Real-World Evoque Data Reassure, but It’s Still Early Days With TTVR
Early US real‑world data from the TVT Registry show that transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) with Edwards' Evoque device matches or modestly exceeds outcomes from the pivotal TRISCEND II trial. In 1,034 patients (average age 77, 69% female) 30‑day mortality was 3.1%, severe bleeding 7.9% and new pacemaker implantation 15.9%, all lower than trial benchmarks. Nearly all patients (98.4%) had mild or less tricuspid regurgitation after the procedure, and functional status improved markedly. Researchers caution that long‑term durability and thrombosis risk still need clarification.
Rox Heart Radio: The 2026 Dyslipidemia Guidelines
In a recent Rox Heart Radio episode, cardiologists Roxana Mehran and Ann Marie Navar dissect the 2026 dyslipidemia guidelines. The conversation spotlights tighter LDL‑cholesterol targets, routine Lp(a) screening, and expanded use of coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring for risk stratification. They...
C-TRACT: Iliac Vein Stenting Results Look Good in Postthrombotic Syndrome
The C‑TRACT trial showed that adding iliac vein stenting to standard therapy markedly improves symptoms and quality of life for patients with post‑thrombotic syndrome after deep‑vein thrombosis. At six months, stented patients scored two points lower on the Venous Clinical...
Women Less Likely Than Men to Adhere to Post-ACS Medications: TEXTMEDS
An analysis of the TEXTMEDS trial found that women 12 months after an acute coronary syndrome are less likely than men to meet LDL‑cholesterol and physical‑activity targets and to adhere to guideline‑directed medications. Only 46% of women reported taking ≥80%...
No Sustained Benefit of High-Flow Nasal Oxygen After Cardiac Surgery: NOTACS
A multinational randomized trial (NOTACS) involving 1,280 high‑risk cardiac surgery patients found that prophylactic high‑flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNOT) did not improve 90‑day patient‑centered outcomes compared with standard oxygen. Both groups recorded a median of zero days alive and at...
Multifaceted Intervention Controls BP in Low-Income Hypertension Patients
The IMPACTS‑BP trial showed that a systematic, team‑based intervention lowered systolic blood pressure by an additional 6.4 mm Hg compared with usual care among low‑income patients in federally qualified health centers in Louisiana and Mississippi. Over 18 months, participants receiving the protocol...
CTO PCI Reduces Symptoms, Improves Quality of Life: Meta-Analysis
A new meta‑analysis of the EUROCTO and DECISION‑CTO trials, encompassing 518 patients with a single chronic total occlusion, shows that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) markedly improves health status compared with optimal medical therapy (OMT). PCI achieved an 88.7% first‑attempt success...
Financial Support After Hospital Discharge Boosts HFrEF Outcomes: FUND-HF
The FUND‑HF pilot gave low‑income patients discharged after a heart‑failure hospitalization a $500 debit‑card stipend immediately, versus a delayed payout. One‑month medication adherence rose to 58.7% in the early‑aid group compared with 42.3% in controls, and adherence to guideline‑directed therapy...
Tricuspid Training Series: Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Interventions
In a TCTMD podcast released on April 8, 2026, interventional cardiologists Rick Nishimura and Paul Sorajja explored transcatheter solutions for severe symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation. The discussion highlighted how catheter‑based repairs and replacements can address patients deemed too high‑risk for conventional surgery. They...
Hints of a Mortality Benefit With TTVR at 2 Years TRISCEND II
The TRISCEND II trial shows transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) remains safe and improves quality of life at two years. A post‑hoc crossover analysis suggests a mortality advantage for patients receiving the Edwards Evoque device versus those who never received TTVR. While...
DIG-RHD: Digoxin Effective in Rheumatic Heart Disease
The DIG‑RHD trial, presented at ACC 2026, randomized 1,759 patients with symptomatic rheumatic heart disease in India to digoxin or placebo. Over a median 2.1‑year follow‑up, digoxin achieved a 4.1‑percentage‑point absolute reduction in the composite of all‑cause death or new‑onset/worsening...
African Patients and Trialists Largely Left Out of CV Research
A new study reveals that African populations are dramatically underrepresented in cardiovascular clinical trials, with less than 4 % of 2,472 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted exclusively in Africa and only 0.6 % appearing in top cardiology journals. Lead author Bamba Gaye...
Disparities Widen Across Regions as Global Hypertension Burden Grows
A new meta‑analysis of 287 studies covering 6.1 million adults shows that 1.71 billion people—about one‑third of the global adult population—had hypertension in 2020. While high‑income nations saw a modest 2.7 % drop in age‑standardized prevalence, low‑ and middle‑income countries experienced a 5.8 %...
Despite Guidelines, Aspirin Is Used in Fewer Than One in Four High-Risk Pregnancies
Researchers at Mass General Brigham analyzed 21,326 women (30,767 pregnancies) and found that only 24% of high‑risk pregnancies received low‑dose aspirin by 2023, despite USPSTF recommending it since 2014. Preeclampsia affects up to 7% of pregnancies and raises both short‑term...
Sirolimus DCB in Peripheral Disease Makes Strides in Hard Outcomes: SirPAD
The SirPAD trial showed that a sirolimus‑coated drug‑coated balloon (MagicTouch) significantly lowered major adverse limb events (MALE) to 8.8% versus 15% with uncoated balloons in femoropopliteal and below‑the‑knee peripheral artery disease patients. At one year, the composite of unplanned amputation...
