protection System (Sentinel CPS).

Background: Stroke occurs in 2-5% of patients at 30 days after TAVR and increases mortality >3 fold. The Sentinel CPS is the only FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved cerebral embolic protection device.

Decreased Renal Function Is Associated with Elevated CHA2DS2VASC and R2CHADS2 Scores in Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation Patients Presenting with Stroke.

Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affects approximately 2.3 million patients in the United States, costing around $26 billion. Atrial fibrillation is associated with a two- to seven-fold increased risk of stroke, one of the most serious complications.

Sudden Death from Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection due to Polyarteritis Nodosa.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an emerging and rare cause of acute coronary syndrome and sudden cardiac death. While it was previously reported among young females with fibromuscular dysplasia, new literature indicates that this condition could occur in older populations. Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) causes systemic necrotizing vasculitis which typically affects small to medium-sized muscular arteries and could affect the coronary arteries.