New research in ultrasound out of Lund University in Sweden might be key to better, broader screening for cardiovascular risk.
A relatively simple mathematical calculation developed at Lund University can be used to interpret ultrasound signals and identify whether or not plaques consist of harmless connective tissue and smooth muscle cells or dangerous lipids and macrophages.
Continue reading VIDEO: Ultrasound identifies dangerous plaque
More good news for TAVR interventions - better case selection contributed to significant reductions in complications and longer term mortality.
The most pertinent risk factors? COPD and previous stroke.
"Exercise stress electrocardiography (ExECG) is underutilized as the initial test modality in patients with interpretable electrocardiograms who are able to exercise. Although stress myocardial imaging techniques provide valuable diagnostic and prognostic information, variables derived from ExECG can yield substantial data for risk stratification, either supplementary to imaging variables or without concurrent imaging. (abstract)
A recent paper in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging reviewed literature on the latest advances in exercise stress electrocardiography (ExECG) and argued that despite the ACC's recommendations, the test is still "underutilized" as the initial diagnostic test modality for suspected coronary artery disease.
Cost-reducing guidelines like the ACC's guidelines concerning cardiac imaging from 2012 require better profiling of what makes patients high risk for cardiovascular disease - especially when they make caveats based on "high-risk markers."
Are all high-risk markers known? What's on the horizon in markers for cardiovascular disease?
We've already discussed two new high-risk markers - a factor known as "stem cell factor" that's as predictive as cholesterol levels and a gene that interacts negatively with estrogen in women.
Here's another recent case of researchers building a better preventative mousetrap - a new test can measure the severity of metabolic syndrome and thus track and predict cardiovascular disease risk over time - from youth.
Continue reading Cardiovascular Risk Report: New Metabolic Syndrome Score Tracks Risk Over Time