Spectrum Of Coronary Artery Disease Research Articles

Colchicine for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Potential Global Implementation.

Targeting traditional cardiovascular risk factors is effective in reducing recurrent cardiovascular events, yet the presence of residual cardiovascular risk due to underlying systemic inflammation is a largely unaddressed opportunity. This review aims to comprehensively assess the evolving role of colchicine as a therapeutic approach targeting residual inflammatory risk in the context of those with coronary artery disease (CAD). Inflammation plays a significant role in promoting atherosclerosis, and targeting anti-inflammatory pathways has the potential to decrease cardiovascular events. Low-dose colchicine (0.5mg/day orally), when added to guideline-directed medical care for CAD, safely decreases major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) by 31% in stable atherosclerosis patients and 23% in those after recent myocardial infarctions. Meta-analyses of recent randomized control trials further support both the efficacy and safety of colchicine, particularly when added to other standard cardiovascular therapies, including statin therapy. The European Society of Cardiology and other national guidelines endorse the use of low-dose colchicine in patients across the spectrum of CAD. Recently, colchicine was FDA-approved in the United States as the first anti-inflammatory therapy for the reduction of cardiovascular events. In a period of a rising incidence of CAD across the globe, colchicine represents a unique opportunity to decrease MACE due to its large magnitude of benefits and general affordability. However, challenges with drug interactions must be addressed, especially in those regions where HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis are prevalent. Colchicine is safe and effective at reducing cardiovascular events across a broad spectrum of coronary syndromes. The ability to simultaneously target traditional risk factors and mitigate residual inflammatory risk marks a substantial advancement in cardiovascular prevention strategies, heralding a new era in the global battle against CAD.

Validation of coronary CTA based-British cardiovascular intervention society Jeopardy score (CT-BCIS-JS) against invasive BCIS-JS - a feasibility and reproducibility study

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Promedica Stiftung and the Iten-Kohaut Foundation in collaboration with the USZ Foundation Background/Introduction The invasive British Cardiovascular Intervention Society Jeopardy Score (iBCIS-JS) is a simple angiographic scoring system, enabling quantification of the extent of jeopardized myocardium related to clinically significant coronary artery disease (CAD). Ranging from 0 (no significant CAD) to 12 (CAD jeopardizing the whole LV- myocardium), the score is used for the entire spectrum of CAD including left main coronary artery and coronary artery bypass graft disease. A score of ≥6 identifies patients with anatomically high-risk CAD. Non-invasive CAD assessment with coronary CTA is hampered by modest specificity, leading potentially to increased utilization of downstream diagnostic tests. Purpose To validate coronary CTA-based assessment of the BCIS-JS (CT-BCIS-JS) against the iBCIS-JS and to assess its feasibility and reproducibility. Methods A total of 137 patients who underwent clinically indicated coronary CTA and subsequent invasive coronary angiography within 90 days were included in the analysis. Eleven patients were excluded due to suboptimal CTA image quality. CT-BCIS-JS and iBCIS-JS were calculated. Correlations were assessed with the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and agreement between scores with Bland-Altman (BA) analysis and with weighted kappa statistics. Inter-observer variability was investigated in a subset of 51 randomly selected patients. Results Median and interquartile range (IQR) of CT-BCIS-JS was 4 (IQR=8) and of iBCIS-JS 4 (IQR=8) (Figure 1). A CT-BCIS-JS of ≥6 and was observed in 56 (44%) patients and an iBCIS-JS of ≥6 in 54 patients (43%). An excellent correlation between the iBCIS-JS and the CT-BCIS-JS was observed (rho=0.97, p<0.0001; Figure 2A) with high agreement (BA bias 0.1 and limits of agreement −2.0 to 2.2; Figure 2B). Kappa analysis demonstrated excellent aagreement for identification of a iBCIS-JS of ≥6 (Kappa Weighted= 0.94, 95% CI 0.87–0.99). Inter-observer analysis revealed excellent correlation (rho=0.98, p<0.0001) and agreement (BA bias 0.12 and limits of agreement −1.33 to 1.57). Conclusions The CT-BCIS-JC represents a feasible and highly reproducible tool for accurate, non-invasive identification of patients with anatomically high-risk CAD. Hence, the CT-BCIS-JC may serve as reliable gatekeeper for invasive testing in the management of patients with CAD.

Bempedoic Acid: An Emerging Therapy for Uncontrolled Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a silent epidemic, which is progressing relentlessly across the globe. Developing countries such as India have a high prevalence of dyslipidemia and consequently a huge burden of coronary artery disease (CAD) and ASCVD. Low-density lipoprotein is regarded as the primary culprit in the genesis of ASCVD, and statins are the first line therapy for LDL-C lowering. Statin therapy has unequivocally demonstrated the benefit of lowering LDL-C in patients across the spectrum of CAD and ASCVD. Muscle symptoms and worsening of glycemic homeostasis could be challenges with statin therapy, especially with the use of high doses. A large fraction of patients are also unable to achieve their LDL goals with statins alone in clinical practice. Moreover, LDL-C goals have become aggressive over years, necessitating a combination of lipid lowering therapies. PCSK-9 inhibitors and Inclisiran have emerged as robust and safe lipid-lowering agents, but parenteral administration and high cost precludes their widespread use. Bempedoic acid is a novel lipid-lowering agent working upstream of statins by inhibiting the enzyme ATP citrate lyase (ACL). The drug produces an average LDL lowering of 22-28% in statin-naïve patients and 17-18% when given to preexisting statin users. Because skeletal muscles lack the ACL enzyme, there is minimal risk of muscle-related symptoms. In combination with ezetimibe, the drug synergistically reduced LDL-C by 39%. Moreover, the drug has no adverse effect on glycemic parameters and lowers hsCRP (inflammation) like statin. The series of four randomized CLEAR trials, involving >4000 patients, have shown consistent LDL lowering across the spectrum of ASCVD patients with or without background therapy. The large and only cardiovascular outcome trial of the drug (CLEAR Outcomes) has recently demonstrated a 13% reduction of MACE at 40 months. Rise in levels of uric acid (four times) and acute gout (three times) are more common compared to placebo with the drug, owing to competitive renal transportation by OAT 2. In a nutshell, Bempedoic acid represents a value addition to the inventory of dyslipidemia management.

Revascularization and Medical Therapy for Chronic Coronary Syndromes: Lessons Learnt from Recent Trials, a Literature Review.

Stable coronary artery disease (CAD) has recently been replaced by a new entity described as chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). This new entity has been developed based on a better understanding of the pathogenesis, the clinical characteristics, and the morbi-mortality associated to this condition as part of the dynamic spectrum of CAD. This has significant implications in the clinical management of CCS patients, that ranges from lifestyle adaptation, medical therapy targeting all the elements contributing to CAD progression (i.e., platelet aggregation, coagulation, dyslipidaemia, and systemic inflammation), to invasive strategies (i.e., revascularization). CCS is the most frequent presentation of coronary artery disease which is the first cardiovascular disease worldwide. Medical therapy is the first line therapy for these patients; however, revascularization and especially percutaneous coronary intervention remains beneficial for some of them. European and American guidelines on myocardial revascularization were released in 2018 and 2021, respectively. These guidelines provide different scenarios to help physicians choose the optimal therapy for CCS patients. Recently, several trials focusing on CCS patients have been published. We sought to synthetize the place of revascularization in CCS patients according to the latest guidelines, the lessons learnt from recent trials on revascularization and medical therapy, and future perspectives.

MicroRNAs as Potential Biomarkers in Coronary Artery Disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality globally. Although substantial advances have been made in the diagnosis, management, and risk stratification of CAD, there is still a need for novel diagnostic biomarkers and new therapeutic targets to prevent the epidemic of the disease. Recently, growing evidence has linked dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) to cardiovascular diseases, including CAD. miRNAs are endogenous, stable, single-stranded, short, non-coding RNAs, and may have utility as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for CAD. Dysregulated miRNAs are involved in regulating lipid and glucose homeostasis pathways, reninangiotensin- aldosterone pathways, inflammation, endothelial and vascular smooth cell phenotypes promoting atherosclerotic plaque development, progression, and instability. Additionally, miRNAs are stable and easily accessible in the extracellular space, may reside in microvesicles, and are detectable in serum or plasma, making them attractive biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of cardiovascular disease. Accumulating studies suggest that miRNAs could be useful biomarkers for early discrimination of patients presenting with myocarditis or Takotsubo syndrome from those with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, early prognostication of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes, and accurate detection of left ventricular remodeling after a chronic or acute ischemic event. Moreover, miRNAs represent potential novel therapeutic targets for CAD or other cardiovascular diseases. This review provides an overview of the effects of the entire spectrum of CAD, its major risk factors, and complications on levels of circulating miRNAs, as well as the limitations and challenges of their potential clinical applications.

Clinical Application of Myocardial Perfusion SPECT in Patients with Suspected or Known Coronary Artery Disease. What Role in the Multimodality Imaging Era?

Myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is widely used in assessing coronary artery disease (CAD) owing to its proven efficacy in extensive clinical experience. Like other functional tests, myocardial SPECT is recommended for the diagnosis of obstructive CAD, risk stratification assessment, and treatment decision making. Besides quantifying left ventricular volume, global and regional function by electrocardiography (ECG)-gated acquisition, myocardial SPECT can identify myocardial ischemia, scars, stunning, and viable hibernating myocardium. It provides comprehensive functional data across the spectrum of CAD and a cost-effective strategy in patients with intermediate pre-test probability of CAD or with a history of ischemic cardiomyopathy. With ongoing advances in cardiovascular prevention and risk factor management many patients referred for testing now have a low-to-intermediate probability of CAD. Besides, CAD has become a chronic condition resulting from novel therapeutic strategies. Against this background, approaches combining anatomical and functional tests in sequence or simultaneously include coronary artery calcium score integrated with perfusion imaging or fusion SPECT/coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). In this review we summarize current indications for myocardial perfusion SPECT and integration of SPECT with other imaging techniques to improve diagnostic performance, patient management, and outcome prediction in CAD.

Cardiovascular positron emission tomography: established and emerging role in cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has established themselves firmly as excellent and reliable functional imaging modalities in assessment of the spectrum of coronary artery disease. With the explosion of technology advances and the dream of flow quantification now a reality, the value of PET is now well realized. Cardiac PET has proved itself as precise imaging modality that provides functional imaging of the heart in addition to anatomical imaging. It has established itself as one of the best available techniques for evaluation of myocardial viability. Hybrid PET/computed tomography provides simultaneous integration of coronary anatomy and function with myocardial perfusion and metabolism, thereby improving characterization of the dysfunctional area and chronic coronary artery disease. The availability of quantitative myocardial blood flow evaluation with PET provides additional prognostic information and increases diagnostic accuracy in the management of patients with coronary artery disease. Hybrid imaging seems to hold immense potential in optimizing management of cardiovascular diseases and furthering clinical research.

A-22 | Predictors of 1-Year Mortality in 6656 Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Across Entire Spectrum of Coronary Artery Disease

There is limited data on outcomes of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) across the whole spectrum of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hence we investigated the determinants of one-year post PCI mortality in this group.

Nuclear Cardiology in Women and Underrepresented Minority Populations.

To outline sex-specific features of coronary artery disease (CAD) that should be considered in the assessment of women, including those from ethnic minority populations with suspected stable ischemic heart disease (IHD). Second, to determine the latest nuclear imaging tools available to assess microvascular CAD. Latest studies indicate that women are more likely to have ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) and paradoxically have worse outcomes. Therefore, the evaluation of women with suspected IHD should include assessing microvascular and epicardial coronary circulation. The prevalence of CAD is increasing in younger women due to the increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk burden. CAD is often underrecognized in these patients. There is increasing recognition that INOCA is not benign and should be accurately diagnosed and managed. Nuclear imaging assesses the full spectrum of CAD from microvascular CAD to multivessel obstructive epicardial CAD. Further research on myocardial blood flow (MBF) assessment with PET MPI is needed.

Spectrum of coronary artery disease in seropositive syphilis patients in the modern era

Spectrum of coronary artery disease in seropositive syphilis patients in the modern era

STUDY OF PLATELET INDICES IN ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME AND STABLE ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH ANGIOGRAPHIC SEVERITY OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Aims: To investigate platelet volume indices (PVI) in the spectrum of coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease. Methods: There were 283 instances evaluated, with 86 patients having stable coronary artery disease (stable CAD) or being admitted for a coronary artery bypass graft or coronary angiography operation. On the basis of history, specific electrocardiographic alterations, and elevated cardiac enzyme activity, 72 patients were diagnosed with unstable angina (UA) and 68 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The fourth group included 57 healthy individuals with no history of cardiac disease and an ECG that was normal. Results: Mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, and platelet large cell ratio- were higher in patients with AMI and UA compared with those with stable CAD and the control group. Conclusions: Platelets are a risk factor for acquiring coronary thrombosis, which leads to myocardial infarction. Patients with higher platelet counts can be easily diagnosed during standard haematological testing and may benefit from preventive medication. Thus, PVI is a critical, and cost-effective technique that should be used and researched widely to predict the possibility of imminent acute events.

Reduction of Myocardial Infarction and All-Cause Mortality Associated to Statins in Patients Without Obstructive CAD

ObjectivesThe aim of this work was to evaluate the prognostic impact of statin therapy in symptomatic patients without obstructive CAD. BackgroundInformation on the prognostic impact of post–coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) statin use in patients with no or nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is sparse. MethodsPatients undergoing CTA with suspected CAD in western Denmark from 2008 to 2017 with <50% coronary stenoses were identified. Information on post-CTA use of statin therapy and cardiovascular events were obtained from national registries. ResultsThe study included 33,552 patients, median aged 56 years, 58% female, with no (n = 19,669) or nonobstructive (n = 13,883) CAD and a median follow-up of 3.5 years. The absolute risk of the combined end point of myocardial infarction (MI) or all-cause mortality was directly associated with the CAD burden with an event rate/1,000 patient-years of 4.13 (95% CI: 3.69-4.61) in no, 7.74 (95% CI: 6.88-8.71) in mild (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] 0-99), 13.72 (95% CI: 11.61-16.23) in moderate (CACS 100-399), and 32.47 (95% CI: 26.25-40.16) in severe (CACS ≥400) nonobstructive CAD. Statin therapy was associated with a multivariable adjusted HR for MI and death of 0.52 (95% CI: 0.36-0.75) in no, 0.44 (95% CI: 0.32-0.62) in mild, 0.51 (95% CI: 0.34-0.75) in moderate, and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.32-0.86) in severe nonobstructive CAD. The estimated numbers needed to treat to prevent the primary end point were 92 (95% CI: 61-182) in no, 36 (95% CI: 26-58) in mild, 24 (95% CI: 15-61) in moderate, and 13 (95% CI: 7-86) in severe nonobstructive CAD. Residual confounding may persist, but not to an extent explaining all of the observed risk reduction associated with statin treatment. ConclusionsThe risk of MI and all-cause mortality in patients without obstructive CAD is directly associated with the CAD burden. Statin therapy is associated with a reduction of MI and all-cause death across the spectrum of CAD, however, the absolute benefit of treatment is directionally proportional with the CAD burden.

Anti-IL-20 Antibody Protects against Ischemia/Reperfusion-Impaired Myocardial Function through Modulation of Oxidative Injuries, Inflammation and Cardiac Remodeling.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the most critical event in the disease spectrum of coronary artery disease. To rescue cardiomyocytes in AMI, it is important to restore blood supply as soon as possible to reduce ischemia-induced injury. However, worse damage can occur during the reperfusion phase, called the reperfusion injury. Under ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, elevated oxidative stress plays a critical role in regulation of apoptosis, inflammation and remodeling of myocardium. Our previous study has demonstrated that interleukin (IL)-20 is increased during hypoxia/reoxygenation stimulation and promotes apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. This study was, therefore, designed to investigate whether IL-20 antibody could reduce I/R-induced myocardial dysfunction. Results from this study revealed that IL-20 antibody treatment significantly suppressed I/R-induced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, oxidative stress, apoptosis, proinflammatory responses, cardiac fibrosis, and expression of cardiac remodeling markers in Sprague-Dawley rats. Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide level was also reduced by IL-20 antibody injection. IL-20 antibody treatment appeared to restore cardiac function under the I/R injury in terms of greater values of ejection fraction and fractional shortening compared to the control group. Two commonly used indicators of cardiac injury, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase-MB, were also lower in the IL-20 antibody injection group. Taken together, our results suggested that IL-20 antibody holds the potential to reduce the I/R-elicited cardiac dysfunction by preventing cardiac remodeling.

Risk Factors Associated With the Extent of Coronary Vessel Involvement Across the Spectrum of Coronary Artery Disease

Background: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity in developed and developing countries. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors associated with the extent of coronary vessel involvement across the spectrum of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in patients referring to the Cardiac Ward of Vali-Asr Hospital of Birjand, Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 3,394 patients undergoing coronary angiography at the Cardiac Ward of Vali-Asr Hospital of Birjand, Iran, in 2011-2015. Subjects were assigned to four groups in terms of the extent of coronary vessel involvement: Normal CAD, non-significant CAD, CAD, and non-obstructive CAD. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confident intervals were calculated by including all variables with P values &lt; 0.05 into the multivariate model to control for confounding factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: Among male and female patients, those aged 45-65 years needed angiography more than other groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes, male gender, FBS, and history of hypertension significantly increased the likelihood of coronary vessel involvement (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of the present study imply that age, male gender, FBS, and history of hypertension are the independent risk factors for the extent of coronary vessel involvement in CAD and non-significant CAD groups. To reduce the rates and consequences of CAD, it is paramount to control cardiovascular risk factors, screen susceptible populations at risk, and improve coronary interventional services.

Comparative Analysis of the Effect of Renal Function on the Spectrum of Coronary Artery Disease

BackgroundWe aim to assess the differential effect of renal impairment across the spectrum of patients with ischaemic heart disease and to study if any established risk factors may modify this risk. MethodsA total of 2013 patients who underwent revascularization for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction or invasive physiology assessment were included. Renal impairment was defined as glomerular filtration rate less than 60 ml/min/1.73m2. Clinical endpoints were prospectively collected, and the primary endpoint was defined as the composite endpoints of death, myocardial infarction, and unplanned revascularization. Results593 (30%) presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and 1362 (70%) stable patients had invasive ischaemia assessment which resulted in 37% receiving revascularization and 63% being deferred. Renal impairment was associated with increased adverse events in myocardial infarction [HR 1.77 (95% CI 1.15 to 2.74)], but not in the revascularized stable group [(HR 1.14 (95% CI 0.62 to 2.08)] or the deferred group [HR 1.31 (95% CI 0.84 to 2.03)]. There was an exponential increase in the future risk in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients with severe renal dysfunction (glomerular filtration rate < 30) compared to a linear relationship in stable patients. Age and hypertension were the only two factors that had a differential impact across three groups (P<0.05 for interactions), with inconsistent directional effect of hypertension between medically managed and revascularized groups. ConclusionsThe magnitude of risk of renal impairment varies according to the clinical presentation of coronary artery disease with more weighted risk in myocardial infarction compared to stable patients.

DoEs NTproBNP predict NO flow phenomenon IN patients undergoing coronary Angioplasty in IHD amongst Asian Indians? (DENOMINATE Study)

Context: No-flow phenomenon during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon with often devastating complications during PCI, especially in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) settings. There is paucity of data on serological predictors of the same. Materials and Methods: This was an open-label, all-comers, observational, prospective study done on 175 patients covering the whole spectrum of coronary artery disease, undergoing PCI at the center. On admission detailed clinical history , general and systemic examination and laboratory investigations in form of hemoglobin, blood urea, serum creatinine, serum sodium, serum potassium, random blood sugar, electrocardiogram(ECG) and tropinin T were also done. Post procedure creatinine protein kinase MB (CPK MB) was done after 24 hrs, and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow was assessed during PCI in all patients by the operating interventional cardiologist. Results: The mean value of NT-proBNP among patients with TIMI flow Conclusion: Our study shows that higher NT-proBNP levels in patients with ACS who undergo PCI have higher likelihood of developing no-flow phenomenon during PCI.

P3760Temporal trends in stroke prevalence and its associations with changing patterns of antithrombotic regimens in patients with atrial fibrillation and a wide spectrum of coronary artery disease

Abstract Introduction Much of the morbidity and mortality associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) is due to cerebrovascular thrombo-embolic complications such as ischemic stroke. Antithrombotic therapy is the fundamental treatment for many cardiovascular conditions, e.g. coronary artery disease (CAD), AF, and stroke to prevent thrombotic complications and death, but many patients have both CAD and AF. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and a P2Y12 inhibitor has proven most effective in patients with recent myocardial infarction (MI) or after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), whereas for AF, oral anticoagulation (OAC) is most effective, with lesser efficacy but similar bleeding using DAPT. We investigated temporal trends in stroke prevalence and its associations with changing patterns of antithrombotic regimens in patients with non-valvular AF and a wide spectrum of co-incident CAD. Methods The Silesian TRiplE Antithrombotic Therapy (TREAT) Registry enrolled 14,873 patients with CAD from 2006 to 2014: 9,379 with stable CAD (SCAD), 1,460 with unstable angina (UA), 1,760 with NSTEMI and 2,328 with STEMI. We compared temporal trends in clinical features, an incidence of clinical events and patterns of antithrombotic regimens. Results 2,194 of 14,873 patients (14.6%) had AF, including 74.1% with SCAD, 7.7% with UA, 10.1% with NSTEMI and 8.1% with STEMI. The AF prevalence increased from 11.2% in 2006 to 17.2% in 2014 which may be attributed to increasing age from 62.7 in 2006 to 67.8 in 2014. Overall, there was an increasing use of OAC therapy alone or with SAPT or DAPT from 46–50% in 2006–7 to 77–86%% in 2013–14. There was a steady increase in utilization of TREAT, and OAC ± SAPT throughout the study period (Panel A): after PCI there was a substantial increase in TREAT with a steady decline in DAPT (Panel B). The stroke rates declined throughout the study period from 3.3% in 2004 through a peak of 4.9% in 2011 to 1.1% in 2014. Conversely, bleeding rates increased from 6.0% to 10.5%. Conclusions There has been an increase followed by a progressive decline in stroke rate despite increasing age and AF prevalence in patients with both CAD and AF. This phenomenon is associated with a significant increase in the proportion of AF patients receiving guideline-recommended OAC therapy, driven by a steady increase in the utilization of triple antithrombotic therapy in patients following ACS or stent implantation and increase in OAC monotherapy in patients without ACS or stent implantation. This positive effect on stroke incidence is offset by increased bleeding risk, necessitating a closer look at the duration of triple therapy for ACS or PCI, and the long-term requirement for additional antiplatelet treatment in uncomplicated CAD.

Risk and Blood Pressure Control Rates Across the Spectrum of Coronary Artery Disease in Hypertensive Women: An Analysis from The INternational VErapamil SR-Trandolapril STudy (INVEST).

Background: Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), the main cause of death in women. While association between the two is frequent, limited data exist regarding the feasibility of blood pressure (BP) management and outcomes in women across the spectrum of CAD. Accordingly, we analyzed patient characteristics, BP control rates, and outcomes among hypertensive women with CAD, enrolled in The INternational VErapamil SR-trandolapril STudy (INVEST). Methods: The 11,770 hypertensive women with CAD in INVEST were studied based on presence (n = 3,879) or absence (n = 7,891) of history of myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary revascularization, to evaluate outcomes across risk groups based on severity of CAD. Results: Women with prior MI or revascularization were older (4 years, p < 0.0001), were predominantly white (62% vs. 29%), and had more associated comorbidities than women without these events. At 24 months, JNC VI (sixth report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure) BP control rates were lower in women with prior MI or revascularization (57% vs. 64%, p < 0.0001), despite more intensive antihypertensive therapy. The primary outcome (first occurrence of all-cause death, nonfatal MI, or nonfatal stroke) was also more frequent in women with prior MI or revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-1.74), who were 42% more likely to die (adjusted HR 1.42; 95% CI 1.22-1.64), twice as likely to have a nonfatal MI (adjusted HR 2.4, 95% CI 1.64-3.51), and 56% more likely to have a nonfatal stroke (adjusted HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.1-2.21). Conclusions: In a prospective, multinational cohort of hypertensive women with CAD, those with prior MI or revascularization comprised a group at higher risk for death, nonfatal MI, and nonfatal stroke, and were less likely to have their BP controlled, despite more aggressive therapy. The feasibility and benefit of reducing BP to <130/80 mmHg in women, particularly with more severe CAD, warrant further investigation.

Sex differences in long-term outcomes of patients across the spectrum of coronary artery disease

Patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) have worse outcomes compared with those without CAD; however, few studies have compared the intermediate- and long-term impact of CAD severity as a function of patient sex. We evaluated 5-year and long-term all-cause mortality of women and men undergoing elective coronary angiography at a single center by degree of CAD: no CAD (1%-24% stenosis), nonobstructive CAD (25%-69% epicardial stenosis or 25%-49% left main stenosis), or obstructive CAD (epicardial stenosis ≥70% or left main stenosis ≥50%), both overall and after adjusting for baseline clinical risk factors using Cox proportional-hazards models. Between January 1986 and July 2010, 8,766 women and 11,638 men underwent angiography and were followed for a median of 9.2 years. The majority (67%) of women had no CAD or nonobstructive CAD, whereas the majority of men had obstructive CAD (56%, P < .001). In both sexes, increasing CAD was associated with increased 5-year risk of mortality. Risk-adjusted hazard ratios (vs no CAD) for women were 1.36 (95% CI, 1.16-1.60) and 1.86 (1.61-2.16) for nonobstructive and obstructive CAD, respectively; corresponding hazard ratios for men were 1.24 (1.06-1.45) and 1.38 (1.20-1.59). After risk adjustment, 5-year mortality risk was higher in men than in women at all levels of CAD severity. The relationships between severity of CAD and mortality risk during long-term follow-up in women and men were similar to the 5-year relationships above. Although women undergoing elective catheterization have less severe CAD than men, nonobstructive CAD is prevalent in both sexes and carries a worse prognosis than no CAD. These data suggest a need for further investigation to establish optimal therapies for this at-risk group of patients with nonobstructive CAD.

P4794Temporal trends in antithrombotic patterns for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and wide spectrum of coronary artery disease

P4794Temporal trends in antithrombotic patterns for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and wide spectrum of coronary artery disease