Cardiology update

In the year 2014, there were certain remarkable trials that have changed the practice of cardiology and beyond that these tried to explained some long awaited unanswered questions. Like SIMPLICITY HTN-3 trial clearly explained the uselessness of renal denervation therapy in systemic hypertension. PARADIGM-HF trial provided positive data that may be useful to enrich the basket of medical treatment with a new drug LCZ 696 after a long time. Another important meta-analysis in heart failure questioned the status of beta blockers as standard therapy to improve prognosis in patients with concomitant heart failure and atrial fibrillation . In myocardial infraction , CvLPRIT trial supported the concept of complete revascularization at the time of primary PCI and TASTE trials failed to show expected benefit of thrombus aspiration in acute MI. FFR got more strength from FAME 2 trial. Another important question that was addressed in SECURITY trial was optimal duration of DAPT after second generation DES implantation. One year follow-up results of ABSORB II suggested that bioresorbable scaffolds are currently facing problem of stent thrombosis that might be taken care in near future with improvement in strut technology. Successful use of "Heart in a box" machine provided a major thrust for cardiac transplantation. SEARCH-AF evaluated the efficacy of a novel mobile health technology in the real world to screen for atrial fibrillation (now called as life style disease). A Meta-analysis provided a more comprehensive picture of the new oral anticoagulants as a therapeutic option in atrial fibrillation. Positive results for trans catheter pm-VSD closure in paediatric population were also demonstrated by a randomized controlled trial. Role of corticosteroids in tubercular pericarditis also got the answer in a trial published in 2014