Changed Warning on Statins; Novel Anticoagulant Shines; Porous Clots in Stroke

FDA is walking back the contraindication against statins for pregnant patients, but the agency maintains that most pregnant people should stop statin therapy.

Rates of venous thromboembolism after elective total knee arthroplasty favored the novel factor XI inhibitor abelacimab over standard anticoagulant enoxaparin (Lovenox) in a phase II trial. (New England Journal of Medicine)

Cardiology practices may see a 2% drop in payments in 2022, due to the proposed reduction of the CMS conversion factor, per an estimate from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

People at intermediate risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease may have their risk downgraded thanks to coronary artery calcium scoring. (JAMA Cardiology)

Methamphetamine-associated heart failure hospitalizations rose sharply from 2008 to 2018 in California. (Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes)

Prescribing practices in atrial fibrillation varied widely among outpatient cardiology clinics participating in the PINNACLE registry. Nearly 15% of patients were prescribed medications that were not recommended. (American Journal of Cardiology)

Observational data suggest apixaban (Eliquis) was more effective than warfarin as a prophylactic treatment in atrial fibrillation, regardless of frailty status. Dabigatran (Pradaxa) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto) were associated with fewer adverse events versus warfarin only in those with no frailty. (Annals of Internal Medicine)

Stroke patients with more thrombus perviousness did not have better outcomes with endovascular therapy over intravenous alteplase, the HERMES group reported. (Stroke)

Researchers identified five predictors of device-related thrombus after percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion. (Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, one hospital found it feasible to have patients undergo diagnostic transesophageal echocardiography and transcatheter mitral valve repair in one sitting. (JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions)

The cardiac myosin inhibitor CK-274 showed promising results as a treatment for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the phase II REDWOOD-HCM trial, Cytokinetics announced.

Paroxetine (Paxil), an inhibitor of G-protein receptor kinase 2, did not improve left ventricular ejection fraction in patients after acute anterior myocardial infarction, a small trial found. (JAMA Cardiology)

CMS is expecting hospitals to report and return overpayments for cardiac device explants from over the past 6 years as early as next month. (National Law Review)

FDA handed 510(k) premarket clearance to the SafeCross transseptal system that facilitates left atrial access in catheter-based procedures, according to manufacturer East End Medical.

Independent of other types of exercise, cycling was linked to better heart health and survival for people with diabetes. (JAMA Internal Medicine)

Roughly half of adults with congenital heart disease were missing regular cardiac care in high-resource Germany. (European Heart Journal)

Early research on an exosome spray to the heart, a potential new avenue in cellular repair, was highlighted by the American Chemical Society.

Preclinical data point to acid sensing ion channel 1a blockade as a worthy therapeutic strategy in ischemia-reperfusion injury. (Circulation)

A cardiologist charged with healthcare fraud did not show up for his federal sentencing hearing. His excuse: he was resting after suffering an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)