Anuradha Lala

Aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular events in patients without clinical cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis of randomized trials

BACKGROUND The benefit of aspirin to prevent cardiovascular events in subjects without clinical cardiovascular disease relative to the increased risk of bleeding is uncertain. METHODS A meta-analysis of randomized trials of aspirin versus placebo/control to assess the effect of aspirin on major cardiovascular events (MCEs) (nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death), individual components of the MCE, stroke subtype, all-cause mortality, and major bleeding. Nine trials involving 102,621 patients were included: 52,145 allocated to aspirin and 50,476 to placebo/control. RESULTS Over a mean follow-up of 6.9 years, aspirin was associated with a reduction in MCE (risk ratio [RR] 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.96, P < .001). There was no significant reduction for myocardial infarction, stroke, ischemic stroke, or all-cause mortality. Aspirin was associated with hemorrhagic stroke (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.01-1.81, P = .04) and major bleeding (RR 1.62, 95% CI 1.31-2.00, P < .001). In meta-regression, the benefits and bleeding risks of aspirin were independent of baseline cardiovascular risk, background therapy, age, sex, and aspirin dose. The number needed to treat to prevent 1 MCE over a mean follow-up of 6.9 years was 253 (95% CI 163-568), which was offset by the number needed to harm to cause 1 major bleed of 261 (95% CI 182-476). CONCLUSIONS The current totality of evidence provides only modest support for a benefit of aspirin in patients without clinical cardiovascular disease, which is offset by its risk. For every 1,000 subjects treated with aspirin over a 5-year period, aspirin would prevent 2.9 MCE and cause 2.8 major bleeds.

Right heart failure: toward a common language.

In this perspective, the International Right Heart Foundation Working Group moves a step forward to develop a common language to describe the development and defects that exemplify the common syndrome of right heart failure. We first propose fundamental definitions of the distinctive components of the right heart circulation and provide consensus on a universal definition of right heart failure. These definitions will form the foundation for describing a uniform nomenclature for right heart circulatory failure with a view to foster collaborative research initiatives and conjoint education in an effort to provide insight into echanisms of disease unique to the right heart.

Genetic testing in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a cost‐effectiveness analysis

Summary.  Background:  The CYP2C19 genotype is a predictor of adverse cardiovascular events in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treated with clopidogrel. Objectives:  We aimed to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of a CYP2C19*2 genotype‐guided strategy of antiplatelet therapy in ACS patients undergoing PCI, compared with two ‘no testing’ strategies (empiric clopidogrel or prasugrel). Methods:  We developed a Markov model to compare three strategies. The model captured adverse cardiovascular events and antiplatelet‐related complications. Costs were expressed in 2010 US dollars and estimated using diagnosis‐related group codes and Medicare reimbursement rates. The net wholesale price for prasugrel was estimated as

Timing and Causes of Readmission After Acute Heart Failure Hospitalization—Insights From the Heart Failure Network Trials

5.45 per day. A generic estimate for clopidogrel of

Left Ventricular Assist Devices for Lifelong Support

1.00 per day was used and genetic testing was assumed to cost

Exercise Performance in Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension Linked to Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Measures

500. Results:  Base case analyses demonstrated little difference between treatment strategies. The genetic testing‐guided strategy yielded the most QALYs and was the least costly. Over 15 months, total costs were

Clinical Utility of Combined FDG-PET/MR to Assess Myocardial Disease

18 lower with a gain of 0.004 QALY in the genotype‐guided strategy compared with empiric clopidogrel, and

18F-Sodium Fluoride PET/MR for the Assessment of Cardiac Amyloidosis

899 lower with a gain of 0.0005 QALY compared with empiric prasugrel. The strongest predictor of the preferred strategy was the relative risk of thrombotic events in carriers compared with wild‐type individuals treated with clopidogrel. Above a 47% increased risk, a genotype‐guided strategy was the dominant strategy. Above a clopidogrel cost of

Aspirin in primary prevention: can we individualize care?

3.96 per day, genetic testing was no longer dominant but remained cost‐effective. Conclusions:  Among ACS patients undergoing PCI, a genotype‐guided strategy yields similar outcomes to empiric approaches to treatment, but is marginally less costly and more effective.

Clinical Implications of Serum Albumin Levels in Acute Heart Failure: Insights From DOSE-AHF and ROSE-AHF

BACKGROUND Readmission or death after heart failure (HF) hospitalization is a consequential and closely scrutinized outcome, but risk factors may vary by population. We characterized the risk factors for post-discharge readmission/death in subjects treated for acute heart failure (AHF). METHODS AND RESULTS A post hoc analysis was performed on data from 744 subjects enrolled in 3 AHF trials conducted within the Heart Failure Network (HFN): Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation in Acute Heart Failure (DOSE-AHF), Cardiorenal Rescue Study in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (CARRESS-HF), and Renal Optimization Strategies Evaluation in Acute Heart Failure (ROSE-AHF). All-cause readmission/death occurred in 26% and 38% of subjects within 30 and 60 days of discharge, respectively. Non-HF cardiovascular causes of readmission were more common in the ≤30-day timeframe than in the 31-60-day timeframe (23% vs 10%, P = .016). In a Cox proportional hazards model adjusting a priori for left ventricular ejection fraction <50% and trial, the risk factors for all-cause readmission/death included: elevated baseline blood urea nitrogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) non-use, lower baseline sodium, non-white race, elevated baseline bicarbonate, lower systolic blood pressure at discharge or day 7, depression, increased length of stay, and male sex. CONCLUSIONS In an AHF population with prominent congestion and prevalent renal dysfunction, early readmissions were more likely to be due to non-HF cardiovascular causes compared with later readmissions. The association between use of ACEI/ARB and lower all-cause readmission/death in Cox proportional hazards model suggests a role for these drugs to improve post-discharge outcomes in AHF.