Research includes safety of digoxin with atrial fibrillation, comparison of cerebral embolic protection devices, and cerebral microbleed triggers.
Presentations during the Late-Breaking Clinical Trials session at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions included a safety investigation of digoxin use in patients with atrial fibrillation, a study of two embolic protection devices and their abilities to prevent stroke and brain infarcts, and possible triggers of cerebral microbleeds during transacatheter aortic valve replacement.
ACC 2017: Late-Breaking Clinical Trials
Digoxin and Mortality in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation with and without Heart Failure: Does Serum Digoxin Concentration Matter? Abstract link.
Is digoxin use safe in patients with atrial fibrillation?
In patients with atrial fibrillation with and without heart failure, digoxin use was associated with increased mortality.
Cerebral Embolic Protection Devices During Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement: a Randomized Trial from the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network. Abstract link.
Can two embolic protection devices prevent stroke and radiographic brain infarcts?
“. . .embolic protection device recipients were less likely to have larger infarcts. This may be important, as the risk of symptomatic stroke increases with infarct volume."
Silent Cerebral Microbleeds During TAVR: Insight from a Prospective Cerebral MRI Cohort. Abstract link.
Does transacatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) trigger cerebral microbleeds?
More and larger studies are needed to determine if microbleeding is caused by TAVR itself, anticoagulant use, or other factors.
