TCTMD’s Top 10 Most Popular Stories for September 2021

The top stories on TCTMD for September 2021 include some holdovers from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2021—including two guideline releases—as well as PRESERVE-HF from the Heart Failure Society of America’s virtual meeting earlier this month. Rounding out the list are two announcements from the US Food and Drug Administration, an analysis of menopause and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk, a comparison of drug-eluting stents and drug-coated balloons (DCB) for coronary in-stent restenosis, and a peek at the estimated impact of the expanded label for sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto, Novartis). Leading the list, however, is TCTMD’s thrice-weekly summary of COVID-19 news.

1. TCTMD’s COVID-19 Dispatch

Cardiologists continue to keep an eye on COVID-19. We update our Dispatch with the top research and health policy news, as well as media highlights, three times per week.

2. PRESERVED-HF: Dapagliflozin Improves Symptoms, Physical Limitations in HFpEF

“This is the largest KCCQ benefit ever reported in any trial with a drug for HFrEF or HFpEF,” Milton Packer noted.

3. FDA Approves Portico TAVI Valve, Paving the Way for Third US Device

The self-expanding system joined the FDA-cleared CoreValve and Sapien, but with an indication restricted, for now, to high-risk patients.

4. 2021 ESC/EACTS Valve Guidelines Unveil TAVI/SAVR Age Cutoffs and Earlier Care

The surgeon and cardiologist chairs stressed that patient involvement and heart center expertise are lynchpins for 2021.

5. In ACS, Clopidogrel Monotherapy After 1-Month DAPT Falls Short: STOPDAPT-2 ACS

In this ACS trial with a durable-polymer stent, shorter DAPT did not match the antiplatelet standard for ischemic events and bleeding.

6. Early Menopause Linked to Increased ASCVD Risk

If a woman goes through menopause early, extra attention should be paid to other CV risk factors, one researcher said.

7. New ESC HF Guidelines Showcase SGLT2 Inhibitors, Tafamidis, Vericiguat, and COAPT

A guideline chair acknowledged the new document is already in need of an update—a “nice” problem to have, said Marco Metra.

8. FDA Investigating Possible Sex Differences in LAAO Outcomes

A “Dear Doctor” letter alerted physicians to a recent study showing worse procedural results with left atrial appendage closure in women.

9. DCB Match DES for Treating Coronary In-Stent Restenosis: European Registry

The Polish data, though observational, lend support to current European guidelines, but—for now—mean little to US operators.

10. Big Impact Anticipated With HFpEF Expansion of Sacubitril/Valsartan Label

The analysis suggested that as many as 180,000 worsening HF events could be averted over 3 years depending on how “below-normal” EF is defined.

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