Podcasts about Thrombolysis

Lifetime Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Large-bore Mechanical Thrombectomy Versus Catheter-directed Thrombolysis for Intermediate-risk Pulmonary Embolism in the United States

Rapid advances in acute ischemic stroke care have expanded treatment windows and improved patient outcomes through thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, and optimized antithrombotic strategies. This episode highlights evolving approaches to patient selection, the growing role of tenecteplase, and the importance of team-based systems of care in delivering timely, effective treatment. In this episode, Casey S. Albin, MD, FAAN, speaks with Christopher R. Leon Guerrero, MD, author of the article "Thrombolysis, Thrombectomy, and Antithrombotic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke" in the Continuum® June 2026 Cerebrovascular Disease issue. Dr. Albin is a Continuum® Audio interviewer, associate editor of media engagement, and an assistant professor of neurology and neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Leon Guerrero is an associate professor of neurology and the adult neurology residency program director at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he also serves as outpatient stroke director. Additional Resources Read the article: Thrombolysis, Thrombectomy, and Antithrombotic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke Subscribe to Continuum®: shop.lww.com/Continuum Earn CME (available only to AAN members): continpub.com/AudioCME Continuum® Aloud (verbatim audio-book style recordings of articles available only to Continuum® subscribers): continpub.com/Aloud More about the American Academy of Neurology: aan.com Social Media facebook.com/continuumcme @ContinuumAAN Host: @caseyalbin Full episode transcript available here Dr Albin: In stroke care, every minute kills nearly two million neurons. But today, we're going to unpack all the details about the latest treatments that can give those neurons back.  Dr Jones: This is Dr. Lyell Jones, Editor-in-Chief of Continuum. Thank you for listening to Continuum Audio. Be sure to visit the links in the episode notes for information about earning CME, subscribing to the journal, and exclusive access to interviews not featured on the podcast.  Dr Albin: Hello and welcome. This is Dr. Casey Albin. Today, I'm interviewing Dr. Christopher Leon-Guerrero about his article on Thrombolysis, Thrombectomy, and Antithrombotic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke. This article appears in the April 2026 Continuum issue on cerebrovascular disease. Welcome to the podcast. I always like to start by just having you introduce yourself so our listeners know a little bit about you.  Dr Leon-Guerrero: Thanks for the introduction, Dr. Albin. Really glad to be here today. My name is Chris Leon-Guerrero. I'm a vascular neurologist at Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina, at Carolinas Medical Center. I'm an associate professor in the Department of Neurology. I serve as our Neurology Residency Program Director, and I also wear the hat of an outpatient stroke director in our clinics.  Dr Albin: So, you are wearing a lot of hats and balancing a lot of things, and it's a really exciting time to be talking about this. For our listeners, we are recording this right after the launch of the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association just released their new guidelines on acute ischemic care. So, no better time to kind of dive into some of this. And really, when I think about acute ischemic stroke care, it's dramatically transformed in the last two to three decades. I mean, from lengthening time windows for IV thrombolysis to expanded thrombectomy eligibility, this is really, I think, some of the most exciting stuff in neurology. And your article did a fantastic job of distilling those rapid advancements and clarifying some of the evidence behind some of these new evolving treatment selections and imaging modalities, and it's exciting. So, let's just start with thrombolysis. Where are we now with IV thrombolytics and the time windows there?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: So, a lot has changed in the last decade, since that initial trial with NINDS, nearly thirty years ago. We're still giving intravenous thrombolysis in the traditional time window up to 4.5 hours, and really emphasizing we should be selecting patients for treatment early and quickly as possible. In most of those cases, a non-con head CT is sufficient to rule out bleeding and initiate treatment as quickly as possible. Where things have gotten really exciting is using advanced neuroimaging to help select patients beyond that traditional 4.5 hour window, and we're able to treat patients even up to twenty-four hours from symptom onset.  Dr Albin: Which is really exciting. It has really totally shifted the paradigm here. You know, I think most listeners are going to be pretty familiar with three to four and a half hours. Like, that's sort of our standard. What can you tell us about some of the advanced imaging we're using for that later selection period?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: It's around the principle of you want to be able to, uh, rescue significant salvageable tissue without a lot of core. So, this large profusion deficit and small core is really how you're trying to select out these patients. And two types of modalities are used. One is going to be MRI, and a lot of those imaging protocols, you know, are outlined in the WAKE UP trial and basically are looking for patients with DWI hyperintense lesions and FLAIR negative lesions to suggest that patients in an early time window that's treatable for thrombolysis. And then in the other category, we'll be using profusion imaging, whether that's CT profusion or MR profusion, to look for patients with large salvageable tissue.  Dr Albin: Yeah. And I think that this has been one of the things that, to me, has been really impactful is I think when WAKE UP came out, it was exciting. It was fun to sort of think about, "Hey, we're going to be able to use MRI." But MRI can be very challenging to get acutely, especially in community centers where they don't have the capabilities to get someone from the emergency department into an MRI rapidly enough to make thrombolysis decisions. So, to see some of that expand to CT profusion has been really exciting. How are you going about sort of counseling patients or thinking about their risk when you're using some of those, like, advanced imaging techniques?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: Yeah. I think it's similar to the conversations we've had with patients even within the traditional 4.5 hour window. The risk for intravenous thrombolysis is hemorrhage, and counseling patients on the, you know, the risk and benefits of hemorrhage and the potential clinical benefit of receiving thrombolytics is important. And then providing patients with that information to make an informed decision, so that they can make the best decision for their own care.  Dr Albin: Totally. And it's, again, time sensitive, but trying to give families enough information and enough time to sort of process those, especially when it's a little bit beyond the standard that we're so used to consenting for. The other big area that's really changed is that tenecteplase has become the star of the show. It's really gained momentum, so what should clinicians understand about this?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: Yeah. There's been an explosion of data over the last decade on tenecteplase supporting its use for clinical practice. You know, there was recent updates even from the neurology journal with a large meta-analysis with all of the data showing good clinical outcomes and perhaps even lower risk of bleeding. And so, I think you're seeing a lot of centers across the country switching from alteplase to tenecteplase. There's some practical advantages. So tenecteplase is a one-time bolus dose. And then biologically, it seems to have better fibrin specificity, longer half-life, which may ultimately make it a more attractive drug and may make it even more effective. But I think the practical aspects of tenecteplase are not to be understated. I think there's a lot of advantages for speed and efficiency and for centers to make that switch.  Dr Albin: Yeah. I remember when our health system made the pivot from alteplase to tenecteplase. Like any changes, that obviously created some adjustments with the new workflow. But, the fact that this could be given just as a one-time dose and not with the "we got to calculate the bolus, and now we got to get the infusion on board," like really simplified workflow. So, I think that's been pragmatically one of the nicest things we've done in stroke care. Really exciting.  Dr Leon-Guerrero: Yeah. And, you know, it's a doable thing. I think you have to be, very deliberate about it at whatever center you're at to make sure that all stakeholders are aware of that change. I think that's helpful to get everybody involved and have a lot of planning to avoid wrong dosing errors or inadvertently dosing as alteplase versus tenecteplase. But it's certainly doable, and I think in the long term, centers that have switched have been pretty satisfied with tenecteplase.  Dr Albin: And you know, initially when this came out, there really was sort of a debate about, is it gonna be 0.25? Was it gonna be 0.4? Where have we landed with that debate?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: So, I think we found the correct dose is 0.25 milligrams per kilogram is the recommended dose with a max out of 25 milligrams. There's some within the American Heart Association guidelines that were just published. They mentioned even tier dosing based on 10 kilograms, so intervals. So, that may be an easier way for centers to do it. But that cap out dose of 25 milligrams at 0.25 milligrams per kilogram, I think, is the sweet spot.  Dr Albin: Yeah. That's great, and I think that that has helped, you know, say, "This is what we're doing. There's not a debate that's happening anymore." And that really just got codified in the new ASA guidelines, so really exciting there. So, there is a lot of guidance for these patients, but I think one of the things that your article really tackled is the fact that there are some special populations, where we really still don't have a lot of guidance. And so, I think just to kind of distill those for the listeners, thinking about our pregnant patients, thinking about children, how are we approaching thrombolysis decisions in these special populations?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: These are always tough cases. For example, for pregnant women, they've often been excluded in the thrombolytic trials. But there's still evidence. You know, there's some inference based on the evidence we do have, and there's a lot of registry and case reports suggesting potential safe treatment for pregnant women. And I think when you're approaching those cases, again, it's gonna be patient-centered and really should be multidisciplinary. These are the types of cases you really need to lean on your maternal fetal medicine colleagues, your high-risk OBGYNs, your obstetricians to help with that decision-making. And I think, a multidisciplinary approach is the way to go for these cases. It's the same thing with the pediatric population. We had some data. There was one trial, randomized control trial, called TIPS trial that looked at using intravenous alteplase for acute ischemic stroke in patients under the age of 18. It had difficulty with enrollment. But I think most experts would argue that patients with pediatric stroke should be considered for intravenous thrombolysis if appropriate. Again, same thing. You want to make it a multidisciplinary approach, really getting your pediatric neurologists, your pediatricians involved early to make the best decision for the patient.  Dr Albin: Yeah. That's just really an important takeaway, just thinking about this as a multidisciplinary decision, because there are going to be other stakeholders to the patient's care who may have some different information than what we as neurologists are bringing to the approach. And obviously, our perspective really matters. But trying to work in everyone's unique vantage point of the patient really helps to make the most effective decision. When we talk about acute ischemic stroke care, I really don't think that you could do justice to the topic without pivoting to mechanical thrombectomy, which, you know, as we think about how the medical field as a whole, not just neurology, how the medical field has evolved. I mean, there's probably no bigger impact than mechanical thrombectomy has made in terms of reducing not just morbidity, but mortality from stroke. I mean both. So, thrombectomy has been around for a while, but just walk our listeners through what's the core that we for sure know that these are the patients that this works for?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: The types of patients we should be selecting for intervention are patients with large vessel occlusions. And those initial trials that were published in 2015 really demonstrated that this is a quite an effective treatment for patients with large vessel occlusion ischemic strokes in the anterior circulation. When that smattering of publications occurred in 2015, the general consensus, we should be treating all patients up to six hours from symptom onset if they do have a large vessel occlusion. And then, Dr. Albin, as you know, the, the windows continue to expand. So, we were using advanced neuroimaging with MR selection and perfusion selection based on DAWN and DEFUSE 3 trial protocols to select patients all the way out to the 24 window, and it's even expanded beyond that over the last few years.  Dr Albin: I think that when we think about trials that really, totally, changed the game, when we think about DAWN and DEFUSE 3, and we switched from that time-based window to more of that, like we talked about for thrombolysis, that tissue-based clock and, like, looking at what is salvageable and where can we make an impact on salvageable tissue, truly moved the needle in terms of just bringing this therapy for people who, you know, it's hard to get in within six hours. When we moved the needle to 24, it made a huge difference. But people were still coming in with a lot of ischemic damage already done, and they would have traditionally been excluded from being enrolled in thrombectomy trials. But that's changing too. So where are we there?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: Yeah. I think there were lessons learned from DEFUSE and DAWN that we were probably over-selecting. Perhaps too stringent. You know, we had number needed to treat in the range of two to three for good outcome based on those trials. And so, I think those were lessons learned to move forward, and we, and, and people started looking at large core infarctions. And in the last few years, we've seen a multitude of randomized control trials examining large core infarctions. These are patients with ASPECT scores all the way down to zeros. A lot of the trials relied on three to six as their score, but there was at least one large core study that looked at ASPECT scores down to zero to two, and all of these studies showing benefit.  Dr Albin: Yeah. And we've really moved into if there's some tissue to spare there, probably getting clot out really makes a big difference in impact. You know, it was really surprising to me as a neurointensivist looking at these trials, that the trials had such low rates of hemorrhage, and pretty low rates of dramatic cerebral edema after thrombectomy. I don't know that we've seen all of that in sort of real world applications, but again, we are still seeing some of these patients come in, that really would've been devastated having some amount of functional recovery regained, which is incredible. In terms of another patient population that I think gives a lot of people pause or stickiness, is those basilar artery occlusions, right? Another large vessel, but one that we've had a little bit harder of a time enrolling in trials and having well-selected trials. Where are we now on whether or not basilar artery occlusion should go to mechanical thrombectomy?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: So, a lot of excitement in this area, too. There's at least two studies that were published in the last five years that were showing benefit in doing thrombectomy for patients with basilar artery occlusion up to 24 hours, and these were patients with moderate to severe deficits with NIH Stroke Scale scores greater than 10. And then making sure that they don't have large core, so using a newer scoring algorithm on the CAT scan called PC ASPECT, so basically a posterior circulation ASPECT score, to kind of make sure that patients don't have large core infarctions that are being considered for thrombectomy. All of those things collectively in those two recent studies, the ATTENTION trial and the BAOCHI trial, I think is what ended up making those studies positive, is that we were selecting the right types of patients, uh, without large core, early core, and patients with moderate to severe deficits that made the difference from previous trials.  Dr Albin: Yeah. I think that that's so important. Those trials to me, and like how long it took to get those enrolled, really emphasized to me that there really was a selection bias. Like, we believed this worked, which made it hard to then do a trial. But I'm so glad to hear that we have the data now to support moving forward in a more rigorous way.  Dr Leon-Guerrero: You're absolutely right. I think that was some of the challenges with the initial trials. In fact, the authors had commented on that. There's a lot of difficulties with lack of clinical equipoise, or experts wanting to take these patients anyways out of clinical trial and treat them, and so that's always been an issue. And then, you know, we all remember basilar artery occlusion cases. They can be severe, devastating cases in our career, but the reality is they're not that common. So, if you look at large vessel occlusions, they only account for about 10%, and if you look at all stroke patients presenting to most centers, they represent about 1% of cases. So really hard clinical trials to do just because there's thankfully not a lot of patients walking around with basilar artery occlusions, but certainly makes for challenges when you're trying to conduct randomized controlled trials on this subset of patients.  Dr Albin: Absolutely. But we did it, and I think that, like, really if, if the listeners take nothing else, it's that the field of vascular neurology is really moving forward with evidence-based, doing very rigorously controlled clinical trials, which is, I think, is what makes this field so exciting. Finally, closing out, cause we could talk all day, but we don't have all day. You know, it seems to me that more and more we are just using dual antiplatelet therapy all the time. And maybe that is, uh, a little bit of a hyperbole, cause I don't think it's all the time, but let's walk through— when is there good evidence for dual antiplatelet therapy?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: Yeah. So, there's strong evidence for early initiation of dual antiplatelet therapy or DAPT in patients with minor stroke or high-risk TIAs, and it's been studied using both clopidogrel as an add-on to aspirin and ticagrelor. Both seem like they're viable options in patients. I think one of the key things is the duration of therapy. So, in these cases with minor stroke and high-risk TIAs, we really should be confining the treatment of early DAPT for 21 days. The risk profile changes, so the risk of recurrent stroke starts to decline with time, and that risk of hemorrhage complications increases with time. And so that sweet spot of 21 days, or even some centers will do 30 days for just practical purposes, you know, really is what we should be doing in most of those cases. Other instances where DAPT can be considered, is in patients with intracranial atherosclerosis that's symptomatic, extrapolating from the SAMMPRIS trial that in the, in the medical management arm alone, used dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel for up to 90 days. So, you'll see that as well in clinical practice. Some people will opt for a 90-day duration for those patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis and stroke.  Dr Albin: Just so I emphasize, this is not set it and forget it. You can stay on DAPT forever. It is you're going to have a definitive time course, 21 days, 90 days. We have directed instructions where we're doing more benefit than harm because of that risk of hemorrhage.  Dr Leon-Guerrero: That's correct. In most cases, we really should be confining the duration of DAPT either to 21 days or 90 days. This is a challenging clinical practice. Centers really have been making an emphasis on stroke follow-up, so making sure these patients get appropriate and timely stroke follow-up to address these issues and to make sure that DAPT is discontinued if appropriate.  Dr Albin: Yeah. I love that, and I want to pull on that a little bit because you as someone who is helping direct a stroke center– A lot of this really does rely on systems of care. When we think about early lysis decisions or mechanical thrombectomy, it's how do we get the patient to one of those capable centers as quickly as possible? And then on the back end, when you're discharging a patient, how do you make sure that they are getting follow-up, making sure that they're getting their Holter monitor if they need it? You know, all the stuff that goes into kind of figuring out, why did the stroke happen? What are some of the things that you, in your role, are really excited about, that will move the needle over the next five or 10 years?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: Yeah. I think a lot of centers are doing it just like we're doing it. It really has to be a team-based approach, and you really want to reach the patient where they are in terms of the continuum of care. And so making sure if it's the in the field that you've reached out to your EMS and first responders to make sure they understand triage protocols to get patients where they need to be, to get the acute treatments that they need for the type of stroke that they're presenting with, to the actual centers that you work at, making sure your whole team, nurses, emergency physicians, APPs that are involved in care are all aware of the stroke protocols and how we're selecting these patients, making sure that your imaging protocols are up to date, and so that it's seamless when patients come in, that we're not adding on perfusion if we should have gotten that up front– We already know, have made decisions before that patient gets there. And then thinking about the patient after that hospital stay, I think, is critical. We really want to reduce their risk of recurrence, making sure that we're leveraging transitions of care, getting those patients seen in our stroke clinics for follow-up, and then make sure we're passing that baton to the long term. All of their long-term comorbidities that may be increasing their risk of stroke are managed and reduced as best as possible.  Dr Albin: From the Continuum journal to the continuum of stroke care.  Dr Leon-Guerrero: That's right.  Dr Albin: I mean, we have it all. I think that that really is so important. I'll just close with what's one thing that is your favorite part about being a vascular neurologist?  Dr Leon-Guerrero: I think it's what attracted to me to this field. As a medical student at that time, all we had was intravenous thrombolysis, and there was so much promise. There was so much promise that there was going to be widespread advancements in acute stroke, and here we are. There's been a tremendous amount of advancements and improvements for patients. I'm really excited to see what unfolds in the next few years, and I'm really excited that we've been able to increase the number of patients we're able to treat with acute ischemic stroke. I hope that we continue to expand the time window, the inclusion criteria, all of those things that we can treat more stroke patients effectively.  Dr Albin: It is really a very exciting time to be a vascular neurologist. Again, today, I've been interviewing Dr. Christopher Leon-Guerrero about his article on Thrombolysis, Thrombectomy, and Antithrombotic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke. This article appears in the April 2026 Continuum issue on cerebrovascular disease. Be sure to check out Continuum Audio episodes from this and other issues, and thank you again, Dr. Leon Guerrero and our listeners for joining today.  Dr Leon-Guerrero: Thanks for having me.  Dr Monteith: This is Dr. Teshamae Monteith, associate editor of Continuum Audio. If you've enjoyed this episode, you'll love the journal, which is full of in-depth and clinically relevant information important for neurology practitioners. Use the link in the episode notes to learn more and subscribe. AAN members, you can get CME for listening to this interview by completing the evaluation at continpub.com/audioCME. Thank you for listening to Continuum Audio.

A 25-year-old pregnant woman presents with a 1-day history of progressive pain and swelling. The foot is cold, pulseless and neurologic function is deteriorating by the hour. Imaging shows a massive iliofemoral DVT. Now both the limb and the pregnancy are threatened. Do you anticoagulate, thrombolyse or operate? Join us as we break down the management and decision making behind this rare but devastating case.Hosts:·      Christian Hadeed -PGY 4 General Surgery, Brookdale Hospital Medical Center·      Paul Haser -Division Chief, Vascular Surgery, Brookdale Hospital Medical Center·      Andrew Harrington, Vascular surgery, Brookdale Hospital Medical Center·      Lucio Flores, Vascular surgery, Brookdale Hospital Medical CenterLearning objectives:-       Recognize the clinical presentation and pathophysiology of phlegmasia cerulea dolens-       Describe how pregnancy affects decision making in patients with phlegmasia and venous thromboembolic disease-       Discuss the goals of treatment for patients with DVT's and identify when operative intervention is indicated-       Describe the sequelae of DVT's and how this relates to post thrombotic syndrome-       Review the indications, risks, and limitations of anticoagulation, catheter-directed thrombolysis, thrombectomy, and fasciotomy in the management of DVT and phlegmasia.-       Explain the role of IVUS in managing venous thromboembolic disease and May Thurner syndromeReferences:-       Vedantham, S., Goldhaber, S. Z., Julian, J. A., Kahn, S. R., Jaff, M. R., Cohen, D. J., Magnuson, E., Razavi, M. K., Comerota, A. J., Gornik, H. L., Murphy, T. P., Lewis, L., Duncan, J. R., Nieters, P., Derfler, M. C., Filion, M., Gu, C.-S., Kee, S., Schneider, J., … Kearon, C. (2017). Pharmacomechanical catheter-directed thrombolysis for deep-vein thrombosis. New England Journal of Medicine, 377(23), 2240–2252. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1615066-       Gomes, M. S., Guimarães, M., & Montenegro, N. (2019). Thrombolysis in pregnancy: A literature review. Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 32(14), 2418–2428. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2018.1438402-       Mangla, A., & Hamad, H. (2023). May-Thurner syndrome. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554377/-       Bates, S. M., Rajasekhar, A., Middeldorp, S., McLintock, C., Rodger, M. A., James, A. H., et al. (2018). American Society of Hematology 2018 guidelines for management of venous thromboembolism: Venous thromboembolism in the context of pregnancy. Blood Advances, 2(22), 3317–3359. https://doi.org/10.1182/bloodadvances.2018024802-       Kahn, S. R., Comerota, A. J., Cushman, M., Evans, N. S., Ginsberg, J. S., Goldenberg, N. A., et al. (2014). The postthrombotic syndrome: Evidence-based prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. Circulation, 130(18), 1636–1661. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000130 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25246013/Sponsor URL: https://www.goremedical.com/If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listenBehind the Knife Premium: https://behindtheknife.org/premiumOral Board Review: https://behindtheknife.org/oral-boardOral Board Simulator: https://behindtheknife.org/oral-board/simulatorGeneral Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-reviewTrauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlasDominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkshipDominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotationVascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-reviewColorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-reviewSurgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-reviewCardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-reviewDownload our App:Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

CardioNerds (Dr. Billy-Joe Mullinax, Dr. Dinu Balanescu, and Dr. Jane Ehret) discuss risk stratification in acute pulmonary embolism with Dr. Stavros Konstantinides, Chair of the 2019 ESC Pulmonary Embolism Guidelines. Using a real-world case, this episode explores how modern PE care has moved beyond “massive” and “submassive” labels toward a dynamic, physiology-based approach. The discussion highlights the limitations of static risk scores, the importance of right ventricular dysfunction and biomarkers, and why normotension does not imply stability. Special emphasis is placed on intermediate-high risk PE, early identification of impending hemodynamic collapse, and the role of lactate, serial reassessment, and PERT teams in guiding escalation of care. Audio editing by CardioNerds intern, Joshua Khorsandi.The 2026 American multi-society PE guidelines were published after this episode was recorded. Dr. Dinu Balanescu and Dr. Billy-Joe Mullinax are Co-chairs for the CardioNerds PE Series, developed in collaboration with the PERT Consortium.   Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. CardioNerds Pulmonary Embolism PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls Stable blood pressure does not mean low risk in PEHypotension is a late finding. Patients may have severe RV failure, hypoxia, and tissue hypoperfusion while remaining normotensive — a key concept behind “normotensive shock.” Risk stratification in PE must be dynamic, not staticLegacy scores like PESI and Bova provide a snapshot and predict 30-day mortality, but they do not capture short-term trajectory or impending hemodynamic collapse. Intermediate-high risk PE is a dangerous and heterogeneous groupPatients with RV dysfunction, positive biomarkers, tachycardia, hypoxemia, and elevated lactate may have in-hospital mortality approaching 15%, rivaling STEMI. Lactate is a critical but underutilized marker in PEElevated lactate reflects tissue hypoxia and early circulatory failure and may identify patients at risk for collapse before blood pressure declines. PERT enables physiology-driven, patient-centered PE carePERT teams operationalize continuous reassessment, integrate imaging, labs, and clinical trajectory, and allow timely escalation — shifting PE management from rigid categories to real-time decision-making. Notes Drafted by Dr. Jane Ehret. 1. What is the contemporary framework for risk stratification in acute pulmonary embolism? Modern PE risk stratification prioritizes hemodynamics and right ventricular (RV) function rather than clot burden. The 2019 ESC Guidelines classify PE into high risk, intermediate risk (low vs high), and low risk, based on: Hemodynamic status, RV dysfunction on imaging, and Cardiac biomarkers. This framework emphasizes early mortality risk but requires clinical context to guide escalation decisions. 2. Why is normotension insufficient to define “stability” in PE? Blood pressure is a late marker of circulatory failure in PE. Patients can maintain normal BP through Tachycardia, Increased sympathetic tone, and RV compensation. Many patients with preserved BP may already have shock physiology, including hypoxemia, elevated lactate, and RV failure — sometimes referred to as “normotensive shock.” 3. How should intermediate-risk PE be conceptualized clinically? Intermediate-risk PE is heterogeneous, ranging from patients who do well on anticoagulation to those who deteriorate rapidly. Intermediate-high risk PE is defined by RV dysfunction on imaging and positive cardiac biomarkers. Clinical features such as tachycardia, increasing oxygen requirement, and elevated lactate identify patients at highest risk within this group. 4. What are the strengths and limitations of commonly used PE risk scores? Legacy scores are useful for initial risk categorization but are static and limited in predicting short-term deterioration. Most scores were developed to predict mortality or complications at fixed time points rather than dynamic clinical trajectory. 5. What are the commonly used risk scores and clinical tools in PE, and what is each designed to predict? ESC Risk Stratification Algorithm: Identifies high-risk PE by hemodynamics. Uses PESI or sPESI in normotensive patients to distinguish low-risk from non–low-risk PE. Uses RV dysfunction and biomarkers to differentiate intermediate-low from intermediate-high risk. Forms the basis of many institutional PE pathways. PESI and sPESI: Validated to predict 30-day mortality. Widely used to identify low-risk patients appropriate for outpatient management. Heavily influenced by age and comorbidities. Bova Score: Predicts 30-day PE-related complications in normotensive patients. Composite PE Shock Score (CPES): Predicts normotensive shock in hemodynamically stable PE patients. Pulmonary Embolism Progression (PEP) Score: Predicts progression from intermediate-risk to high-risk PE within 72 hours of diagnosis. PE Short-term Clinical Outcomes Risk Estimation (PE-SCORE): Predicts clinical deterioration or death within 5 days of PE diagnosis. Hestia Criteria: Identifies low-risk PE patients safe for outpatient treatment. Wells' Criteria and Revised Geneva Score: Determine pretest probability for diagnostic triage. PERC Score: Rules out PE in very low-risk patients. 6. What is the role of biomarkers in PE risk stratification? Troponin and natriuretic peptides reflect RV myocardial injury and strain. Current guidelines treat biomarkers as binary (positive vs negative), despite risk being continuous. Biomarkers are most helpful for: Initial risk classification. They are less useful for: Short-interval monitoring and Detecting rapid clinical deterioration. 7. Why is lactate an important physiologic marker in PE? Lactate reflects global tissue hypoxia and impaired perfusion. Elevated lactate may identify patients with: Early circulatory failure and Increased risk of imminent hemodynamic collapse. Lactate is not currently included in ESC risk algorithms but may add important prognostic information in intermediate-risk patients. 8. How does trajectory influence decision-making in PE management? Risk stratification should be viewed as a dynamic process, not a one-time label. Worsening clinical trajectory may include: Rising heart rate, Increasing oxygen needs, Rising lactate, and Progressive RV dysfunction. Serial reassessment is essential for timely escalation of care. 9. What role do Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams (PERT) play in risk stratification? PERT facilitates: Multidisciplinary decision-making and Integration of imaging, biomarkers, and clinical physiology. PERT is most valuable for: Intermediate-risk and high-risk PE and Patients with complex comorbidities or uncertain trajectory. PERT enables a shift from category-based to physiology-driven PE care. References 1. Konstantinides SV, Meyer G, Becattini C, et al. 2019 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism developed in collaboration with the European Respiratory Society (ERS): The Task Force for the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Respir J. 2019;54(3):1901647. Published 2019 Oct 9. doi:10.1183/13993003.01647-2019 2. Leidi A, Bex S, Righini M, Berner A, Grosgurin O, Marti C. Risk Stratification in Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Current Evidence and Perspectives. J Clin Med. 2022;11(9):2533. Published 2022 Apr 30. doi:10.3390/jcm11092533 3. Choi WH, Kwon SU, Jwa YJ, et al. The pulmonary embolism severity index in predicting the prognosis of patients with pulmonary embolism. Korean J Intern Med. 2009;24(2):123-127. doi:10.3904/kjim.2009.24.2.123 4. Jiménez D, Aujesky D, Moores L, et al. Simplification of the pulmonary embolism severity index for prognostication in patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(15):1383-1389. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2010.199 5. Chen X, Shao X, Zhang Y, et al. Assessment of the Bova score for risk stratification of acute normotensive pulmonary embolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Thromb Res. 2020;193:99-106. doi:10.1016/j.thromres.2020.05.047 6. Zhang RS, Yuriditsky E, Zhang P, et al. Composite Pulmonary Embolism Shock Score and Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Patients With Pulmonary Embolism. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2024;17(8):e014088. doi:10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.124.014088 7. Zhang RS, Alam U, Sharp ASP, et al. Validating the Composite Pulmonary Embolism Shock Score for Predicting Normotensive Shock in Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2024;17(2):e013399. doi:10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.123.013399 8. Ehret J, Wakefield D, Badlam J, Antkowiak M, Erdreich B. Development of the Pulmonary Embolism Progression (PEP) score for predicting short-term clinical deterioration in intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism: a single-center retrospective study. J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2025;58(2):243-253. doi:10.1007/s11239-024-03051-5 9. Weekes AJ, Raper JD, Lupez K, et al. Development and validation of a prognostic tool: Pulmonary embolism short-term clinical outcomes risk estimation (PE-SCORE). PLoS One. 2021;16(11):e0260036. Published 2021 Nov 18. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0260036 10. Zondag W, Hiddinga BI, Crobach MJ, et al. Hestia criteria can discriminate high- from low-risk patients with pulmonary embolism. Eur Respir J. 2013;41(3):588-592. doi:10.1183/09031936.00030412 11. Wells PS, Anderson DR, Rodger M, et al. Excluding pulmonary embolism at the bedside without diagnostic imaging: management of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism presenting to the emergency department by using a simple clinical model and d-dimer. Ann Intern Med. 2001;135(2):98-107. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-135-2-200107170-00010 12. Wolf SJ, McCubbin TR, Feldhaus KM, Faragher JP, Adcock DM. Prospective validation of Wells Criteria in the evaluation of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. Ann Emerg Med. 2004;44(5):503-510. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2004.04.002 13. Le Gal G, Righini M, Roy PM, et al. Prediction of pulmonary embolism in the emergency department: the revised Geneva score. Ann Intern Med. 2006;144(3):165-171. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-144-3-200602070-00004 14. Kline JA, Mitchell AM, Kabrhel C, Richman PB, Courtney DM. Clinical criteria to prevent unnecessary diagnostic testing in emergency department patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. J Thromb Haemost. 2004;2(8):1247-1255. doi:10.1111/j.1538-7836.2004.00790.x 15. Kline JA, Courtney DM, Kabrhel C, et al. Prospective multicenter evaluation of the pulmonary embolism rule-out criteria. J Thromb Haemost. 2008;6(5):772-780. doi:10.1111/j.1538-7836.2008.02944.x

CardioNerds Drs. Dinu Balanescu, Billy-Joe Mullinax, and Mariana Garcia discuss systemic thrombolysis in pulmonary embolism with expert Dr. Allison Burnett. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy intern, student doctor, Pace Wetstein. Pulmonary embolism is the third leading cause of cardiovascular death in the US, and high-risk PE carries a 30-day mortality risk as high as 30-50%. In this episode, we discuss the indications for systemic thrombolysis, including high-risk PE and cardiac arrest. We addressed how to appropriately select candidates for systemic thrombolysis, balancing the high risk of bleeding. Additionally, we discussed anticoagulation management and timing concurrent with lytic therapy, as well as the importance of multidisciplinary PERT teams.  The 2026 American multi-society PE guidelines were published after this episode was recorded. Dr. Dinu Balanescu and Dr. Billy-Joe Mullinax are Co-chairs for the CardioNerds PE Series, developed in collaboration with the PERT Consortium.   Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. CardioNerds Pulmonary Embolism PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls Risk stratification is crucial in acute pulmonary embolism care. Based on the ESC 2019 guidelines, low-risk PE patients are those who are normotensive with no evidence of right ventricular dysfunction. Intermediate risk includes two categories: intermediate-low, with normotensive patients who have a high PE score with negative biomarkers, and intermediate-high risk, which has elevated biomarkers or signs of RV strain. High-risk PE includes hemodynamically unstable patients (SBP

In this episode, editor in chief Joseph E. Safdieh, MD, FAAN, highlights articles about a p-tau217 blood test for Alzheimer's disease, the benefits of tirofiban with thrombolysis, and an AI tool that excels in diagnostic coding.

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Deborah Schonfeld on the differential diagnosis and work up of pediatric urinary retention & acute transverse myelitis, Jesse McLaren on his Tryptic Approach to Occlusion MI Diagnosis, Matthew McArthur on recognition and management of post-dural puncture headache, Joseph Yasmeh on Med Mal Cases: Clenched fist injury, Brit Long on IV thrombolysis for minor strokes and Victoria Myers & Lauren Westafer on mentorship and what it means to be a physician leader... Please consider a donation to EM Cases to support high quality Free Open Access Medical Education here: https://emergencymedicinecases.com/donation/

Darshan H. Brahmbhatt, Podcast Editor of JACC: Advances, discusses a recently published original research paper on Mechanical Thrombectomy vs Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: A Target Trial Emulation.

Send us a textThis recording features audio versions of June 2025 Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (JVIR) abstracts:Comparison of Bypass Surgery versus Endovascular Interventions for Peripheral Artery Disease through Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials ReadThe Incidence and Consequences of Endovascular Technical Failure in Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: Results from the Best Endovascular versus Best Surgical Therapy in Patients with Critical Limb-Threatening Ischemia (BEST-CLI) Trial ReadComparative Radiologic Response Assessment after Transarterial Chemoembolization, Percutaneous Ablation, and Multimodal Treatment: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation in 81 Tumors ReadBreast Cancer Recurrence after Cryoablation in Patients Who Are Poor Surgical Candidates or Who Refuse Surgery ReadKetamine/Midazolam versus Fentanyl/Midazolam Sedation for Interventional Radiology Procedures: A Prospective Registry ReadPortal and Hepatic Vein Embolization versus Portal Venous Embolization Alone in Cirrhotic and Noncirrhotic Swine: A Pilot Study ReadAssessment of Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis and Histotripsy Treatment for Deep Vein Thrombosis ReadExpanding Global IR Outreach to Address Postpartum Hemorrhage in Kenya Using Geospatial Analytic Mapping ReadJVIR and SIR thank all those who helped record this episode. To sign up to help with future episodes, please contact our outreach coordinator at millennie.chen.jvir@gmail.com.  Host and audio Editor:Sonya Choe, University of California Riverside School of MedicineOutreach coordinator:Millennie Chen, University of California Riverside School of MedicineAbstract readers:Marc Attalla, University of California Riverside School of MedicineAgnes Manish, Loma Linda University School of MedicineClare Necas, Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic MedicineGavin Shu, University of California San Francisco School of MedicineMark Oliinik, Loma Linda University School of MedicineAbhisri Ramesh, George Washington School of Medicine and Health SciencesAndrew Sasser, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Sakeena Siddiq, Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic MedicineSIR thanks BD for its generous support of the Kinked Wire.Read more about about interventional radiology in IR Quarterly magazine or SIR's Patient Center.Support the show

On Episode 50 of the Stroke Alert Podcast, host Dr. Negar Asdaghi highlights two articles from the March 2025 issue of Stroke: “Impact of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage on Human Glymphatic Function: A Time-Evolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study” and “Thrombolysis for Ischemic Stroke Beyond the 4.5-Hour Window: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.” She also interviews Drs. Mayank Goyal and Michael Hill about the ESCAPE-MeVO trial, presented in February at the International Stroke Conference. For the episode transcript, visit: https://www.ahajournals.org/do/10.1161/podcast.20250314.838310

Three recent trials investigated the effectiveness of endovascular treatment (EVT) in ischemic stroke. The OPENS-2 trial (Lancet 2025) found that normobaric hyperoxia combined with EVT improved 90-day functional outcomes for large-vessel occlusion stroke without increasing adverse events. The DISTAL trial (NEJM 2025) reported no significant benefit of EVT over medical therapy for medium/distal vessel occlusions and noted a higher risk of hemorrhage. Similarly, the ESCAPE-MeVO trial (NEJM 2025) found no improvement with EVT in medium-vessel occlusion stroke, alongside increased mortality and intracranial hemorrhage. Collectively, these findings suggest that EVT's benefits depend on vessel size and may be enhanced with adjunctive treatments like hyperoxia in specific cases.

Welcome back Rounds Table Listeners!We are back today with a solo episode with Dr. Mike Fralick!This week, he will discuss a paper exploring the role of intravenous thrombolytic therapy in patients with minor ischemic stroke and intracranial vessel occlusion. Here we go!Tenecteplase versus standard of care for minor ischaemic stroke with proven occlusion (TEMPO-2): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 superiority trial (0:00 – 6:18).And for the Good Stuff:Trial Files (6:18 – 7:59).Questions? Comments? Feedback? We'd love to hear from you! @roundstable @InternAtWork @MedicinePodsDo you ever feel like you can't get ahead of charting? Freed AI has an AI driven scribe for you! You can try Freed for free right now by going to getfreed.ai. Listeners can use the INTERN50 code for $50 off their first month!

PEERLESS: Large-Bore Mechanical Thrombectomy vs Catheter-directed Thrombolysis for Treatment of Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism

This recording features audio versions of January 2025 Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (JVIR) abstracts:Effectiveness of Track Cauterization in Reduction of Adverse Events for Lung Microwave Ablation ReadSelective Lymphatic Duct Embolization for Treatment of Thoracic Lymphatic Flow Disorders in Children: Technical Aspects and Comparison with Thoracic Duct Embolization ReadA Comparison of Postprocedural Hemoglobin in Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis versus Large-Bore Aspiration Thrombectomy for Acute Pulmonary Embolism ReadClinical Outcomes following Invasive Treatment of Femoropopliteal Artery Disease: A Retrospective Single-Center Cohort Study ReadOutcomes of Endovascular Treatment for Infectious Thoracic Aortic Diseases ReadThe Influence of Preablation Embolization Particle Size on the Size of the Microwave Ablation Zone in a Porcine Orthotopic Renal Tumor Model ReadJVIR and SIR thank all those who helped record this episode. To sign up to help with future episodes, please contact our outreach coordinator at millennie.chen.jvir@gmail.com.  Host:Manbir Singh Sandhu, University of California Riverside School of MedicineAudio editor:Manbir Singh Sandhu, University of California Riverside School of MedicineOutreach coordinator:Millennie Chen, University of California Riverside School of MedicineAbstract readers:Maximillion Hayama, Duke University School of MedicineSonya Choe, University of California Riverside School of MedicineSiddak Dhaliwal, University of Missouri School of MedicineAkumbir Singh Grewal, St. George's University School of MedicineBryan Torres, University of California Riverside School of MedicineJason Hoang, The Ohio State College of MedicineSIR thanks BD for its generous support of the Kinked Wire.Contact us with your ideas and questions, or read more about about interventional radiology in IR Quarterly magazine or SIR's Patient Center.(c) Society of Interventional Radiology.Support the show

Thrombectomy for acute ischaemic stroke has undergone great advances in the last decade, but the expertise and technology is restricted to tertiary hospitals. Outside of large metropolitan centres, thrombolytic treatment can buy a patient time, but for almost 30 years the first line agent has remained unchanged. Alteplase is an analog of the human tissue plasminogen activator which activates plasmin to dissolve fibrin blood clots. For many years it was assumed that alteplase should be administered within 3 hours of symptom onset, thus it was a big deal when in 2008, research showed that that window could be safely broadened out to four and a half hours.Today's guests have over the intervening years been pushing the envelope even further, in an effort to help the more than two thirds of stroke patients who present after that threshold. In this podcast, Professors Bruce Campbell and Mark Parsons discuss a trial of the relatively novel agent, tenecteplase. The publication in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that tenecteplase could improve patient outcomes even if administered up to 24 hours out from a large vessel occlusion. The researchers explain the steps that led up to their study, and the importance of perfusion imaging to identify candidates with salvageable brain tissue. Key ReferenceTenecteplase for Ischemic Stroke at 4.5 to 24 Hours without Thrombectomy [NEJM. 2024]GuestsDr Duncan Austin PhD FRACP MRCP (Cabrini Health) Professor Bruce Campbell PhD FRACP (Cabrini Health; Royal Melbourne Hospital; University of Melbourne) Professor Mark Parsons PhD FRACP, FAAHMS (Sydney Neurointerventional Specialists; Consulting in Neurology, Maitland). ProductionProduced by Mic Cavazzini DPhil. Music licenced from Epidemic Sound includes ‘Things to Sort Out' by Walt Adams and ‘the Appalachian Trail' by Hunter Quinn. Image produced and copyrighted by RACP.Editorial feedback kindly provided by RACP physicians Stephen Bacchi, Aidan Tan, Courtney Dowd, Saion Chaterjee and David Arroyo.  Please visit the Pomegranate Health web page for a transcript and supporting references.Login to MyCPD to record listening and reading as a prefilled learning activity. Subscribe to new episode email alerts or search for ‘Pomegranate Health' in Apple Podcasts, Spotify,Castbox or any podcasting app.

Dr. Dan Ackerman and Dr. Silja Räty discuss the outcomes of patients with basilar artery occlusion treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) only and compares IVT with endovascular thrombectomy.  Show reference: https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209249 

Dr. Dan Ackerman talks with Dr. Silja Räty about the outcomes of patients with basilar artery occlusion treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) only and compares IVT with endovascular thrombectomy. Read the related article in Neurology. This podcast is sponsored by argenx. Visit www.vyvgarthcp.com for more information. Disclosures can be found at Neurology.org.

N Engl J Med 2013;369:999-1010Background: Adding P2Y12 inhibitors to aspirin improves outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Yet, debate persisted regarding the optimal timing for administering these drugs in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The ATLANTIC trial showed that pre-hospital administration of ticagrelor did not improve outcomes compared to in-hospital administration, in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction.Cardiology Trial's Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The ACCOAST trial sought to test the hypothesis that administering the P2Y12 inhibitor, prasugrel, 2-48 hours before angiography in non-ST elevation myocardial infarction patients is superior to administering it during PCI.Patients: Patients were enrolled if they had non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Patients were scheduled to undergo angiography with possible PCI within 2-48 hours after randomization. Patients were excluded if they had cardiogenic shock, refractory ventricular arrhythmias, prior hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke or TIA, history of intracranial neoplasms, history of intracranial AV malformations or aneurysm, surgery within 4 weeks, active bleeding or history of bleeding diathesis or had high risk of bleeding based on the judgement of the investigator.Baseline characteristics: The average age of patients was 64 years with 72% being men. The average weight was 82 kg. About 20% had diabetes, 45% had hyperlipidemia, 62% had hypertension and 33% were current smokers. Creatinine clearance was ≤ 30 ml/min in 3% of the patients and GRACE score was < 140 in 77% of them. Beta-blockers were given in 84% of the patients, statins in 90%, angiotensin-receptor blockers in 13% and ACE inhibitors in 70%.After randomization, 68.7% of the patients underwent PCI while 25.1% were treated medically. CABG within 7 days was performed in 6.2% of the patients.Procedures: Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive pretreatment with prasugrel or matching placebo (control group). Those in the pretreatment group received a 30 mg loading dose of prasugrel before coronary angiography with an additional 30 mg if angiography confirmed the need for PCI. Patients in the control group received placebo before coronary angiography and a 60 mg loading dose of prasugrel in patients undergoing PCI. Only the initial 30 mg loading dose of prasugrel or placebo were administered, if a decision, after coronary angiography, was made to pursue CABG or medical therapy.Endpoints: The primary efficacy end point was a composite endpoint of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, stroke, urgent revascularization, or the need for rescue therapy with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. Follow up for the primary endpoint was 7 days post randomization. Secondary endpoints included death from any cause, stent thrombosis and a composite endpoint of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke.Safety end points were major or minor bleeding according to Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) criteria.Statistical analysis was performed on the intention-to-treat principle. To achieve 80% power with two-sided alpha of 0.05 for detecting 24% relative risk reduction in the pretreatment compared to the control group, 400 patients with the primary outcome and approximately 4,100 enrolled patients would be needed.Results: The trial randomized 2,037 patients to the pre-treatment group and 1,996 to the control group. The median time from the initial loading dose to PCI was 4.3 hours.The incidence of the composite primary end point was similar between both treatment groups (10.0% in the pre-treatment group vs 9.8% in the control group, HR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.84 – 1.25; p= 0.81). There was no significant difference between both treatment groups in any of the components of the primary end point, death from any cause, or stent thrombosis. Results were similar for patients who underwent PCI (about two thirds of study participants).There were more major bleeding events at 7 days in the pretreatment group (2.6% vs 1.4%, HR: 1.90, 95%: 1.19 – 3.02; p= 0.006). Major bleeding events not related to CABG were also higher in the pre-treatment group (1.3% vs 0.5%; p= 0.003). In the PCI cohort, 12 patients in the pre-treatment group had life-threatening bleeding compared to 2 in the control group. Most bleedings in this cohort were access site bleeding, pericardial bleeding and retroperitoneal bleeding.Subgroup analysis for the primary efficacy endpoint did not identify any subgroup who would benefit from pre-treatment with prasugrel.Conclusion: In patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing coronary angiography within 48 hours of admission, pre-treatment with prasugrel did not improve ischemic events and resulted in more major bleeding.The results of this trial led to the recommendation that prasugrel should be used after coronary anatomy is defined and PCI is chosen as the treatment strategy. This approach will reduce the risk of bleeding complications without increasing the risk of ischemic events.Cardiology Trial's Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Cardiology Trial's Substack at cardiologytrials.substack.com/subscribe

N Engl J Med 2012;367:1297-1309Background: In patients with acute coronary syndrome, clinical guidelines recommend early angiography particularly in those deemed moderate to high risk. However, a proportion of patients do not undergo revascularization, and these patients have poorer outcomes compared to those who do undergo revascularization.Cardiology Trial's Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The TRITON-TIMI 38 trial demonstrated that prasugrel, when compared to clopidogrel, reduces ischemic events in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Notably, in the TRITON-TIMI 38 trial, 99% of the patients underwent PCI at the time of randomization.Expanding upon the findings of TRITON-TIMI 38, the TRILOGY ACS trial sought to test the hypothesis that aspirin plus prasugrel is superior to aspirin plus clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndrome, without ST segment elevation, who are managed medically without revascularization.Patients: Patients were enrolled if they had unstable angina or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and were treated medically without revascularization, within 10 days of the index event. Patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction had elevated cardiac biomarkers. Patients with unstable angina had ST-segment depression of more than 1 mm in two or more electrocardiographic leads and negative cardiac biomarkers. Patients had to have one of the following: age of 60 years or older, diabetes mellitus, prior myocardial infarction or prior revascularization with either PCI or coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG). Main exclusion criteria were history of stroke or TIA (this group had net harm with prasugrel in TRITON-TIMI 38), renal failure requiring dialysis and patients taking oral anticoagulants.Baseline characteristics: The trial enrolled 9,326 patients at 966 sites in 52 countries. The average age of patients was 66 years, with 78% were below 75 years old, and 61% were men. About 70% of the patients had non-ST elevation myocardial infraction as their index event. The average GRACE score was 122. About 82% had hypertension, 59% had hyperlipidemia, 38% had diabetes, 43% had prior myocardial infarction and 20% were current or recent smokers. The majority of patients were stable, with 88% classified as Killip class I.Angiography before randomization was performed in 41% of the patients. Medications at randomization included beta-blockers in 78% of the patients, ACEi or ARB in 75%, statins in 83% and proton pump inhibitors in 25%.Procedures: The trial was conducted as double-blind double-dummy study. Patients who underwent randomization within 72 hours after the first medical contact received a loading dose of 30mg of prasugrel followed by 10mg daily. The maintenance dose of prasugrel was 5mg daily for patients aged 75 years or older or patients who weighed less than 60 kg. Patients who underwent randomization after 72 hours of the first medical contact received open label clopidogrel before randomization and the maintenance study drug after randomization. Clopidogrel was given as a loading dose of 300mg followed by a maintenance dose of 75mg daily. Aspirin was given in all patients and the recommended dose was 100mg per day or less. Study drugs were given for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 30 months.Endpoints: The primary efficacy endpoint was a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction or nonfatal stroke among patients < 75 years old. Safety endpoints were bleeding not related to CABG based on Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries (GUSTO) criteria for severe or life-threatening bleeding and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) criteria for major bleeding, and neoplasms.Analysis was performed based on the intention-to-treat principle. The trial was event-driven. To ensure 90% power to detect 22% relative risk reduction of prasugrel over clopidogrel with a two-sided alpha of 5%, a total of 688 patients,

DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.                                                  >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.                                                                                  Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. Welcome back to "Ditch the Labcoat," where today we debunked heart health myths with the remarkable Dr. Michael Ward. Did you know stress can literally break your heart? Dr. Ward broke down the realities of Takatsubo cardiomyopathy, stressed the importance of timely intervention in heart attacks, and shared his insights on the Mediterranean diet for cardiac wellness. Plus, we got a glimpse into the high-stakes world of interventional cardiology—straight from the operation room. Stay heart-smart and catch the full episode for a deep dive into the art and science of keeping your ticker ticking! Remember, a healthy heart is a healthy start. Don't miss it!00:00:03 Understanding Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy and Broken Heart Syndrome with Dr. Michael WardDr. Mark Bonta discusses Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome, with Dr. Michael Ward. They explore how the condition is often triggered by emotional stress, such as the loss of a loved one, leading to acute heart failure.00:01:03 Discussion on the Heart as a Muscle and Cardiac ConditionsDr. Michael Ward discusses the heart as a muscle that pumps and the various cardiac conditions patients may face, such as heart attacks, heart failure, and heart rhythm problems. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the basic function of the heart for better management of cardiac health.00:02:26 Discussion with Dr. Michael Ward on Interventional Cardiology and Hypertrophic CardiomyopathyDr. Michael Ward is an expert in interventional cardiology who helps people prevent and recover from heart-related issues. He also focuses on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic condition affecting the heart. With a background in both medicine and research, he is a valuable asset at Western University in London, Ontario.00:03:50 Interview with Dr Michael Ward, Interventional CardiologistDr. Michael Ward, an interventional cardiologist with both an MD and a PhD, discusses his background in cell-based gene therapy and his interest in cardiovascular medicine. He shares insights on heart health, the importance of vacations for mental health, and his balanced lifestyle.00:07:18 Insight into the Fascinating Aspects of the Heart from an Interventional Cardiology PerspectiveDr Mark Bonta, an interventional cardiologist, shares his perspective on the intricate nature of the heart, highlighting how it responds to various stimuli and stressors. He emphasizes the role of the cardiovascular system in determining life and death outcomes and the potential for improving quality of life through cardiology interventions.00:11:14 Discussion on Interventional CardiologyDr. Mark Bonta discusses their work in interventional cardiology, including responding to emergencies like heart attacks and performing procedures in the catheterization laboratory. They describe the challenges faced by patients with heart conditions and the range of cases they handle.00:13:26 Understanding Cardiovascular System with Dr. Michael WardDr. Michael Ward talks about atherosclerosis as the accumulation of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to heart issues like angina and heart attacks. The discussion also touches on the difference between chronic accumulation of plaque and acute blockages causing heart attacks.00:18:01 Understanding Acute Heart Attacks and Plaque Ruptures in ArteriesAcute heart attacks can occur when plaque ruptures inside an artery, leading to a clot that blocks the artery and causes the heart attack. Platelets play a crucial role in responding to the rupture and forming clots to heal the affected area.00:19:44 Importance of Timely Intervention in Heart AttacksDuring a conversation between Dr. Mark Bonta and Dr. Michael Ward Interventional Cardiology, they discussed the critical importance of timely intervention in heart attacks. Dr. Bonta mentioned that when a heart attack occurs, time is of the essence as the muscle of the heart is deprived of blood flow. Historically, patients were given aspirin and blood thinners but no interventional procedures were done immediately.00:21:20 Advanced Cardiac Care Protocols in CanadaIn Canada, there are advanced protocols in place for managing ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) cases, including direct ambulance transportation to hospitals with cath labs. Time is crucial in treating cardiac emergencies to minimize heart muscle damage.00:23:51 Patient Experience in the Cath Lab: What to ExpectThe patient experience in the cath lab involves inserting a needle with a wire into their arteries, either through the wrists or groin. Patients may not feel much during the procedure, but there might be some sensations of discomfort or awareness of the procedure taking place.00:26:56 Understanding the Process of Opening Blocked Heart VesselsIn the conversation between Dr Mark Bonta and Dr Michael Ward Interventional Cardiology, they discuss the process of opening blocked heart vessels during angioplasty procedures. They talk about using topical lidocaine for anesthesia and how temporary discomfort may be felt when the blockage is being opened up. Dr Ward explains that a stent is not a rigid pipe but a meshwork that is placed in the living system of the coronary artery.00:29:41 Understanding Interventional Cardiology and StentingInterventional cardiology involves using contrast dye and x-ray cameras to map arteries and identify blockages. Stents are used to provide support and prevent arteries from narrowing, improving blood flow to the heart muscle. The decision to place a stent is based on the degree of blockage and the impact on blood flow.00:34:10 Discussion on Heart Health Interventions and Medical ManagementThe conversation between Dr. Mark Bonta and Dr. Michael Ward Interventional Cardiology delves into the topic of heart health interventions and the importance of medical management in cardiac care. They discuss the limitations of interventions like stents in treating moderate blockages and emphasize the significance of lifestyle changes and medications in preventing heart attacks and strokes.00:38:32 Preventing Cardiovascular Disease Through Exercise and MedicationsDr. Mark ...

Editor's Summary by Christopher W. Seymour, MD, MSc, Associate Editor of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, for the March 5, 2024, issue.

Commentary by Dr. Candice Silversides

With support from our colleagues at Thrombolex, learn more about how to incorporate pharmaco-mechanical thrombolysis into your practice

With support from our colleagues at Thrombolex, this session provides an overview of pharmaco-mechanical thrombolysis and what the data tell us

CardioNerds co-founder Dr. Dan Ambinder joins CardioNerds join Dr. Pooja Prasad, Dr. Khoa Nguyen and expert Dr. Abigail Khan (Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, School of Medicine) from Oregon Health & Science University and discuss a case of mechanical valve thrombosis. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Adriana Mares.  A 23-year-old pregnant woman with a mechanical aortic valve presented to the maternal cardiac clinic for a follow-up visit. On physical exam, a loud grade three crescendo-decrescendo murmur was audible and transthoracic echocardiography revealed severely elevated gradients across the aortic valve.  Fluoroscopy confirmed an immobile leaflet disk. Thrombolysis was successfully performed using a low dose ultra-slow infusion of thrombolytic therapy, leading to normal valve function eight days later. Treatment options for mechanical aortic valve thrombosis include slow-infusion, low-dose thrombolytic therapy or emergency surgery. In addition to discussing diagnosis and management of mechanical valve thrombosis, we highlight the importance of preventing valve thrombosis during the hypercoagulable state of pregnancy with careful pre-conception counseling and a detailed anticoagulation plan. See this case published in European Heart Journal - Case Reports. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. CardioNerds Case Reports PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - mechanical valve thrombosis The hypercoagulable state of pregnancy presents a risk for women with mechanical heart valves with contemporary data estimating the rate of valve thrombosis during pregnancy at around 5%. Thrombolytic therapy is a (relatively) safe alternative to surgery and should be considered first line for treatment of prosthetic valve thrombosis in all patients, especially in pregnant women. Pre-conception counselling and meticulous anticoagulation management for patients with mechanical heart valves are key aspects of their care. The evaluation for prosthetic valve thrombosis in pregnant persons requires a review of anti-coagulation history and careful choice of diagnostic testing to confirm the diagnosis and minimize risks to the parent and the baby. Multi-disciplinary care with close collaboration between cardiology and obstetrics is critical when caring for pregnant persons with cardiac disease. Show Notes - mechanical valve thrombosis How can we counsel and inform women with heart disease who are contemplating pregnancy? Use the Modified World Health Organization classification of maternal cardiovascular risk to counsel patients on their maternal cardiac event rate and recommended follow-up visits and location of delivery (local or expert care) if pregnancy is pursued. To learn about normal pregnancy cardiovascular physiology and pregnancy risk stratification in persons with cardiovascular disease, enjoy CardioNerds Episode #111. Cardio-Obstetrics: Normal Pregnancy Physiology with Dr. Garima Sharma. Adapted from the 2018 ESC Guidelines for the management of cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy What is the differential diagnosis for a new murmur in a pregnant person who has undergone heart valve replacement? Normal physiology - elevated flow from hyperdynamic state and/or expansion of blood volume in pregnancy. Pathologic - increased left ventricular outflow tract flow from turbulence of flow due to pannus ingrowth, new paravalvular leak, or obstructive mechanical disk motion from vegetation or thrombus. What are diagnostic modalities for the evaluation of suspected prosthetic valve thrombosis? The 2020 ACC/AHA guidelines gave a class I recommendation for evaluation of susp...

The July 2023 replay of past episodes showcases five interviews on social determinants of health in neurology. The episode begins with an interview with Dr. Heather Leeper on the links between pain and depression with unemployment due to CNS cancer. The episode continues with an interview with Dr. Wyatt Bensken on racial and ethnic difference in antiseizure medication prescription. The next interview is with Dr. Scott Mendelson on race-ethnic disparities in stroke thrombolysis. The fourth interview is with Dr. Vikas Kotagal on neighborhood socioeconomic factors in people with various movement disorders. The final episode is with Dr. Daniel Di Luca on racial and ethnic differences in quality of life among people with Parkinson's disease.   Related Podcast Links: Links Between Pain & Depression with Unemployment Due to CNS Cancer:  https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/26356875 Racial and Ethnic Differences in Antiseizure Medications Among People with Epilepsy on Medicaid: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/25916646 Race-Ethnic Disparities in Stroke Thrombolysis: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/23377391 Social Determinants of Health in Patients with Movement Disorders: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/26531040 Racial and Ethnic Differences in Quality of Life in Parkinson Disease: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/27196008 Related Article Links: Association of Employment Status With Symptom Burden and Health-Related Quality of Life in People Living With Primary CNS Tumors: https://n.neurology.org/content/100/16/e1723 Racial and Ethnic Differences in Antiseizure Medications Among People With Epilepsy on Medicaid: A Case of Potential Inequities: https://cp.neurology.org/content/13/1/e200101  Race-Ethnic Disparities in Rates of Declination of Thrombolysis for Stroke: https://n.neurology.org/content/98/16/e1596 Neighborhood Social Determinants of Health in Patients Seen in Neurology Movement Disorders Clinics: https://cp.neurology.org/content/13/2/e200142 Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health-Related Quality of Life for Individuals With Parkinson Disease Across Centers of Excellence: https://n.neurology.org/content/100/21/e2170   Visit NPUb.org/Podcast for associated article links

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: What is thrombolysis? Thrombolysis is performed by administration of a medication that promotes the body's natural ability to break up clots. These medications include Alteplase (tPA) and Tenecteplase (TNK). The main side effect of using such an agent is bleeding which typically occurs at puncture sites but can also occur internally. However, an unusual side effect of thrombolytic agents, which occurs in about 1-5% of cases, is angioedema. What is angioedema? Angioedema is a medical condition that causes swelling beneath the surface of the skin, typically in the face, lips, and throat (orolingual angioedema). Fluid leaks from blood vessels and accumulates in the deeper layers of the skin. How are these two connected? The mechanism by which angioedema occurs after thrombolysis is not well understood, but it is likely connected to how tPA can increase levels of bradykinin and histamine. Swelling can appear suddenly but can also occur up to 24 hours after thrombolysis, and may last for a few hours or several days. In some cases, angioedema can affect the airways, leading to difficulty breathing. What can be done? If this side effect occurs the provider can stop the medication or infusion and treat the patient with anti-histamines, steroids, epinephrine, and airway monitoring. Medications such as Berinert or Icatibant, typically used in hereditary angioedema or ACE-i-induced angioedema, can also be used but have limited evidence for their efficacy. Fun fact tPA-related angioedema is about 4 times more likely in patients on ACE inhibitors. This is likely related to how ACE inhibitors also increase bradykinin and histamine in a patient's body. References Zhu A, Rajendram P, Tseng E, Coutts SB, Yu AYX. Alteplase or tenecteplase for thrombolysis in ischemic stroke: An illustrated review. Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2022 Sep 20;6(6):e12795. doi: 10.1002/rth2.12795. PMID: 36186106; PMCID: PMC9487449. Pahs L, Droege C, Kneale H, Pancioli A. A Novel Approach to the Treatment of Orolingual Angioedema After Tissue Plasminogen Activator Administration. Ann Emerg Med. 2016 Sep;68(3):345-8. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.02.019. Epub 2016 May 10. PMID: 27174372. Burd M, McPheeters C, Scherrer LA. Orolingual Angioedema After Tissue Plasminogen Activator Administration in Patients Taking Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors. Adv Emerg Nurs J. 2019 Jul/Sep;41(3):204-214. doi: 10.1097/TME.0000000000000250. PMID: 31356244. Sczepanski M, Bozyk P. Institutional Incidence of Severe tPA-Induced Angioedema in Ischemic Cerebral Vascular Accidents. Crit Care Res Pract. 2018 Sep 27;2018:9360918. doi: 10.1155/2018/9360918. PMID: 30363665; PMCID: PMC6180929. Summarized by Jeffrey Olson, MS1 | Edited by Meg Joyce & Jorge Chalit, OMS1

Tenecteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke  Special Guest: Salia Farrokh, PharmD, BCCCP, FNCS 07:45 – Alteplase history and comparison 14:20 – Thrombolysis guidelines in AIS 19:15 – Tips for reading stroke literature 21:00 – Tenecteplase literature review  39:45 – Tenecteplase research-in-progress 42:30 – Thrombolytic-induced ICH management 46:25 – Arguments for and against Tenecteplase 51:30 – Advice when switching thrombolytics 58:20 – Ultimate take-aways Reference List: https://pharmacytodose.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/tenecteplase-in-acute-ischemic-stroke-references.pdf PharmacyToDose.Com  @PharmacyToDose  PharmacyToDose@Gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bradyarrhythmia during AF screening, thrombolysis in stroke, NP vs MD care, and the most biased paper this year — on LAAO — are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I. Screening with ILR - Ade Adamson Tweet https://twitter.com/AdeAdamson/status/1625878856820482048?s=20 - The Rapid Rise in Cutaneous Melanoma Diagnoses https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsb2019760 - Loop Trial https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01698-6/fulltext - Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Bradyarrhythmias in Patients Screened for Atrial Fibrillation vs Usual Care https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2801362 II. Thrombolysis in Mild Stroke Thrombolysis Not Necessary in Mild Nondisabling Stroke: ARAMIS https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/988381 - PRISMS Trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2687354 - Risk of selection bias assessment in the NINDS rt-PA stroke study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35705913/ - Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Acute Ischemic Stroke https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199512143332401 - Effects of alteplase for acute stroke; Hacke et al meta-analysis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1747493017744464 - Methodological survey of missing outcome data in an alteplase for ischemic stroke meta-analysis https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ane.13656 - ECASS; Thrombolysis with Alteplase 3 to 4.5 Hours after Acute Ischemic Stroke https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa0804656 - Thrombolysis with alteplase 3-4.5 hours after acute ischaemic stroke: trial reanalysis adjusted for baseline imbalances https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32430395/ III. NP vs MD Care This Doc Still Supports NP/PA Led Care ... With Caveats https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/967073 - The Productivity of Professions: Evidence from the Emergency Department https://www.nber.org/papers/w30608 - Independent Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants: A Doc's View https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/924047 IV. LAAO vs OAC - Comparative Effectiveness of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusio Versus Oral Anticoagulation by Sex https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.062765 You may also like: Medscape editor-in-chief Eric Topol, MD, and master storyteller and clinician Abraham Verghese, MD, on Medicine and the Machine https://www.medscape.com/features/public/machine The Bob Harrington Show with Stanford University Chair of Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

In this week's podcast, Neurology Today's editor-in-chief discusses the report on outcomes of IV thrombolysis for large vessel occlusions; the discovery of a new brain layer in the subarachnoid space; and the impact of mindfulness and exercise on cognition.

Dr. David J. Seiffge discusses his paper, "Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients With Ischemic Stroke and Recent Ingestion of Direct Oral Anticoagulants". Show references: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2799622 This episode is brought to you by Mass General Brigham Department of Neurology, please visit us at www.massgeneralbrigham.org.  

Dr. Dan Ackerman talks with Dr. David Seiffge, about the use of oral anticoagulants on ischemic stroke. Read the full article in JAMA Neurology. This episode is brought to you by Mass General Brigham Department of Neurology, please visit us at www.massgeneralbrigham.org.

In this week's episode, we'll discuss involvement of IL-13 and IL-4 signaling in fibrotic progression of myelofibrosis; next, we review results on a novel agent using vWF-dependent mechanisms to lyse pathological thrombi in acute ischemic stroke. Finally, we'll shed new light on findings that implicate the GARP-TGF-beta-1 pathway in the loss of natural killer cell cytotoxicity in relapsed AML.

Pulmonary embolism, coffee, when DOACs don't work, lipoprotein (a), and the marginal benefits of current CV therapy are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I. Pulmonary Embolism - Positive Data on Thrombectomy Catheter That Avoids Thrombolytics in Acute PE https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/981322 - Acute Outcomes for the Full US Cohort of the FLASH Mechanical Thrombectomy Registry in Pulmonary Embolism https://eurointervention.pcronline.com/article/acute-outcomes-for-the-full-us-cohort-of-the-flash-mechanical-thrombectomy-registry-in-pulmonary-embolism - PEERLESS Study https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05111613 - Ultrasound-facilitated, Catheter-directed, Thrombolysis in Intermediate-high Risk Pulmonary Embolism (HI-PEITHO) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04790370 - A Prospective, Single-Arm, Multicenter Trial of Catheter-Directed Mechanical Thrombectomy for Intermediate-Risk Acute Pulmonary Embolism: The FLARE Study https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcin.2018.12.022 II. Coffee Again - Coffee Linked to Reduced Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/981518 Enough With the Coffee Research and Other Distractions https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/883709 - The impact of coffee subtypes on incident cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, and mortality: long-term outcomes from the UK Biobank https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwac189 III. DOAC and Mechanical Valves - PROACT Xa Trial of Apixaban With On-X Heart Valve Stopped https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/981644 - Artivion Follows Recommendation to Stop PROACT Xa Clinical Trial https://investors.artivion.com/news-releases/news-release-details/artivion-follows-recommendation-stop-proact-xa-clinical-trial - PROACT Xa - A Trial to Determine if Participants With an On-X Aortic Valve Can be Maintained Safely on Apixaban https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04142658 - Dabigatran versus Warfarin in Patients with Mechanical Heart Valves https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1300615 IV. Lipoprotein(a) - Aspirin Primary Prevention Benefit in Those With Raised Lp(a)? https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/981602 - Aspirin for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Relation to Lipoprotein(a) Genotypes https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.07.027 - A Randomized Trial of Low-Dose Aspirin in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Women https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa050613 - Effect of Aspirin on Disability-free Survival in the Healthy Elderly https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1800722 - Effect of Aspirin on Cardiovascular Events and Bleeding in the Healthy Elderly https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1805819 - Effect of Aspirin on All-Cause Mortality in the Healthy Elderly https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1803955 You may also like: Medscape editor-in-chief Eric Topol, MD, and master storyteller and clinician Abraham Verghese, MD, on Medicine and the Machine https://www.medscape.com/features/public/machine The Bob Harrington Show with Stanford University Chair of Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact: news@medscape.net

The pathophysiology of ARDS is complex and remains incompletely understood.  However, it is clear that ARDS is not simply a disease of the alveoli. Understanding the pathological basis of ARDS will assist in the development of new therapies for this potentially fatal disease. One such avenue is the role of thrombolysis.  Professor Anders Aneman and Dr Lucy Coupland are leaders of a new program of research looking at this potential intervention.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is a rapid fire review of litigation issues surrounding the provision of (or lack of provision of) tPA for stroke. Guests: Latha Ganti, MD, MS, MBA Professor of Emergency Medicine & Neurology ,University of Central Florida College of Medicine Joshua N. Goldstein MD, PhD Professor of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School Host: Jason Woods MD References: Chernyshev OY, Martin-Schild S, Albright KC, Barreto A, Misra V, Acosta I, Grotta JC, Savitz SI. Safety of tPA in stroke mimics and neuroimaging-negative cerebral ischemia. Neurology. 2010 Apr 27;74(17):1340-5. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181dad5a6. Epub 2010 Mar 24. PMID: 20335564; PMCID: PMC2875935. Gebel JM, Sila CA, Sloan MA, Granger CB, Mahaffey KW, Weisenberger J, Green CL, White HD, Gore JM, Weaver WD, Califf RM, Topol EJ. Thrombolysis-related intracranial hemorrhage: a radiographic analysis of 244 cases from the GUSTO-1 trial with clinical correlation. Global Utilization of Streptokinase and Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Occluded Coronary Arteries. Stroke. 1998 Mar;29(3):563-9. doi: 10.1161/01.str.29.3.563. PMID: 9506593. Kass J et al. CONTINUUM (MINNEAP MINN) 2020;26(2, CEREBROvascular disease): 499-505  

Guest: Adam Oostema, MD MS FACEP (Associate Professor of EM, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine) Host: Jason Woods MD Select References: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke rt-PA Stroke Study Group. Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke. N Engl J Med. 1995 Dec 14;333(24):1581-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199512143332401. PMID: 7477192. Saver JL, Gornbein J, Starkman S. Graphic reanalysis of the two NINDS-tPA trials confirms substantial treatment benefit. Stroke. 2010 Oct;41(10):2381-90. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.583807. Epub 2010 Sep 9. PMID: 20829518; PMCID: PMC2949055. Kwiatkowski TG et al. Effects of tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke at one year. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator Stroke Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1999 Jun 10;340(23):1781-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199906103402302. PMID: 10362821. Ingall TJ et al. Findings from the reanalysis of the NINDS tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke treatment trial. Stroke. 2004 Oct;35(10):2418-24. doi: 10.1161/01.STR.0000140891.70547.56. Epub 2004 Sep 2. PMID: 15345796. Emberson J et al. Stroke Thrombolysis Trialists' Collaborative Group. Effect of treatment delay, age, and stroke severity on the effects of intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase for acute ischaemic stroke: a meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomised trials. Lancet. 2014 Nov 29;384(9958):1929-35. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60584-5. Epub 2014 Aug 5. PMID: 25106063; PMCID: PMC4441266. Hacke W et al. ECASS Investigators. Thrombolysis with alteplase 3 to 4.5 hours after acute ischemic stroke. N Engl J Med. 2008 Sep 25;359(13):1317-29. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0804656. PMID: 18815396. Alper BS et al. Thrombolysis with alteplase 3-4.5 hours after acute ischaemic stroke: trial reanalysis adjusted for baseline imbalances. BMJ Evid Based Med. 2020 Oct;25(5):168-171. doi: 10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111386. Epub 2020 May 19. PMID: 32430395; PMCID: PMC7548536. Powers WJ et al. Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: 2019 Update to the 2018 Guidelines for the Early Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2019 Dec;50(12):e344-e418. doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000211. Epub 2019 Oct 30. Erratum in: Stroke. 2019 Dec;50(12):e440-e441. PMID: 31662037.

Drs. B.J. Hicks and Andy Southerland talk with Dr. Scott Mendelson about racial and ethnic disparities in the rates of declination of thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Read the full article in Neurology.

Dr. Scott Mendelson discusses racial and ethnic disparities in the rates of declination of thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke.  Show references: https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2022/02/28/WNL.0000000000200138

Commentary by Dr. Valentin Fuster

About Dr. Anthony Comerota (Host)Dr. Comerota is a board-certified vascular surgeon. He joined Inova as the Medical Director of the Eastern Region Heart and Vascular Institute, with over 36 years of clinical experience. Dr. Comerota served as a faculty member at Temple University Health Sciences Center where he became Chief of Vascular Surgery, Professor of Surgery, Program Director of General and Vascular Surgery, President of the Medical Staff and President of the Medical Alumni Association. He also served as Director of the Jobst Vascular Institute, ProMedica Toledo Hospital from 2002 - 2015 and Executive Director of Research, ProMedica Health System and Jobst Vascular Institute from 2015 to January 2017. Dr. Comerota has been a major contributor to the development of some of the newest forms of treatment for vascular disease and has been the principal investigator of seven major national trials and a co-investigator of numerous others. Dr. Comerota has a special interest in acute and chronic venous thromboembolic disease, complex deep venous reconstruction, and carotid artery disease. He became interested in venous thromboembolic disease because it is a serious and common vascular disorder.About Dr. Riyaz Bashir (Guest)While maintaining his full medical and academic responsibilities at the Temple University and Temple University Hospital System, Dr. Bashir serves in an ex-officio Chief Medical Consultant role for Thrombolex.Dr. Bashir shares the product design creation responsibilities with Mr. Green. Dr. Bashir is a Professor of Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine and is the inventor of the Bashir Endovascular Catheter. His specialties include: carotid artery and peripheral vascular diseases, coronary and endovascular interventions (including carotid stenting and gene and stem cell therapy).He attended medical school at the University of Kashmir, Government Medical College, Srinagar, India. His training includes a fellowship, interventional cardiology, Mayo Clinic; fellowship, vascular medicine and endovascular intervention, Tufts University School of Medicine, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center; fellowship, cardiovascular medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center; residency, internal medicine, University of Kashmir, S.M.H.S. Hospital and Nassau University Medical Center, SUNY at Stony Brook.His certifications include: interventional cardiology, vascular technology, endovascular interventions, vascular medicine, cardiovascular disease, and internal medicine.About the Bashir Endovascular CatheterThe BASHIR™ Endovascular Catheter is a device intended for the localized infusion of physician specified fluids, including thrombolytics, into the peripheral vasculature.The distal infusion segment of the device is 12.50 cm long and consists of an expandable basket with mini-infusion catheters, each with multiple infusion holes.It is used for the delivery of the physician-specified fluids at multiple cross-sectional points of the target vessel location.The infusion basket can be expanded using the red actuator located on the handle at the proximal end of the device.After expansion, the mini-infusion catheters may be returned to their original closed positions by depressing the white button on the actuator and advancing the actuator toward the distal end of the device. BASHIR™ Endovascular Catheters are for use only by trained physicians in strict accordance with the FDA-cleared IFU. Read more.Dr. Steve Elias bids adieu -- VEIN Magazine thanks him for 12 wonderful episodes of the VEIN Magazine Podcast. Be sure to listen to his new show -- The Venous Edge Podcast 

This week on The Rounds Table Kieran Quinn and Mike Fralick are back with another rapid fire episode: just the salient points from four articles instead of two, this time examining important cardiovascular studies. The risk of subsequent stroke after minor stroke or TIA is as high as 15% within 90 days. Mike covers the ... The post Summer Replay – Cardiovascular Rapid Fire: MRI-Guided Thrombolysis, Recurrent Stroke Prevention, and E-Cigs & Smoking Cessation appeared first on Healthy Debate.

This week on The Rounds Table Kieran Quinn and Mike Fralick are back with another rapid fire episode: just the salient points from four articles instead of two, this time examining important cardiovascular studies. The risk of subsequent stroke after minor stroke or TIA is as high as 15% within 90 days. Mike covers the ...The post Summer Replay – Cardiovascular Rapid Fire: MRI-Guided Thrombolysis, Recurrent Stroke Prevention, and E-Cigs & Smoking Cessation appeared first on Healthy Debate.

This week on The Rounds Table Kieran Quinn and Mike Fralick are back with another rapid fire episode: just the salient points from four articles instead of two, this time examining important cardiovascular studies. The risk of subsequent stroke after minor stroke or TIA is as high as 15% within 90 days. Mike covers the ...The post Cardiovascular Rapid Fire: MRI-Guided Thrombolysis, Recurrent Stroke Prevention, and E-Cigs & Smoking Cessation appeared first on Healthy Debate.

This week on The Rounds Table Kieran Quinn and Mike Fralick are back with another rapid fire episode: just the salient points from four articles instead of two, this time examining important cardiovascular studies. The risk of subsequent stroke after minor stroke or TIA is as high as 15% within 90 days. Mike covers the ... The post Cardiovascular Rapid Fire: MRI-Guided Thrombolysis, Recurrent Stroke Prevention, and E-Cigs & Smoking Cessation appeared first on Healthy Debate.