The CADILLAC risk score accurately identifies patients at low risk for in-hospital mortality and adverse cardiovascular events following ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: The CADILLAC risk score was developed to identify patients at low risk for adverse cardiovascular events following ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI).

Methods: We performed a single center retrospective review of STEMI hospitalizations treated with PPCI from 2014 to 2018. Patients were stratified using the CADILLAC risk score into low risk, intermediate risk and high risk groups.

Lead aVR predicts early revascularization but not long-term events in patients referred for stress electrocardiography.

Background: Exercise stress electrocardiography (ExECG) is recommended as a first-line tool to assess ischemia, but standard ST-analysis has limited diagnostic accuracy. ST elevation in lead aVR has been associated with left main and LAD disease in the population undergoing coronary angiography but has not been studied in the general population undergoing stress testing for the initial evaluation of CAD without coronary angiography. We sought to determine the predictive value of lead aVR elevation for ischemia, early revascularization, and subsequent cardiac events in consecutive patients undergoing ExECG.

Distal Radial and Ulnar Arteries: the Alternative Forearm Access.

Purpose Of Review: Radial artery access for catheter-based procedures has demonstrated improved margins of safety and patient comfort without a loss of efficacy compared with femoral access. Unfortunately, radial access is not always available, so a review of the alternatives such as the ulnar artery and distal radial artery has been completed to understand alternative access sites that may preserve the benefits of distal forearm access without losing the efficacy of traditional transradial access.

Recent Findings: Several different trials have demonstrated the utility of ulnar access as a possible workhorse access point.

Roadmap for the radial: Should we stop for directions?

Regimented use of radial artery angiography prior to ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI) intervention may improve complication rates and can be associated with improved procedural success, procedural time, and reduction in access-site bleeding. Routine radial artery angiography may improve procedural quality without increase in procedural time or contrast use. Regardless of whether universal or selective radial angiography is best practice, angiography is an important tool to use for efficient radial access.