Cardio Round-up: Smartphones for BP Control, AFib and ICD Outcomes, and More

DocWire News rounds up this week’s cardiology stories. Click on the articles and links below to read.

Does Monitoring Using a Smartphone Help with Post-MI Blood Pressure Control?

This JAMA Network Open study examined whether blood pressure control following a myocardial infarction was helped by tracking with a smartphone application. The 200 patients enrolled from a single center had ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or non-ST-segment acute coronary syndrome. Patients were randomized 1:1 to either using smart technology or usual care during follow-up. After one year, 79% of patients in the intervention group had controlled blood pressure compared with 76% in the usual care group (not statistically significant).

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/cardiology-picks/myocardial-infarction-blood-pressure-monitoring-smartphone/

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Baseline AFib Linked with Eventual ICD Outcomes: Study

This Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology study included more than 500 patients who received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) for the first time. A multivariate analysis revealed that the clinical factors associated with a baseline history of AFib included hypertension, valvular heart disease, body weight, PR interval, and serum creatinine level. “Among first‐time ICD recipients, specific clinical characteristics were associated with a baseline history of AFib at the time of ICD implant, the authors concluded. “After adjustment for potential confounders, a baseline history of AFib was associated with a higher risk of all ICD therapies in follow‐up.”

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/cardiology-picks/afib-atrial-fibrillation-icd-outcomes-implantable-defibrillator/

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Off-label Anticoagulant Use for LV Thrombi Carries Stroke Risk

A new JAMA Cardiology study looked at the off-label use of direct oral anticoagulants and their potential effects for helping treat left ventricular (LV) thrombi. The study included more then 500 eligible patients diagnosed with LV thrombi. According to the results, 300 patients received warfarin and 185 received direct oral anticoagulants (with 64 switching between treatment groups). Median follow-up was 351 days. According to the unadjusted analysis, the use of direct oral anticoagulants (compared with warfarin) and prior SSE were both significantly associated with SSE.

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/cardiology-picks/oral-anticoagulants-warfarin-ischemic-stroke-systemic-emboli/

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Women Who Survive Heart Attacks Less Likely to Be Given All Appropriate Medication

New research from the European Society of Cardiology suggests that many women who survive heart attacks are not given all of the recommended medications they should be receiving. The study included more than 1,500 participants. the authors reported that 55% of women in the study (compared with 64% of men) had received optimal medical therapy at follow-up, and also that women were less likely to undergo invasive procedures compared to men (71% vs. 83%, respectively). Multivariable regression analysis revealed that optimal medical therapy after a heart attack was independently associated with an almost 50% decrease in the risk for all-cause death. Female sex, however, was not an independent predictor of death