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Digital Therapeutics: A Threat or Opportunity to Pharmaceuticals

Posted in Artificial Heart, Artificial Intelligence - Breakthroughs in Theories and Technologies, Artificial Intelligence - General, Artificial intelligence applications for cardiology, Artificial Intelligence Applications in Health Care, Artificial Intelligence in Health Care - Tools & Innovations, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine - Application for Diagnosis, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine - Applications in Therapeutics, Artificial Pancreas for Type1 Diabetes, Artificial Vascular Structures, Biological Engineering, Digital HealthCare – biotech & internet joint ventures, Disease Biology, Drug Carrier Design, Drug Delivery Platform Technology, Drug Development/Formulation using 3D Printing, Electronic Health Record, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Health Law & Patient Safety, HealthCare IT, Healthcare Reform, Intelligent Information Systems, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Mobile Healthcare, Organ-on-a-Chip, Personal Health Applications: Tech Innovations serves HealhCare, Population Health Management, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, Population Health Management, Nutrition and Phytochemistry, Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Voices of Patients and Healthcare Providers, Wearable Tech + Digital Health, tagged , , , , on March 18, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Digital Therapeutics: A Threat or Opportunity to Pharmaceuticals

Reporter and Curator: Dr. Sudipta Saha, Ph.D.

3.3.7

3.3.7   Digital Therapeutics: A Threat or Opportunity to Pharmaceuticals, Volume 2 (Volume Two: Latest in Genomics Methodologies for Therapeutics: Gene Editing, NGS and BioInformatics, Simulations and the Genome Ontology), Part 2: CRISPR for Gene Editing and DNA Repair

Digital Therapeutics (DTx) have been defined by the Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA) as “delivering evidence based therapeutic interventions to patients, that are driven by software to prevent, manage or treat a medical disorder or disease”. They might come in the form of a smart phone or computer tablet app, or some form of a cloud-based service connected to a wearable device. DTx tend to fall into three groups. Firstly, developers and mental health researchers have built digital solutions which typically provide a form of software delivered Cognitive-Behaviour Therapies (CBT) that help patients change behaviours and develop coping strategies around their condition. Secondly there are the group of Digital Therapeutics which target lifestyle issues, such as diet, exercise and stress, that are associated with chronic conditions, and work by offering personalized support for goal setting and target achievement. Lastly, DTx can be designed to work in combination with existing medication or treatments, helping patients manage their therapies and focus on ensuring the therapy delivers the best outcomes possible.

Pharmaceutical companies are clearly trying to understand what DTx will mean for them. They want to analyze whether it will be a threat or opportunity to their business. For a long time, they have been providing additional support services to patients who take relatively expensive drugs for chronic conditions. A nurse-led service might provide visits and telephone support to diabetics for example who self-inject insulin therapies. But DTx will help broaden the scope of support services because they can be delivered cost-effectively, and importantly have the ability to capture real-world evidence on patient outcomes. They will no-longer be reserved for the most expensive drugs or therapies but could apply to a whole range of common treatments to boost their efficacy. Faced with the arrival of Digital Therapeutics either replacing drugs, or playing an important role alongside therapies, pharmaceutical firms have three options. They can either ignore DTx and focus on developing drug therapies as they have done; they can partner with a growing number of DTx companies to develop software and services complimenting their drugs; or they can start to build their own Digital Therapeutics to work with their products.

Digital Therapeutics will have knock-on effects in health industries, which may be as great as the introduction of therapeutic apps and services themselves. Together with connected health monitoring devices, DTx will offer a near constant stream of data about an individuals’ behavior, real world context around factors affecting their treatment in their everyday lives and emotional and physiological data such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Analysis of the resulting data will help create support services tailored to each patient. But who stores and analyses this data is an important question. Strong data governance will be paramount to maintaining trust, and the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry may not be best-placed to handle individual patient data. Meanwhile, the health sector (payers and healthcare providers) is becoming more focused on patient outcomes, and payment for value not volume. The future will say whether pharmaceutical firms enhance the effectiveness of drugs with DTx, or in some cases replace drugs with DTx.

Digital Therapeutics have the potential to change what the pharmaceutical industry sells: rather than a drug it will sell a package of drugs and digital services. But they will also alter who the industry sells to. Pharmaceutical firms have traditionally marketed drugs to doctors, pharmacists and other health professionals, based on the efficacy of a specific product. Soon it could be paid on the outcome of a bundle of digital therapies, medicines and services with a closer connection to both providers and patients. Apart from a notable few, most pharmaceutical firms have taken a cautious approach towards Digital Therapeutics. Now, it is to be observed that how the pharmaceutical companies use DTx to their benefit as well as for the benefit of the general population.

References:

https://eloqua.eyeforpharma.com/LP=23674?utm_campaign=EFP%2007MAR19%20EFP%20Database&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elqTrackId=73e21ae550de49ccabbf65fce72faea0&elq=818d76a54d894491b031fa8d1cc8d05c&elqaid=43259&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=24564

https://www.s3connectedhealth.com/resources/white-papers/digital-therapeutics-pharmas-threat-or-opportunity/

http://www.pharmatimes.com/web_exclusives/digital_therapeutics_will_transform_pharma_and_healthcare_industries_in_2019._heres_how._1273671

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/pharmaceuticals-and-medical-products/our-insights/exploring-the-potential-of-digital-therapeutics

https://player.fm/series/digital-health-today-2404448/s9-081-scaling-digital-therapeutics-the-opportunities-and-challenges

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Experimental Therapy (Left inter-atrial shunt implant device) for Heart Failure: Expert Opinion on a Preliminary Study on Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction 

Posted in congestive heart failure, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Heart Failure (HF), Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease on May 9, 2018| 1 Comment »

Experimental Therapy (Left inter-atrial shunt implant device) for Heart Failure: Expert Opinion on a Preliminary Study on Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction 

Article Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

UPDATED on 5/11/2022

For heart failure patients with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction in the DELIVER trial, dapagliflozin (Farxiga) helped reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and worsening heart failure, AstraZeneca announced, paving the way for a new indication in the future.

But how many real-world heart failure patients would actually be eligible for SGLT2 inhibitors based on trial criteria? (Journal of Cardiac Failure)

SOURCE

https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/prevention/98631?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2022-05-10&eun=g99985d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%20Evening%202022-05-10&utm_term=NL_Daily_DHE_dual-gmail-definition

UPDATED on 8/28/2021

Empagliflozin in Heart Failure with a Preserved Ejection Fraction

List of authors.

  • Stefan D. Anker, M.D., Ph.D.,
  • Javed Butler, M.D.,
  • Gerasimos Filippatos, M.D., Ph.D.,
  • João P. Ferreira, M.D.,
  • Edimar Bocchi, M.D.,
  • Michael Böhm, M.D., Ph.D.,
  • Hans-Peter Brunner–La Rocca, M.D.,
  • Dong-Ju Choi, M.D.,
  • Vijay Chopra, M.D.,
  • Eduardo Chuquiure-Valenzuela, M.D.,
  • Nadia Giannetti, M.D.,
  • Juan Esteban Gomez-Mesa, M.D.,
  •  for the EMPEROR-Preserved Trial Investigators*

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure in patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction, but their effects in patients with heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction are uncertain.

METHODS

In this double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 5988 patients with class II–IV heart failure and an ejection fraction of more than 40% to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or placebo, in addition to usual therapy. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure.

RESULTS

Over a median of 26.2 months, a primary outcome event occurred in 415 of 2997 patients (13.8%) in the empagliflozin group and in 511 of 2991 patients (17.1%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69 to 0.90; P<0.001). This effect was mainly related to a lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure in the empagliflozin group. The effects of empagliflozin appeared consistent in patients with or without diabetes. The total number of hospitalizations for heart failure was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (407 with empagliflozin and 541 with placebo; hazard ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.88; P<0.001). Uncomplicated genital and urinary tract infections and hypotension were reported more frequently with empagliflozin.

CONCLUSIONS

Empagliflozin reduced the combined risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure in patients with heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction, regardless of the presence or absence of diabetes. (Funded by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly; EMPEROR-Preserved ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03057951. opens in new tab).

UPDATED on 2/12/2019

Almost 25% of HFrEF patients prescribed drugs that could worsen their condition
February 11, 2019 | Anicka Slachta | Heart Failure

Prescription of Potentially Harmful Drugs in Young Adults With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction

Paulino A. Alvarez, MD'Correspondence information about the author MD Paulino A. Alvarez

,

Chau N Truong, MPH

,

Alexandros Briasoulis, MD PhD

,

Cecilia Ganduglia-Cazaban, MD PhD
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2019.01.052

The Voice of Dr. Justin D. Pearlman

The selection of medications for patients with multiple conditions (co-morbidities) always raises conflicts. This is true in general, and especially true for patients with heart failure. 

For example, patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) have increased risk of atrial fibrillation, whereby sustained rapid ventricular response may worsen the failure due to tachycardiomyopathy. In essence, sustained high heatrates deplete supplies and weaken the heart, which can take months of controlled rates to recover.  

Medications to control the rate are problematic. Digoxin increases the death rate. Beta blockers and diltiazem decrease the heartrate but also decrease contractility (EF), and in combination may stop the heart (complete heart clock, cardiac arrest). Anti-arrhythmic agents also decrease contractility. Use of beta blockers is encouraged because benefits often outweigh the harm, though in some cases the decline in contractility results in unacceptably low blood pressure. Some patients with rate control issues do not tolerate beta blockers but do better on diltiazem instead. Thus the list of medications that may worsen heart failure constitute “relative contraindications” which means concerning but still possibly useful. 

In other words, some of the medications that may worsen ejection fraction have net benefit, and may be used with caution. 

Non-steroidal anti inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) are another example.  They relieve pain and add function to patients limited by arthritis.  High dose ibuprofen tapered over one month can stop pericarditis, as an alternative to colchicine which may be limited by causing intractable diarrhea. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) decrease prostaglandin synthesis and, thus, may precipitate fluid retention in patients with heart failure. They also increase blood pressure, impair renal function and promote thrombosis (clotting). Use of NSAIDS has not been shown to curtail joint damage to joints, and daily use for 18 months or more promotes coronary disease. Overall, NSAIDs appear to be over utilized. 

The high incidence of use of medications that may cause or worsen reduced EF heart failure is a concern of caution.  Such use merits continual monitoring for net harm versus benefit on an individual basis.  The study in AJC documenting the high incidence of use of medications that worsen heart failure in patients already known to have reduced ejection fraction is helpful as a reminder of caution highlighting the importance of individualizing medication choices, but should not be rigidly interpreted as absolute contraindication or presumed error. 

SOURCE

From: Justin MDMEPhD <jdpmdphd@gmail.com>

Date: Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at 7:53 AM

To: Aviva Lev-Ari <aviva.lev-ari@comcast.net>

Subject: Re: Almost 25% of HFrEF patients prescribed drugs that could worsen their condition

UPDATED on 1/15/2019

Andrew Perry, MD, interviews John Gorcsan III, MD

In this episode, Andrew Perry, MD, discusses the utility of ejection fraction (EF) with John Gorcsan III, MD, an expert in echocardiography and strain imaging at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

They explore how EF came to be used in clinical practice, the importance of it in heart failure and the variation in measurement. The interview also covers strain imaging and what it adds to ejection fraction, particularly in the setting of severe mitral regurgitation.

UPDATED on 1/9/2019

Source: JACC Heart Fail
Curated by: Jenny Blair, MD
January 08, 2019

Takeaway

  • In heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), a drop in pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) to <1000 mg/mL reflects reverse remodeling and improved ejection fraction (EF).
  • Authors suggest that response to treatment based on change in NT-proBNP might outweigh treatment strategy.

Why this matters

  • Whether lower NT-proBNP levels reflect changes in cardiac structure and function has been unclear.

Key results

  • 12-month changes with guided therapy vs without:
    • No significant between-group differences in left ventricular (LV) end-systolic volume index (ESVi), NT-proBNP, EF.
  • Changes among subgroup whose NT-proBNP fell to <1000 pg/mL (n=52):
    • ESVi and end-diastolic volume index (EDVi) reductions: 17.3 and 15.7 mL/m2, respectively;
    • EF: 9.9%±8.8% vs 2.9%±7.9% in nontarget achievers (P<.001);
    • Death or HF hospitalization: 0% vs 30% in nontarget achievers (P<.001);
    • Greater improvement in global longitudinal strain, less mitral regurgitation.
  • Greater reduction in NT-proBNP correlated with significantly greater EF, ESVi, EDVi improvements.

Study design

  • Randomized parallel-group multicenter GUIDE-IT Echo Substudy.
  • 268 adults with HFrEF, EF ≤40%, NT-proBNP >2000 pg/mL randomly assigned to NT-proBNP-guided therapy vs usual care.
  • Outcome: 12-month change in LV ESVi on echocardiography.
  • Funding: Roche Diagnostics.

Limitations

  • Duration of NT-proBNP <1000 not assessed.

SOURCE

http://univadis.com/player/ymdmniqsi?m=unv_eml_essentials_enl_v4-q42018_20190109&partner=unl&rgid=5wrwznernxgefmacwqyebgmyb&ts=2019010900&o=tile_1_id&utm_source=Retention&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=unv_eml_essentials_enl_v4-q42018_20190109_01

Expert Opinion by Cardiologist Justin D. Pearlman MD PhD FACC

Pearls From: Ted Feldman, MD – A glimmer of hope for HFpEF treatment?

Evanston Hospital in Illinois

by Nicole Lou, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today

SOURCE ARTICLE

https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/chf/72759?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-05-09

WATCH VIDEO

https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/chf/72759?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-05-09

Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (or HFpEF) – Experimental Therapy: Inter-atrial shunt implantable device for relieving pressure overload and improve the prognosis of patients with a 50% ejection fraction

vs

Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF)

  • HFpEF is similar in frequency and sadly, similar in prognosis to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, and everybody thinks about the EF 20% or 30% patient as having a poor prognosis and doesn’t realize that the EF 40% or 45% or 50% patient with clinical heart failure has the same prognosis.
  • Patients with mitral stenosis and elevated left atrial pressure, which is the genesis of HFpEF, if they had an ASD historically, this decompressed the left atrium and they presented much, much later in the course of the disease with any signs of heart failure.
  • Inspiration for design of the Left inter-atrial shunt implant device

Minimally invasive transcatheter closure is the primary treatment option for secundum atrial septal defects (ASD). The AMPLATZER™ Septal Occluder is the proven standard of care in transcatheter ASD closure

  • Left inter-atrial shunt implant device, Dr. Ted Feldman calls IASD.

It’s like an ASD occluder, a little nitinol disc, but it has a hole in the middle. We did some baseline hemodynamic modeling using a simulator and calculated that we would get a small shunt with an eight millimeter opening, that that would be enough to reduce left atrial pressure overload during exercise without overloading the right side of the heart, without creating too big a shunt.

Preliminary results: We found that peak exercise wedge pressure was significantly decreased in the patients with the device compared to those without a shunt. We found that the shunt ratio, the amount of flow across the shunt was a Qp:Qs, pulmonary to systemic flow ratio, of 1.2 preserved at 30 days and 6 months and that most of these patients feel better.

Ted Feldman, MD, Evanston Hospital in Illinois

The mechanism, I think we’ve established, that we do decompress the left atrium with exertion and now we need to demonstrate that the clinical outcomes in a larger population are robust enough to carry this into practice.

Expert Opinion by Cardiologist Justin D. Pearlman MD PhD FACC

  • The assertion of “no treatment for HFpEF” (elevated left ventricular diastolic filling pressure) does not give credit to evidence and support for benefit from triple therapy of beta blocker, acei/arb/arni, and aldosterone inhibitor, plus tight blood pressure control and additional afterload reduction if valve leaks contribute to the elevated diastolic filling pressures.
  • It is an interesting proposition to induce an 8 mm intra-atrial septum (IAS) shunt, which may indeed unload high pressure in the left atrium and hence unload the left ventricle during diastole (when the mitral valve is open so the left ventricle and left atrium equalize pressures) if patients are very carefully selected and do not have high pressures in the right atrium. 
  • However, elevated left ventricular pressure is associated with reduced compliance (stiffness) of the left ventricle, for example due to high blood pressure, muscle hypertrophy and fibrosis. Adverse consequences include not only the high pressure which can back up to the lungs, making them boggy and therefore impair oxygen uptake resulting in shortness of breath worse laying down whereby more lung area is affected. The “back pressure” also promotes hepatic congestion and leg swelling. Each of those features of “diastolic failure” which underlies “HFpEF” may benefit from the proposed shunt if right atrial pressures are low, with or without preserved ejection fraction (pEF). However, there is an additional adverse consequence of a stiff left ventricle called “filling dependence” – if pressure is relieved, the left ventricle may under fill, reducing stroke volume and blood pressure, cardiac output (stroke volume times heart rate), thereby reducing organ perfusion. Low blood pressure with lightheaded spells is a common consequence. Over time, metarterioles to the brain can adjust to accommodate lower pressures. The kidneys as well as the brain are very sensitive to adequacy of cardiac output. A marked decline in renal function due to “pre-renal azotemia” is a common consequence that can limit any approach at lowering the diastolic filling pressure, which is seen commonly with use of diuretics to lower pressures.
  • The small opening is intended to allow pressure unloading without clots crossing over, but may still pose a risk for paradoxical emboli, which have been associated with
  1. visual field cuts,
  2. TIA and
  3. migraine headaches

Paradoxical Embolism

Updated: Jun 10, 2016
  • Author: Igor A Laskowski, MD; Chief Editor: Vincent Lopez Rowe, MD  more…
 Background

The clinical manifestations of paradoxical embolism (PDE) are nonspecific, [1] and the diagnosis is difficult to establish. Patients with PDE may present with neurologic abnormalities or features suggesting arterial embolism. The disease starts with the formation of emboli within the venous system, which traverse a patent foramen ovale (PFO) and enter the systemic circulation. [2, 3, 4] PFOs have been found on autopsy in up to 35% of the healthy population.

PDE originates in the veins of the lower extremities and occasionally in the pelvic veins. Emboli may be of various types, such as clots, air, tumor, fat, and amniotic fluid. [5] Septic emboli have led to brain abscesses. Projectile embolization is rare (eg, from a shotgun pellet).

Management of PDE is both medical and surgical in nature. PDE is considered the major cause of cerebral ischemic events in young patients. On rare occasions, it may occlude the pelvic aortic bifurcation. The largest documented thrombus in a PFO (impending PDE) was 25 cm in length.

PDE is confirmed by the presence of thrombus within an intracardiac defect on contrast echocardiography or at autopsy. It may be presumed in the presence of arterial embolism with no evidence of left-side circulation thrombus, deep venous thrombosis (DVT) with or without pulmonary embolism (PE), and right-to-left shunting through an intracardiac communication, commonly the PFO. [6]

SOURCE for Paradoxical Embolism

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/460607-overview

SOURCE for Dr. Pearlman’s Expert Opinion

From: Justin MDMEPhD <jdpmdphd@gmail.com>

Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 2:25 PM

To: Aviva Lev-Ari <AvivaLev-Ari@alum.berkeley.edu>

Cc: “Dr. Larry Bernstein” <larry.bernstein@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: WHICH of our Heart Failure ARTICLES I should UPDATE with the following Pearls From: Ted Feldman, MD | Medpage Today

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Entire Family of Impella Abiomed Impella® Therapy Left Side Heart Pumps: FDA Approved To Enable Heart Recovery

Posted in Acute Myocardial Infarction, Assist Devices: LV, CABG, Cardiac and Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, congestive heart failure, FDA Regulatory Affairs, FDA, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, GLP, ISO 14155, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Heart Failure (HF), Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Myocardial metabolism, Myocardial ischemia, myocardial perfusion, Myocardial adenine nucleotide metabolism, RV, tagged , on July 6, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Entire Family of Impella Abiomed Impella® Therapy Left Side Heart Pumps: FDA Approved To Enable Heart Recovery

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

UPDATED on 11/1/2022

Johnson & Johnson to acquire Abiomed in $16.6B deal

Michael Walter | November 01, 2022 | Economics

Johnson & Johnson has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Abiomed in a deal valued at approximately $16.6 billion. The boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction.

Johnson & Johnson agreed to an upfront payment of $380 per share. Abiomed shareholders will also receive a non-tradeable contingent value of up to $35 per share if certain milestones are met. For example, if the company receives FDA premarket application approval for the use of its Impella heart pumps to treat ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients without cardiogenic shock by Jan. 1, 2028, each shareholder will receive $7.50 per share. If Impella devices receive a Class 1 recommendation for the treatment of high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention or STEMI patients with or without cardiogenic shock by Dec. 31, 2029, shareholders will receive an additional $10 per share.

“The addition of Abiomed is an important step in the execution of our strategic priorities and our vision for the new Johnson & Johnson focused on pharmaceutical and MedTech,” Johnson & Johnson CEO Joaquin Duato said in a prepared statement. “We have committed to enhancing our position in MedTech by entering high-growth segments. The addition of Abiomed provides a strategic platform to advance breakthrough treatments in cardiovascular disease and helps more patients around the world while driving value for our shareholders.”

Michael R. Minogue, Abiomed’s chairman, president and CEO, said in the same statement.  “It will enable us to leverage Johnson & Johnson’s global scale, commercial strength and clinical expertise to accelerate our mission of making heart recovery the global standard of care.”

This acquisition is expected to be finalized by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

SOURCE

https://cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/healthcare-management/healthcare-economics/johnson-johnson-acquire-abiomed-166b-deal?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=cvb_breaking

Abiomed Impella® Therapy Receives FDA Approval for Cardiogenic Shock After Heart Attack or Heart Surgery

Entire Family of Impella Left Side Heart Pumps FDA Approved To Enable Heart Recovery

DANVERS, Mass., April 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abiomed, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABMD), a leading provider of breakthrough heart support technologies, today announced that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pre-Market Approval (PMA) for its Impella 2.5™, Impella CP®, Impella 5.0™ and Impella LD™ heart pumps to provide treatment of ongoing cardiogenic shock. In this setting, the Impella heart pumps stabilize the patient’s hemodynamics, unload the left ventricle, perfuse the end organs and allow for recovery of the native heart.  This latest approval adds to the prior FDA indication of Impella 2.5 for high risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or Protected PCI™, received in March 2015.

With this approval, these are the first and only percutaneous temporary ventricular support devices that are FDA-approved as safe and effective for the cardiogenic shock indication, as stated below:

The Impella 2.5, Impella CP, Impella 5.0 and Impella LD catheters, in conjunction with the Automated Impella Controller console, are intended for short-term use (<4 days for the Impella 2.5 and Impella CP and <6 days for the Impella 5.0 and Impella LD) and indicated for the treatment of ongoing cardiogenic shock that occurs immediately (<48 hours) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or open heart surgery as a result of isolated left ventricular failure that is not responsive to optimal medical management and conventional treatment measures with or without an intra-aortic balloon pump.  The intent of the Impella system therapy is to reduce ventricular work and to provide the circulatory support necessary to allow heart recovery and early assessment of residual myocardial function.

The product labeling also allows for the clinical decision to leave Impella 2.5, Impella CP, Impella 5.0 and Impella LD in place beyond the intended duration of four to six days due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Impella products offer the unique ability to both stabilize the patient’s hemodynamics before or during a PCI procedure and unload the heart, which allows the muscle to rest and potentially recover its native function. Heart recovery is the ideal option for a patient’s quality of life and as documented in several clinical papers, has the ability to save costs for the healthcare system1,2,3.

Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening condition in which the heart is suddenly unable to pump enough blood and oxygen to support the body’s vital organs. For this approval, it typically occurs during or after a heart attack or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or cardiopulmonary bypass surgery as a result of a weakened or damaged heart muscle. Despite advancements in medical technology, critical care guidelines and interventional techniques, AMI cardiogenic shock and post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCCS) carry a high mortality risk and has shown an incremental but consistent increase in occurrence in recent years in the United States.

“This approval sets a new standard for the entire cardiovascular community as clinicians continue to seek education and new approaches to effectively treat severely ill cardiac patients with limited options and high mortality risk,” said William O’Neill, M.D., medical director of the Center for Structural Heart Disease at Henry Ford Hospital. “The Impella heart pumps offer the ability to provide percutaneous hemodynamic stability to high-risk patients in need of rapid and effective treatment by unloading the heart, perfusing the end organs and ultimately, allowing for the opportunity to recover native heart function.”

“Abiomed would like to recognize our customers, physicians, nurses, scientists, regulators and employees for their last fifteen years of circulatory support research and clinical applications. This FDA approval marks a significant milestone in the treatment of heart disease. The new medical field of heart muscle recovery has begun,” said Michael R. Minogue, President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Abiomed. “Today, Abiomed only treats around 5% of this AMI cardiogenic shock patient population, which suffers one of the highest mortality risks of any patient in the heart hospital. Tomorrow, Abiomed will be able to educate and directly partner with our customers and establish appropriate protocols to improve the patient outcomes focused on native heart recovery.”

Abiomed Data Supporting FDA Approval

The data submitted to the FDA in support of the PMA included an analysis of 415 patients from the RECOVER 1 study and the U.S. Impella registry (cVAD Registry™), as well as an Impella literature review including 692 patients treated with Impella from 17 clinical studies. A safety analysis reviewed over 24,000 Impella treated patients using the FDA medical device reporting (“MDR”) database, which draws from seven years of U.S. experience with Impella.

In addition, the Company also provided a benchmark analysis of Impella patients in the real-world Impella cVAD registry vs. these same patient groups in the Abiomed AB5000/BVS 5000 Registry. The Abiomed BVS 5000 product was the first ventricular assist device (VAD) ever approved by the FDA in 1991 based on 83 patient PMA study. In 2003, the AB5000 Ventricle received FDA approval and this also included a PMA study with 60 patients.

For this approval, the data source for this benchmark analysis was a registry (“AB/BVS Registry”) that contained 2,152 patients that received the AB5000 and BVS 5000 devices, which were originally approved for heart recovery. The analysis examined by the FDA used 204 patients that received the AB5000 device for the same indications. This analysis demonstrated significantly better outcomes with Impella in these patients.

The Company believes this is the most comprehensive review ever submitted to the FDA for circulatory support in the cardiogenic shock population.

  1. Maini B, Gregory D, Scotti DJ, Buyantseva L. Percutaneous cardiac assist devices compared with surgical hemodynamic support alternatives: Cost-Effectiveness in the Emergent Setting.Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2014 May 1;83(6):E183-92.
  2. Cheung A, Danter M, Gregory D. TCT-385 Comparative Economic Outcomes in Cardiogenic Shock Patients Managed with the Minimally Invasive Impella or Extracorporeal Life Support. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012;60(17_S):. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2012.08.413.
  3. Gregory D, Scotti DJ, de Lissovoy G, Palacios I, Dixon, Maini B, O’Neill W. A value-based analysis of hemodynamic support strategies for high-risk heart failure patients undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention. Am Health Drug Benefits. 2013 Mar;6(2):88-99


ABOUT IMPELLA
Impella 2.5 received FDA PMA approval for high risk PCI in March 2015, is supported by clinical guidelines, and is reimbursed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) under ICD-9-CM code 37.68 for multiple indications. The Impella RP® device received Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) approval in January 2015. The Impella product portfolio, which is comprised of Impella 2.5, Impella CP, Impella 5.0, Impella LD, and Impella RP, has supported over 35,000 patients in the United States.

The ABIOMED logo, ABIOMED, Impella, Impella CP, and Impella RP are registered trademarks of Abiomed, Inc. in the U.S.A. and certain foreign countries.  Impella 2.5, Impella 5.0, Impella LD, and Protected PCI are trademarks of Abiomed, Inc.

ABOUT ABIOMED
Based in Danvers, Massachusetts, Abiomed, Inc. is a leading provider of medical devices that provide circulatory support.  Our products are designed to enable the heart to rest by improving blood flow and/or performing the pumping of the heart.  For additional information, please visit: www.abiomed.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release includes forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “believe,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “goal,” “project,” and other words of similar meaning.  These forward-looking statements address various matters including, the Company’s guidance for fiscal 2016 revenue. Each forward-looking statement contained in this press release is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statement.  Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, uncertainties associated with development, testing and related regulatory approvals, including the potential for future losses, complex manufacturing, high quality requirements, dependence on limited sources of supply, competition, technological change, government regulation, litigation matters, future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing, and the risks identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2015 and the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015, each filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other information the Company files with the SEC.  We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.  You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.  The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this release and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of these statements.  Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above.  Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

For more information, please contact: Aimee Genzler Director, Corporate Communications 978-646-1553 agenzler@abiomed.com Ingrid Goldberg Director, Investor Relations igoldberg@abiomed.com

SOURCE
http://investors.abiomed.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=964113

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Boston Scientific implant designed to occlude the heart’s left atrial appendage implicated with embolization – Device Sales in Europe halts

Posted in Cardiac and Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures, FDA, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, GLP, ISO 14155, ISO 10993 for Product Registration: FDA & CE Mark for Development of Medical Devices and Diagnostics, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, tagged on April 5, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Boston Scientific implant designed to occlude the heart’s left atrial appendage implicated with embolization – Device Sales in Europe halts

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

Boston Scientific halts EU sales of next-gen Watchman FLX anti-stroke device

APRIL 5, 2016 BY LEAVE A COMMENT

Boston Scientific WatchmanBoston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) reportedly halted European sales of its the next generation of its anti-stroke device, the Watchman FLX, after receiving reports of device embolization.

Spokeswoman Trish Backes told TCTMD that there were 6 device embolizations in 207 (2.9%) European implantations of the Watchman FLX, an implant that designed to occlude the heart’s left atrial appendage. One of those patients died from complications related to an infection suffered after the device was retrieved.

The 1st-generation Watchman device showed a 30-day embolization rate of 0 to 0.7% in trials, and a post-approval registry called Ewolution showed a rate of 0.2%. The Watchman FLX device won CE Mark approval in the European Unionlast November; the original iteration won FDA approval in March 2015.

Watchman FLX will be taken off the shelves until Boston Scientific can determine what’s causing the unexpectedly high embolism rate, Backes told the website.

“With [the original] Watchman, we’re really confident. We’ve seen really low embolization rates,” she said. “With the robust clinical training program that we have in place for physicians before they start implanting the device, we feel really good about that. This doesn’t impact what we’re doing in the U.S. or what we’re doing with the current Watchman device. It’s not raising any concerns for us for the current device.”

Medical officers with the Marlborough, Mass.-based company, speaking at the annual conference of the American College of Cardiology, said they’ll look at whether physician training or implant technique are factors. The company said the sales halt for Watchman FLX will not affect its structural heart sales forecast of $175 million to $200 million this year.

Boston Scientific said earlier this week at ACC 2016 that a review of the 1st 1,000 Watchman patients found similar results as in pre-market trials.

Material from Reuters was used in this report.

SOURCE

http://www.massdevice.com/boston-scientific-halts-eu-sales-of-next-gen-watchman-flx-anti-stroke-device/?utm_source=newsletter-160405&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-160405&spMailingID=8750804&spUserID=MTI2MTQxNTczMjM5S0&spJobID=900546483&spReportId=OTAwNTQ2NDgzS0

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Steps to minimise replacement of cardiac implantable electronic devices

Posted in Atrial Fibrilation (a-Fib), Cardiac Pacing and Arrhythmias, Cardiac and Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, Electrophysiology, FDA, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, GLP, ISO 14155, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions on February 4, 2016| Leave a Comment »

UPDATED on 2/25/2019

https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/prevention/78202?xid=nl_mpt_SRCardiology_2019-02-25&eun=g99985d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CardioUpdate_022519&utm_term=NL_Spec_Cardiology_Update_Active

Medtronic recalled its dual chamber pacemakers (Adapta, Versa, Sensia, Relia, Attesta, Sphera, and Vitatron A, E, G, and Q series) due to a possible software error that can stop pacing.

Steps to minimise replacement of cardiac implantable electronic devices

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Pacemaker battery scandal

SOURCE

http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i228

BMJ 2016; 352 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i228 (Published 04 February 2016)Cite this as: BMJ 2016;352:i228
  1. John Dean, consultant cardiologist 1,
  2. Neil Sulke, consultant cardiologist 2

Author affiliations

  1. Correspondence to: J Dean john.dean2@nhs.net

Much can and should be done to maximise the longevity of existing devices

Imagine spending £3000 on a new watch with a battery embedded in the mechanism that cannot be replaced or recharged. Although the battery is predicted to last 10 years or more, after six years you discover that it is running flat and you’re advised to replace the watch immediately, even though it may keep good time for a year or more.

This mirrors the dilemma faced by all patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). But for them the stakes are much higher as replacing the battery exposes them to a risk of serious complications, including life threatening infection.

Over half of all patients with pacemakers require a replacement procedure because the batteries have reached their expected life.1 Some 11-16% need multiple replacements.2 The situation is worse for recipients of an ICD, since the risks of infection at the time of implant and device replacement are higher than with pacemakers and the batteries have a shorter life.3

What is the risk of infection?

With no standard definition or reporting system, infection rates vary widely, and the commonly quoted risk of 0.5% for new implants and 1-5% for replacement procedures may be wrong.4 Infection, even if it seems superficial, usually necessitates extraction of the entire system. Simply treating the infection with antibiotics results in a much poorer outcome.5 The increased risk of infection associated with battery replacement makes it critical that we prolong the life of implantable devices as much as possible. The health economic grounds for minimising the number of replacements are also compelling.6

The current financial model discourages the development of longer life devices. Increasing longevity would reduce profits for manufacturers, implanting physicians, and their institutions. With financial disincentives for both manufacturers and purchasers it is hardly surprising that longer life devices do not exist.

Patients are often assumed to prefer smaller devices, but when offered the choice, over 90% would opt for a larger, longer lasting device over a smaller one that would require more frequent operations to change the battery.7 And given the risks that patients are exposed to during replacement, there is an urgent need to improve longevity by developing longer life batteries and using those in current devices more prudently.

What can be done now?

At present the main drive to improving longevity of pacemakers has been through programming changes aimed at reducing the amount of pacing8 or minimising the drain of current during pacing—for example, using high impedance leads. But devices are usually replaced when there is still substantial life left in the battery. For example, when a pacemaker reaches elective replacement indication, it is usually 3-12 months before it will reach its end of life. And even then, the battery may continue to function for several months. Early replacement may be reasonable for high risk patients (such as those who are entirely dependent on their pacemaker). However, we could delay replacement of the pulse generator until the batteries are virtually depleted in lower risk patients. The increasingly popular innovation of home monitoring of devices would facilitate this.

For ICDs the waste is even more striking; devices reach their elective replacement indication when they are still capable of delivering at least six full energy shocks. Each shock reduces the battery longevity by about 30 days. So for patients who receive no shock therapy we are prematurely discarding a device costing up to £25 000 (€33 000; $36 000), which could last at least another six months (current devices last four to seven years on average). We need to review the timing of replacement of implantable devices in all patients.

CONTINUE READING

http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i228

REFERENCES

  1. ↵
    Kinderman M, Schwaab B, Berg M, Frohlig G. Longevity of dual chamber pacemakers: device and patient related determinants. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol2001;24:810-5.
    CrossRefMedline
  2. ↵
    Kurtz SM, Ochoa JA, Lau E, et al. Implantation trends and patient profiles for pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators in the United States: 1993-2006. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol2010;33:705-11.
    CrossRefMedline
  3. ↵
    Ramachandra I. Impact of ICD battery longevity on need for device replacements–insights from a Veterans Affairs database. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol2010;33:314-9.
    CrossRefMedline
  4. ↵
    Uslan DZ, Gleva MJ, Warren DK, et al, Cardiovascular implantable electronic device replacement infections and prevention: results from the REPLACE registry. Circulation2010;122:1553-61.
    Abstract/FREE Full Text
  5. ↵
    Gould PA, Krahn AD. Complications associated with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator replacement in response to device advisories. JAMA2006;295:1907-11.
    CrossRefMedlineWeb of Science
  6. ↵
    Boriani G, Braunschweig F, Deharo JC, Leyva F, Lubinski A, Lazzaro C. Impact of extending device longevity on the long-term costs of implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy: a modelling study with a 15-year time horizon.Europace2013;15:1453-62.
    Abstract/FREE Full Text
  7. ↵
    Wild DM, Fisher JD, Kim SG, Ferrick KJ, Gross JN, Palma EC. Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators: device longevity is more important than smaller size: the patient’s viewpoint. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol2004;27:1526-9.
    CrossRefMedline
  8. ↵
    Benkemoun H, Sacrez J, Lagrange P, et al. Optimizing pacemaker longevity with pacing mode and settings programming: results from a pacemaker multicenter registry. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol2012;35:403-8.
    CrossRefMedline

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USPTO Guidance On Patentable Subject Matter

Posted in Academic Publishing, Advanced Drug Manufacturing Technology, Bio Instrumentation in Experimental Life Sciences Research, Biomarkers & Medical Diagnostics, Biomedical Measurement Science, Cancer Screening, Cardiac & Vascular Repair Tools Subsegment, Clinical Diagnostics, Computational Biology/Systems and Bioinformatics, Curation, Diagnostic Immunology, Drug Delivery Platform Technology, Ecosystems & Industrial Concentration in the Medical Device Sector, Experimental validation, FDA Regulatory Affairs, FDA, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, GLP, ISO 14155, Health Law & Patient Safety, HealthCare IT, Imaging-based Cancer Patient Management, Immunodiagnostics, Infectious Disease Immunodiagnostics, Innovation in Immunology Diagnostics, Innovations in Neurophysiology & Neuropsychology, Intellectual Property, Innovations, Commercialization, Investment in technological breakthrough, International Global Work in Pharmaceutical, ISO 10993 for Product Registration: FDA & CE Mark for Development of Medical Devices and Diagnostics, Mass automation of plasma proteins, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Medical Devices R&D Investment, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Mitral Valve: Repair and Replacement, Monoclonal Immunotherapy, Nanotechnology for Drug Delivery, Open Access Journals, Patents, PCI, Pharmaceutical Discovery, Pharmaceutical Industry Competitive Intelligence, Pharmaceutical R&D Investment, Pharmacotherapy of Cardiovascular Disease, Prescription Drugs Costs, Rapid automation of plasma protein pools, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, Statistical Methods for Research Evaluation, Stents & Tools, Technology Advance Assessment of, Technology Capital Expenses, Technology Transfer: Biotech and Pharmaceutical, Valves & Tools, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »

USPTO Guidance On Patentable Subject Matter

Curator and Reporter: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

LH Bernstein

LH Bernstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revised 4 July, 2014

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/07/03/uspto-guidance-on-patentable-subject-matter

 

I came across a few recent articles on the subject of US Patent Office guidance on patentability as well as on Supreme Court ruling on claims. I filed several patents on clinical laboratory methods early in my career upon the recommendation of my brother-in-law, now deceased.  Years later, after both brother-in-law and patent attorney are no longer alive, I look back and ask what I have learned over $100,000 later, with many trips to the USPTO, opportunities not taken, and a one year provisional patent behind me.

My conclusion is

(1) that patents are for the protection of the innovator, who might realize legal protection, but the cost and the time investment can well exceed the cost of startup and building a small startup enterprize, that would be the next step.

(2) The other thing to consider is the capability of the lawyer or firm that represents you.  A patent that is well done can be expected to take 5-7 years to go through with due diligence.   I would not expect it to be done well by a university with many other competing demands. I might be wrong in this respect, as the climate has changed, and research universities have sprouted engines for change.  Experienced and productive faculty are encouraged or allowed to form their own such entities.

(3) The emergence of Big Data, computational biology, and very large data warehouses for data use and integration has changed the landscape. The resources required for an individual to pursue research along these lines is quite beyond an individuals sole capacity to successfully pursue without outside funding.  In addition, the changed designated requirement of first to publish has muddied the water.

Of course, one can propose without anything published in the public domain. That makes it possible for corporate entities to file thousands of patents, whether there is actual validation or not at the time of filing.  It would be a quite trying experience for anyone to pursue in the USPTO without some litigation over ownership of patent rights. At this stage of of technology development, I have come to realize that the organization of research, peer review, and archiving of data is still at a stage where some of the best systems avalailable for storing and accessing data still comes considerably short of what is needed for the most complex tasks, even though improvements have come at an exponential pace.

I shall not comment on the contested views held by physicists, chemists, biologists, and economists over the completeness of guiding theories strongly held.  Only history will tell.  Beliefs can hold a strong sway, and have many times held us back.

I am not an expert on legal matters, but it is incomprehensible to me that issues concerning technology innovation can be adjudicated in the Supreme Court, as has occurred in recent years. I have postgraduate degrees in  Medicine, Developmental Anatomy, and post-medical training in pathology and laboratory medicine, as well as experience in analytical and research biochemistry.  It is beyond the competencies expected for these type of cases to come before the Supreme Court, or even to the Federal District Courts, as we see with increasing frequency,  as this has occurred with respect to the development and application of the human genome.

I’m not sure that the developments can be resolved for the public good without a more full development of an open-access system of publishing. Now I present some recent publication about, or published by the USPTO.

DR ANTHONY MELVIN CRASTO

Dr. Melvin Castro - Organic Chemistry and New Drug Development

Dr. Melvin Castro – Organic Chemistry and New Drug Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOU ARE FOLLOWING THIS BLOG You are following this blog, along with 1,014 other amazing people (manage).

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USPTO Guidance On Patentable Subject Matter: Impediment to Biotech Innovation

Joanna T. Brougher, David A. Fazzolare J Commercial Biotechnology 2014 20(3):Brougher

jcbiotech-patents

jcbiotech-patents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract In June 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision upending more than three decades worth of established patent practice when it ruled that isolated gene sequences are no longer patentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. Section 101.While many practitioners in the field believed that the USPTO would interpret the decision narrowly, the USPTO actually expanded the scope of the decision when it issued its guidelines for determining whether an invention satisfies Section 101.

The guidelines were met with intense backlash with many arguing that they unnecessarily expanded the scope of the Supreme Court cases in a way that could unduly restrict the scope of patentable subject matter, weaken the U.S. patent system, and create a disincentive to innovation. By undermining patentable subject matter in this way, the guidelines may end up harming not only the companies that patent medical innovations, but also the patients who need medical care.  This article examines the guidelines and their impact on various technologies.

Keywords:   patent, patentable subject matter, Myriad, Mayo, USPTO guidelines

Full Text: PDF

References

35 U.S.C. Section 101 states “Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.

” Prometheus Laboratories, Inc. v. Mayo Collaborative Services, 566 U.S. ___ (2012)

Association for Molecular Pathology et al., v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., 569 U.S. ___ (2013).

Parke-Davis & Co. v. H.K. Mulford Co., 189 F. 95, 103 (C.C.S.D.N.Y. 1911)

USPTO. Guidance For Determining Subject Matter Eligibility Of Claims Reciting Or Involving Laws of Nature, Natural Phenomena, & Natural Products.

http://www.uspto.gov/patents/law/exam/myriad-mayo_guidance.pdf

Funk Brothers Seed Co. v. Kalo Inoculant Co., 333 U.S. 127, 131 (1948)

USPTO. Guidance For Determining Subject Matter Eligibility Of Claims Reciting Or Involving Laws of Nature, Natural Phenomena, & Natural Products.

http://www.uspto.gov/patents/law/exam/myriad-mayo_guidance.pdf

Courtney C. Brinckerhoff, “The New USPTO Patent Eligibility Rejections Under Section 101.” PharmaPatentsBlog, published May 6, 2014, accessed http://www.pharmapatentsblog.com/2014/05/06/the-new-patent-eligibility-rejections-section-101/

Courtney C. Brinckerhoff, “The New USPTO Patent Eligibility Rejections Under Section 101.” PharmaPatentsBlog, published May 6, 2014, accessed http://www.pharmapatentsblog.com/2014/05/06/the-new-patent-eligibility-rejections-section-101/

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5912/jcb664

 

Science 4 July 2014; 345 (6192): pp. 14-15  DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.345.6192.14
  • IN DEPTH

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Biotech feels a chill from changing U.S. patent rules

  1. Kelly Servick*

Figure

View larger version:

A 2013 Supreme Court decision that barred human gene patents is scrambling patenting policies.

PHOTO: MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

A year after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling that human genes cannot be patented, the biotech industry is struggling to adapt to a landscape in which inventions derived from nature are increasingly hard to patent. It is also pushing back against follow-on policies proposed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to guide examiners deciding whether an invention is too close to a natural product to deserve patent protection. Those policies reach far beyond what the high court intended, biotech representatives say.

“Everything we took for granted a few years ago is now changing, and it’s generating a bit of a scramble,” says patent attorney Damian Kotsis of Harness Dickey in Troy, Michigan, one of more than 15,000 people who gathered here last week for the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO’s) International Convention.

At the meeting, attorneys and executives fretted over the fate of patent applications for inventions involving naturally occurring products—including chemical compounds, antibodies, seeds, and vaccines—and traded stories of recent, unexpected rejections by USPTO. Industry leaders warned that the uncertainty could chill efforts to commercialize scientific discoveries made at universities and companies. Some plan to appeal the rejections in federal court.

USPTO officials, meanwhile, implored attendees to send them suggestions on how to clarify and improve its new policies on patenting natural products, and even announced that they were extending the deadline for public comment by a month. “Each and every one of you in this room has a moral duty … to provide written comments to the PTO,” patent lawyer and former USPTO Deputy Director Teresa Stanek Rea told one audience.

At the heart of the shake-up are two Supreme Court decisions: the ruling last year in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics Inc. that human genes cannot be patented because they occur naturally (Science, 21 June 2013, p. 1387); and the 2012 Mayo v. Prometheus decision, which invalidated a patent on a method of measuring blood metabolites to determine drug doses because it relied on a “law of nature” (Science, 12 July 2013, p. 137).

Myriad and Mayo are already having a noticeable impact on patent decisions, according to a study released here. It examined about 1000 patent applications that included claims linked to natural products or laws of nature that USPTO reviewed between April 2011 and March 2014. Overall, examiners rejected about 40%; Myriad was the basis for rejecting about 23% of the applications, and Mayo about 35%, with some overlap, the authors concluded. That rejection rate would have been in the single digits just 5 years ago, asserted Hans Sauer, BIO’s intellectual property counsel, at a press conference. (There are no historical numbers for comparison.) The study was conducted by the news service Bloomberg BNA and the law firm Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciseri in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

USPTO is extending the decisions far beyond diagnostics and DNA?

The numbers suggest USPTO is extending the decisions far beyond diagnostics and DNA, attorneys say. Harness Dickey’s Kotsis, for example, says a client recently tried to patent a plant extract with therapeutic properties; it was different from anything in nature, Kotsis argued, because the inventor had altered the relative concentrations of key compounds to enhance its effect. Nope, decided USPTO, too close to nature.

In March, USPTO released draft guidance designed to help its examiners decide such questions, setting out 12 factors for them to weigh. For example, if an examiner deems a product “markedly different in structure” from anything in nature, that counts in its favor. But if it has a “high level of generality,” it gets dinged.

The draft has drawn extensive criticism. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as complicated as this,” says Kevin Bastian, a patent attorney at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton in San Francisco, California. “I just can’t believe that this will be the standard.”

USPTO officials appear eager to fine-tune the draft guidance, but patent experts fear the Supreme Court decisions have made it hard to draw clear lines. “The Myriad decision is hopelessly contradictory and completely incoherent,” says Dan Burk, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine. “We know you can’t patent genetic sequences,” he adds, but “we don’t really know why.”

Get creative in using Draft Guidelines!

For now, Kostis says, applicants will have to get creative to reduce the chance of rejection. Rather than claim protection for a plant extract itself, for instance, an inventor could instead patent the steps for using it to treat patients. Other biotech attorneys may try to narrow their patent claims. But there’s a downside to that strategy, they note: Narrower patents can be harder to protect from infringement, making them less attractive to investors. Others plan to wait out the storm, predicting USPTO will ultimately rethink its guidance and ease the way for new patents.

 

Public comment period extended

USPTO has extended the deadline for public comment to 31 July, with no schedule for issuing final language. Regardless of the outcome, however, Stanek Rea warned a crowd of riled-up attorneys that, in the world of biopatents, “the easy days are gone.”

 

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Today we published and made electronically available a new edition of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP). Manual of Patent Examining Procedure uspto.gov http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/index.html Summary of Changes

PDF Title Page
PDF Foreword
PDF Introduction
PDF Table of Contents
PDF Chapter 600 –
PDF   Parts, Form, and Content of Application Chapter 700 –
PDF    Examination of Applications Chapter 800 –
PDF   Restriction in Applications Filed Under 35 U.S.C. 111; Double Patenting Chapter 900 –
PDF   Prior Art, Classification, and Search Chapter 1000 –
PDF  Matters Decided by Various U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Officials Chapter 1100 –
PDF   Statutory Invention Registration (SIR); Pre-Grant Publication (PGPub) and Preissuance Submissions Chapter 1200 –
PDF    Appeal Chapter 1300 –
PDF   Allowance and Issue Appendix L –
PDF   Patent Laws Appendix R –
PDF   Patent Rules Appendix P –
PDF   Paris Convention Subject Matter Index 
PDF Zipped version of the MPEP current revision in the PDF format.

Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP)Ninth Edition, March 2014

The USPTO continues to offer an online discussion tool for commenting on selected chapters of the Manual. To participate in the discussion and to contribute your ideas go to:
http://uspto-mpep.ideascale.com.

Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) Ninth Edition, March 2014
The USPTO continues to offer an online discussion tool for commenting on selected chapters of the Manual. To participate in the discussion and to contribute your ideas go to: http://uspto-mpep.ideascale.com.

Note: For current fees, refer to the Current USPTO Fee Schedule.
Consolidated Laws – The patent laws in effect as of May 15, 2014. Consolidated Rules – The patent rules in effect as of May 15, 2014.  MPEP Archives (1948 – 2012)
Current MPEP: Searchable MPEP

The documents updated in the Ninth Edition of the MPEP, dated March 2014, include changes that became effective in November 2013 or earlier.
All of the documents have been updated for the Ninth Edition except Chapters 800, 900, 1000, 1300, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2300, 2400, 2500, and Appendix P.
More information about the changes and updates is available from the “Blue Page – Introduction” of the Searchable MPEP or from the “Summary of Changes” link to the HTML and PDF versions provided below. Discuss the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) Welcome to the MPEP discussion tool!

We have received many thoughtful ideas on Chapters 100-600 and 1800 of the MPEP as well as on how to improve the discussion site. Each and every idea submitted by you, the participants in this conversation, has been carefully reviewed by the Office, and many of these ideas have been implemented in the August 2012 revision of the MPEP and many will be implemented in future revisions of the MPEP. The August 2012 revision is the first version provided to the public in a web based searchable format. The new search tool is available at http://mpep.uspto.gov. We would like to thank everyone for participating in the discussion of the MPEP.

We have some great news! Chapters 1300, 1500, 1600 and 2400 of the MPEP are now available for discussion. Please submit any ideas and comments you may have on these chapters. Also, don’t forget to vote on ideas and comments submitted by other users. As before, our editorial staff will periodically be posting proposed new material for you to respond to, and in some cases will post responses to some of the submitted ideas and comments.Recently, we have received several comments concerning the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA). Please note that comments regarding the implementation of the AIA should be submitted to the USPTO via email t aia_implementation@uspto.gov or via postal mail, as indicated at the America Invents Act Web site. Additional information regarding the AIA is available at www.uspto.gov/americainventsact  We have also received several comments suggesting policy changes which have been routed to the appropriate offices for consideration. We really appreciate your thinking and recommendations!

FDA Guidance for Industry:Electronic Source Data in Clinical Investigations

Electronic Source Data

Electronic Source Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The FDA published its new Guidance for Industry (GfI) – “Electronic Source Data in Clinical Investigations” in September 2013.
The Guidance defines the expectations of the FDA concerning electronic source data generated in the context of clinical trials. Find out more about this Guidance.
http://www.gmp-compliance.org/enews_4288_FDA%20Guidance%20for%20Industry%3A%20Electronic%20Source%20Data%20in%20Clinical%20Investigations
_8534,8457,8366,8308,Z-COVM_n.html

After more than 5 years and two draft versions, the final version of the Guidance for
Industry (GfI) – “Electronic Source Data in Clinical Investigations” was published in
September 2013. This new FDA Guidance defines the FDA’s expectations for sponsors,
CROs, investigators and other persons involved in the capture, review and retention of
electronic source data generated in the context of FDA-regulated clinical trials.In an
effort to encourage the modernization and increased efficiency of processes in clinical
trials, the FDA clearly supports the capture of electronic source data and emphasizes
the agency’s intention to support activities aimed at ensuring the reliability, quality,
integrity and traceability of this source data, from its electronic source to the electronic
submission of the data in the context of an authorization procedure. The Guidance
addresses aspects as data capture, data review and record retention. When the
computerized systems used in clinical trials are described, the FDA recommends
that the description not only focus on the intended use of the system, but also on
data protection measures and the flow of data across system components and
interfaces. In practice, the pharmaceutical industry needs to meet significant
requirements regarding organisation, planning, specification and verification of
computerized systems in the field of clinical trials. The FDA also mentions in the
Guidance that it does not intend to apply 21 CFR Part 11 to electronic health records
(EHR). Author: Oliver Herrmann Q-Infiity Source: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/
Guidances/UCM328691.pdf Webinar: https://collaboration.fda.gov/p89r92dh8wc

 

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Epilogue: Volume 4 – Translational, Post-Translational and Regenerative Medicine in Cardiology

Posted in Acute Myocardial Infarction, Bone marrow derived cells, Cardiac & Vascular Repair Tools Subsegment, Cell Biology, Signaling & Cell Circuits, Computational Biology/Systems and Bioinformatics, Curation, Disease Biology, Small Molecules in Development of Therapeutic Drugs, Drug Delivery Platform Technology, Experimental validation, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Genome Biology, Hematopoiesis, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Molecular Genetics & Pharmaceutical, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, PCI, Regenerative Biology and Medicine, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, Stents & Tools, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on May 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Epilogue: Volume 4 – Translational, Post-Translational and Regenerative Medicine in Cardiology

  • Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP, Author and Curator, Volume Four, Co-Editor
  • Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC, Content Consultant for Series A: Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN, Co-Editor of Volume Four and Editor-in-Chief, BioMed e-Series

 

This completes Chapter 4 in two parts on the most dynamic developments in the regulatory pathways guiding cardiovascular dynamics and function in health and disease.  I have covered key features of these in two summaries, so I shall try to look further into important expected future directions and their anticipated implications.

1. Mechanisms of Disease

Signal Transduction: Akt Phosphorylates HK-II at Thr-473 and Increases Mitochondrial HK-II Association to Protect Cardiomyocytes

David J. Roberts, Valerie P. Tan-Sah, Jeffery M. Smith and Shigeki Miyamoto
J. Biol. Chem. 2013, 288:23798-23806.  http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1074/jbc.M113.482026

Backgound: Hexokinase II binds to mitochondria and promotes cell survival.
Results: Akt phosphorylates HK-II but not the threonine 473 mutant. The phosphomimetic T473D mutant decreases its dissociation from mitochondria induced by G-6P and increases cell viability against stress.
Conclusion: Akt phosphorylates HK-II at Thr-473, resulting in increased mitochondrial HK-II and cell protection.
Significance: The Akt-HK-II signaling nexus is important in cell survival.

HK-II Phosphorylation

HK-II Phosphorylation

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been demonstrated that an increased level of HK-II at mitochondria is protective and is increased by protective interventions but decreased under stress.

It   has not  been fully determined   which  molecular  signals  regulate  the    level    of  HK-II at mitochondria.

Thr-473 in HK-II  is phosphorylated by Akt and this phosphorylation  leads to  increases  in  mitochondrial  HK-II binding  through inhibition  of  G-6P-dependent  dissociation, conferring resistance to oxidative stress  (Fig.     7).

Overexpression of  WTHK-II increases mitochondrial HK-II and confers protection against  hydrogen peroxide,  which  is enhanced significantly  in   HK-II   T473D-expressing  cells, whereas  NHK-II, lacking the ability to bind to mitochondria, does not confer protection.   Conversely,  mitochondrial  HK-II from mitochondria (Fig.6, A and B) inhibits  the  IGF-1-mediated increase in mitochondrial HK-II and cellular protection.   Similar   dose-dependent  curves were obtained in mitochondrial   HK-II     against stress    (15–25).

Gene Expression and Genetic Variation in Human Atria

Honghuang Lin PhD, Elena V. Dolmatova MD, Michael P. Morley, PhD, Kathryn L. Lunetta PhD, David D. McManus MD, ScM, et al.
Heart Rhythm  2013   http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2013.10.051

Background— The human left and right atria have different susceptibilities to develop atrialfibrillation (AF). However, the molecular events related to structural and functional changes that
enhance AF susceptibility are still poorly understood.
Objective— To characterize gene expression and genetic variation in human atria.
Results— We found that 109 genes were differentially expressed between left and right atrial tissues. A total of 187 and 259 significant cis-associations between transcript levels and genetic
variants were identified in left and right atrial tissues, respectively. We also found that a SNP at a known AF locus, rs3740293, was associated with the expression of MYOZ1 in both left and right
atrial tissues.
Conclusion— We found a distinct transcriptional profile between the right and left atrium, and extensive cis-associations between atrial transcripts and common genetic variants. Our results
implicate MYOZ1 as the causative gene at the chromosome 10q22 locus for AF.

Long-Term Caspase Inhibition Ameliorates Apoptosis, Reduces Myocardial Troponin-I Cleavage, Protects Left Ventricular Function, and Attenuates Remodeling in Rats With Myocardial Infarction

Y. Chandrashekhar,  Soma Sen, Ruth Anway,  Allan Shuros,  Inder Anand,

J Am Col  Cardiol  2004; 43(2)   http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2003.09.026

This study was designed to evaluate whether in vivo caspase inhibition can prevent myocardial contractile protein degradation, improve myocardial function, and attenuate ventricular remodeling.
Apoptosis is thought to play an important role in the development and progression of heart failure (HF) after a myocardial infarction (MI). However, it is not known whether inhibiting apoptosis can attenuate left ventricular (LV) remodeling and minimize systolic dysfunction.

A 28-day infusion of caspase inhibitor was administeredimmediately after an anterior MI. In addition, five sham-operated rats given the caspase inhibitor were compared with 17 untreated sham-operated animals to study effects in non-MI rats. Left ventricular function, remodeling parameters, and hemodynamics were studied four weeks later. Myocardial caspase 3 activation and troponin-I contractile protein cleavage were studied in the non-infarct, remote LV myocardium using Western blots. Apoptosis was assessed using immunohistochemistry for activated caspase-positive cells as well as the TUNEL method. Collagen volume was estimated using morphometry.

Caspase inhibition reduced myocardial caspase 3 activation. This was accompanied by less cleavage of troponin-I, an important component of the cardiac contractile apparatus, and fewer apoptotic cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, caspase inhibition reduced LV-weight-to- body-weight ratio, decreased myocardial interstitial collagen deposition, attenuated LV remodeling, and better preserved LV systolic function after MI.

Caspase inhibition, started soon after MI and continued for four weeks, preserves myocardial contractile proteins, reduces systolic dysfunction, and attenuates ventricular remodeling.

These findings may have important therapeutic implications in post-MI HF. J Am Col Cardiol 2004;43:295–301)

Precardiac deletion of Numb and Numblike reveals renewal of cardiac progenitors

Lincoln T Shenje,  Peter P Rainer , Gun-sik Cho , Dong-ik Lee , Weimin Zhong , Richard P Harvey , David A Kass , Chulan Kwon *,  et al.
eLife 2014.    http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02164.001

Cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) must control their number and fate to sustain the rapid heart growth during development, yet the intrinsic factors and environment governing these processes remain unclear. Here, we show that deletion of the ancient cell-fate regulator Numb (Nb) and its homologue Numblike (Nbl) depletes CPCs in second pharyngeal arches (PA2s) and is associated with an atrophic heart. With histological, fow cytometric and functional analyses, we fnd that CPCs remain undifferentiated and expansive in the PA2, but differentiate into cardiac cells as they exit the arch. Tracing of Nb- and Nbl-defcient CPCs by lineage-specifc mosaicism reveals that the CPCs normally populate in the PA2, but lose their expansion potential in the PA2. These fndings demonstrate that Nb and Nbl are intrinsic factors crucial for the renewal of CPCs in the PA2 and
that the PA2 serves as a microenvironment for their expansion.

2. Diagnostics and Risk Assessment

Classical and Novel Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Risk Prediction in the United States

Aaron R. Folsom
J Epidemiol 2013;23(3):158-162   http://dx.doi.org/10.2188/jea.JE20120157

Cardiovascular risk prediction models based on classical risk factors identified in epidemiologic cohort studies are useful in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in individuals. This article briefly reviews aspects of
cardiovascular risk prediction in the United States and efforts to evaluate novel risk factors. Even though many novel risk markers have been found to be associated with cardiovascular disease, few appear to improve risk prediction
beyond the powerful, classical risk factors. A recent US consensus panel concluded that clinical measurement of certain novel markers for risk prediction was reasonable, namely,

  1. hemoglobin A1c (in all adults),
  2. microalbuminuria (in patients with hypertension or diabetes), and
  3. C-reactive protein,
  4. lipoprotein-associated phospholipase,
  5. coronary calcium,
  6. carotid intima-media thickness, and
  7. ankle/brachial index (in patients deemed to be at intermediate cardiovascular risk, based on traditional risk factors).

Diagnostic accuracy of NT-proBNP ratio (BNP-R) for early diagnosis of tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy: a pilot study

Amir M. Nia, Natig Gassanov, Kristina M. Dahlem, Evren Caglayan, Martin Hellmich, et al.
Clin Res Cardiol (2011) 100:887–896    http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00392-011-0319-y

Tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy (TMC) occurs as a consequence of prolonged high heart rate due to ventricular and supraventricular tachycardia. In animal models, rapid pacing induces severe biventricular remodeling with dilation and dysfunction [7]. On a cellular basis, cardiomyocytes exert fundamental morphological and functional roles.

When heart failure and tachycardia occur simultaneously, a useful diagnostic tool for early discrimination of patients with benign tachycardia-mediated  cardiomyopathy (TMC) versus major structural heart disease  (MSHD) is not available. Such a tool is required to prevent unnecessary and wearing diagnostics in patients with reversible TMC. Moreover, it could lead to early additional diagnostics and therapeutic approaches in patients with  MSHD.

A total of 387 consecutive patients with supraventricular arrhythmia underwent assessment.  Of these patients, 40 fulfilled the inclusion criteria
with a resting heart rate C100 bpm and an impaired left ventricular ejection fraction \40%. In all patients, successful electrical cardioversion was performed. At baseline, day 1 and weekly for 4 weeks, levels of NT-proBNP and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated.

NT-proBNP ratio (BNP-R) was calculated as a quotient of baseline NT-proBNP/follow-up NT-proBNP. After 4 weeks, cardiac catheterization was performed to identify patients with a final diagnosis of TMC versus MSHD.

Initial NT-proBNP concentrations were elevated and consecutively decreased after cardioversion in all patients studied. The area under the ROC curve for BNP-R to detect TMC was 0.90 (95% CI 0.79–1.00; p \ 0.001) after 1 week  and 0.995 (95% CI 0.99–1.00; p \ 0.0001) after 4 weeks. One week after cardioversion already, a BNP-R cutoff C2.3 was useful for TMC diagnosis indicated by an accuracy of 90%, sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 95%.

BNP-R was found to be highly accurate for the early diagnosis of TMC.

Omega-3 Index and Cardiovascular Health

Clemens von Schacky
Nutrients 2014; 6: 799-814;  http://dx. doi.org/10.3390/nu602099

Fish, marine oils, and their concentrates all serve as sources of the two marine omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as do some products from algae.
To demonstrate an effect of EPA + DHA on heart health, a number of randomized, controlled intervention studies with clinical endpoints like overall mortality or a combination of adverse cardiac events were conducted in populations with elevated cardiovascular risk. One early intervention study with oily fish, rich in EPA + DHA, and some early studies with fish oil or fish oil concentrate or even purified EPA at doses ranging between 0.9 and 1.8 g/day indeed demonstrated effects in terms of fewer sudden cardiac deaths, fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarctions, or a combination of adverse cardiac events.

Recent meta-analyses found no significant benefits on total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and other adverse cardiac or cardiovascular events [13–18]. This is in contrast to findings in epidemiologic studies, where intake of EPA + DHA had been found to correlate generally with an up to 50% lower incidence of adverse cardiac events [18,19], and in even sharper contrast to epidemiologic studies based on levels of EPA + DHA, demonstrating e.g., a 10-fold lower incidence of sudden cardiac death associated with high levels of the
fatty acids, as compared to low levels.

This seemingly contradictory evidence has led the American Heart Association to recommend “omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil capsules (1 g/day) for cardiovascular disease risk reduction” for secondary prevention, whereas the European Society for Cardiology recommends “Fish at least twice a week, one of which to be oily fish”, but no supplements for cardiovascular prevention.

A similar picture emerges for atrial fibrillation: In epidemiologic studies, consumption of EPA + DHA or higher levels of EPA + DHA were associated with lower risk for developing atrial fibrillation, while intervention studies found no effect. Pertinent guidelines do not mention EPA + DHA. A similar picture also emerges for severe ventricular rhythm disturbances.

Why is it that trial results are at odds with results from epidemiology? What needs to be done to better translate the epidemiologic findings into trial results? The current review will try to shed some light on this  issue, with a special consideration of the Omega-3 Index.

Recent large trials with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the cardiovascular field did not demonstrate a beneficial effect in terms of reductions of clinical endpoints like

  • total mortality,
  • sudden cardiac arrest or
  • other major adverse cardiac events.

Pertinent guidelines do not uniformly recommend EPA + DHA for cardiac patients. In contrast,

  • in epidemiologic findings, higher blood levels of EPA + DHA were consistently associated with a lower risk for the endpoints mentioned.

The following points argue for the use of erythrocytes: erythrocyte fatty acid
composition has a low biological variability, erythrocyte fat consists almost exclusively of phospholipids, erythrocyte fatty acid composition reflects tissue fatty acid composition, pre-analytical stability, and other points.  In 2004, EPA + DHA in erythrocyte fatty acids were defined as the Omega-3 Index and suggested as a risk factor for sudden cardiac death [39]. Integral to the definition was a specific and standardized analytical procedure, conforming the quality management routinely implemented in the field of clinical chemistry.

The laboratories adhering to the HS-Omega-3 Index methodology perform regular proficiency testing, as mandated in routine Clinical Chemistry labs. So far, the HS-Omega-3 Index is the only analytical procedure used in several laboratories. A standardized analytical procedure is a prerequisite to generate the data base necessary to transport a laboratory parameter from research into clinical routine. Moreover, standardization of the analytical procedure is the first important criterion for establishing a new biomarker for cardiovascular risk set forth by the American Heart Association and the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Because of low biological and analytical variability, a standardized analytical procedure, a large database and for other reasons,

  • blood levels of EPA + DHA are frequently assessed in erythrocytes, using the HS-Omega-3 Index methodology.

Table 1. Mean HS-Omega-3 Index values in various populations, Mean (±standard deviation (SD)). Please note that in every population studied, a lower value was found to be associated with a worse condition than a higher value. References are given, if not, unpublished, n = number of individuals measured.

All levels of fatty acids are determined by the balance of substance entering the body and those leaving the body. Neither a recent meal, even if rich in EPA + DHA, nor severe cardiac events altered the HS-Omega-3 Index. However, while long-term intake of EPA + DHA, e.g., as assessed with food questionnaires, was the main predictor of the HS-Omega-3 Index, long-term intake explained only 12%–25% of its variability. A hereditary component of 24% exists. A number of other factors correlated positively (+) or negatively (−), like age (+), body mass index (−), socioeconomic status (+), smoking (−), but no other conventional cardiac risk factors. More factors determining the level of the HS-Omega-3 Index, especially regarding efflux remain to be  defined. Therefore, it is impossible to predict the HS-Omega-3 Index in an individual, as it is impossible to predict the increase in the HS-Omega-3 Index in an individual in response to a given dose of EPA + DHA. In Table 2, current evidence is presented on the relation of the HS-Omega-3 Index to CV events.

The HS-Omega-3 Index has made it possible to reclassify individuals from intermediate cardiovascular risk into the respective high risk and low risk strata, the third criterion for establishing a new biomarker for CV  risk.

A low Omega-3 Index fulfills the current criteria for a novel cardiovascular risk factor.

Increasing the HS-Omega-3 Index by increased intake of EPA + DHA in randomized controlled trials improved a number of surrogate parameters for cardiovascular risk:

  1. heart rate was reduced,
  2. heart rate variability was increased,
  3. blood pressure was reduced,
  4. platelet reactivity was reduced,
  5. triglycerides were reduced,
  6. large buoyant low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-particles were increased and
  7. small dense LDL-particles were reduced,
  8. large buoyant high-density lipoproteins (HDL)2 were increased,
  9. very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL1) + 2 was reduced,
  10. pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, interleukins-6,8,10 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) were reduced,
  11. anti-inflammatory oxylipins were increased.

Importantly, in a two-year randomized double-blind angiographic intervention trial, increased erythrocyte EPA + DHA

  • reduced progression and increased regression of coronary lesions, an intermediate parameter.

Taken together, increasing the HS-Omega-3 Index improved surrogate and intermediate parameters for cardiovascular events. A large intervention trial with clinical endpoints based on the HS-Omega-3 Index remains to be conducted. Therefore, the fourth criterion, proof of therapeutic consequence of determining the HS-Omega- Index, is only partially fulfilled.

 

Neutral results of intervention trials can be explained by issues of bioavailability and trial design that surfaced after the trials were initiated.

In the future, incorporating the Omega-3 Index into trial designs by

  1. recruiting participants with a low Omega-3 Index and
  2. treating them within a pre-specified target range (e.g., 8%–11%),
  3. will make more efficient trials possible and
    • provide clearer answers to the questions asked than previously possible.

 

3. Stem Cells and Regenerative Biology

Adult Stem Cells Reverse Muscle Atrophy In Elderly Mice   http://www.science20.com/profile/news_staff

Bioengineers at the University of California, Berkeley in a new study published in Nature say they have identified two key regulatory pathways that control how well adult stem cells repair and replace damaged tissue. They then tweaked how those stem cells reacted to those biochemical signals to revive the ability of muscle tissue in old mice to repair itself nearly as well as the muscle in the mice’s much younger counterparts. Irina Conboy, an assistant professor of bioengineering and an investigator at the Berkeley Stem Cell Center and at the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), led the research team conducting this study. Because the findings relate to adult stem cells that reside in existing tissue, this approach to rejuvenating degenerating muscle eliminates the ethical and medical complications associated with transplanting tissues grown from embryonic stem cells. The researchers focused on

  • the interplay of two competing molecular pathways that control the stem cells,

which sit next to the mature, differentiated cells that make up our working body parts. When the mature cells are damaged or wear out, the stem cells are called into action to begin the process of rebuilding.

old muscle tissue is left with

old muscle tissue is left with

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We don’t realize it, but as we grow our bodies are constantly being remodeled,” said Conboy. “We are constantly falling apart, but we don’t notice it much when we’re young because we’re always being restored. As we age, our stem cells are prevented, through chemical signals, from doing their jobs.” The good news, the researchers said, is that

  • the stem cells in old tissue are still ready and able to perform their regenerative function
  • if they receive the appropriate chemical signals.

Studies have shown that when old tissue is placed in an environment of young blood, the stem cells behave as if they are young again. “Conversely, we have found in a study published last year that even young stem cells rapidly age when placed among blood and tissue from old mice,” said Carlson, who will stay on at UC Berkeley to expand his work on stem cell engineering.

  • Adult stem cells have a receptor called Notch that, when activated,
  • tells them that it is time to grow and divide
  • stem cells also have a receptor for the protein TGF-beta
  • that sets off a chain reaction activatingthemoleculepSmad3 and
    • ultimately producing cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, which regulate the cell’s ability to divide.
  • activated Notch competeswithactivatedpSmad3 for
    • binding to the regulatory regions of the same CDK inhibitors in the stem cell

“We found that Notch is capable of physically kicking off pSmad3 from the promoters for the CDK inhibitors within the stem cell’s nucleus, which tells us that a precise manipulation of the balance of these pathways would allow the ability to control stem cell responses.” Notch and TGF-beta are well known in molecular biology, but Conboy’s lab is the first to connect them to the process of aging, and the first to show that they act in opposition to each other within the nucleus of the adult stem cell. Aging and the inevitable march towards death are, in part, due to the progressive decline of Notch and the increased levels of TGF-beta , producing a one-two punch to the stem cell’s capacity to effectively rebuild the body, the researchers said.

The researchers disabled the “aging pathway” that tells stem cells to stop dividing by using an established method of RNA interference that reduced levels of pSmad3. The researchers then examined the muscle of the different groups of mice one to five days after injury to compare how well the tissue repaired itself. As expected,

  •  muscle tissue in the young mice easily replaced damaged cells with new, healthy cells. In contrast,
  • the areas of damaged muscle in the control group of old mice were characterized by fibroblasts and scar tissue. However,
  • muscles in the old mice whose stem cell “aging pathway”had been dampened showed levels of cellular regeneration that were
    • comparable to their much younger peers, and that were 3 to 4 times greater than those of the group of “untreated” old mice.

Adult Stem Cells To Repair Damaged Heart Muscle

http://www.science20.com/profile/news_staff

In the first trial of its kind in the world, 60 patients who have recently suffered a major heart attack will be injected with selected stem cells from their own bone marrow during routine coronary bypass surgery. The Bristol trial will test

  • whether the stem cells will repair heart muscle cells damaged by the heart attack,
  • by preventing late scar formation and hence impaired heart contraction.

“ Cardiac stem cell therapy aims to repair the damaged heart as it has the potential to replace the damaged tissue.” We have elected to use a very promising stem cell type selected from the patient’s own bone marrow. This approach ensures no risk of rejection or infection. It also gets around the ethical issues that would result from use of stem cells from embryonic or foetal tissue.

In this trial (known as TransACT), all patients will have bone marrow harvested before their heart operation. Then either stem cells from their own bone marrow or a placebo will be injected into the patients’ damaged hearts during routine coronary bypass surgery. The feasibility and safety of this technique has already been demonstrated. As a result of the chosen double blind placebo-controlled design, neither the patients nor the surgeon knows whether the patient is going to be injected with stem cells or placebo. This ensures that results are not biased in any way, and is the most powerful way to prove whether or not the new treatment is effective.

Research of Stem Cells Repair Damaged Heart

By Kelvinlew Minhan | March 26th 2008

Under highly specific growth conditions in laboratory culture dishes, stem cells

  • can be coaxed into developing as new cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelial cells (Kirschstein and Skirboll, 2001).

Discoveries that have triggered the interest in the application of adult stem cells to heart muscle repair in animal models have been made by researchers in the past few years (Kirschstein and Skirboll, 2001). One  study demonstrated that cardiac tissue can be regenerated in the mouse heart attack model through the introduction of adult stem cells from mouse bone marrow (Kirschstein and Skirboll, 2001). These cells were transplanted into the marrow of irradiated mice approximately 10 weeks before the recipient mice were subjected to heart attack thru tying off different major heart blood vessel, the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. The survival rate was 26 percent at two to four weeks after the induced cardiac injury (Kirschstein and Skirboll, 2001). Another study of the region surrounding the damaged tissue in surviving mice showed the presence of donor-derived cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells (Kirschstein and Skirboll, 2001).

  • the mouse hematopoietic stem cells transplanted into the bone marrow had migrated to the border part of the damaged area, and differentiated into several types of tissue for cardiac repair.

Regenerating heart tissue through stem cell therapy

http://www.mayo.edu/research/discoverys-edge/regenerating-heart-tissue-stem-cell-therapy

Summary

A groundbreaking study on repairing damaged heart tissue through stem cell therapy has given patients hope that they may again live active lives. An international team of Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators has done it by discovering a way to regenerate heart tissue.

“It’s a paradigm shift,” says Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., director of Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Medicine and senior investigator of the stem cell trial. “We are moving from traditional medicine, which addresses the symptoms of disease to cure disease.” Treating patients with cardiac disease has typically involved managing heart damage with medication.  In collaboration with European researchers, Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a novel way to repair a damaged heart. In Mayo Clinic’s breakthrough process,
  • stem cells are harvested from a patient’s bone marrow.
  •  undergo a laboratory treatment that guides them into becoming cardiac cells,
  • which are then injected into the patient’s heart in an effort to grow healthy heart tissue.
The study is the first successful demonstration in people of the feasibility and safety of transforming adult stem cells into cardiac cells. Beyond heart failure, the Mayo Clinic research also is a milestone in the emerging field of regenerative medicine, which seeks to fully heal damaged tissue and organs.

Creating a heart repair kit

Process of converting bone marrow cells to heart cells
This image shows the process used in the clinical trials to repair damaged hearts. Cardioprogenitor cells is another term for cardiopoietic cells, those that were transformed into cardiac cells.
Stem cells transforming to cardiac tissue
Transformation: The cardiopoietic cells on the left react to the cardiac environment, cluster together with like cells and form tissue.
 Mayo Clinic researchers pursued this research, inspired by an intriguing discovery. In the early 2000s, they analyzed stem cells from 11 patients undergoing heart bypass surgery. The stem cells from two of the patients had an unusually high expression of certain transcription factors — the proteins that control the flow of genetic information between cells. Clinically, the two patients appeared no different from the others, yet their stem cells seemed to show unique capacity for heart repair.
That observation drove them to  determine how to convert  nonreparative stem cells to become reparative. Doing so required determining precisely how the human heart naturally develops, at a subcellular level. That painstaking work was led by Atta Behfar, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiovascular researcher at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. With other members of the Terzic research team, Dr. Behfar identified hundreds of proteins involved in the process of heart development (cardiogenesis). The researchers then set out to identify which of these proteins are essential in driving a stem cell to become a cardiac cell. Using computer models,
  • they simulated the effects of eliminating proteins one by one from the process of heart development.
  • That method yielded about 25 proteins.
    • The team then pared that number down to 8 proteins that their data indicated were essential.
The research team was then able to develop the lab procedure that guides stem cells to become heart cells.
The treated stem cells were dubbed cardiopoietic, or heart creative. A proof of principle study about guided cardiopoiesis, whose results were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2010, demonstrated that animal models with heart disease that had been injected with caridiopoietic cells had improved heart function compared with animals injected with untreated stem cells. Hailed as “landmark work,” by the journal’s editorial writer, the study showed it was indeed possible to teach stem cells to become cardiac cells. Stem cells from each patient in the cardiopoiesis group were successfully guided to become cardiac cells. The treated cells were injected into the heart wall of each of those patients without apparent complications.
“Ihis newprocessofcardiopoiesiswas achieved in 100 percent of cases, with a very good safety profile,” Dr.Terzic says. “We are enabling the heart toregainitsinitial structure and function,” Dr.Terzic says, “and we will not stop here.” The clinicaltrialfindingsareexpectedto be published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2013.  Meanwhile, research to improve the injection process and effectiveness is underway.

Stem Cells from Humans Repair Heart Damage in Monkeys

GEN News Highlights  May1, 2014

implanted graft of cardiac cells derived from human stem cells (green)

implanted graft of cardiac cells derived from human stem cells (green)

Regeneration of the heart by 4 different classes of proteins

Regeneration of the heart by 4 different classes of proteins

Stem cells have shown promise in small-animal models, that is, in mice and rats. Still, it was unclear whether human embryonic-stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) could be produced in adequate numbers, and cryopreserved with sufficient viability, to even approach human application In a step up from small-animal models, scientists at the University of Washington used a monkey model of myocardial infarction to test how well hESC-CMs could replace damaged tissue with new heart cells and restore failing hearts to normal function. The scientists injected 1 billion heart muscle cells derived from hESC-CMs into the infarcted muscle of pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina). This was 10 times more of these types of cells than researchers have ever been able to generate before.
The researchers found that over subsequent weeks, the stem-cell derived heart muscle cells infiltrated into the damaged heart tissue, then matured, assembled into muscle fibers, and began to beat in synchrony with the macaque heart cells. After three months, the cells appeared to have fully integrated into the macaque heart muscle. The research team published its results April 30 in Nature, in an article entitled “Human embryonic-stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes regenerate non-human primate hearts.” In this article, the authors indicated that their work demonstrated that
  • hESCs can be grown,
  • differentiated into cardiomyocytes, and
  • cryopreserved at a scale sufficient to treat a large-animal model of myocardial infarction.
“With further refinements in manufacturing, the scale up to trials in humanpatientsseemsfeasible,” the researchers wrote. “Large-animal models are important forerunners to human trials, because they impart real-world rigor to issues such as cell production, delivery, and end-point analyses, while permitting mechanistic studies not possible in patients.”

Molecule Implicated In Leukemia Also Important In Muscle Repair

http://www.science20.com/profile/news_staff

The study shows that immature muscle cells require the molecule, called miR-29, to become mature, and that

  • the molecule is nearly missing in cells from rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer caused by the proliferation of immature muscle cells.
Cells from human rhabdomyosarcoma tumors showed levels of the molecule that were
  • 10 percent or less of those in normal muscle cells.
  • Artificially raising the level of the molecule in the cancer cells
    • cut their growth by half and caused them
    • to begin maturing, slowing down tumor growth.
MiR-29 is a type of microRNA, a family of molecules that helps regulate the proteins cells produce. Researchers say this study is unusual because
it also sheds light on the how a microRNA itself is regulated.
  • The gene for miR-29 is silenced by the action of a protein, called NF kappa B.
  •  this protein is present at highlevelsinrhabdomyosarcoma cells, and
    • this keeps miR-29 shut off,
    • preventing muscle progenitor cells from maturing.
When they raised the level of the microRNA molecule in the cells,
  • or lowered the level of the NF kappa B protein,
    • the cells’ growth rate dropped two fold, and
they began taking on the appearance of mature muscle cells.

4. Drug Discovery

GPCR Insights Brighten Drug Discovery Outlook

Ken Doyle, Ph.D.

GEN Apr 15, 2014 (Vol. 34, No. 8)

Recent years have seen major advances in understanding the structure-function relationships of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). This large superfamily of transmembrane receptors comprises over 800 members in humans.

GPCRs regulate a wide variety of physiological processes including

  • sensation (vision, taste, and smell),
  • growth,
  • hormone responses, and
  • regulation of the immune and
  • autonomic nervous systems.

Their involvement in multiple disease pathways makes GPCRs attractive targets for drug discovery efforts.

These multifaceted proteins will be the subject of “GPCR Structure, Function and Drug Discovery,” a Global Technology Community conference scheduled to take place May 22–23 in Boston. The conference is expected to cover a broad range of topics including biased signaling, membrane protein structures, GPCR signaling dynamics, computational approaches to disease.

According to Bryan Roth, M.D., Ph.D., Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,

  • drugs that can selectively target various downstream GPCR pathways hold the most promise.

Dr. Roth’s laboratory studies approximately 360 different GPCRs with therapeutic potential using massively parallel screening methods. His research focuses on “functional selectivity,” which he describes as

  • “the ligand-dependent selectivity for certain signal transduction pathways in one and the same receptor.”

Dr. Roth notes that structural data have demonstrated that GPCRs exist in multiple conformations: “The structures of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2B receptor and the recent high-resolution delta-opioid receptor structure have provided evidence for conformational rearrangements that contribute to functional selectivity.” Drugs that take advantage of this selectivity by preferentially stabilizing certain conformations may have unique therapeutic utility.

“Generally, we look at G protein versus arrestin-based signaling, although it’s also possible to examine how drugs activate one G protein-mediated signaling pathway versus another.

 

fluorescently tagged Arrestin and GPRC of interest

fluorescently tagged Arrestin and GPRC of interest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • β-Arrestins constitute a major class of intracellular scaffolding proteins that regulate GPCR signaling by preventing or enhancing the binding of GPCRs to intracellular signaling molecules. Laura Bohn, Ph.D., associate professor at Scripps Florida,  studies the roles that β-arrestins play in GPCR-mediated signaling.
  • a particular β-arrestin can play multiple, tissue-specific roles—shutting down the signaling of a receptor in one tissue while activating signaling in another.
  • different ligands can direct GPCR signaling to different effectors, which could result in different physiological effects,” comments Dr. Bohn. “Our challenge is in determining what signaling pathways to harness to promote certain effects, while avoiding others.”
Arrestin binding to active GPCR kinase (GRK)-phosphorylated GPCRs blocks G protein coupling

Arrestin binding to active GPCR kinase (GRK)-phosphorylated GPCRs blocks G protein coupling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using Designer Proteins

The multifunctional signaling abilities of β-arrestins has prompted large-scale study of their properties. Vsevolod Gurevich, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology at Vanderbilt University, studies

  1. the structure,
  2. function, and
  3. biology of arrestin proteins.

β-arrestins have three main functions.

  1. First, they prevent the coupling of GPCRs to G proteins, thereby blocking further G protein-mediated signaling (a process known as desensitization).
  2. Second, the binding of a GCPR releases the β-arrestin’s carboxy-terminal “tail” and promotes internalization of the receptor.
  3. Third, receptor-bound β-arrestins bind other signaling proteins, resulting in a second wave of arrestin-mediated signaling.

Dr. Gurevich’s laboratory studies β-arrestin biology through the use of three types of specially designed mutants—

  1. enhanced phosphorylation-dependent,
  2. receptor-specific, and
  3. signaling-biased mutants.

an enhanced mutant of visual β-arrestin-1 partially compensates for defects of rhodopsin phosphorylation in vivo,

“Several congenital disorders are caused by mutant GPCRs that cannot be normally phosphorylated because they have lost GPCR kinase (GRK) sites. Enhanced super-active arrestins have the potential to compensate for these defects, bringing the signaling closer to normal.”

  • Dr. Gurevich explains the strategy involved in creating designer β-arrestins: “We identify residues critical for individual β-arrestin functions by mutagenesis, using limited structural information as a guide.
  • We also work on getting more structural information. In collaboration with different crystallographers, we solved the crystal structures of all four vertebrate β-arrestin subtypes in the basal state, as well as the structure of the arrestin-1-rhodopsin complex.”
  • Dr. Gurevich believes that designer β-arrestins “are the next step in research and therapy, moving way beyond what small molecules can achieve.
  • The difference in capabilities between redesigned signaling proteins, including β-arrestins, and conventional small molecule drugs is about the same as that between airplanes and horse-driven carriages.”
  • Dr. Gurevich observes that redesigned signaling proteins face considerable obstacles in terms of gene delivery, but that the efforts are worth it. “Using designer signaling proteins, we can tell the cell what to do in a language it cannot disobey,” asserts Dr. Gurevich.

Synthesis and Antihypertensive Screening of Novel Substituted 1,2- Pyrazoline Sulfonamide Derivatives

Avinash M. Bhagwat , Anilchandra R. Bha , Mahesh S. Palled , Anand P. Khadke , Anuradha M. Patil, et al.

Am. J. PharmTech Res. 2014; 4(2).    http://www.ajptr.com/ 

Angiotensin II receptor antagonists, also known as angiotensin receptor blockers , AT1-receptor antagonists or sartans, are a group of pharmaceuticals which modulate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Their main use is in hypertension, diabetic nephropathy and congestiveheart failure. These substances are AT1-receptor antagonists which

  • block the activationof angiotensin II AT1 receptors.

Blockade of AT1 receptors directly causes

1 vasodilation,

2 reduces secretion of vasopressin,

3 reduces production and secretion of aldosterone, amongst other actions –

4 the combined effect of which is reduction of blood pressure.

Irbesartan is a safe and effectiveangiotensin II receptor antagonist with an affinity for the AT1 receptor that is more than 8,500times greater than its affinity for AT2 receptor. This agent has a higher bioavailability (60-80%) than other drugs in its class . In both Losartan and Irbesartan structures imidazole moiety is being present. A structure analog of losartan and Irbesartan are designed by incorporating the heterocycles like pyrazoline group. We felt it would be interesting to explore the possibilities of 1,2-pyrazoline derivatives for Angiotensin II receptor antagonistic activity.

The Irbesartan structure was a modified Losartan structure, which had all the identity of a Losartan molecule but with groups that would fit the hydrophobic cavity with a tetramethylene group and an alkyl side chain that would fit in the pocket in the AT1 receptor. The hydroxyl methyl group of Losartan being replaced with carbonyl group of Irbesartan. With a view to introduce a hydrogen bonding interaction with AT1 receptor, these structures were further modified with a view of retaining both hydrogen bonding characteristics and as well as lipophilic groups. Losartan and Irbesartan structure contains a diphenyl molecule & imidazole ring.

In Losartan and Irbesartan diphenyl molecule is attached to the nitrogen of the imidazole ring. It is interesting to to see the activity of compounds containing two phenyl rings attached at two different positions namely3,5 position of 1, 2-pyrazoline ring. The sulphonamide derivatives known for its diuretics activity which reduces renal hypertension. We use to synthesize sulphonamide and pyrazoline in one molecule to check its possible Angiotensin II receptor antagonist property. For this reason chalcones were synthesized reacted with hydrazine hydrate to yield the corresponding 1,2-pyrazoline derivatives which further condensed with sulphanilamide and formaldehyde by mannich condensation reaction.

Acute Toxicity Study (LD50)

This study was carried out in order to establish the therapeutic and toxic doses of the newly synthesized 1,2 pyrazoline derivatives. To establish LD50 of these compounds the method described by Miller & Tainter was employed.

We report new 1,2 pyrazolines which defined combination of substituents confers appropriate polarity and charge distribution for good activity. The spectral data of compounds confirms the structures.
We also report various derivatives of 1,2 pyrazolines from Chalcones to achieve the promising and selective inhibition. The synthesized 1,2 pyrazoline derivatives have resemblance to some of Angiotensin II blocking agents like Irbesartan and Losartan. Hence it was thought of carrying out Angiotensin II blocking screening by 1K-1C Goldblatt noninvasive blood pressure measurement method. As a result, the screened compounds have shown significant Angiotensin II blocking activity. Irbesartan was used as the standard drug for Angiotensin II blocking activity.
Compounds synthesized have shown the significant Angiotensin II blocking activity when compared with the control but however are not comparable to the standard Irbesartan. The results were calculated by taking mean SE and finding the ‘P’ values. Hence from the SAR studies the chloro substituted compounds PH-2 and PH-7 exhibit better Angiotensin II blocking activityamongst the synthesized compounds. The structures of all the synthesized compounds were established on the basis of M.P., TLC, IR, NMR (PMR) . The compounds synthesized were found to be non-toxic and could be synthesized in good yields. The active compounds could be taken as lead for structural and molecular modification was thought of in future.
The present work, which was undertaken is a bonafide and novel work on the synthesis of 1,2 pyrazoline derivatives. We have made an attempt in reviewing the literature on 1,2 pyrazoline derivatives for their medicinal uses with the help of chemical abstract, journals and internet surfing. For the synthesis of 1,2 pyrazoline derivatives scheme were established. Around eight derivatives were synthesized. The synthesized compounds were tested for their purity, preliminary tests, physical constants and TLC. The structure of the final compound were confirmed by IR, H-NMR spectra and GCMS. The compounds synthesized were found to be non-toxic and could be synthesized in good yields.

5. Synthetic Biology

Artists and biologists team up to ush boundaries of synthetic biology

Kenrick Vezina | May 1, 2014 | Genetic Literacy Project

Synthetic biologists are often accused of “playing God,” of tampering with his Creation. Well, if you’re going to Create then you might as well do so with the help of some creative individuals? That’s just what the biologists in the pages of the new book Synthetic Aesthetics, from MIT Press, aims to do. Its arrival is well-timed, with the

first synthetic yeast chromosome having been created last month amid a flurry of scientific milestones in biotechnology.

Alun Anderson has reviewed the new book for New Scientist. Unlike the typically defensive posture found in biotech broadly, he writes, the spirit captured by this book is “freewheeling” and collaborative, with 20 authors ranging from the arts and sciences putting their minds together to generate original ideas. Anderson notes that parts of the book “may irritate conventional scientists – some of the ideas were dreamed up while ‘performing a dance based on the myth of the Golem’, for example. But it certainly explains the key ideas of the field and leads you to many lateral conversations about what it may become.” The book is itself an offshoot of a larger project, which you can check out at its official page. It describes itself as an “experimental, international research project between synthetic biology, art, design and social science” It has roots at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Stanford University, California. And the main project team is comprised of bioengineers Drew Endy (Stanford) and Alistair Elfick (Edinburgh), social scientists Jane Calvert (Edinburgh) and Pablo Schyfter (Edinburgh), and designer/artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg.

In the book Synthetic Aesthetics, Ginsberg provides a thought-provoking counterpoint to the engineering definition of “design”.  Anderson explains in his review: An engineer might think of designing a bridge to a particular specification; a synthetic biologist of designing a microorganism with a new commercial application, pumping out green gasoline for example; but a real designer, a fashion designer, for example, is doing something else. As artist Daisy Ginsberg puts it, design “is about possibility”, the unimagined things that life could be.

Synthetic biology, she writes, has been addressing “humanity’s needs” – limitless fuel, for example – rather than “our needs as individual, diverse and complex humans”.  This is refreshing: worries about the separation between the top-down design of the future and those who must live with the results are quite rare in science. These words ring true, given the intensely “problem oriented” approach to most synthetic biology research. This approach extends to the coverage of this research in the media, where even a research achievement with sweeping potential like the synthetic yeast chromosome ends up broken down into pragmatic chunks. (Yeast could mass-produce medicines! Help process fuels!) Alistair Elfick, one of the leads on the Synthetics Aesthetics project, has written a fascinating opinion piece at The Conversation to accompany the release of his book. In it, he puts forth the idea it’s time for synthetic biologists to stop thinking “like scientists,” lest they hamstring themselves.

Kenrick Vezina is Gene-ius Editor for the Genetic Literacy Project and a freelance science writer, educator, and naturalist based in the Greater Boston area. Sources:

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MedTech (Cardiac Imaging) and Medical Devices for Cardiovascular Repair – Curations, Co-Curations and Reporting by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Posted in Abdominal Aorta, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Aortic Valve: TAVR, TAVI vs Open Heart Surgery, Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, Bio Instrumentation in Experimental Life Sciences Research, CABG, Cancer Surgery of the Heart, Cardiac & Vascular Repair Tools Subsegment, Cardiac and Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures, Cardiomyopathy, Carotid Artery, Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), Congenital Heart Disease, Ecosystems & Industrial Concentration in the Medical Device Sector, Electrophysiology, Exec Compensation in the Cardiac & Vascular Repair Tools Subsegment, FDA, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, GLP, ISO 14155, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Heart Transplant, Heart-Lung Transplant, ISO 10993 for Product Registration: FDA & CE Mark for Development of Medical Devices and Diagnostics, Massachusetts Niche Suppliers and National Leaders, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Medical Devices R&D Investment, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Mitral Valve: Repair and Replacement, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, PCI, Peripheral Arterial Disease & Peripheral Vascular Surgery, Pre-Clinical Animal Model Development, Renal Denervation, Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), Stents & Tools, Technology Transfer: Biotech and Pharmaceutical, Thoracic Aorta, Translational Science, Valves & Tools on April 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

MedTech (Cardiac Imaging) and Medical Devices for Cardiovascular Repair – Curations, Co-Curations and Reporting by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Cardiac Imaging and Cardiovascular Medical Devices in use for

Cardiac Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgical Procedures and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) / Coronary Angioplasty

List of Publications updated on 8/13/2018

 

Single-Author Curation by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

42c       Experimental Therapy (Left inter-atrial shunt implant device) for Heart Failure: Expert Opinion on a Preliminary Study on Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction

Article Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/05/09/experimental-therapy-left-inter-atrial-shunt-implant-device-for-heart-failure-expert-opinion-on-a-preliminary-study-on-heart-failure-with-preserved-ejection-fraction/

 

41c       Spectranetics, a Technology Leader in Medical Devices for Coronary Intervention, Peripheral Intervention, Lead Management to be acquired by Philips for 1.9 Billion Euros

Reporter and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/06/28/spectranetics-a-technology-leader-in-medical-devices-for-coronary-intervention-peripheral-intervention-lead-management-to-be-acquired-by-philips-for-1-9-billion-euros/

 

40c       Moderate Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation: Outcomes of Surgical Treatment during CABG vs CABG without Mitral Valve Repair

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/04/04/moderate-ischemic-mitral-regurgitation-outcomes-of-surgical-treatment-during-cabg-vs-cabg-without-mitral-valve-repair/

 

39c       Patients with Heart Failure & Left Ventricular Dysfunction: Life Expectancy Increased by coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery: Medical Therapy alone and had Poor Outcomes

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/04/04/patients-with-heart-failure-left-ventricular-dysfunction-life-expectancy-increased-by-coronary-artery-bypass-graft-cabg-surgery/

 

38c       Mapping the Universe of Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence: The Model developed by LPBI and the Model of Best Practices LLC

Author and Curator of Model A: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN and Reporter on Model B: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/13/mapping-the-universe-of-pharmaceutical-business-intelligence-the-model-developed-by-lpbi-and-the-model-of-best-practices-llc/

 

37c     MedTech & Medical Devices for Cardiovascular Repair – Curations by

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/17/medtech-medical-devices-for-cardiovascular-repair-curation-by-aviva-lev-ari-phd-rn/

 

36c     Stem Cells and Cardiac Repair: Scientific Reporting by: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/17/stem-cells-and-cardiac-repair-content-curation-scientific-reporting-aviva-lev-ari-phd-rn/

 

35c       CVD Prevention and Evaluation of Cardiovascular Imaging Modalities: Coronary Calcium Score by CT Scan Screening to justify or not the Use of Statin

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/03/03/cvd-prevention-and-evaluation-of-cardiovascular-imaging-modalities-coronary-calcium-score-by-ct-scan-screening-to-justify-or-not-the-use-of-statin/

 

34c       “Sudden Cardiac Death,” SudD is in Ferrer inCode’s Suite of Cardiovascular Genetic Tests to be Commercialized in the US

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/10/sudden-cardiac-death-sudd-is-in-ferrer-incodes-suite-of-cardiovascular-genetic-tests-to-be-commercialized-in-the-us/

 

33c       Transcatheter Valve Competition in the United States: Medtronic CoreValve infringes on Edwards Lifesciences Corp. Transcatheter Device Patents

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/26/transcatheter-valve-competition-in-the-united-states-medtronic-corevalve-infringes-on-edwards-lifesciences-corp-transcatheter-device-patents/

 

32c       Developments on the Frontier of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Devices

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/26/developments-on-the-frontier-of-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-tavr-devices/

 

31c       Market Impact on Global Suppliers of Renal Denervation Systems by Pivotal US Trial: Metronics’ Symplicity Renal Denervation System FAILURE at Efficacy Endpoint

Curator and Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/09/market-impact-on-global-suppliers-of-renal-denervation-systems-by-pivotal-us-trial-metronics-symplicity-renal-denervation-system-failure-at-efficacy-endpoint/

 

30c     Stenting for Proximal LAD Lesions

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/18/stenting-for-proximal-lad-lesions/

 

29c       Stent Design and Thrombosis:  Bifurcation Intervention, Drug Eluting Stents (DES) and Biodegrable Stents

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/06/stent-design-and-thrombosis-bifurcation-intervention-drug-eluting-stents-des-and-biodegrable-stents/

 

28c       Calcium Cycling (ATPase Pump) in Cardiac Gene Therapy: Inhalable Gene Therapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Percutaneous Intra-coronary Artery Infusion for Heart Failure: Contributions by Roger J. Hajjar, MD

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/01/calcium-molecule-in-cardiac-gene-therapy-inhalable-gene-therapy-for-pulmonary-arterial-hypertension-and-percutaneous-intra-coronary-artery-infusion-for-heart-failure-contributions-by-roger-j-hajjar/

 

27c       Call for the abandonment of the Off-pump CABG surgery (OPCAB) in the On-pump / Off-pump Debate, +100 Research Studies

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/31/call-for-the-abandonment-of-the-off-pump-cabg-surgery-opcab-in-the-on-pump-off-pump-debate-100-research-studies/

 

26c       3D Cardiovascular Theater – Hybrid Cath Lab/OR Suite, Hybrid Surgery, Complications Post PCI and Repeat Sternotomy

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/19/3d-cardiovascular-theater-hybrid-cath-labor-suite-hybrid-surgery-complications-post-pci-and-repeat-sternotomy/

 

25c       Vascular Surgery: International, Multispecialty Position Statement on Carotid Stenting, 2013 and Contributions of a Vascular Surgeon at Peak Career – Richard Paul Cambria, MD

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/14/vascular-surgery-position-statement-in-2013-and-contributions-of-a-vascular-surgeon-at-peak-career-richard-paul-cambria-md-chief-division-of-vascular-and-endovascular-surgery-co-director-thoracic/

 

24c       Heart Transplant (HT) Indication for Heart Failure (HF): Procedure Outcomes and Research on HF, HT @ Two Nation’s Leading HF & HT Centers

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/09/research-programs-george-m-linda-h-kaufman-center-for-heart-failure-cleveland-clinic/

 

23c       Becoming a Cardiothoracic Surgeon: An Emerging Profile in the Surgery Theater and through Scientific Publications 

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/08/becoming-a-cardiothoracic-surgeon-an-emerging-profile-in-the-surgery-theater-and-through-scientific-publications/

 

22c       Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) & Instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR): An Evaluation of Catheterization Lab Tools (Software Validation) for Endovascular Lower-extremity Revascularization Effectiveness: Vascular Surgeons (VSs), Interventional Cardiologists (ICs) and Interventional Radiologists (IRs)

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/01/endovascular-lower-extremity-revascularization-effectiveness-vascular-surgeons-vss-interventional-cardiologists-ics-and-interventional-radiologists-irs/

 

21c       No Early Symptoms – An Aortic Aneurysm Before It Ruptures – Is There A Way To Know If I Have it?

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/10/no-early-symptoms-an-aortic-aneurysm-before-it-ruptures-is-there-a-way-to-know-if-i-have-it/

 

20c       Synthetic Biology: On Advanced Genome Interpretation for Gene Variants and Pathways: What is the Genetic Base of Atherosclerosis and Loss of Arterial Elasticity with Aging

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/17/synthetic-biology-on-advanced-genome-interpretation-for-gene-variants-and-pathways-what-is-the-genetic-base-of-atherosclerosis-and-loss-of-arterial-elasticity-with-aging/

 

19c       Revascularization: PCI, Prior History of PCI vs CABG

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/25/revascularization-pci-prior-history-of-pci-vs-cabg/

 

18c       Minimally Invasive Structural CVD Repairs: FDA grants 510(k) Clearance to Philips’ EchoNavigator – X-ray and 3-D Ultrasound Image Fused.

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/03/21/minimally-invasive-structural-cvd-repairs-fda-grants-510k-to-philips-echonavigator-x-ray-and-3-d-ultrasound-image-fused/

 

17c       Acute Chest Pain/ER Admission: Three Emerging Alternatives to Angiography and PCI

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/03/10/acute-chest-painer-admission-three-emerging-alternatives-to-angiography-and-pci/

 

16c       Clinical Trials on Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) to be conducted by American College of Cardiology and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/02/12/american-college-of-cardiologys-and-the-society-of-thoracic-surgeons-entrance-into-clinical-trials-is-noteworthy-read-more-two-medical-societies-jump-into-clinical-trial-effort-for-tavr-tech-f/

 

15c       FDA Pending 510(k) for The Latest Cardiovascular Imaging Technology

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/28/fda-pending-510k-for-the-latest-cardiovascular-imaging-technology/

 

14c       The ACUITY-PCI score: Will it Replace Four Established Risk Scores — TIMI, GRACE, SYNTAX, and Clinical SYNTAX

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN   https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/03/the-acuity-pci-score-will-it-replace-four-established-risk-scores-timi-grace-syntax-and-clinical-syntax/

13c       Renal Sympathetic Denervation: Updates on the State of Medicine

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/12/31/renal-sympathetic-denervation-updates-on-the-state-of-medicine/

 

12c       Coronary artery disease in symptomatic patients referred for coronary angiography: Predicted by Serum Protein Profiles

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/12/29/coronary-artery-disease-in-symptomatic-patients-referred-for-coronary-angiography-predicted-by-serum-protein-profiles/

 

11c       CABG or PCI: Patients with Diabetes – CABG Rein Supreme

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/11/05/cabg-or-pci-patients-with-diabetes-cabg-rein-supreme/

 

10c       Clinical Trials Results for Endothelin System: Pathophysiological role in Chronic Heart Failure, Acute Coronary Syndromes and MI – Marker of Disease Severity or Genetic Determination?

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/19/clinical-trials-results-for-endothelin-system-pathophysiological-role-in-chronic-heart-failure-acute-coronary-syndromes-and-mi-marker-of-disease-severity-or-genetic-determination/

 

9c         Imbalance of Autonomic Tone: The Promise of Intravascular Stimulation of Autonomics

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/02/imbalance-of-autonomic-tone-the-promise-of-intravascular-stimulation-of-autonomics/

 

8c         New Drug-Eluting Stent Works Well in STEMI

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/22/new-drug-eluting-stent-works-well-in-stemi/

 

7c         Coronary Artery Disease – Medical Devices Solutions: From First-In-Man Stent Implantation, via Medical Ethical Dilemmas to Drug Eluting Stents

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/13/coronary-artery-disease-medical-devices-solutions-from-first-in-man-stent-implantation-via-medical-ethical-dilemmas-to-drug-eluting-stents/

 

6c         DELETED, identical to 7r

 

5c         Percutaneous Endocardial Ablation of Scar-Related Ventricular Tachycardia

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/18/percutaneous-endocardial-ablation-of-scar-related-ventricular-tachycardia/

 

4c         Global Supplier Strategy for Market Penetration &amp; Partnership Options (Niche Suppliers vs. National Leaders) in the Massachusetts Cardiology &amp; Vascular Surgery Tools and Devices Market for Cardiac Operating Rooms and Angioplasty Suites

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/22/global-supplier-strategy-for-market-penetration-partnership-options-niche-suppliers-vs-national-leaders-in-the-massachusetts-cardiology-vascular-surgery-tools-and-devices-market-for-car/

 

3c         Competition in the Ecosystem of Medical Devices in Cardiac and Vascular Repair: Heart Valves, Stents, Catheterization Tools and Kits for Open Heart and Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/22/competition-in-the-ecosystem-of-medical-devices-in-cardiac-and-vascular-repair-heart-valves-stents-catheterization-tools-and-kits-for-open-heart-and-minimally-invasive-surgery-mis/

 

2c         Executive Compensation and Comparator Group Definition in the Cardiac and Vascular Medical Devices Sector: A Bright Future for Edwards Lifesciences Corporation in the Transcatheter Heart Valve Replacement Market

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/19/executive-compensation-and-comparator-group-definition-in-the-cardiac-and-vascular-medical-devices-sector-a-bright-future-for-edwards-lifesciences-corporation-in-the-transcatheter-heart-valve-replace/

 

1c         Treatment of Refractory Hypertension via Percutaneous Renal Denervation

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/13/treatment-of-refractory-hypertension-via-percutaneous-renal-denervation/

 

Lev-Ari, A. (2006b). First-In-Man Stent Implantation Clinical Trials & Medical Ethical Dilemmas.

Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115

 

Co-Curation Articles on MedTech and Cardiac Medical Devices by LPBI Group’s Team Members and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

67co     ATP – the universal energy carrier in the living cell: Reflections on the discoveries and applications in Medicine

Curators: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/27/atp-the-universal-energy-carrier-in-the-living-cell-reflections-on-the-discoveries-and-applications-in-medicine/

66co     Eric Topol, M.D.

Curators: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/09/22/eric-topol-m-d/

 

65co     Summary of Translational Medicine – e-Series A: Cardiovascular Diseases, Volume Four – Part 1

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/28/summary-of-translational-medicine-cardiovascular-diseases-part-1/

 

64co     Introduction to e-Series A: Cardiovascular Diseases, Volume Four Part 2: Regenerative Medicine

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/27/larryhbernintroduction_to_cardiovascular_diseases-translational_medicine-part_2/

 

63co     Epilogue: Volume 4 – Translational, Post-Translational and Regenerative Medicine in Cardiology

Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP, Author and Curator, Consultant for Series B,C,D,E

Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC, Content Consultant for Series A: Cardiovascular Diseases

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN, Co-Editor and Editor-in-Chief, BioMed e-Series

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/05/12/epilogue-volume-4-post-translational-and-transformative-cardiology/

 

62co     Introduction to Translational Medicine (TM) – Part 1: Translational Medicine

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/25/introduction-to-translational-medicine-tm-part-1/

 

61co     Acute Myocardial Infarction: Curations of Cardiovascular Original Research A Bibliography

Curators: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN and Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/22/acute-myocardial-infarction-curations-of-cardiovascular-original-research-a-bibliography/

60co     Mitral Valve Repair: Who is a Patient Candidate for a Non-Ablative Fully Non-Invasive Procedure?

Author, and Content Consultant to e-SERIES A: Cardiovascular Diseases: Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Article Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/04/mitral-valve-repair-who-is-a-candidate-for-a-non-ablative-fully-non-invasive-procedure/

 

59co     Coronary Circulation Combined Assessment: Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) – Detection of Lipid-Rich Plaque and Prevention of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)

Author, and Content Consultant to e-SERIES A: Cardiovascular Diseases: Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Article Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/25/coronary-circulation-combined-assessment-optical-coherence-tomography-oct-near-infrared-spectroscopy-nirs-and-intravascular-ultrasound-ivus-detection-of-lipid-rich-plaque-and-prevention-of-a/

 

58co     Normal and Anomalous Coronary Arteries: Dual Source CT in Cardiothoracic Imaging

Reporters: Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/18/normal-and-anomalous-coronary-arteries-dual-source-ct-in-cardiothoracic-imaging/

 

57co     Alternative Designs for the Human Artificial Heart: Patients in Heart Failure –  Outcomes of Transplant (donor)/Implantation (artificial) and Monitoring Technologies for the Transplant/Implant Patient in the Community

Authors and Curators: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Article Curator and Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/05/alternative-designs-for-the-human-artificial-heart-the-patients-in-heart-failure-outcomes-of-transplant-donorimplantation-artificial-and-monitoring-technologies-for-the-transplantimplant-pat/

 

56co     Cardiovascular Complications: Death from Reoperative Sternotomy after prior CABG, MVR, AVR, or Radiation; Complications of PCI; Sepsis from Cardiovascular Interventions

Author, Introduction and Summary: Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC, and Article Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/23/cardiovascular-complications-of-multiple-etiologies-repeat-sternotomy-post-cabg-or-avr-post-pci-pad-endoscopy-andor-resultant-of-systemic-sepsis/

 

55co     The Cardiorenal Syndrome in Heart Failure: Cardiac? Renal? syndrome?

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/30/the-cardiorenal-syndrome-in-heart-failure/

 

54co     Mechanical Circulatory Assist Devices as a Bridge to Heart Transplantation or as “Destination Therapy“: Options for Patients in Advanced Heart Failure

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/30/advanced-heart-failure/

 

53co     Heart Transplantation: NHLBI’s Ten year Strategic Research Plan to Achieving Evidence-based Outcomes

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/30/heart-transplantation-research-in-the-next-decade-a-goal-to-achieving-evidence-based-outcomes/

 

52co     After Cardiac Transplantation: Sirolimus acts as immunosuppressant Attenuates Allograft Vasculopathy

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/30/sirolimus-as-primary-immunosuppression-attenuates-allograft-vasculopathy/

51co     Orthotropic Heart Transplant (OHT): Effects of Autonomic Innervation / Denervation on Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Genesis and Maintenance

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/30/decreased-postoperative-atrial-fibrillation-following-cardiac-transplantation/

 

50co     CABG Survival in Multivessel Disease Patients: Comparison of Arterial Bypass Grafts vs Saphenous Venous Grafts

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/30/multiple-arterial-grafts-improve-late-survival-of-patients-with-multivessel-disease/

49co     Coronary Reperfusion Therapies: CABG vs PCI – Mayo Clinic preprocedure Risk Score (MCRS) for Prediction of in-Hospital Mortality after CABG or PCI

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/30/mayo-risk-score-for-percutaneous-coronary-intervention/

 

48co     Pre-operative Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes Associated with Vasoplegia in Recipients of Orthotopic Heart Transplantation in the Contemporary Era

Writer and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/30/vasoplegia-in-orthotopic-heart-transplants/

 

47co     Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA) vs. Carotid Artery Stenting (CAS): Comparison of CMMS high-risk criteria on the Outcomes after Surgery:  Analysis of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Vascular Registry Data

Writer and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/28/effect-on-endovascular-carotid-artery-repair-outcomes-of-the-cmms-high-risk-criteria/

 

46co     Improved Results for Treatment of Persistent type 2 Endoleak after Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: Onyx Glue Embolization

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/28/onyx-glue-for-the-treatment-of-persistent-type-2-endoleak/

 

45co     DELETED, was identical to 47co

 

44co     Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) repair (OAR) vs. Endovascular AAA Repair (EVAR) in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Patients – Comparison of Surgery Outcomes

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/28/the-effect-of-chronic-kidney-disease-on-outcomes-after-abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-repair/

 

43co     Effect of Hospital Characteristics on Outcomes of Endovascular Repair of Descending Aortic Aneurysms in US Medicare Population

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/27/effect-of-hospital-characteristics-on-outcomes-of-endovascular-repair-of-descending-aortic-aneurysms-in-us-medicare-population/

 

42co     First case in the US: Valve-in-Valve (Aortic and  Mitral) Replacements with Transapical Transcatheter Implants – The Use of Transfemoral Devices

Author: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/23/valve-in-valve-replacements-with-transapical-transcatheter-implants/

 

41co     Survivals Comparison of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) / Coronary Angioplasty

Curators: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/23/comparison-of-cardiothoracic-bypass-and-percutaneous-interventional-catheterization-survivals/

 

40co     Ventricular Assist Device (VAD): A Recommended Approach to the Treatment of Intractable Cardiogenic Shock

Author: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/18/a-recommended-approach-to-the-treatmnt-of-intractable-cardiogenic-shock/

39co     Trans-apical Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in a Patient with Severe and Complex Left Main Coronary Artery Disease (LMCAD)

Author: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/17/management-of-difficult-trans-apical-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-in-a-patient-with-severe-and-complex-arterial-disease/

 

38co     Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): Postdilatation to Reduce Paravalvular Regurgitation During TAVR with a Balloon-expandable Valve

Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/17/postdilatation-to-reduce-paravalvular-regurgitation-during-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement/

 

37co     Acute and Chronic Myocardial Infarction: Quantification of Myocardial Perfusion Viability – FDG-PET/MRI vs. MRI or PET alone

Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/22/acute-and-chronic-myocardial-infarction-quantification-of-myocardial-viability-fdg-petmri-vs-mri-or-pet-alone/

 

36co     On Devices and On Algorithms: Arrhythmia after Cardiac SurgeryPrediction and ECG Prediction of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Onset

Author, and Content Consultant to e-SERIES A: Cardiovascular Diseases: Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Article Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/07/on-devices-and-on-algorithms-arrhythmia-after-cardiac-surgery-prediction-and-ecg-prediction-of-paroxysmal-atrial-fibrillation-onset/

 

35co     Vascular Repair: Stents and Biologically Active Implants

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FACP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/04/stents-biologically-active-implants-and-vascular-repair/

 

34co     Drug Eluting Stents: On MIT‘s Edelman Lab’s Contributions to Vascular Biology and its Pioneering Research on DES

Author: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FACP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/25/contributions-to-vascular-biology/

 

33co     Mitral Valve Repair: Who is a Patient Candidate for a Non-Ablative Fully Non-Invasive Procedure?

Author, and Content Consultant to e-SERIES A: Cardiovascular Diseases: Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Article Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/04/mitral-valve-repair-who-is-a-candidate-for-a-non-ablative-fully-non-invasive-procedure/

 

32co     Source of Stem Cells to Ameliorate Damaged Myocardium (Part 2)

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/10/29/source-of-stem-cells-to-ameliorate-damaged-myocardium/

 

31co     State of Cardiology on Wall Stress, Ventricular Workload and Myocardial Contractile Reserve: Aspects of Translational Medicine (TM)

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/09/30/state-of-cardiology-on-wall-stress-ventricular-workload-and-myocardial-contractile-reserve-aspects-of-translational-medicine/

 

30co  DELETED identical to 58co

 

29co  DELETED identical to 58co

 

28co  DELETED identical to 57co

 

27co  DELETED identical to 47co

 

26co     Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) to Arrhythmias: Pacemaker/Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Insertion

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/22/cardiac-resynchronization-therapy-crt-to-arrhythmias-pacemakerimplantable-cardioverter-defibrillator-icd-insertion/

 

25co     Emerging Clinical Applications for Cardiac CT: Plaque Characterization, SPECT Functionality, Angiogram’s and Non-Invasive FFR

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/17/emerging-clinical-applications-for-cardiac-ct-plaque-characterization-spect-functionality-angiograms-and-non-invasive-ffr/

 

24co     Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) & Instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR): An Evaluation of Catheterization Lab Tools (Software Validation) for Ischemic Assessment (Diagnostics) – Change in Paradigm: The RIGHT vessel not ALL vessels

Reporters: Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/04/fractional-flow-reserve-ffr-instantaneous-wave-free-rario-ifr-an-evaluation-of-catheterization-lab-tools-for-ischemic-assessment/

 

23co  DELETED identical to 24co

 

22co  DELETED identical to 49co

 

21co  DELETED identical to 52co

 

20co  DELETED identical to 50co

 

19co  DELETED identical to 57co

 

18co     Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) repair (OAR) vs. Endovascular AAA Repair (EVAR) in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Patients – Comparison of Surgery Outcomes

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/28/the-effect-of-chronic-kidney-disease-on-outcomes-after-abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-repair/

 

17co     Improved Results for Treatment of Persistent type 2 Endoleak after Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: Onyx Glue Embolization

Author & Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/28/onyx-glue-for-the-treatment-of-persistent-type-2-endoleak/

16co     Effect of Hospital Characteristics on Outcomes of Endovascular Repair of Descending Aortic Aneurysms in US Medicare Population

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/27/effect-of-hospital-characteristics-on-outcomes-of-endovascular-repair-of-descending-aortic-aneurysms-in-us-medicare-population/

 

15co     Comparison of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) / Coronary Angioplasty

Curators: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/23/comparison-of-cardiothoracic-bypass-and-percutaneous-interventional-catheterization-survivals/

 

14co     First case in the US: Valve-in-Valve (Aortic and Mitral) Replacements with Transapical Transcatheter Implants – The Use of Transfemoral Devices.

Curators: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/23/valve-in-valve-replacements-with-transapical-transcatheter-implants/

 

13co     Phrenic Nerve Stimulation in Patients with Cheyne-Stokes Respiration and Congestive Heart Failure

Curators: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/20/phrenic-nerve-stimulation-in-patients-with-cheyne-stokes-respiration-and-congestive-heart-failure/

 

12co  DELETED identical to 40co

11co  DELETED identical to 38co

10co  DELETED identical to 39co

 

9co       Imaging Biomarker for Arterial Stiffness: Pathways in Pharmacotherapy for Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia Management

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/24/imaging-biomarker-for-arterial-stiffness-pathways-in-pharmacotherapy-for-hypertension-and-hypercholesterolemia-management/

 

8co       DELETED identical to 37co

 

7co       Treatment, Prevention and Cost of Cardiovascular Disease: Current & Predicted Cost of Care and the Potential for Improved Individualized Care Using Clinical Decision Support Systems

Author, and Content Consultant to e-SERIES A: Cardiovascular Diseases: Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC, Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FACP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/15/diagnosis-of-cardiovascular-disease-treatment-and-prevention-current-predicted-cost-of-care-and-the-promise-of-individualized-medicine-using-clinical-decision-support-systems-2/

 

6co       Hypertension and Vascular Compliance: 2013 Thought Frontier – An Arterial Elasticity Focus

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/11/arterial-elasticity-in-quest-for-a-drug-stabilizer-isolated-systolic-hypertension-caused-by-arterial-stiffening-ineffectively-treated-by-vasodilatation-antihypertensives/

 

5co       DELETED identical to 36co

 

4co       Biomaterials Technology: Models of Tissue Engineering for Reperfusion and Implantable Devices for Revascularization

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FACP and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/05/bioengineering-of-vascular-and-tissue-models/

 

3co       Cardiovascular Diseases: Decision Support Systems for Disease Management Decision Making

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/04/cardiovascular-diseases-decision-support-systems-for-disease-management-decision-making/

 

2co    DELETED identical to 35co

 

1co    DELETED identical to 34co

 

Single-Author Reporting on MedTech and Cardiac Medical Devices by

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

162r Rhythm Management Device Hardware (Dual-chamber Pacemaker) coupled with BackBeat’s Cardiac Neuromodulation Therapy (CNT) bioelectronic therapy for Lowering Systolic Blood Pressure for patients with Pacemakers

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/10/03/rhythm-management-device-hardware-dual-chamber-pacemaker-coupled-with-backbeats-cardiac-neuromodulation-therapy-cnt-bioelectronic-therapy-for-lowering-systolic-blood-pressure-for-patients-w/

 

161r Pulmonary Valve Replacement and Repair: Valvuloplasty Device – Tissue (bioprosthetic) or mechanical valve;  Surgery type – Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement (TPVR) vs Open Heart, Valve Repair – Commissurotomy, Valve-ring Annuloplasty

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/09/30/pulmonary-valve-replacement-and-repair-valvuloplasty-device-tissue-bioprosthetic-or-mechanical-valve-surgery-type-transcatheter-pulmonary-valve-replacement-tpvr-vs-open-heart-valve-re/

 

160r Are TAVR volume requirements limiting rural and minority access to this life-saving procedure, or are they still necessary for patient safety?

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/09/20/are-tavr-volume-requirements-limiting-rural-and-minority-access-to-this-life-saving-procedure-or-are-they-still-necessary-for-patient-safety/

159r Top 100 of 415 articles published on PubMed in 2018 on TAVR

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/08/14/top-100-of-415-articles-published-on-pubmed-in-2018-on-tavr/

158r Aortic Stenosis (AS): Managed Surgically by Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) – Search Results for “TAVR” on NIH.GOV website, Top 16 pages

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/08/14/aortic-stenosis-as-managed-surgically-by-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-tavr-search-results-for-tavr-on-nih-gov-website-top-16-pages/

 

157r Comparison of four methods in diagnosing acute myocarditis: The diagnostic performance of native T1, T2, ECV to LLC

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/08/08/comparison-of-four-methods-in-diagnosing-acute-myocarditis-the-diagnostic-performance-of-native-t1-t2-ecv-to-llc/

 

156r   Left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction (LVOTO): The Role of CT in TAVR and in TMVR

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/07/25/left-ventricular-outflow-tract-lvot-obstruction-lvoto-the-role-of-ct-in-tavr-and-in-tmvr/

 

155r   CABG: a Superior Revascularization Modality to PCI in Patients with poor LVF, Multivessel disease and Diabetes, Similar Risk of Stroke between 31 days and 5 years, post intervention

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/07/25/cabg-a-superior-revascularization-modality-to-pci-in-patients-with-poor-lvf-multivessel-disease-and-diabetes-similar-risk-of-stroke-between-31-days-and-5-years-post-intervention/

 

154r   Stanford University researchers have developed a scanner that unites optical, radioluminescence, and photoacoustic imaging to evaluate for Thin-Cap Fibro Atheroma (TCFA)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/07/23/stanford-university-researchers-have-developed-a-scanner-that-unites-optical-radioluminescence-and-photoacoustic-imaging-to-evaluate-for-thin-cap-fibro-atheroma-tcfa/

 

153r   An Overview of the Heart Surgery Specialty: heart transplant, lung transplant, heart-lung transplantation, aortic valve surgery, bypass surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, heart valve surgery, removal of cardiac tumors, reoperation valve surgery

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/07/11/the-heart-surgery-specialty-heart-transplant-lung-transplant-heart-lung-transplantation-aortic-valve-surgery-bypass-surgery-minimally-invasive-cardiac-surgery-heart-valve-surgery-removal-of-ca/

 

152r   PCI, CABG, CHF, AMI – Two Payment Methods: Bundled payments (hospitalization costs, up to 90 days of post-acute care, nursing home care, complications, and rehospitalizations) vs Diagnosis-related groupings cover only what happens in the hospital.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/07/10/pci-cabg-chf-ami-two-payment-methods-bundled-payments-hospitalization-costs-up-to-90-days-of-post-acute-care-nursing-home-care-complications-and-rehospitalizations-vs-diagnosis-related-gro/

 

151r   Expanded Stroke Thrombectomy Guidelines: FDA expands treatment window for use (Up to 24 Hours Post-Stroke) of clot retrieval devices (Stryker’s Trevo Stent) in certain stroke patients

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/02/27/expanded-stroke-thrombectomy-guidelines-fda-expands-treatment-window-for-use-up-to-24-hours-post-stroke-of-clot-retrieval-devices-strykers-trevo-stent-in-certain-stroke-patients/

 

150r   What is the Role of Noninvasive Diagnostic Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) CT vs Invasive FFR for PCI?

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/02/27/what-is-the-role-of-noninvasive-diagnostic-fractional-flow-reserve-ffr-ct-vs-invasive-ffr-for-pci/

 

149r   Renowned Electrophysiologist Dr. Arthur Moss Died on February 14, 2018 at 86

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/02/27/renowned-electrophysiologist-dr-arthur-moss-died-on-february-14-2018-at-86/

 

148r   Mitral Valve Repair Global Leader: Edwards LifeSciences acquired Harpoon Medical for $250 in 12/2017 followed by $690 million buyout of Valtech Cardio 1/2017 and $400 million acquisition of CardiAQ Valve Technologies in 8/2017

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/12/08/mitral-valve-repair-global-leader-edwards-lifesciences-acquired-harpoon-medical-for-250-in-12-2017-followed-by-690-million-buyout-of-valtech-cardio-1-2017-and-400-million-acquisitio/

 

147r   2017 American Heart Association Annual Meeting: Sunday’s Science at #AHA17 – Presidential Address

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/11/13/2017-american-heart-association-annual-meeting-sundays-science-at-aha17-presidential-address/

 

146r   Medical Devices Early Feasibility FDA’s Pathway – Accelerated Recruitment for Randomized Clinical Trials: Replacement and Repair of Mitral Valves

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/11/13/medical-devices-early-feasibility-fdas-pathway-accelerated-recruitment-for-randomized-clinical-trials-replacement-and-repair-of-mitral-valves/

 

145r   Arrhythmias Detection: Speeding Diagnosis and Treatment – New deep learning algorithm can diagnose 14 types of heart rhythm defects by sifting through hours of ECG data generated by some REMOTELY iRhythm’s wearable monitors

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/07/10/arrhythmias-detection-speeding-diagnosis-and-treatment-new-deep-learning-algorithm-can-diagnose-14-types-of-heart-rhythm-defects-by-sifting-through-hours-of-ecg-data-generated-by-some-remotely-irhy/

 

144r   Cleveland Clinic: Change at the Top, Tomislav “Tom” Mihaljevic, M.D., as its next CEO and President to succeed Toby Cosgrove, M.D., effective Jan. 1, 2018

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/09/01/cleveland-clinic-change-at-the-top-tomislay-tom-mihaljevic-m-d-as-its-next-ceo-and-president-to-succeed-toby-cosgrove-m-d-effective-jan-1-2018/

 

143r   Off-Label TAVR Procedures: 1 in 10 associated with higher in-hospital 30-day mortality, 1-year mortality was similar in the Off-Label and the On-Label groups

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/06/22/off-label-tavr-procedures-1-in-10-associated-with-higher-in-hospital-30-day-mortality-1-year-mortality-was-similar-in-the-off-lavel-and-the-on-label-groups/

 

142r   Right Internal Carotid Artery Clot Aspiration: 4.5 Minute Thrombectomy Using the ADAPT-FAST Technique and the ACE68 Catheter

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/05/17/right-internal-carotid-artery-clot-aspiration-4-5-minute-thrombectomy-using-the-adapt-fast-technique-and-the-ace68-catheter/

 

141r   Less is More: Minimalist Mitral Valve Repair: Expert Opinion of Prem S. Shekar, MD, Chief, Division of Cardiac Surgery, BWH – #7, 2017 Disruptive Dozen at #WMIF17

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/05/17/less-is-more-minimalist-mitral-valve-repair-expert-opinion-of-prem-s-shekar-md-chief-division-of-cardiac-surgery-bwh-7-2017-disruptive-dozen-at-wmif17/

140r   What is the history of STEMI? What is the current treatment for Cardiogenic Shock? The Case Study of Detroit Cardiogenic Shock Initiative

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/05/07/what-is-the-history-of-stemi-what-is-the-current-treatment-for-cardiogenic-shock-the-case-study-of-detroit-cardiogenic-shock-initiative/

 

139r   ACC 2017, 3/30/2017 – Poor Outcomes for Bioresorbable Stents in Small Coronary Arteries

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/04/02/acc-2017-3302017-poor-outcomes-for-bioresorbable-stents-in-small-coronary-arteries/

 

138r   Edwards Lifesciences closes $690m a buy of Valtech Cardio and most of the heart valve repair technologies it’s developing

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/01/25/edwards-lifesciences-closes-690m-a-buy-of-valtech-cardio-and-most-of-the-heart-valve-repair-technologies-its-developing/

 

137r   First U.S. TAVR Patients Treated With Temporary Pacing Lead (Tempo Lead)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/21/first-u-s-tavr-patients-treated-with-temporary-pacing-lead-tempo-lead/

 

136r   2017 World Medical Innovation Forum: Cardiovascular, May 1-3, 2017, Partners HealthCare, Boston, at the Westin Hotel, Boston

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/14/2017-world-medical-innovation-forum-cardiovascular-may-1-3-2017-partners-healthcare-boston-at-the-westin-hotel-boston/

 

135r   Advanced Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): Axillary Artery PCI for Insertion and Removal of Impella Device

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/13/advanced-peripheral-artery-disease-pad-axillary-pci-for-insertion-and-removal-of-impella-device/

 

134r   CorPath robotic system for bifurcation lesions with placement of the Absorb GT1 Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold (BVS) (Abbott Vascular)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/07/corpath-robotic-system-for-bifurcation-lesions-with-placement-of-the-absorb-gt1-bioresorbable-vascular-scaffold-bvs-abbott-vascular/

 

133r   Hadassah Opens Israel’s First Heart Valve Disease Clinic

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/06/hadassah-opens-israels-first-heart-valve-disease-clinic/

 

132r   Left Main Coronary Artery Disease (LMCAD): Stents vs CABG – The less-invasive option is Equally Safe and Effective

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/06/left-main-coronary-artery-disease-lmcad-stents-vs-cabg-the-less-invasive-option-is-equally-safe-and-effective/

 

131r   Advances and Future Directions for Transcatheter Valves – Mitral and tricuspid valve repair technologies now in development

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/06/advances-and-future-directions-for-transcatheter-valves-mitral-and-tricuspid-valve-repair-technologies-now-in-development/

 

130r   New method for performing Aortic Valve Replacement: Transmural catheter procedure developed at NIH, Minimally-invasive tissue-crossing – Transcaval access, abdominal aorta and the inferior vena cava

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/10/31/new-method-for-performing-aortic-valve-replacement-transmural-catheter-procedure-developed-at-nih-minimally-invasive-tissue-crossing-transcaval-access-abdominal-aorta-and-the-inferior-vena-cava/

 

129r   Robot-assisted coronary intervention program @MGH – The first CorPath Vascular Robotic System, lets Interventional Cardiologists position the right stent in the right place at reduces radiation exposure by 95%

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/10/17/robot-assisted-coronary-intervention-program-mgh-the-first-corpath-vascular-robotic-system-lets-interventional-cardiologists-position-the-right-stent-in-the-right-place-at-reduces-radiation-exposu/

 

128r   Second in the United States to implant Edwards Newly FDA-Approved Aortic Valve “Intuity Elite” Sutureless Valve at Northwestern Medicine

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/10/13/second-in-the-united-states-to-implant-edwards-newly-fda-approved-aortic-valve-intuity-elite-sutureless-valve-at-northwestern-medicine/

 

127r   First-in-Man Mitral Valve Repairs Device used for Tricuspid Valve Repair: Cardioband used by University Hospital Zurich Heart Team

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/10/13/first-in-man-mitral-valve-repairs-device-used-for-tricuspid-valve-repair-cardioband-used-by-university-hospital-zurich-heart-team/

 

126r   Inferior Vena Cava Filters: Device for Prevention of Pulmonary Embolism and Thrombosis

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/10/04/vena-caval-filters-device-for-prevention-of-pulmonary-embolism-and-thrombosis/

 

125r   Chest Radiation Therapy causes Collateral Damage to the Human Heart

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/08/28/chest-radiation-therapy-causes-collateral-damage-to-the-human-heart/

 

124r   Clinical Trials for Transcatheter Mitral Valves Annulus Repairs and TAVR: CT Structural Software for Procedural Planning and Anatomical Assessments

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/08/15/clinical-trials-for-transcatheter-mitral-valves-annulus-repairs-and-tavr-ct-structural-software-for-procedural-planning-and-anatomical-assessments/

 

123r   Lysyl Oxidase (LOX) gene missense mutation causes Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection (TAAD) in Humans because of inadequate cross-linking of collagen and elastin in the aortic wall

Mutation carriers may be predisposed to vascular diseases because of weakened vessel walls under stress conditions.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/07/19/lysyl-oxidase-lox-gene-missense-mutation-causes-thoracic-aortic-aneurysm-and-dissection-taad-in-humans-because-of-inadequate-cross-linking-of-collagen-and-elastin-in-the-aortic-wall/

 

122r   SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in High-Risk and Inoperable Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis: One-Year Clinical Outcomes

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/07/14/sapien-3-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-in-high-risk-and-inoperable-patients-with-severe-aortic-stenosis-one-year-clinical-outcomes/

 

121r   Entire Family of Impella Abiomed Impella® Therapy Left Side Heart Pumps: FDA Approved To Enable Heart Recovery

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/07/06/entire-family-of-impella-abiomed-impella-therapy-left-side-heart-pumps-fda-approved-to-enable-heart-recovery/

 

120r   DELETED identical to 121r

 

119r   FDA approved Absorb GT1 Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold System (BVS), Everolimus releasing and Absorbed by the body in 3 years

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/07/05/fda-approved-absorb-gt1-bioresorbable-vascular-scaffold-system-bvs-everolimus-releasing-and-absorbed-by-the-body-in-3-years/

 

118r   TAVR with Sapien 3: combined all-cause death & disabling stroke rate was 8.4% and 16.6% for the surgery arm

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/04/05/tavr-with-sapien-3-combined-all-cause-death-disabling-stroke-rate-was-8-4-and-16-6-for-the-surgery-arm/

 

117r   Boston Scientific implant designed to occlude the heart’s left atrial appendage implicated with embolization – Device Sales in Europe halts

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/04/05/boston-scientific-implant-designed-to-occlude-the-hearts-left-atrial-appendage-implicated-with-embolization-device-sales-in-europe-halts/

 

116r   Issue with Delivery System Deployment Process: MitraClip Clip Recalled by Abbott Vascular

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/03/21/issue-with-delivery-system-deployment-process-mitraclip-clip-recalled-by-abbott-vascular/

 

115r   Prospects for First-in-man Implantation of Transcatheter Mitral Valve by Direct Flow Medical

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/03/03/prospects-for-first-in-man-implantation-of-transcatheter-mitral-valve-by-direct-flow-medical/

 

114r   Steps to minimise replacement of cardiac implantable electronic devices

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/02/04/steps-to-minimise-replacement-of-cardiac-implantable-electronic-devices/

 

113r Atrial Fibrillation Surgery Market worth $1.73 Billion by 2020

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/12/15/atrial-fibrillation-surgery-market-worth-1-73-billion-by-2020/

 

112r   Abbott’s Bioabsorbable Stent met its Primary Endpoint in a U.S. Clinical Trial, applications for FDA Approval follows

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/10/13/abbotts-bioabsorbable-stent-met-its-primary-endpoint-in-a-u-s-clinical-trial-applications-for-fda-approval-follows/

 

111r   Low-dose and High-resolution Cardiac Imaging with Revolution™ CT

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/08/23/low-dose-and-high-resolution-cardiac-imaging-with-revolution-ct/

 

110r   Hybrid Imaging 3D Model of a Human Heart by Cardiac Imaging Techniques: CT and Echocardiography

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/08/03/hybrid-imaging-3d-model-of-a-human-heart-by-cardiac-imaging-techniques-ct-and-echocardiography/

 

109r   Premature Ventricular Contraction percentage predicts new Systolic Dysfunction and clinically diagnosed CHF and overall Mortality

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/07/14/premature-ventricular-contraction-percentage-predicts-new-systolic-dysfunction-and-clinically-diagnosed-chf-and-overall-mortality/

 

108r   ‘Mammogram for the heart’ can predict heart attack by Dr. James Min, Director of the Dalio Institute of Cardiovascular Imaging at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/07/07/mammogram-for-the-heart-can-predict-heart-attack-by-dr-james-min-director-of-the-dalio-institute-of-cardiovascular-imaging-at-new-york-presbyterian-hospital-and-weill-cornell-medic/

 

107r   Abbott’s percutaneous MitraClip mitral valve repair device SUPERIOR to Pacemaker or Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) for reduction of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmia (VT) episodes

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/05/19/abbotts-percutaneous-mitraclip-mitral-valve-repair-device-superior-to-pacemaker-or-implantable-cardioverter-defibrillator-for-reduction-of-ventricular-tachyarrhythmia-vt-episodes/

 

106r   No evidence to change current transfusion practices for adults undergoing complex cardiac surgery: RECESS evaluated 1,098 cardiac surgery patients received red blood cell units stored for short or long periods

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/04/08/no-evidence-to-change-current-transfusion-practices-for-adults-undergoing-complex-cardiac-surgery-recess-evaluated-1098-cardiac-surgery-patients-received-red-blood-cell-units-stored-for-short-or-lon/

 

105r   3-D BioPrinting in use to create Cardiac Living Tissue: Print Your Heart Out

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/03/16/3-d-bioprinting-in-use-to-create-cardiac-living-tissue-print-your-heart-out/

 

104r   Fractional Flow Reserve vs. Angiography in Non-ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/02/24/fractional-flow-reserve-vs-angiography-in-non-st-segment-elevation-myocardial-infarction/

 

103r   Transradial PCI Bests Transfemoral PCI in UK Analysis, regardless of Patient’s Age

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/02/24/transradial-pci-bests-transfemoral-pci-in-uk-analysis-regardless-of-patients-age/

 

102r   DELETED, identical to 101r

 

101r   Protein Clue to Sudden Cardiac Death: Research @Oxford University

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/02/19/protein-clue-to-sudden-cardiac-death-research-oxford-university/

 

100r   Culprit-Lesion Over Multivessel PCI in STEMI Patients

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/11/07/culprit-lesion-over-multivessel-pci-in-stemi-patients/

 

99r     Convergent Procedure addresses the progressive nature of A-Fib

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/29/convergent-procedure-addresses-the-progressive-nature-of-a-fib/

 

98r     Paul Zoll, MD: Originator of Modern Electrocardiac Therapy – A Biography by Stafford Cohen, MD, BIDMC

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/16/paul-zoll-md-originator-of-modern-electrocardiac-therapy-a-biography-by-stafford-cohen-md-bidmc/

 

 

97r     Surgical Options for Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Removal for A-Fib Patients without Indication for Anticoagulant Therapy

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/15/surgical-options-for-left-atrial-appendage-laa-removal-for-a-fib-patients-without-indication-for-anticoagulant-therapy/

 

96r     Intracranial Vascular Stenosis: Comparison of Clinical Trials: Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty and Stenting (PTAS) vs. Clot-inhibiting Drugs: Aspirin and Clopidogrel (dual antiplatelet therapy) – more Strokes if Stenting

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/15/intracranial-vascular-stenosis-comparison-of-clinical-trials-percutaneous-transluminal-angioplasty-and-stenting-ptas-vs-clot-inhibiting-drugs-aspirin-and-clopidogrel-dual-antiplatelet-therapy/

95r     New Era for PAD as FDA approval in the US of 1st Drug-coated Balloon (DCB) for PDA – CAD Indication for DCB will follow

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/15/new-era-for-pad-as-fda-approval-in-the-us-of-1st-drug-coated-balloon-dcb-for-pda-cad-indication-for-dcb-will-follow/

 

94r     Tethered–Liquid Perfluorocarbon surface (TLP): Biocoating Prevents Blood from Clotting on Implantables

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/13/tethered-liquid-perfluorocarbon-surface-tlp-biocoating-prevents-blood-from-clotting-on-implantables/

 

93r     Medtronic’s CoreValve System Sustains Positive Outcomes Through Two Years in Extreme Risk Patients

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/09/15/medtronics-corevalve-system-sustains-positive-outcomes-through-two-years-in-extreme-risk-patients/

 

92r     Thrombus Aspiration for Myocardial Infarction: What are the Outcomes One Year After

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/09/04/thrombus-aspiration-for-myocardial-infarction-what-are-the-outcomes-one-year-after/

 

91r     Fractional Flow Reserve–Guided PCI vs Drug Therapy for Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/09/04/fractional-flow-reserve-guided-pci-vs-drug-therapy-for-stable-coronary-artery-disease/

90r     Capillaries: A Mapping Geometrical Method using Organ 3D Printing

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/08/22/capillaries-a-mapping-geometrical-method-using-organ-3d-printing/

 

89r     One year Post-Intervention Mortality Rate: TAVR and AVR – Aortic Valve Procedures 6.7% in AVR, 11.0% in AVR with CABG, 20.7 in Transvascular (TV-TAVT) and 28.0% in Transapical (TA-TAVR) Patients

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/08/04/one-year-post-intervention-mortality-rate-tavr-and-avr-aortic-valve-procedures-6-7-in-avr-11-0-in-avr-with-cabg-20-7-in-transvascular-tv-tavt-and-28-0-in-transapical-ta-tavr-patients/

 

88r     CEO of PolyNova: The Paradigm Shift in Heart Valve

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/06/16/ceo-of-polynova-the-paradigm-shift-in-heart-valve/

 

87r     An FDA advisory committee unanimously recommended approval of the Lutonix drug-coated balloon PTA catheter for the treatment of patients with femoropopliteal occlusive disease.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/06/16/an-fda-advisory-committee-unanimously-recommended-approval-of-the-lutonix-drug-coated-balloon-pta-catheter-for-the-treatment-of-patients-with-femoropopliteal-occlusive-disease/

 

86r     Patent Dispute over Heart Defect Repair Technology: Appeals court Upholds Gore win over St. Jude Medical – Helex septal occluder competes with the Amplatzer device made by AGA/St. Jude

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/06/12/patent-dispute-over-heart-defect-repair-technology-appeals-court-upholds-gore-win-over-st-jude-medical-helex-septal-occluder-competes-with-the-amplatzer-device-made-by-agast-jude/

85r     Chest Pain: Cardiac MRI provides the Picture of MI

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/06/03/chest-pain-cardiac-mri-provides-the-picture-of-mi/

 

84r     CardioMEMS sold to St. Jude Medical: Boston Millennia Partners announced that St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ) is acquiring the remaining 81 percent of CardioMEMS, Inc. it does not own for $375 million

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari,  PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/06/02/implantable-device-cardiomems-hf-system-for-heart-failure-patients-fda-approved/

 

83r     Cardiovascular Biology  – A Bibliography of Research @Technion

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/05/27/cardiovascular-biology-a-bibliography-of-research-technion/

 

82r     Asymptomatic Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Low Yield of Stress Imaging – Population-Based Study

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/05/27/asymptomatic-patients-after-percutaneous-coronary-intervention-low-yield-of-stress-imaging-population-based-study/

 

 

81r     Transcatheter Mitral Valve (TMV) Procedures: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposes to cover Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/05/19/transcatheter-mitral-valve-tmv-procedures-centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services-cms-proposes-to-cover-transcatheter-mitral-valve-repair-tmvr/

 

80r     Minimally Invasive Valve Therapy Programs: Recommendations by SCAI, AATS, ACC, STS

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/05/19/minimally-invasive-valve-therapy-programs-recommendations-by-scai-aats-acc-sts/

 

79r     Among those 26 exams deemed low-value, 12 involve medical imaging, in tests that range from preoperative chest radiography to carotid artery screening for asymptomatic patients, imaging for back pain, and CT for headache and rhinosinusitis (JAMA Internal Medicine, May 12, 2014)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/05/13/among-26-exams-deemed-low-value-12-involve-medical-imaging-preoperative-chest-radiography-carotid-artery-screening-imaging-for-back-pain-and-ct-for-headache-and-rhinosinusitis-jama-im-may-12-2/

 

78r     FDA on Medical Devices: Part 1 – User Fee Act (MDUFA) III and Part 2 – Expedited Access Program for Medical Devices that Address Unmet Medical Needs

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/28/fda-on-medical-devices-part-1-user-fee-act-mdufa-iii-and-part-2-expedited-access-program-for-medical-devices-that-address-unmet-medical-needs/

 

77r     Settled Heart Valve Lawsuit: Medtronic to Pay Edwards: Edwards Lifesciences’ Sapien XT beat out Medtronic’s CoreValve

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/16/first-head-to-head-trial-finds-edwards-tavr-superior-to-medtronics/

 

76r     Replacement of the Mitral Valve: Using the Edwards’ Sapien Aortic Valve Device

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/10/replacement-of-the-mitral-valve-using-the-edwards-sapien-aortic-valve-device/

 

75r     Stem-Cell Therapy for Ischemic Heart Failure: Clinical Trial MSC Demonstrates Efficacy

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/08/stem-cell-therapy-for-ischemic-heart-failure-clinical-trial-msc-demonstrates-efficacy/

 

 

74r     ATVB (Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology) 2014 Conference  5/1 – 5/3/2014, Sheraton Centre Toronto – Toronto, Ontario

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/03/05/atvb-arteriosclerosis-thrombosis-and-vascular-biology-2014-conference-51-532014-sheraton-centre-toronto-toronto-ontario/

 

73r     Endovascular Aortic Repair: A New Tool for Procedure Planning

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/25/endovascular-aortic-repair-a-new-tool-for-procedure-planning/

 

72r     Females and Non-Atherosclerotic Plaque: Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection – New Insights from Research and DNA Ongoing Study

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/12/female-and-non-atherosclerotic-plaque-spontaneous-coronary-artery-dissection-new-insights-from-research-and-dna-ongoing-study/

71r     Of the Cardiac-specific Deaths, Deaths from Heart Attack and Sudden Heart Rhythm Disturbances declined steeply, no decline in Deaths from Heart Failure in a 20,000 PCI patients Study @ Mayo Clinic

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/12/of-the-cardiac-specific-deaths-deaths-from-heart-attack-and-sudden-heart-rhythm-disturbances-declined-steeply-but-there-was-no-decline-in-deaths-from-heart-failure-in-a-20000-pci-patients-study/

 

70r     Cardiac Perfusion Exam, Rapid Heart Scanner, CT, MRI and PET imaging – Innovations in Radiology @ Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/12/cardiac-perfusion-exam-rapid-heart-scanner-ct-mri-and-pet-imaging-innovations-in-radiology-beth-israel-deaconess-medical-center/

 

69r     Maladaptive Vascular Remodeling found by four-dimensional (4D) flow MRI: Outflow Patterns, Wall Shear Stress, and Expression of Aortopathy are caused by Congenital bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) Cusp Fusion

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/12/maladaptive-vascular-remodeling-found-by-four-dimensional-4d-flow-mri-outflow-patterns-wall-shear-stress-and-expression-of-aortopathy-are-caused-by-congenital-bicuspid-aortic-valve-bav-cusp-fus/

 

68r     “Medicine Meets Virtual Reality” – NextMed-MMVR21 Conference 2/19 – 2/22/2014, Manhattan Beach Marriott, Manhattan Beach, CA

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/09/medicine-meets-virtual-reality-nextmed-mmvr21-conference-219-2222014-manhattan-beach-marriott-manhattan-beach-ca/

 

67r     Preserved vs Reduced Ejection Fraction: Available and Needed Therapies

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/03/preserved-vs-reduced-ejection-fraction-available-and-needed-therapies/

 

66r     Developments on the Frontier of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Devices

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/26/developments-on-the-frontier-of-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-tavr-devices/

 

65r     On-Hours vs Off-Hours: Presentation to ER with Acute Myocardial Infarction – Lower Survival Rate if Off-Hours

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/22/on-hours-vs-off-hours-presentation-to-er-with-acute-myocardial-infarction-lower-survival-rate-if-off-hours/

 

64r     Elastin Arteriopathy: The Genetics of Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/12/30/elastin-arteriopathy-the-genetics-of-supravalvular-aortic-stenosis/

 

63r     Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Genotype as a Potential Genetic Marker

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/12/30/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-matrix-metalloproteinase-9-genotype-as-a-potential-genetic-marker/

 

62r     Genetics of Aortic and Carotid Calcification: The Role of Serum Lipids

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/12/12/genetics-of-aortic-and-carotid-calcification-the-role-of-serum-lipids/

 

61r     St. Jude’s CEO is still betting on EnligHTN IV Study Renal Denervation System, despite Medtronic’s setback related to SYMPLICITY Phase IV

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/12/10/renal-denervation-enlightn-iv-study-called-off-and-potential-novel-indications-diastolic-heart-failure/

 

60r     Ischemic Stable CAD: Medical Therapy and PCI no difference in End Point: Meta-Analysis of Contemporary Randomized Clinical Trials

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/12/03/ischemic-stable-cad-ffr-in-5000-patients-medical-therapy-and-pci-no-difference-in-end-point-meta-analysis-of-contemporary-randomized-clinical-trials/

 

59r     Resistance Hypertension: Renal Artery Intervention using Stenting

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/12/02/pad-and-resistance-hypertension-renal-artery-intervention-using-stenting/

 

58r   For Accomplishments in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases: 2015 The Arrigo Recordati International Prize for Scientific Research

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/22/for-accomplishments-in-cardiology-and-cardiovascular-diseases-the-arrigo-recordati-international-prize-for-scientific-research/

 

57r   Dalio Institute of Cardiovascular Imaging @ NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/12/dalio-institute-of-cardiovascular-imaging-newyork-presbyterian-hospital-and-weill-cornell-medical-college/

 

56r   ACC/AHA Guidelines for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/05/accaha-guidelines-for-coronary-artery-bypass-graft-surgery/

 

55r     Risks for Patients’ and Physician’s Health in the Cath Lab

Reporter and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/10/17/risks-for-patients-contrast-induced-nephropathy-and-physicians-health-radiation-exposure-in-the-cath-lab/

 

54r     Myocardial Infarction: The New Definition After Revascularization

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/10/15/myocardial-infarction-the-new-definition-after-revascularization/

53r     Echocardiogram Quantification: Quest for Reproducibility and Dependability

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/10/12/echocardiogram-quantification-quest-for-reproducibility-and-dependability/

52r     Myocardial Strain and Segmental Synchrony: Age and Gender in Speckle-tracking-based Echocardiographic Study

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/05/myocardial-strain-and-segmental-synchrony-age-and-gender-in-speckle-tracking-based-echocardiographic-study/

51r   Hybrid Cath Lab/OR Suite’s da Vinci Surgical Robot of Intuitive Surgical gets FDA Warning Letter on Robot Track Record

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/19/hybrid-cath-labor-suites-da-vinci-surgical-robot-of-intuitive-surgical-gets-fda-warning-letter-on-robot-track-record/

 

50r     Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA): Albert Einstein’s Operation by Dr. Nissen

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/11/abdominal-aortic-aneurysms-aaa-albert-einsteins-operation-by-dr-nissen/

49r     Transposon-mediated Gene Therapy improves Pulmonary Hemodynamics and attenuates Right Ventricular Hypertrophy: eNOS gene therapy reduces Pulmonary vascular remodeling and Arterial wall hyperplasia

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/31/transposon-mediated-gene-therapy-improves-pulmonary-hemodynamics-and-attenuates-right-ventricular-hypertrophy-enos-gene-therapy-reduces-pulmonary-vascular-remodeling-and-arterial-wall-hyperplasia/

 

48r   First-of-Its-Kind FDA Approval for ‘AUI’ Device with Endurant II AAA Stent Graft: Medtronic Expands in Endovascular Aortic Repair in the United States

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/30/first-of-its-kind-fda-approval-for-aui-device-with-endurant-ii-aaa-stent-graft-medtronic-expands-in-endovascular-aortic-repair-in-the-united-states/

 

47r     Bioabsorbable Drug Coating Scaffolds, Stents and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/29/bioabsorbable-drug-coating-scaffolds-stents-and-dual-antiplatelet-therapy/

 

46r     Svelte Medical Systems’ Drug-Eluting Stent: 0% Clinically-Driven Events Through 12-Months in First-In-Man Study

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/28/svelte-medical-systems-drug-eluting-stent-0-clinically-driven-events-through-12-months-in-first-in-man-study/

 

45r   Echo vs Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMRI): CMRI may be a useful adjunct in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) family screening in higher risk

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/20/echo-vs-cardiac-magnetic-resonance-imaging-cmri-cmri-may-be-a-useful-adjunct-in-hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy-hcm-family-screening-in-higher-risk/

 

44r   iElastance: Calculates Ventricular Elastance, Arterial Elastance and Ventricular-Arterial Coupling using Echocardiographic derived values in a single beat determination

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/19/ielastance-calculates-ventricular-elastance-arterial-elastance-and-ventricular-arterial-coupling-using-echocardiographic-derived-values-in-a-single-beat-determination/

 

43r   CT Angiography (CCTA) Reduced Medical Resource Utilization compared to Standard Care reported in JACC

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/16/ct-angiography-ccta-reduced-medical-resource-utilization-compared-to-standard-care-reported-in-jacc/

 

42r   Texas Heart Institute: 50 Years of Accomplishments

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/04/texas-heart-institute-50-years-of-accomplishments/

 

41r   Economic Toll of Heart Failure in the US: Forecasting the Impact of Heart Failure in the United States – A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/25/economic-toll-of-heart-failure-in-the-us-forecasting-the-impact-of-heart-failure-in-the-united-states-a-policy-statement-from-the-american-heart-association/

 

40r   Sudden Cardiac Death invisible at Autopsy: Forensic Power of Postmortem MRI

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/18/sudden-cardiac-death-invisible-at-autopsy-forensic-power-of-postmortem-mri/

 

39r   Advanced CT Reconstruction: Plaque Estimation Algorithm for Fewer Errors and Semiautomation

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/18/advanced-ct-reconstruction-plaque-estimation-algorithm-for-fewer-errors-and-semiautomation/

 

38r     Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Decisions on implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) using left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and Midwall Fibrosis: Decisions on Replacement using late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular MR (LGE-CMR)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/03/10/dilated-cardiomyopathy-decisions-on-implantable-cardioverter-defibrillators-icds-using-left-ventricular-ejection-fraction-lvef-and-midwall-fibrosis-decisions-on-replacement-using-late-gadolinium/

 

37r     Clinical Trials on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to be conducted by American College of Cardiology and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/02/12/american-college-of-cardiologys-and-the-society-of-thoracic-surgeons-entrance-into-clinical-trials-is-noteworthy-read-more-two-medical-societies-jump-into-clinical-trial-effort-for-tavr-tech-f/

 

36r     Direct Flow Medical Wins European Clearance for Catheter Delivered Aortic Valve

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/29/direct-flow-medical-wins-european-clearance-for-catheter-delivered-aortic-valve/

 

35r     DELETED, identical to 15c

 

34r     PCI Outcomes, Increased Ischemic Risk associated with Elevated Plasma Fibrinogen not Platelet Reactivity

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/10/pci-outcomes-increased-ischemic-risk-associated-with-elevated-plasma-fibrinogen-not-platelet-reactivity/

 

33r     Cardiac Surgery Theatre in China vs. in the US: Cardiac Repair Procedures, Medical Devices in Use, Technology in Hospitals, Surgeons’ Training and Cardiac Disease Severity

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/08/cardiac-surgery-theatre-in-china-vs-in-the-us-cardiac-repair-procedures-medical-devices-in-use-technology-in-hospitals-surgeons-training-and-cardiac-disease-severity/

 

32r     DELETED, identical to 14c

31r     DELETED, identical to 12c

 

30r     Heart Renewal by pre-existing Cardiomyocytes: Source of New Heart Cell Growth Discovered

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/12/23/heart-renewal-by-pre-existing-cardiomyocytes-source-of-new-heart-cell-growth-discovered/

 

29r     Ablation Devices Market to 2016 – Global Market Forecast and Trends Analysis by Technology, Devices & Applications

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/12/23/ablation-devices-market-to-2016-global-market-forecast-and-trends-analysis-by-technology-devices-applications/

 

28r     Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Endovascular repair and open repair resulted in similar long-term survival

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/12/03/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-endovascular-repair-and-open-repair-resulted-in-similar-long-term-survival/

 

27r     Renal Denervation Technology of Vessix Vascular, Inc. been acquired by Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) to pay up to $425 Million

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/11/08/renal-denervation-technology-of-vessix-vascular-inc-been-acquired-by-boston-scientific-corporation-bsx-to-pay-up-to-425-million/

 

26r     DELETED, identical to 11c

 

25r     To Stent or Not? A Critical Decision

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/23/to-stent-or-not-a-critical-decision/

 

24r     FDA Approval for Under-Skin Defibrillator goes to Boston Scientific Corporation

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/01/fda-approval-for-under-skin-defibrillator-goes-to-boston-scientific-corporation/

 

23r     Absorb™ Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold: An International Launch by Abbott Laboratories

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/29/absorb-bioresorbable-vascular-scaffold-an-international-launch-by-abbott-laboratories/

 

22r     Carotid Stenting: Vascular surgeons have pointed to more minor strokes in the stenting group and cardiologists to more myocardial infarctions in the CEA cohort.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/21/carotid-stenting-vascular-surgeons-have-pointed-to-more-minor-strokes-in-the-stenting-group-and-cardiologists-to-more-myocardial-infarctions-in-the-cea-cohort/

 

21r     FDA: Strengthening Our National System for Medical Device Post-market Surveillance

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/07/fda-strengthening-our-national-system-for-medical-device-post-market-surveillance/

 

20r     Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement for Inoperable Severe Aortic Stenosis

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/03/transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-for-inoperable-severe-aortic-stenosis/

 

19r     Evidence for Overturning the Guidelines in Cardiogenic Shock

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/03/evidence-for-overturning-the-guidelines-in-cardiogenic-shock/

 

18r     Imbalance of Autonomic Tone: The Promise of Intravascular Stimulation of Autonomics

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/02/imbalance-of-autonomic-tone-the-promise-of-intravascular-stimulation-of-autonomics/

17r     Intravascular Stimulation of Autonomics: A Letter from Dr. Michael Scherlag

Letter received by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN on September 1, 2012

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/09/02/intravascular-stimulation-of-autonomics-a-letter-from-dr-michael-scherlag/

 

16r     New Definition of MI Unveiled, Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR)CT for Tagging Ischemia

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/27/new-definition-of-mi-unveiled-fractional-flow-reserve-ffrct-for-tagging-ischemia/

 

15r     DELETED, identical to 8c

 

14r     Expected New Trends in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medical Devices

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/17/expected-new-trends-in-cardiology-and-cardiovascular-medical-devices/

 

13r     Patient Access to Medical Devices — A Comparison of U.S. and European Review Processes

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/09/patient-access-to-medical-devices-a-comparison-of-u-s-and-european-review-processes/

 

12r   Coronary CT Angiography versus Standard Evaluation in Acute Chest Pain

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/09/coronary-ct-angiography-versus-standard-evaluation-in-acute-chest-pain/

 

11r     Updated Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI): risk for stroke and suitability for surgery

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/07/transcatheter-aortic-valve-implantation-tavi-risky-and-costly-2/

 

10r     Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI): FDA approves expanded indication for two transcatheter heart valves for patients at intermediate risk for death or complications associated with open-heart surgery

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/02/transcatheter-aortic-valve-implantation-tavi-risky-and-costly/

 

9r      Early Surgery May Benefit Some With Heart Infection

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/02/early-surgery-may-benefit-some-with-heart-infection/

 

8r      Gaps, Tensions, and Conflicts in the FDA Approval Process: Implications for Clinical Practice

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/31/gaps-tensions-and-conflicts-in-the-fda-approval-process-implications-for-clinical-practice/

 

7r      Heart Remodeling by Design – Implantable Synchronized Cardiac Assist Device: Abiomed’s Symphony

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/23/heart-remodeling-by-design-implantable-synchronized-cardiac-assist-device-abiomeds-symphony/

 

6r      Percutaneous Endocardial Ablation of Scar-Related Ventricular Tachycardia

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/18/percutaneous-endocardial-ablation-of-scar-related-ventricular-tachycardia/

 

5r      Implantable Synchronized Cardiac Assist Device Designed for Heart Remodeling: Abiomed’s Symphony

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/11/implantable-synchronized-cardiac-assist-device-designed-for-heart-remodeling-abiomeds-symphony/

 

4r      Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty and Stenting (PTAS) – Stenting versus Aggressive Medical Therapy for Intracranial Arterial Stenosis

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/05/percutaneous-transluminal-angioplasty-and-stenting-ptas-stenting-versus-aggressive-medical-therapy-for-intracranial-arterial-stenosis/

 

3r      The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) covers transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) under Coverage with Evidence Development (CED)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/19/the-centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services-cms-covers-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-tavr-under-coverage-with-evidence-development-ced/

 

2r     Investigational Devices: Edwards Sapien Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Replacement Transfemoral Deployment

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/10/investigational-devices-edwards-sapien-transcatheter-aortic-heart-valve-replacement-transfemoral-deployment/

 

1r     Investigational Devices: Edwards Sapien Transcatheter Aortic Valve Transapical Deployment

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/04/investigational-devices-edwards-sapien-transcatheter-heart-valve/

 

 

 

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Heart Metabolism or Metabolic Cardiology: The Role of Ribose (D-ribose) for the Ischemic Heart – The Work of John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D.

Posted in Abdominal Aorta, Aortic Valve: TAVR, TAVI vs Open Heart Surgery, Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, Bio Instrumentation in Experimental Life Sciences Research, Biomarkers & Medical Diagnostics, CABG, Cardiac and Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures, Carotid Artery, Electrophysiology, FDA Regulatory Affairs, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Heart Transplant, Heart-Lung Transplant, HTN, Indigent Nutrition, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Metabolomics, Mitral Valve: Repair and Replacement, Nutrigenomics, Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements: Atherogenesis, lipid metabolism, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Thoracic Aorta, Valves & Tools, tagged , , , on October 23, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Heart Metabolism or Metabolic Cardiology: The Role of Ribose (D-ribose) for the Ischemic Heart -The Work of John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

REVIEW

An interview with John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D. on Ribose : A Key to Heart Health and Energy

By Richard A. Passwater, Ph.D.

 

© Whole Foods Magazine

January 2005

Ribose : A Key to Heart Health and Energy

An interview with John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D.

By Richard A. Passwater, Ph.D.

SOURCE

http://www.drpasswater.com/nutrition_library/John_St_Cyr.html

 

John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D. — PATENTS:

Issued:

Suture removal device, USP5250052

Double layer prophylactic incorporating pharmacological fluid and spiral barrier layer, USP5623945

Compositions for increasing energy in vivo, USP6159942

Method for determining viability of a myocardial segment, USP6339716

Method for raising the hypoxic threshold, USP6218366

Use of ribose to prevent cramping and soreness in muscles, USP6159943

Compositions for increasing athletic performance in mammals, USP6429198

Dual lumen adjustable length cannulae for liquid perfusion or lavage, USP6692473

Method for treating acute mountain sickness, USP6511964

Compositions for increasing energy in vivo, USP6534480

Compositions for the storage of platelets, USP6790603

Compositions for enhancing the immune response, USP6663859

Composition methods for improving cardiovascular function, USP7553817

Rejuvenation of stored blood, USP7687468

 

John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D. — Pending applications:

Method for improving ventilatory efficiency, SN20050277598

Storage of blood SN20070111191

Ventilatory benefits of ribose in COPD, smoking, SN

Use of ribose in recovery from anesthesia, SN20070105787

Use of ribose to alleviate rhabdomyolysis and the side effects of statin drugs, SN20060135440

Use of ribose in first response to acute myocardial infarction, SN20100055206

Compositions and methods for improving cardiovascular function, SN20100009924

Use of ribose in lessening the clinical symptoms of aberrant firing of neurons, SN20090286750

Compositions for indoor tanning, SN20090232750

Compositions for improving and repairing skin, SN20090197819

Use of ribose for recovery from anesthesia, SN20090197818

Cosmetic use of D-ribose, SN20080312169

Method for improving ventilator efficiency SN20100099630

Method and compositions for improving pulmonary hypertension, SN20080146514

Storage of blood, SN20070111191

Compositions and methods for feeding poultry, SN201100221446

Use of D-ribose for fatigued subjects, SN20100189785

Fibrin sealants and platelet concentrates applied to effect hemostasis in the interface of an implantable medical device with body tissue, SN20060190017

Compositions for reducing the deleterious effects of stress and aging, SN20120045426

 

John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D. — Provisional patents:

Use of ribose in pre-slaughtering of animals

Rescue therapy for acute decompensated heart failure

Combination of D-ribose plus caffeine

Role of ribose in reducing joint swelling in mammals

Role of D-ribose in cardiac remodeling

Role of D-ribose in cachexia

Use of ribose in stem cells

Use of ribose in cardioplegia

Use of ribose for doping blood for cardioplegia

Surgical adhesive for bleeding situations

Metabolic approach with EECP

Role of ribose in mitral regurgitation

Compositions for the preservation of morphology in stored blood

Methods and nutritional supplements for improving the quality of meat

 

John St. Cyr, M.D., Ph.D. — Publications 2011 to 2013

This list does not include Publication #1 to #219

220. Shecterle LM, Wagner S, St.Cyr JA.  A sugar for congestive heart failure patients.  Ther Adv Cardiovasc Dis 5(2):95-97, 2011.

221. Perkowski D, Wagner S, Schneider JR, St.Cyr JA.  A targeted metabolic protocol with D-ribose for off pump coronary artery bypass procedures: A retrospective analysis.  Ther Adv Cardiovasc Dis 5(4):185-192, 2011.

222. Foker J, Berry J, Harvey B, Befera N, Tveter K, St.Cyr J, Bianco R.  Heart failure is initiated by and progresses because of normal responses of energy metabolism to stress.  Circ Res   , 2011.

223. Rakow N, Barka N, Gerhart R, Rothstein P, Green M, Schu C, Grassl E, St.Cyr JA, Kopcak MW, Jr.  Chronic aortic root pressure-loading assessment model.  J Invest Surg 25(2):137, 2012.

224. Shecterle LM, St.Cyr JA.  Chapter 11; Myocardial Ischemia: Alterations in myocardial cellular energy and diastolic function, a potential role for D-ribose. In: Novel Strategies in Ischemia Heart Disease. Lakshmanadoss U(Ed). InTech, Croatia.  219-228, 2012.

225. Addis P, Shecterle LM, St.Cyr JA.  Cellular protection during oxidative stress: a potential role for D-ribose and antioxidants.  Journal of Dietary Supplements 9(3):178-182, 2012.

226. Holsworth R, Shecterle L, St.Cyr J, Sloop G.  Letter to the Editor.  Importance of monitoring blood viscosity during cardiopulmonary bypass.  Perfusion 28(1):91-2, 2013.

227. Seifert JG, Frost J, ST.Cyr JA.  Recovery benefits of a heat and moisture exchange mask when performing sprint exercise in cold temperature environments.  Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine.    , 2013.

228. Seifert JG, McNair M, DeClercq P, St.Cyr JA.  A heat and moisture mask attenuates cardiovascular stress during cold air exposure.  Ther Adv Cardiovasc Dis 7(3):123-129, 2013.

229. Holsworth R, Cho Y, Weldman J, Sloop G, St.Cyr, J.  Cardiovascular benefits of phlebotomy: Relationship to changes in hemorheological variables.  Perfusion,   2013.

 

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Risks for Patients’ (Contrast-Induced Nephropathy) and Physician’s Health (Radiation Exposure) in the Cath Lab

Posted in Aortic Valve: TAVR, TAVI vs Open Heart Surgery, CABG, Cardiac and Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Mitral Valve: Repair and Replacement, PCI, Peripheral Arterial Disease & Peripheral Vascular Surgery, tagged , , , , , on October 17, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Risks for Patients’ and Physician’s Health in the Cath Lab

Reporter and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

On Thursday, June 27th, 2013, Bayer HealthCare, Nuance® Healthcare, and The Mount Sinai Hospital held a live webinar outlining how one of America’s leading Radiology Departments is pioneering the next generation of imaging informatics. If you were unable to watch it live, or would like to view it again, it is now available online here.
The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York has taken Contrast Dose Management and IT interoperability to a new level with two industry-leading forces – Bayer’s Certegra® Informatics Platform and Nuance’s PowerScribe® 360 | Reporting.
The FREE 60-minute webinar includes:
• New Trends in Imaging Informatics & Dose Management
• Emerging Contrast Dose Management Best Practices as a Standard of Care at The Mount Sinai Hospital
• Experiences with Informatics including Point of Care Documentation, Injection Protocol Management for Patient-Based Dosing, Interfacing with IT Systems, and Analytics
• Live Q&A panel: The Mount Sinai Hospital, Bayer and Nuance

Interfacing with the Future of Imaging:
THE MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL’S EXPERIENCE
with Contrast Dose Management™
WEBINAR PLAYBACK

 

VIEW VIDEO

http://www.insite24.com/downstream/bayer%2Dcdm%2Dwebinar/

 

Risks for Physician’s Health in the Cath Lab

EuroIntervention. 2012 Jan;7(9):1081-6. doi: 10.4244/EIJV7I9A172.

Brain tumours among interventional cardiologists: a cause for alarm? Report of four new cases from two cities and a review of the literature.

Source

Interventional Cardiology, Rambam Medical Center, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. aroguin@technion.ac.il

Abstract

AIMS:

Interventional cardiologists who work in cardiac catheterisation laboratories are exposed to low doses of ionising radiation that could pose a health hazard. DNA damage is considered to be the main initiating event by which radiation damage to cells results in development of cancer.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

We report on four interventional cardiologists, all with brain malignancies in the left hemisphere. In a literature search, we found five additional cases and thus present data on six interventional cardiologist and three interventional radiologists who were diagnosed with brain tumours. All worked for prolonged periods with exposure to ionising radiation in the catheterisation laboratory.

CONCLUSIONS:

In interventional cardiologists and radiologists, the left side of the head is known to be more exposed to radiation than the right. A connection to occupational radiation exposure is biologically plausible, but risk assessment is difficult due to the small population of interventional cardiologists and the low incidence of these tumours. This may be a chance occurrence, but the cause may also be radiation exposure. Scientific study further delineating occupational risks is essential. Since interventional cardiologists have the highest radiation exposure among health professionals, major awareness of radiation safety and training in radiological protection are essential and imperative, and should be used in every procedure.

Risks for Patients’ Health in the Cath Lab

Contrast-Induced Nephropathy

  • Author: Renu Bansal, MD; Chief Editor: Vecihi Batuman, MD, FACP, FASN

SOURCE

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/246751-medication#showall

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is defined as the impairment of renal function and is measured as either a 25% increase in serum creatinine (SCr) from baseline or 0.5 mg/dL (44 µmol/L) increase in absolute value, within 48-72 hours of intravenous contrast administration. (See Etiology.)

For renal insufficiency (RI) to be attributable to contrast administration, it should be acute, usually within 2-3 days, although it has been suggested that RI up to 7 days post–contrast administration be considered CIN; it should also not be attributable to any other identifiable cause of renal failure. A temporal link is thus implied.[1] Following contrast exposure, SCr levels peak between 2 and 5 days and usually return to normal in 14 days. (See Clinical and Workup.)

Complications

CIN is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired acute renal failure. It is associated with a significantly higher risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality, even in patients who do not need dialysis.

Nonrenal complications include procedural cardiac complications (eg, Q-wave MI, coronary artery bypass graft [CABG], hypotension, shock), vascular complications (eg, femoral bleeding, hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, stroke), and systemic complications (eg, acute respiratory distress syndrome [ARDS], pulmonary embolism).

There is a complicated relationship between CIN, comorbidity, and mortality. Most patients who develop CIN do not die from renal failure. Death, if it does occur, is more commonly from either a preexisting nonrenal complication or a procedural complication.

Concerns

Many physicians who refer patients for contrast procedures and some who perform the procedure themselves are not fully informed about the risk of CIN. A survey found that less than half of referring physicians were aware of potential risk factors, including diabetes mellitus. (See Differentials.)

CIN suffers from a lack of consensus regarding its definition and treatment. Studies differ in regard to the marker used for renal function (SCr vs eGFR), the day of initial measurement and remeasurement of the marker, and the percentage increase used to define CIN. This makes it difficult to compare studies, especially in terms of the efficacy of various treatment modalities. (See Treatment and Medication.)[2]

The reported incidence of CIN might be an underestimation. SCr levels normally rise by day 3 of contrast administration. Most patients do not remain hospitalized for so long and there is no specific protocol to order outpatient SCr levels 3-5 days after the procedure.

Other renal function markers

The use of SCr as a marker of renal function has its limitations. Indicators such as the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cystatin C are increasingly considered to be more reliable and accurate reflectors of existing renal function.[3, 4]

The eGFR can be calculated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula or the Cockroft-Gault formula. The Cockroft-Gault formula calculates eGFR using age, sex, and body weight, which are factors that, independent of GFR, influence SCr. The MDRD equation also includes blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum albumin.

The eGFR works best at low creatinine values. SCr and GFR share a curvilinear relationship. At lower SCr values, doubling SCr is associated with a corresponding 50% decrease in GFR. However, in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD) who have high SCr values at baseline, a 25% rise in SCr is actually indicative of a relatively modest reduction in GFR. Nonetheless, even a 25% increase in SCr in this situation has been shown to have great impact, especially in terms of inhospital and 1-year mortality.[5]

Serum cystatin C is a serum protein that is secreted by nucleated cells. It is freely filtered by the glomerulus and has been found to be an accurate marker of GFR. Compared with SCr, cystatin C changes much earlier after contrast administration and is not subject to confounding factors, such age, sex, and muscle mass, that influence SCr values independent of the underlying GFR. Cystatin C is increasingly being used as a marker of renal function in cardiac surgical patients.

Patient education

Patients with risk factors for CIN should be educated about the necessity of follow-up care with their physicians with a postprocedure SCr estimation, especially if the initial procedure was done on an outpatient basis.

Etiology

Contrast media (CM) act on distinct anatomic sites within the kidney and exert adverse effects via multiple mechanisms. They cause a direct cytotoxic effect on the renal proximal tubular cells, enhance cellular damage by reactive oxygen species, and increase resistance to renal blood flow. They also exacerbate renal vasoconstriction, particularly in the deeper portions of the outer medulla. This is especially important in patients with CKD, because their preexisting abnormal vascular pathobiology is made worse by the effects of CM.[6, 7]

Renal (particularly medullary) microcirculation depends on a complex interplay of neural, hormonal, paracrine and autocrine influences. Of note are the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) and the vasoconstrictors vasopressin, adenosine (when it acts via the high affinity A1 receptors), angiotensin II, and endothelins. Prostaglandins cause a redistribution of blood flow to the juxtamedullary cortex and, therefore, are protective.

NO, in particular, seems to be very important, with antiplatelet, vasodilatory, insulin sensitizing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It has been suggested that plasma levels of asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA), which is an endogenous inhibitor of all NO synthase isoforms, can be used as a marker of CIN, especially in patients with unfavorable outcomes.

CM-mediated vasoconstriction is the result of a direct action of CM on vascular smooth muscle and from metabolites such as adenosine and endothelin. Additionally, the osmotic property of CM, especially in the tubular lumen, decreases water reabsorption, leading to a buildup of interstitial pressure. This, along with the increased salt and water load to the distal tubules, reduces GFR and causes local compression of the vasa recta. All of this contributes to worsening medullary hypoxemia and renal vasoconstriction in patients who are already volume depleted.

Finally, CM also increase resistance to blood flow by increasing blood viscosity and by decreasing red cell deformability. This intravascular sludging generates local ischemia and causes activation of reactive oxygen species that result in tubular damage at a cellular level.

Comparison of contrast-agent nephropathy potential

The ability of different classes of CM to cause CIN is influenced by their osmolality, ionicity (the ability of the contrast media to dissociate in water), and molecular structure. Each of these characteristics, in turn, influences their behavior in body fluid and their potential to cause adverse effects. (See Table 1, below.)[8]

Agents are classified as high, low, or iso-osmolar, depending on their osmolality in relation to blood. Low-osmolarity contrast media (LOCM) is actually a misnomer, since these agents have osmolalities of 600-900 mOsm/kg and so are 2-3 times more hyperosmolar than blood. High-osmolarity contrast media (HOCM) are 5-7 times more hyperosmolar than blood, with osmolalities greater than 1500 mOsm/kg.

Molecular structure of CM refers to the number of benzene rings. Most CM that were developed in the 1990s are dimers with 2 benzene rings. Dimeric CM, while nonionic and with low osmolarity, have high viscosity, which may influence renal tubular blood flow.

The ratio of iodine to dissolved particles describes an important relationship between opacification and osmotoxicity of the contrast agent. The higher ratios are more desirable. High-osmolar agents have a ratio of 1.5, low-osmolar agents have a ratio of 3, and iso-osmolar agents have the highest ratio, 6.

While the safety of LOCM over HOCM in terms of CIN seems intuitive, clinical evidence of it came from a meta-analysis by Barrett and Carlisle.[9] They showed the benefit of using LOCM over HOCM mostly in high-risk patients. The Iohexol Cooperative Study was a large, prospective, randomized, double-blinded, multicenter trial that compared the risk of developing CIN in patients receiving the low-osmolarity agent iohexol versus the high-osmolarity agent diatrizoate. While the HOCM group was 3.3 times more likely to develop CIN compared with the LOCM group, this was seen only in patients with preexisting CKD (baseline SCr greater than or equal to 1.5 mg/dL). In addition to CKD; diabetes mellitus, male sex, and contrast volume were found to be independent risk factors.

Even within the LOCM category, the risk is not the same for all agents. High-risk patients receiving iohexol have a higher likelihood of developing CIN than do patients receiving another agent (ie, iopamidol) in the same class.

When LOCM were compared with iso-osmolar contrast media (IOCM), the Nephrotoxicity in High-Risk Patients Study of Iso-Osmolar and Low-Osmolar Non-Ionic Contrast Media (NEPHRIC study), arguably the most definitive study in this category to date, found that the odds of developing CIN in high-risk patients were almost 9 times greater for the study’s iohexol group than for the investigation’s iodixanol group (iso-osmolar contrast agent). The incidence of CIN was 3% in the iodixanol group versus 26% in the iohexol group.[10] These results, though promising, were not duplicated in some subsequent studies.

When iodixanol was used, the Rapid Protocol for the Prevention of Contrast-Induced Renal Dysfunction (RAPPID) trial found a 21% incidence of CIN,[11] and the Contrast Media and Nephrotoxicity Following Coronary Revascularization by Angioplasty (CONTRAST) trial found a 33% incidence of CIN.[12] Finally, the Renal Toxicity Evaluation and Comparison Between Visipaque (Iodixanol) and Hexabrix (Ioxaglate) in Patients With Renal Insufficiency Undergoing Coronary Angiography (RECOVER) trial compared the iso-osmolar contrast medium iodixanol to the low-osmolarity agent ioxaglate and found a significantly lower incidence of CIN with iodixanol than with ioxaglate (7.9% vs 17%, respectively).[13]

Thus, although the data are by no means uniform, they seem to suggest that the iso-osmolar contrast agent iodixanol may be associated with smaller increases in SCr and lower rates of CIN when compared with low-osmolar agents, especially in patients with CKD and in those with CKD and diabetes mellitus.[14]

Risk factors

Risk factors for CIN can be divided into patient-related, procedure-related, and contrast-related factors (although the risk factors for CIN are still being identified and remain poorly understood). Patient-related risk factors are as follows:

  • Age
  • CKD
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Hypertension
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Anemia
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Hypoalbuminemia
  • Renal transplant
  • Hypovolemia and decreased effective circulating volumes – As evidenced by congestive heart failure (CHF), an ejection fraction (EF) of less than 40%, hypotension, and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) use

Procedure-related risk factors are as follows:

  • Urgent versus elective
  • Arterial versus venous
  • Diagnostic versus therapeutic

Contrast-related risk factors are as follows:

  • Volume of contrast
  • Contrast characteristics, including osmolarity, ionicity, molecular structure, and viscosity

The single most important patient-related risk factor is preexisting CKD, even more so than diabetes mellitus.[15] Patients with CKD in the setting of diabetes mellitus have a 4-fold increase in the risk of CIN compared with patients without diabetes mellitus or preexisting CKD.

Table: Physiochemical Properties of Contrast Media

Although the data is by no means uniform, they seem to suggest that the iso-osmolar contrast agent iodixanol may be associated with smaller increases in SCr and lower rates of CIN when compared with low-osmolar agents, especially in patients with CKD and in those with CKD and diabetes mellitus.[14] Guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) for the management of acute coronary syndromes patients with CKD recommend the use of IOCM (Class I, level of Evidence).

Table 1. Physiochemical Properties of Contrast Media[16] (Open Table in a new window)

Class of Contrast Agent Type of Contrast Agent Iodine Dose(mg/mL) Iodine/Particle Ratio Viscosity(cPs at 37°C) Osmolality(mOsm/kg H2 O) Molecular Weight (Da)
High-osmolar monomers(ionic) Diatrizoate (Renografin)Ioxithalamate (Telebrix) 370350 1.51.5 2.32.5 18702130 636643
Low-osmolar dimers(ionic) Ioxaglate (Hexabrix) 320 3 7.5 600 1270
Low-osmolar monomers(nonionic) Iohexol (Omnipaque)Iopamidol (Isovue)Iomeprol (Iomeron)

Ioversol (Optiray)

Iopromide (Ultravist)

Iopentol (Imagopaque)

 350370400

350

370

350

 333

3

3

3

 10.49.412.6

9

10

12

 780790620

790

770

810

 821777778

807

791

835
Iso-osmolar dimers(nonionic) Iodixanol (Visipaque)Iotrolan (Isovist) 320320 66 11.88.5 290290 15501620

Epidemiology

Occurrence in the United States

CIN is the third leading cause of hospital-acquired renal failure. Decreased renal perfusion and surgery (or in some studies, nephrotoxic medications) are the number one and number two causes, respectively.

An analysis of 15 prospective and retrospective studies from 1976-1996 report an incidence of CIN of 3.1-31%. The number varies depending on the definition used for CIN; the contrast agent characteristics, including the type, amount, duration, and route of administration; preexisting risk factors; and length of follow-up (including the day of measurement of postcontrast serum creatinine).

In patients without risk factors, the incidence may be as low as 2%. With the introduction of risk factors, like diabetes, the number rises to 9%, with incidences being as high as 90% in diabetics with CKD. Therefore, the number and the type of preexisting risk factors directly influence the incidence of renal insufficiency. It is also procedure dependant, with 14.5% overall in patients undergoing coronary interventions compared to 1.6-2.3% for diagnostic intervention, as reported in literature.[17]

Race- and age-related demographics

While African Americans with diabetic nephropathy have a faster acceleration of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), independent of other variables, race has not been found to be a risk factor for CIN.

The incidence of CIN in patients older than age 60 years has been variously reported as 8-16%. It has also been shown that in patients with acute MI who have undergone coronary intervention, an age of 75 years or older is an independent risk factor for CIN.

Prognosis

CIN is normally a transient process, with renal functions reverting to normal within 7-14 days of contrast administration. Less than one-third patients develop some degree of residual renal impairment.

Dialysis is required in less than 1% of patients, with a slightly higher incidence in patients with underlying renal impairment (3.1%) and in those undergoing primary PCI for myocardial infarction (MI) (3%). However, in patients with diabetes and severe renal failure, the rate of dialysis can be as high as 12%.

Of the patients who need dialysis, 18% end up on permanent dialysis therapy. However, many of these patients will have had advanced renal insufficiency and concomitant diabetic nephropathy and will have been destined for dialysis regardless of the episode of CIN.

A growing body of knowledge indicates that acute kidney injury after contrast medium can be a harbinger of CKD or ESRD. In one observational study, the population studied appeared representative of the general population undergoing angiography and the rate of acute kidney ingury was consonant with other studies. The finding that persistent kidney damage can occur after contrast-induced acute kidney injury highlights the potential for acceleration of the progression of kidney injury in individuals with pre-existing CKD.[18]

Mortality

Patients who require dialysis have a considerably worse mortality rate, with reported rates of 35.7% inhospital mortality (compared with 7.1% in the nondialysis group) and a 2-year survival rate of only 19%.

CIN by itself may be an independent mortality risk factor. Following invasive cardiology procedures, patients with normal baseline renal function who develop CIN have reduced survival compared with patients with baseline chronic CKD who do not develop CIN.

Gadolinium-based agents

Gadolinium-based CM (used for magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), when compared with iodine-based CM, have a similar, if not worse, adverse effect profile in patients with moderate CKD and eGFR of less than 30 mL/min. Their use has been implicated in the development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, a chronic debilitating condition with no cure.

A review of 3 series and 4 case reports suggested that the risk of renal insufficiency with gadolinium is similar to that of iodinated radiocontrast dye. The reported incidence varies from 4% in stage 3 CKD to 20% in stage 4 CKD. It may even be worse, as suggested by some investigators. A prospective study of 57 patients found that acute renal failure was seen in 28% of patients in the gadolinium group, compared with 6.5% of patients in the iodine group, despite prophylactic saline and N-acetylcysteine (NAC).

The risk factor profile is similar to that for iodinated CM; increased incidence of acute renal failure is seen in older patients and in those with lower baseline creatinine clearance, diabetic nephropathy, anemia, and hypoalbuminemia.

Risk stratification scoring systems

CIN is the result of a complex interplay of many of the above risk factors. The presence of 2 or more risk factors is additive, and the likelihood of CIN rises sharply as the number of risk factors increases. Researchers have tried to objectively quantify and predict the contribution of each risk factor to the ultimate outcome of CIN.

Risk stratification scoring systems have been devised to calculate an individual patient’s risk of developing CIN. This has mostly been done in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially those with preexisting risk factors. Mehran et al developed the following scoring system based on points awarded to each of 7 multivariate predictors[19] :

  • Hypotension = 5 points
  • IABP use = 5 points
  • CHF = 5 points
  • SCr of greater than 1.5 mg/dL = 4 points
  • Age greater than 75 years = 4 points
  • Anemia = 3 points
  • Diabetes mellitus = 3 points
  • Contrast volume = 1 point for each 100 cc used

Based on the total calculated score, patients were divided into low-risk (score of less than or equal to 5), moderate-risk (score of 6-10), high-risk (score of 11-15), and very–high-risk (score of greater than or equal to 16) categories. The rate of CIN and the requirement for dialysis were 7.5 and 0.04%, 14 and 0.12%, 26.1 and 1.09%, and 57.3 and 12.6%, respectively, for each of the 4 groups.

Bartholomew et al worked to create another scoring system and took into consideration 8 variables, including creatinine clearance of less than 60 mL/min, IABP use, urgent coronary procedure, diabetes mellitus, CHF, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and volume of contrast used.[20]

History and Physical Examination

History

Patients usually present with a history of contrast administration 24-48 hours prior to presentation, having undergone a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure (eg, PCI). The renal failure is usually nonoliguric.

Physical examination

A physical examination is useful for ruling out other causes of acute nephropathy, such as cholesterol emboli (eg, blue toe, livedo reticularis) or drug-induced interstitial nephritis (eg, rash). Patients may have evidence of volume depletion or may be in decompensated CHF.

Diagnostic Considerations

Conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis of CIN include the following:

  • Atheroembolic renal failure – More than 1 week after contrast, blue toes, livedo reticularis, transient eosinophilia, prolonged course, and lower recovery
  • Acute renal failure (includes prerenal and postrenal azotemia) – There may also be associated dehydration from aggressive diuresis, exacerbated by preexisting fluid depletion; the acute renal failure is usually oliguric, and recovery is anticipated in 2-3 weeks
  • Acute interstitial nephritis (triad of fever, skin rash, and eosinophilia) – Also eosinophiluria; the nephritis is usually from drugs such as penicillin, cephalosporins, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Acute tubular necrosis – Ischemia from prerenal causes; endogenous toxins, such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, and light chains; exogenous toxins, such as antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, organic solvents, and heavy metals

Approach Considerations

SCr concentration usually begins to increase within 24 hours after contrast agent administration, peaks between days 3 and 5, and returns to baseline in 7-10 days. Serum cystatin C (which has been suggested as a surrogate marker of renal function in lieu of SCr) is increased in patients with CIN.

Nonspecific formed elements can appear in the urine, including renal tubular epithelial cells, pigmented granular casts, urate crystals, and debris. However, these urine findings do not correlate with severity.

Urine osmolality tends to be less than 350 mOsm/kg. The fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) may vary widely. In the minority of patients with oliguric CIN, the FENa is low in the early stages, despite no clinical evidence of volume depletion.

Histology

CM cause direct toxic effects on renal tubular epithelial cells, characterized by cell vacuolization, interstitial inflammation, and cellular necrosis. In a study, these characteristic changes, called osmotic nephrosis, were observed in 22.3% of patients undergoing renal biopsy, within 10 days of contrast exposure.[21]

Approach Considerations

Hydration therapy is the cornerstone of CIN prevention. Renal perfusion is decreased for up to 20 hours following contrast administration. Intravascular volume expansion maintains renal blood flow, preserves nitric oxide production, prevents medullary hypoxemia, and enhances contrast elimination.

However, a number of other CIN therapies have been investigated, including the use of statins, bicarbonate, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), ascorbic acid, the adenosine antagonists theophylline and aminophylline, vasodilators, forced diuresis, and renal replacement therapy. Patients with CIN should be managed in consultation with a nephrologist.

Hydration Therapy

The first study revealing the benefit of hydration in CIN prevention came from Solomon et al.[22] They also found forced diuresis to be inferior to hydration with 0.45% saline. Fluids with different compositions and tonicity have since been studied, including bicarbonate and mannitol.

Normal saline has been found to be superior to half-normal saline in terms of its enhanced ability in intravascular volume expansion. It also causes increased delivery of sodium to the distal nephron, prevents rennin-angiotensin activation, and thus maintains increased renal blood flow. In terms of route of administration, oral fluids, while beneficial, are not as effective as intravenous hydration.[23, 24]

The CIN Consensus Working Panel found that adequate intravenous volume expansion with isotonic crystalloids (1-1.5 mL/kg/h), 3-12 hours before the procedure and continued for 6-24 hours afterward, decreases the incidence of CIN in patients at risk. The panel studied 6 clinical trials with different protocols for volume expansion. The studies differed in the type of fluid used for hydration (isotonic vs half-normal saline), route, duration, timing, and amount of fluid used.[25]

For hospitalized patients, volume expansion should begin 6 hours prior to the procedure and be continued for 6-24 hours postprocedure. For outpatients, administration of fluids can be initiated 3 hours before and continued for 12 hours after the procedure. Postprocedure volume expansion is more important than preprocedure hydration. It has been suggested that a urine output of 150 mL/h should guide the rate of intravenous fluid replacement, although the CIN Consensus Working Panel did not find it useful to recommend a target urine output.

CHF poses a particular challenge. Patients with compensated CHF should still be given volume, albeit at lower rates. Uncompensated CHF patients should undergo hemodynamic monitoring, if possible, and diuretics should be continued. In emergency situations, one’s clinical judgment should be used, and, in the absence of any baseline renal function, adequate postprocedure hydration should be carried out.

What is interesting, however, is that, while hydration remains the cornerstone for CIN prevention, a randomized, controlled trial comparing a strategy of volume expansion with no volume expansion has not been performed to date.

Statins

Statins are widely used in coronary artery disease (CAD) for their pleiotropic effects (favorable effects on endothelin and thrombus formation, plaque stabilization, and anti-inflammatory properties), and it was believed that, given the vascular nature of CIN, they might have similar renoprotective effects. The data for statin use, however, are retrospective and anecdotal; they are taken mostly from patients already on statins who underwent PCI.[26]

A significantly lower incidence of CIN was found in patients treated with statins preoperatively (CIN incidence of 4.37% in the statin group vs 5.93% in the nonstatin group). However, prospective trials looking at statin use in patients undergoing noncardiac procedures are needed to better qualify this initial promise.

Bicarbonate Therapy

Bicarbonate therapy alkalinizes the renal tubular fluid and, thus, prevents free radical injury. Hydrogen peroxide and an oxygen ion (from superoxide) react to form a hydroxide ion, all agents of free radical injury. This reaction, called the Harber-Weiss reaction, is activated in an acidic environment. Bicarbonate, by alkalinizing the environment, slows down the reaction. It also scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) from NO, such as peroxynitrite.

Bicarbonate protocols most often include infusion of sodium bicarbonate at the rate of 3 mL/kg/hour an hour before the procedure, continued at 1 mL/kg/hour for 6 hours after. Some investigators have used 1 mL/kg/hour for 24 hours, starting 12 hours before the procedure. The exact duration, however, remains a matter of debate. Hydration with sodium bicarbonate has been found by some researchers to be more protective than normal saline alone.

Treatment controversy

A 2008 retrospective cohort study at the Mayo Clinic assessed the risk of CIN associated with the use of sodium bicarbonate, NAC, and the combination of sodium bicarbonate with NAC and found that, compared with no treatment, sodium bicarbonate used alone was associated with an increased risk of CIN. NAC alone or in combination with sodium bicarbonate did not significantly affect the incidence of CIN. The results were obtained after adjusting for confounding factors, including total volume of hydration, medications, baseline creatinine, and contrast iodine load.[27] Given the above new information, it is recommended that the use of sodium bicarbonate to prevent CIN should be further evaluated.

N-acetylcysteine

NAC is acetylated L-cysteine, an amino acid. Its sulfhydryl groups make it an excellent antioxidant and scavenger of free oxygen radicals. It also enhances the vasodilatory properties of nitric oxide. Twelve meta-analyses covering 29 randomized, controlled trials have been published on the effect of NAC therapy in CIN. They all suffer from significant heterogeneity. The standard oral NAC regimen consists of 600 mg twice daily for 24 hours before and on the day of the procedure. Higher doses of 1 g, 1200 mg, and 1500 mg twice daily have also been studied, with no significant dose-related or route-related (oral vs intravenous) difference. NAC has very low oral bioavailability; substantial interpatient variability and inconsistency between the available oral products obscure the picture further.[3, 24, 28]

Treatment controversy

The latest controversy relating to NAC therapy questioned the parameter on which its effectiveness was based. It was suggested that the beneficial effect of NAC in CIN is related to its SCr-lowering ability rather than to improved GFR. It was believed that NAC directly reduces SCr by increasing SCr’s excretion (tubular secretion), decreasing its production (augments activity of creatine kinase), or interfering with its laboratory measurement, enzymatic or nonenzymatic (Jaffe method).

This was supported by a study that demonstrated a significant decrease in SCr after 4 doses of 600 mg of oral NAC in healthy volunteers with normal kidney function and no exposure to radiocontrast media.[29] This would bring doubt into the results of at least 13 randomized, controlled trials that showed NAC to be protective in CIN, with SCr used as the endpoint. However, Haase et al compared the effect of NAC on SCr by simultaneously studying its effect on cystatin C and found that NAC did not artifactually lower SCr when measured by the Jaffe method.[30]

The CIN Working Panel concluded that the existing data on NAC therapy in CIN is sufficiently varied to preclude a definite recommendation.[25] In the practice of medicine, though, it remains part of the standard of care and is routinely administered because of its low cost, lack of adverse effects, and potential beneficial effect, as demonstrated by the relative risk reduction of CIN, ranging from 0.37-0.73, as reported in several meta-analyses.

Renal Replacement Therapy

Less than 1% of patients with CIN ultimately go on to require dialysis, the number being slightly higher in patients with underlying renal impairment (3.1%) and in those undergoing primary PCI for MI (3%). However, in patients with diabetes and severe renal failure, the rate of dialysis can be as high as 12%. Patients who get dialyzed do considerably worse, with inhospital mortality rates of 35.7% (compared with 7.1% in the nondialysis group) and a 2-year survival rate of only 19%.

CM have molecular weights that range between 650 and 1600 mOsm/kg. They have low lipophilicity, low plasma protein binding, and minimal biotransformation. They quickly equilibrate across capillary membranes and have volumes of distribution equivalent to that of the extracellular fluid volume. In patients with normal renal function, CM are excreted with the first glomerular passage and the decrease in their plasma concentration follows a 2-part exponential function, a distribution phase and an elimination phase. However, in patients with renal impairment, the renal clearance values are reduced. For example, 50% of the low-osmolarity contrast agent iomeprol is eliminated within 2 hours in healthy subjects, compared with 16-84 hours in patients with severe renal impairment.

In patients already on dialysis, the commonly sited issues with contrast administration include volume load and direct toxicity of contrast to the remaining nonfunctional nephrons and nonrenal tissues. Thus, the perceived need for emergent dialysis and contrast removal.

Rodby attempted to address these concerns, calculating that the administration of 100 mL of hyperosmolar contrast would move 265 mL of water from the intracellular to the extracellular compartment, resulting in an increase in extracellular volume by 365 mL. The increase in intravascular space would therefore be only a third, or 120 mL. Fluid shifts with LOCM are even less. He also found that extrarenal toxicity of CM was cited in mostly single case reports, and no objective evidence could be identified in 3 prospective studies.[31]

The risk of acute damage from contrast is therefore greatest in patients with CKD. This can be explained by the increase in single nephron GFR and, thus, the filtered load of contrast per nephron. This is akin to a double hit to the remaining nephrons; increased contrast load and prolonged tubular exposure. While this may not seem to be a concern in patients with ESRD who are already on dialysis, residual renal function, in fact, plays a big role in their outcome, more so in patients on peritoneal dialysis. Its preservation is therefore important.[31]

CM can be effectively and efficiently removed by hemodialysis (HD). Factors that influence CM removal include blood flow, membrane surface area, molecular size, transmembrane pressure, and dialysis time. High-flux dialysis membranes with blood flows of between 120-200 mL/min can remove almost 50% of iodinated CM within an hour and 80% in 4 hours. Even in patients with CKD, in whom contrast excretion is delayed, it was found that 70-80% of contrast can be removed by a 4-hour HD treatment. In view of the limited benefit of therapies such as hydration, bicarbonate and NAC, dialysis may seem like the definitive answer.

However, an excellent meta-analysis by Cruz et al—8 trials (6 randomized and 2 nonrandomized, controlled studies) were included in the analysis, with a pooled sample size of 412 patients—indicated that periprocedural extracorporeal blood purification (ECBP) does not significantly reduce the incidence of CIN in comparison with standard medical therapy. ECBP in the study consisted of HD (6 trials), continuous venovenous hemofiltration (1 trial), and continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (1 trial).[32]

Cruz et al found that the incidence of CIN in the standard medical therapy group was 35.2%, compared with 27.8% in the ECBP group. Renal death (combined endpoint of death or dialysis dependence) was 12.5% in the standard medical therapy group, compared with 7.9% in the ECBP group.

An important consideration is the role of ECBP therapy in patients with severe renal impairment (ie, stage 5 CKD) not yet on maintenance dialysis. A study by Lee et al indicated that in patients with chronic renal failure who are undergoing coronary angiography, prophylactic HD can improve renal outcome. The study included 82 patients with stage 5 CKD who were not on dialysis and who were referred for coronary angiography.[33] The patients were randomly assigned to either undergo prophylactic HD (initiated within 81 ± 32 min) or to receive intravenous normal saline (control group).

The baseline creatinine of the dialysis group was 13.2 mL/min/1.73 m2, comparable to that of the control group (12.6 mL/min/1.73 m2). The investigators’ primary endpoint was change in creatinine clearance in the 2 groups on day 4, which was found to be statistically significant (0.4 ± 0.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the dialysis group vs 2.2 ± 2.8 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the control group).

Lee et al found that 35% of the control group required temporary renal replacement therapy, compared with 2% of the dialysis group. In addition, long-term, postdischarge dialysis was required in 13% of the control patients but in none of the dialysis patients. Among those patients who did not require chronic dialysis, an increase in SCr at discharge of over 1 mg/dL from baseline was found in 13 patients in the control group and in 2 patients in the dialysis group.

The study, though hopeful, does raise some concerns. While the change in creatinine clearance on day 4 from baseline was statistically significant, the day 4 creatinine clearance itself was not significantly different between the 2 groups. Also, the results were not expressed as CIN incidence. This patient population is very fragile and is already on the verge of dialysis. How much time off dialysis a single HD session was able to buy these patients was not discussed. The duration of follow-up was also not clear.

Marenzi et al found better outcomes in patients who received venovenous hemofiltration both pre- and post-CM administration than in patients who received post-CM hemofiltration or no hemofiltration at all. These outcomes included a lower likelihood of CIN, no need for HD, and no 1-year mortality, in the pre-/post-CM group.[34]

The biggest confounder in studies of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is that the outcome measure (SCr) is affected by the treatment itself. While the advantage of CRRT is the lack of delay in its institution, contrast clearance rates would be 1 L/h (16.6 mL/min provided a maximal sieving coefficient for contrast across the hemofiltration membrane of 1), substantially less than standard HD.

Furthermore, continuous venovenous hemofiltration is expensive, highly invasive, and requires trained personnel; the procedure itself needs to be performed in the intensive care unit (ICU). In the face of equivocal benefit of a highly invasive and expensive procedure, the role of continuous venovenous hemofiltration has yet to be accepted as a prophylactic treatment for avoiding CIN.

Dialysis immediately after contrast administration has been suggested for patients already on long-term HD and for those at very high risk of CIN. Three studies looked at its necessity and found that LOCM can be given safely to patients with ESRD who are being maintained on HD without the added expense or inconvenience of emergent postprocedural HD.

The only condition in which HD might be argued to have a beneficial role is in patients on peritoneal dialysis who rely on their residual renal function. In this setting, HD performed soon after CM administration may provide enhanced removal and therefore protect residual renal function. It should be noted, however, that these patients on peritoneal dialysis would therefore need an additional HD procedure with concomitant vascular access, as the clearance with peritoneal dialysis would be far too slow to offer any protection.

In a study to determine if renal replacement therapy in concert with contrast administration helps, Frank et al found that although the overall clearance of contrast was significantly increased by dialysis, the peak plasma concentration of iomeprol 15 minutes after contrast administration was not significantly changed by simultaneous dialysis. In their report, the investigators prospectively studied 17 patients with chronic renal insufficiency (SCr >3 mg/dL), dialysis independent, who were then randomized to receive high-flux HD over 6 hours simultaneously with contrast administration, and[35]

In the study, Frank et al also found that to be clinically effective, simultaneous dialysis should reduce the risk of developing ESRD by 50%. If type 1 and type 2 errors are set at 0.01, the result could be accepted only if none of the 48 sequential patients with simultaneous dialysis required dialysis during the 8 weeks after contrast exposure. To reject the hypothesis, 239 sequential patients with simultaneous dialysis would have to be included. Therefore, most CIN studies, are seriously underpowered.

Studies of HD for CIN vary with respect to the definition of CIN used, the patient population, the type and volume of CM, how long after CM administration HD is started, and, finally, the dialysis treatment modality itself. While existing studies do not show HD to be superior to hydration alone for CIN prevention, if HD is used in conjunction with hydration and CIN protective therapy, such as NAC and bicarbonate, it might prove to be efficacious in some high-risk patients. However, most studies have had only an 8-week follow-up period. While the initiation of long-term dialysis was 5-15%, the progression to uremia over a long-term follow-up period is still unanswered.[16]

Other Therapies

Ascorbic acid, which has antioxidant properties, was studied for its ability to counter the effect of free radicals and reactive oxygen species. One study found that oral ascorbic acid administered in a 3-g dose preprocedure and two 2-g doses postprocedure was associated with a 62% risk reduction in CIN incidence.[36]

Theophylline and aminophylline are adenosine antagonists that counteract the intrarenal vasoconstrictor and tubuloglomerular feedback effects of adenosine. They have been found to have a statistically significant effect in preventing CIN in high-risk patients. However, their use is limited by their narrow therapeutic window and adverse effects profile.

Vasodilators, such as calcium channel blockers, dopamine/fenoldopam, atrial natriuretic peptide, and L-arginine, all with different mechanisms of action, have a favorable effect on renal hemodynamics. However, their use for CIN prevention has not been borne out by most controlled trials, and they are not routinely recommended at this point.

Forced diuresis with furosemide and mannitol was studied in the hope that this procedure would dilute CM within the tubular lumen and enhance their excretion. Furosemide and mannitol in fact worsen CIN by causing dehydration in patients who may already have intravascular volume depletion. Their use at this time is discouraged.

Deterrence and Prevention

The best therapy for CIN is prevention. Physicians need to be increasingly aware that CIN is a common and potentially serious complication. Patients at risk should be identified early, especially those with CKD (ie, eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2). A detailed history inquiring for risk factors, especially diabetes mellitus, should be ascertained.

In patients with risk factors for CIN, the possibility of alternative imaging studies that do not need contrast should be explored. MRI with gadolinium is no longer considered a safe alternative to contrast because of the risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, an irreversible, debilitating condition seen mostly in patients with an eGFR of less than 30 mL/min/1.73 m2.

In patients with a moderate to severe risk of CIN, creatinine clearance rates or eGFR should be estimated by either the MDRD formula or the Cockroft-Gault formula and then measured again 24-48 hours after contrast administration.

In the emergency setting, where the benefit of very early imaging studies outweighs that of waiting, the imaging procedure can be carried out without an initial estimation of SCr or eGFR.

Intra-arterial administration of iodinated CM poses a greater risk for CIN than does the intravenous approach. For patients at an increased risk for CIN receiving intra-arterial contrast, nonionic iso-osmolar agents (iodixanol) are associated with the lowest risk of CIN.

The amount of contrast used during the procedure should be limited to as little as possible and kept under 100 mL. Most investigators have found this to be the cut-off value below which no patient needed dialysis. The risk of CIN increases by 12% for each 100 mL of contrast used beyond the first 100 mL. Most angiographic diagnostic studies usually require 100 mL of contrast, compared with 200-250 mL for angioplasty. The maximum amount of contrast that can be used safely should be individualized, taking into account the preexisting renal function.

Various formulas for calculating the maximal safe CM dose have been suggested. Two most often cited are those suggested by Cigarroa et al and the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR).[37, 38] Cigarroa et al, in a retrospective study of 115 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization and angiography, using the HOCM diatrizoate, suggested that the dose of CM should not exceed 5 mL/kg of body weight (maximum 300 mL divided by SCr [mg/dL]). The ESUR, in turn, has published maximal LOCM volumes for various SCr cut-off values.

While the formulas from Cigarroa and the ESUR take into account the SCr, it has been suggested that the eGFR (a more accurate predictor of renal function) and the iodine dose of CM should be reflected in any estimates or predictions of safe CM dosages. There exists, however, no unimpeachably safe CM dose algorithm for CIN prevention.

The length of time between 2 contrast procedures should be at least 48-72 hours. Rapid repetition of contrast administration has been found to be a univariate risk factor for CIN.

Potentially nephrotoxic drugs (eg, NSAIDs, aminoglycosides, amphotericin B, cyclosporin, tacrolimus) should be withdrawn at least 24 hours prior, in patients at risk (eGFR < 60 mL/min).

Metformin, though not nephrotoxic, should be used prudently, because if renal failure does occur, there is risk of concomitant lactic acidosis. Therefore, metformin should be stopped at the time of the procedure and resumed 48 hours later if renal function remains normal.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) cause a 10-15% rise in SCr by reducing intraglomerular pressure. While they should not be started at this time, whether they should be discontinued remains a matter of debate. Much of the literature in this area is unclear and controversial.

Minimizing contrast administration

The amount of contrast used during the procedure should be limited to as little as possible and kept under 100 mL. Most investigators have found this to be the cut-off value below which no patient needed dialysis. The risk of CIN increases by 12% for each 100 mL of contrast used beyond the first 100 mL. Most angiographic diagnostic studies usually require 100 mL of contrast, compared with 200-250 mL for angioplasty. The maximum amount of contrast that can be used safely should be individualized, taking into account the preexisting renal function.

Various formulas for calculating the maximal safe CM dose have been suggested. Two most often cited are those suggested by Cigarroa et al and the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR).[37, 38] Cigarroa et al, in a retrospective study of 115 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization and angiography, using the HOCM diatrizoate, suggested that the dose of CM should not exceed 5 mL/kg of body weight (maximum 300 mL divided by SCr [mg/dL]). The ESUR, in turn, has published maximal LOCM volumes for various SCr cut-off values.

While the formulas from Cigarroa and the ESUR take into account the SCr, it has been suggested that the eGFR (a more accurate predictor of renal function) and the iodine dose of CM should be reflected in any estimates or predictions of safe CM dosages. There exists, however, no unimpeachably safe CM dose algorithm for CIN prevention.

RAAS blockade

A prospective, 50-month Mayo study found renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade, particularly in older patients with CHD, exacerbates CIN (43% incidence of dialysis and 29% progression to ESRD).[39] The marker used for renal function was eGFR, as calculated by the MDRD formula. The study recommended that RAAS blockade be withheld 48 hours prior to contrast exposure.

RAAS blockage, however, can improve renal perfusion and decrease proximal tubular reabsorption, including CM absorption by the tubular cells. This effect can be documented with the increase in the fractional excretion of urea seen with low-dose RAAS therapy in patients with CHF and moderate CKD (the majority of the CIN-susceptible population).[40] In this group, reduction in intraglomerular pressure and filtration fraction from RAAS therapy might decrease tubular CM concentration and therefore lessen its adverse effects.

Medication Summary

NAC is acetylated L-cysteine, an amino acid. As previously mentioned, its sulfhydryl groups make it an excellent antioxidant and scavenger of free oxygen radicals. It also enhances the vasodilatory properties of nitric oxide. Twelve meta-analyses covering 29 randomized, controlled trials have been published on the effect of NAC therapy in CIN. They all suffer from significant heterogeneity. The standard oral NAC regimen consists of 600 mg twice daily for 24 hours before and on the day of the procedure. Higher doses of 1 g, 1200 mg, and 1500 mg twice daily have also been studied, with no significant dose-related or route-related (oral vs intravenous) difference. NAC has very low oral bioavailability; substantial interpatient variability and inconsistency between the available oral products obscure the picture further.[24, 28]

Antidote, Acetaminophen

Class Summary

Used for prevention of contrast toxicity.

N-acetylcysteine (Acetadote)

Used for prevention of contrast toxicity in susceptible individuals such as those with diabetes mellitus. May provide substrate for conjugation with toxic metabolites.

Antilipemic Agents

Class Summary

These agents are used for their favorable effects on endothelin and thrombus formation, plaque stabilization and anti-inflammatory properties by improving lipid profile.

Simvastatin (Zocor)

Indicated for hyperlipoproteinemia (Type III). Inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA reductase), which in turn inhibit cholesterol synthesis, and increases cholesterol metabolism. Increase HDL cholesterol and decrease LDL-C, total-C, apolipoprotein B, VLDL cholesterol, and plasma triglycerides.

Atorvastatin (Lipitor)

The most efficacious of the statins at high doses. Inhibits 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA reductase), which in turn inhibits cholesterol synthesis and increases cholesterol metabolism. Reports have shown as much as a 60% reduction in LDL-C. The Atorvastatin versus Revascularization Treatment study (AVERT) compared 80 mg atorvastatin daily to standard therapy and angioplasty in patients with CHD. While events at 18 mo were the same between both groups, the length of time until the first CHD event occurred was longer with aggressive LDL-C lowering. The half-life of atorvastatin and its active metabolites is longer than that of all the other statins (ie, approximately 48 h compared to 3-4 h).

May modestly elevate HDL-C levels. Clinically, reduced levels of circulating total cholesterol, LDL-C, and serum TGs are observed.

Before initiating therapy, patients should be placed on a cholesterol-lowering diet for 3-6 mo; the diet should be continued indefinitely.

Lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev)

Adjunct to dietary therapy in reducing serum cholesterol. Immediate-release (Mevacor) and extended-release (Altocor) are available.

Fluvastatin (Lescol, Lescol XL)

Synthetically prepared HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor with some similarities to lovastatin, simvastatin, and pravastatin. However, structurally distinct and has different biopharmaceutical profile (eg, no active metabolites, extensive protein binding, minimal CSF penetration).

Used as an adjunct to dietary therapy in decreasing cholesterol levels.

Pravastatin (Pravachol)

Effective in reducing circulating lipid levels and improving the clinical and anatomic course of atherosclerosis.

Rosuvastatin (Crestor)

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor that in turn decreases cholesterol synthesis and increases cholesterol metabolism. Reduces total-C, LDL-C, and TG levels and increases HDL-C level. Used adjunctively with diet and exercise to treat hypercholesterolemia.

SOURCE

Managing Your Risks: Patient and Physician Health in the Cath Lab

flouro image

In this post we’ll explore the issue of radiation exposure, occupational risks in the catheterization lab, and how that can impact your care.

I. Patient Risks in the Cath Lab

Fluoroscopy is a type of medical imaging used during percutaneous coronary interventions that displays a continuous x-ray image. Blood flow and artery blockages are not able to be seen using x-ray only imaging. Physicians inject a contrast solution into the arteries so that when an x-ray beam is passed through the tissue, the physician can get a real-time image of the coronary arteries. On average, angioplasty procedures will last about an hour, this means the patient is exposed to ionizing radiation from the fluoroscopy for a significant amount of time. Lengthy procedures lead to greater exposure to the radiation of fluoroscopy.

Radiation has a cumulative effect and leads to increased risk for many conditions, most notably, cancer.  In healthcare where radiation is required for treatment, there is a prevailing philosophy called ALARA, which stands for as low as (is) reasonably achievable.   Wherever possible, physicians should be looking for ways to limit exposure to radiation to limit the cumulative effects of radiation on patients. Along with the risks posed by radiation, patients in the cath lab also face potentially high doses of the contrast medium which can cause a condition known as contrast induced nephropathy. The contrast solution that is so valuable to imaging can be toxic to the kidneys, and when the body is unable to process the contrast, it leads to CIN in which the kidneys shut down.  While most patients who develop CIN typically recover within 1- 2 weeks, it can cause serious renal (kidney) complications in patients with certain risk factors including diabetes, prior kidney transplant, chronic kidney disease, and hypertensive disorders. Therefore, physicians need to keep a constant watch on the contrast volume used during procedures to minimize the risk of CIN.

II. Occupational Hazards in the Cath Lab

It is well documented that Interventional Cardiologists face serious dangers of long-term radiation exposure in the cath lab. Risks to clinicians include: skin damage to hands and exposed tissue, injury to the lens of the eye/ cataracts, and in some cases the development of brain tumors and other cancers. In a 2012 study, researchers found an increased incidence of left hemisphere brain tumors in a study group of interventional cardiologists that may be attributed to the prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation to the left side of the head during interventional procedures.

Via LifeScience PLUS

Physicians in the Cardiac Cath Lab (Via LifeScience PLUS)

Lead aprons are the standard convention used in Cath labs across the US to reduce radiation exposure to physicians and staff; however these protective barriers can weigh between 15-20 pounds and place up to 300 pounds per square inch of pressure on vertebral disks. In one study more than 400 interventionalists were surveyed and 71% of the study population reported some type of orthopedic disease. According to Dr. Tom Ports, Director of Interventional Cardiology at University of San Francisco, the leading cause of early retirement for interventional cardiologists is spinal injury!

Attention to the danger of radiation exposure and other risks in the cath lab for both patients and staff is on the rise. As more focus is being brought upon safety practices in the cath lab, improved procedural measures are being put in place to protect physicians and staff, and improve the quality of care for patients.

http://blog.corindus.com/?p=124

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