| Policy & Professional News |
Lead aprons slash operators' radiation exposure, but patient dose is higher
Covering transradial PCI patients with a 0.5-mm lead shield reduced the amount of radiation received by operators by 75%, but the shield nearly doubled the patients' exposure. However, the trade-off may be worthwhile because operators deal with such procedures regularly, while exposure may be a one-time event for patients. The study, published in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, said "this balance has to be further confirmed and taken into account in every catheterization laboratory." CardiovascularBusiness.com
(2/18)
CMS to cover outpatient use of Medtronic's drug-coated balloon catheter
Procedures using Medtronic's In.Pact Admiral drug-coated balloon catheter in an outpatient setting will receive Medicare coverage under a new reimbursement provision released by the CMS. The three-year supplemental reimbursement for the device will begin April 1. A decision from the CMS on whether to give supplemental reimbursement for the device's use in an inpatient setting is anticipated this summer. MassDevice.com (Boston)
(2/22)
Other News
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Study links multivitamin-mineral use to lower risk of heart disease death
Women who had been taking multivitamin-mineral supplements for at least three years had a 35% lower risk of dying from heart disease over the next 18 years, compared with those who did not take them, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition. The study, led by a registered dietitian from the NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements, found the results did not hold true for women who had been taking the supplements for less than three years or for men. Reuters
(2/18)
Most CVD clinical calculators overestimate risk, study finds
Four of five cardiovascular risk calculators overestimated patient risks, researchers wrote in an online report in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study found that the Reynolds Risk Score was an exception, but it underestimated risk in women, while the 2013 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology risk predictor, as well as three Framingham-based scoring tools, significantly overestimated risks. MedPage Today (free registration)
(2/16)
Mesh-covered BMS may yield better one-year survival
The MGuard mesh-covered bare metal stent shows promise for reducing one-year mortality rates among STEMI patients treated with primary PCI, according to a study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, although larger studies are needed for clarity. The polyethylene terephthalate mesh-covered device appeared to outperform conventional stents, but authors of the study cautioned that "endpoints other than ST-segment resolution should be considered exploratory and hypothesis generating." They called for large randomized trials to confirm whether MGuard would improve long-term survival rates. TCTMD.com
(2/19)
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Clarification
Last Tuesday's SmartQuote, credited to Hannah Szenes, should have identified her as a Hungarian-born paratrooper for the British forces. Szenes was part of a group of Jewish soldiers parachuted into Yugoslavia by the British army to help rescue Hungarian Jews there.
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The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours -- it is an amazing journey -- and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins."
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