This Week in Cardiology

Another negative AF ablation trial, predicting AF after stroke, the value of RCTs, troponin testing in the ED and surgical aortic valve choice are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses this week.

This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only.

To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit:

https://www.medscape.com/twic

I AF ablation

• Coronary Sinus Isolation for High-Burden Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Clinical Trial https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2024.09.017
• Approaches to Catheter Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation (STAR AFII) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1408288
• Effect of Catheter Ablation With Vein of Marshall Ethanol Infusion vs Catheter Ablation Alone on Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: The VENUS Randomized Clinical Trial https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.16195
• Hybrid Convergent Procedure for the Treatment of Persistent and Long-Standing Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: Results of CONVERGE Clinical Trial https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCEP.120.009288

II Post-Stroke AF monitoring

• Prediction of atrial fibrillation after a stroke event: a systematic review with meta-analysisMeta-analysis 10.1016/j.hrthm.2025.01.026
• Dabigatran for Prevention of Stroke after Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1813959
• Rivaroxaban for Stroke Prevention after Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source (Navigate ESUS https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1802686
• Apixaban to Prevent Recurrence After Cryptogenic Stroke in Patients With Atrial Cardiopathy (ARCADIA) https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2814933

III RCTs

• Large simple randomized controlled trials—from drugs to medical devices: lessons from recent experience https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-025-08724-x
• Outcomes 1 Year after Thrombus Aspiration for Myocardial Infarction (TASTE) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1405707

IV Troponin Testing in the ED

• Cardiac Biomarker Testing in US Emergency Departments https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2829344
• Updating Our Thinking on Troponin Use and Interpretation https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2777967

V Choice of AVR

• Bioprosthetic vs Mechanical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients 40-75 Years https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.01.013

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