Underrepresentation of Women in Reduced Ejection Heart Failure Clinical Trials With Improved Mortality or Hospitalization.

Background: There are established sex-specific differences in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) outcomes. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) based on cardiovascular outcome benefits, typically either reduced cardiovascular mortality or hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), influence current guidelines for therapy.

Objectives: The authors evaluate the representation of women in HFrEF RCTs that observed reduced all-cause or cardiovascular mortality or HHF.

Incidental Coronary Artery Calcium: Opportunistic Screening of Previous Nongated Chest Computed Tomography Scans to Improve Statin Rates (NOTIFY-1 Project).

Background: Coronary artery calcium (CAC) can be identified on nongated chest computed tomography (CT) scans, but this finding is not consistently incorporated into care. A deep learning algorithm enables opportunistic CAC screening of nongated chest CT scans. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of notifying clinicians and patients of incidental CAC on statin initiation.

Disparities in Cardiovascular Care and Outcomes for Women From Racial/Ethnic Minority Backgrounds.

Purpose Of Review: Racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in cardiovascular care are well-documented. This review aims to highlight the disparities and impact on a group particularly vulnerable to disparities, women from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds.

Recent Findings: Women from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds remain underrepresented in major cardiovascular trials, limiting the generalizability of cardiovascular research to this population.

Readability of Online Patient Educational Materials for Coronary Artery Calcium Scans and Implications for Health Disparities.

Background Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans can help reclassify risk and guide patient-clinician shared treatment decisions for cardiovascular disease prevention. Patients increasingly access online patient educational materials (OPEMs) to guide medical decision-making. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that OPEMs should be written below a 6th-grade reading level.

Women Living with Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Challenges and Considerations Surrounding Their Care.

Purpose Of Review: To highlight the gender-based differences in presentation and disparities in care for women with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).

Recent Findings: Women with FH experience specific barriers to care including underrepresentation in research, significant underappreciation of risk, and interrupted therapy during childbearing. National and international registry and clinical trial data show significant healthcare disparities for women with FH.

Contemporary Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Multiple treatment options beyond anticoagulation exist for massive and submassive pulmonary embolism to reduce mortality. For some patients, systemic thrombolytics and catheter-directed thrombolysis are appropriate interventions. For others, surgical pulmonary embolectomy can be life-saving.

Mid-Term Efficacy of Subxiphoid Versus Transpleural Pericardial Window for Pericardial Effusion.

Background: The optimal surgical technique for drainage of pericardial effusions is frequently debated. Transpleural drainage via thoracotomy or thoracoscopy is hypothesized to provide more durable freedom from recurrent pericardial effusion than a subxiphoid pericardial window. We sought to compare operative outcomes and mid-term freedom from recurrent effusion between both approaches in patients with nontraumatic pericardial effusions.

Dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging.

Cardiac CT offers several approaches to establish the hemodynamic severity of coronary artery obstructions. Dynamic myocardial perfusion CT (MPI) is based on serial CT imaging to measure the inflow of contrast medium into the myocardium and calculate absolute measures of myocardial perfusion. This review describes the MPI acquisition protocol, post-image acquisition processing and calculation of quantitative parameters, the diagnostic performance of MPI and the potential incremental value of this technique in comparison to alternative approaches.

Confusion Instead of Clarity: Publicly Reported Cardiac Surgery Ratings for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Public reporting of cardiac surgery ratings has been advocated to inform patient selection of hospitals. Although Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) ratings are based on audited risk-adjusted patient outcomes, other rating systems rely on administrative databases. In this study, we evaluate correlation among 4 widely used hospital rating systems for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and aortic valve replacement (AVR).