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A pandemic of Coronavirus-19 disease was declared by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. The pandemic is expected to place unprecedented demand on health service delivery. This position statement has been developed by the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand to assist clinicians to continue to deliver rapid and safe evaluation of patients presenting with suspected acute cardiac syndrome at this time. The position statement complements, and should be read in conjunction with, the National Heart Foundation of Australia & Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand: Australian Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes 2016: Section 2 ‘Assessment of Possible Cardiac Chest Pain’.

ObjectivesTo assess the feasibility and acceptability, and additionally to preliminarily evaluate, the effectiveness and safety of an accelerated diagnostic chest pain pathway in rural general practice using point-of-care troponin to identify patients at low risk of acute myocardial infarction, avoiding unnecessary patient transfer to hospital and enabling early discharge home.DesignA prospective observational pilot evaluation.SettingTwelve rural general (family) practices in the Midlands region of New Zealand.ParticipantsPatients aged ≥18 years who presented acutely to rural general practice with suspected ischaemic chest pain for whom the doctor intended transfer to hospital for serial troponin measurement.Outcome measuresThe proportion of patients managed using the low-risk pathway without transfer to hospital and without 30-day major adverse cardiac event (MACE); pathway adherence; rate of 30-day MACE; patient satisfaction with care; and agreement between point-of-care and laboratory measured troponin concentrations.ResultsA total of 180 patients were assessed by the pathway. The pathway classified 111 patients (61.7%) as low-risk and all were managed in rural general practice with no 30-day MACE (0%, 95% CI 0.0% to 3.3%). Adherence to the low-risk pathway was 95.5% (106 out of 111). Of the 56 patients classified as non-low-risk and referred to hospital, 9 (16.1%) had a 30-day MACE. A further 13 non-low-risk patients were not transferred to hospital, with no events. The sensitivity of the pathway for 30-day MACE was 100.0% (95% CI 70.1% to 100%). Of low-risk patients, 94% reported good to excellent satisfaction with care. Good concordance was observed between point-of-care and duplicate laboratory measured troponin concentrations.ConclusionsThe use of an accelerated diagnostic chest pain pathway incorporating point-of-care troponin in a rural general practice setting was feasible and acceptable, with preliminary results suggesting that it may safely and effectively reduce the urgent transfer of low-risk patients to hospital.

Objective To determine the association between high flow supplementary oxygen and 30 day mortality in patients presenting with a suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Design Pragmatic, cluster randomised, crossover trial. Setting Four geographical regions in New Zealand. Participants 40 872 patients with suspected or confirmed ACS included in the All New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome Quality Improvement registry or ambulance ACS pathway during the study periods. 20 304 patients were managed using the high oxygen protocol and 20 568 were managed using the low oxygen protocol. Final diagnosis of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-STEMI were determined from the registry and ICD-10 discharge codes. Interventions The four geographical regions were randomly allocated to each of two oxygen protocols in six month blocks over two years. The high oxygen protocol recommended oxygen at 6-8 L/min by face mask for ischaemic symptoms or electrocardiographic changes, irrespective of the transcapillary oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ). The low oxygen protocol recommended oxygen only if SpO 2 was less than 90%, with a target SpO 2 of less than 95%. Main outcome measure 30 day all cause mortality determined from linkage to administrative data. Results Personal and clinical characteristics of patients managed under both oxygen protocols were well matched. For patients with suspected ACS, 30 day mortality for the high and low oxygen groups was 613 (3.0%) and 642 (3.1%), respectively (odds ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.86 to 1.08). For 4159 (10%) patients with STEMI, 30 day mortality for the high and low oxygen groups was 8.8% (n=178) and 10.6% (n=225), respectively (0.81, 0.66 to 1.00) and for 10 218 (25%) patients with non-STEMI was 3.6% (n=187) and 3.5% (n=176), respectively (1.05, 0.85 to 1.29). Conclusion In a large patient cohort presenting with suspected ACS, high flow oxygen was not associated with an increase or decrease in 30 day mortality. Trial registration ANZ Clinical Trials ACTRN12616000461493.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the concordance of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) assessment of coronary anatomy and invasive coronary angiography (ICA) as the reference standard in patients enrolled in the ISCHEMIA (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches).BackgroundPerformance of CCTA compared with ICA has not been assessed in patients with very high burdens of stress-induced ischemia and a high likelihood of anatomically significant coronary artery disease (CAD). A blinded CCTA was performed after enrollment to exclude patients with left main (LM) disease or no obstructive CAD before randomization to an initial conservative or invasive strategy, the latter guided by ICA and optimal revascularization.MethodsRates of concordance were calculated on a per-patient basis in patients randomized to the invasive strategy. Anatomic significance was defined as≥50% diameter stenosis (DS) for both modalities. Sensitivity analyses using a threshold of≥70% DS for CCTA or considering only CCTA images of good-to-excellent quality were performed.ResultsIn 1,728 patients identified by CCTA as having no LM disease ≥50% and at least single-vessel CAD, ICA confirmed 97.1% without LM disease≥50%, 92.2% with at least single-vessel CAD and no LM disease≥50%, and only 4.9% without anatomically significant CAD. Results using a≥70% DS threshold or only CCTA of good-to-excellent quality showed similar overall performance.ConclusionsCCTA before randomization in ISCHEMIA demonstrated high concordance with subsequent ICA for identification of patients with angiographically significant disease without LM disease.

Background Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) events and the ongoing burden of disease can have a significant impact on the subsequent life-course of working age people. Methods We report 12-month clinical outcomes for 10,822 patients hospitalized with first-time ACS between 2015-2016 and enrolled in the All New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome Quality Improvement (ANZACS-QI) registry, with a focus on people of working age (defined as Results Nearly half (48%) of first-time ACS occurred in people of working age. Compared to those >65 years, these patients had a high burden of cardiovascular risk factors, and were more likely to be male (75% vs 60%), to be of non-European ethnicity (36% vs 15%), and to be living in areas of high deprivation. Subsequent clinical events were common in the younger patients, with 15% dying or being readmitted for cardiovascular causes within 12 months despite high rates of angiography (96%), revascularization (74%) and evidence-based medical therapy at the time of the index ACS event. Conclusions The high risk factor burden and subsequent high rate of clinical events in working age patients reinforces the need for a longer-term focus on strategies to improve clinical outcomes following first-time ACS.

The Challenges Rural and remote Australians and New Zealanders have a higher rate of adverse outcomes due to acute myocardial infarction, driven by many factors. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is also higher in regional and remote populations, and people with known CVD have increased morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In addition, COVID-19 is associated with serious cardiac manifestations, potentially placing additional demand on limited regional services at a time of diminished visiting metropolitan support with restricted travel. Inter-hospital transfer is currently challenging as receiving centres enact pandemic protocols, creating potential delays, and cardiovascular resources are diverted to increasing intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency department (ED) capacity. Regional and rural centres have limited staff resources, placing cardiac services at risk in the event of staff infection or quarantine during the pandemic. Main Recommendations Health districts, cardiologists and government agencies need to minimise impacts on the already vulnerable cardiovascular health of regional and remote Australians and New Zealanders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in management should include: • Improved access to telehealth consultation for regional and rural outpatients. Specialist-led 24/7 electrocardiograph (ECG) reading and acute cardiology services, uniformly covering all rural inpatients, to minimise potential impacts on acute care. • Transfer models incorporating discussion between clinicians and ambulance, balancing urgency with considerations of ambulance capacity in rural locations. • Protection of the role of specialist cardiovascular nurses, avoiding COVID-19 redeployment to maintain rural cardiac service capacity. • An urgent shift to regional models for pacing services, utilising remote monitoring supported by local device implantation and local technicians.

Background Myostatin inhibits the development of skeletal muscle and regulates the proliferation of skeletal muscle fibroblasts. However, the role of myostatin in regulating cardiac muscle or myofibroblasts, specifically in acute myocardial infarction (MI), is less clear. This study sought to determine whether absence of myostatin altered left ventricular function post-MI. Methods Myostatin-null mice (Mstn −/− ) and wild-type (WT) mice underwent ligation of the left anterior descending artery to induce MI. Left ventricular function was measured at baseline, days 1 and 28 post-MI. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were obtained at day 28 for cellular proliferation, collagen deposition, and myofibroblastic activity. Results Whilst left ventricular function at baseline and size of infarct were similar, significant differences in favour of Mstn −/− compared to WT mice post-MI include a greater recovery of ejection fraction (61.8±1.1% vs 57.1±2.3%, p 0.01), less collagen deposition (41.9±2.8% vs 54.7±3.4%, p 0.05), and lower mortality (0 vs. 20%, p −/− mice. Conclusions Absence of myostatin potentially protects the function of the heart post-MI with improved survival, possibly by limiting extent of fibrosis.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: Thrombotic events are reduced with cangrelor, an intravenous P2Y12 inhibitor. We sought to characterize the timing, number, and type of early events (within 2 hours of randomization) in CHAMPION PHOENIX (A Clinical Trial Comparing Cangrelor to Clopidogrel Standard of Care Therapy in Subjects Who Require Percutaneous Coronary Intervention). Methods: CHAMPION PHOENIX was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that randomized patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention to cangrelor or clopidogrel. For this analysis, we evaluated the efficacy of cangrelor in the first 2 hours postrandomization with regards to the primary end point (death, myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, or stent thrombosis). Sensitivity analyses were performed evaluating a secondary, post hoc end point (death, Society of Coronary Angiography and Intervention myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, or Academic Research Consortium definite stent thrombosis). Results: The majority of events (63%) that occurred in the trial occurred within 2 hours of randomization. The most common early event was myocardial infarction; next were stent thrombosis, ischemia driven revascularization, and death. In the first 2 hours after randomization, cangrelor significantly decreased the primary composite end point compared with clopidogrel (4.1% versus 5.4%; hazard ratio, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.64–0.90], P=0.002). Similar findings were seen for the composite end point of death, Society of Coronary Angiography and Intervention myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, or Academic Research Consortium stent thrombosis at 2 hours (0.9% versus 1.6%; hazard ratio, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.40–0.80], P=0.001). Between 2 and 48 hours, there was no difference in the primary composite end point (0.6% versus 0.5%; odds ratio, 1.17 [95% CI, 0.71–1.93]; P=0.53). Early (≤2 hours of randomization) GUSTO (Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries) moderate or severe bleeding events were infrequent, and there was no significant difference with cangrelor compared with clopidogrel (0.2% [n=10] versus 0.1% [n=4]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.41 [95% CI, 0.37–5.40]; P=0.62). Conclusions: The reductions in ischemic events and overall efficacy seen with cangrelor in CHAMPION PHOENIX occurred early and during the period of time in which patients were being actively treated with cangrelor. These findings provide evidence that supports the importance of potent platelet inhibition during percutaneous coronary intervention. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01156571.

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTIONAccelerated diagnostic chest pain pathways are used widely in urban New Zealand hospitals. These pathways use laboratory-based troponin assays with good analytical precision. Widespread implementation has not occurred in many of New Zealand’s rural hospitals and general practices as they are reliant on point-of-care troponin assays, which are less sensitive and precise. An accelerated chest pain pathway using point-of-care troponin has been adapted for use in rural settings. A pilot study in a low-risk rural population showed no major adverse cardiac events at 30 days. A larger study is required to be confident that the pathway is safe. AIMSTo assess the safety and effectiveness of an accelerated chest pain pathway adapted for rural settings and general practice using point-of-care troponin to identify low-risk patients and allow early discharge. METHODSThis is a prospective observational study of an accelerated chest pain pathway using point-of-care troponin in rural hospitals and general practices in New Zealand. A total of 1000 patients, of whom we estimate 400 will be low risk, will be enrolled in the study. OUTCOME MEASURESThe primary outcome is the proportion of patients identified by the pathway as low risk for a 30-day major adverse cardiac event. Secondary outcomes include the proportion of low-risk patients who were discharged directly from general practice or rural hospitals, the proportion of patients reclassified as having acute myocardial infarction by the pathway and the proportion of patients with low and intermediate risk safely managed in the rural hospital.

Background Cangrelor, an intravenous, reversible P2Y12 antagonist, is approved for use in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Objectives This study sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cangrelor compared with clopidogrel in subgroups that did and did not receive glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs). Methods This pooled, patient-level analysis of the 3 CHAMPION (Cangrelor versus Standard Therapy to Achieve Optimal Management of Platelet Inhibition) trials analyzed all randomized patients who underwent PCI and received the study drug (n = 24,902). Only bailout/rescue GPI use was permitted, except in CHAMPION PCI, in which routine or bailout/rescue GPI use was at the site investigator’s discretion. The primary efficacy endpoint was the composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, or stent thrombosis at 48 h after randomization. Results Overall, 3,173 patients (12.7%) received a GPI, most commonly eptifibatide (69.4%). Despite variation in indications for GPIs, baseline characteristics were well balanced between the cangrelor and clopidogrel arms in subsets receiving and not receiving GPIs. Rates of the primary composite endpoint were lower with cangrelor compared with clopidogrel in patients who did (4.9% vs. 6.5%; odds ratio [OR]: 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.55 to 1.01) or did not receive a GPI (3.6% vs. 4.4%; OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.72 to 0.94; Pint = 0.55). Cangrelor did not increase the primary safety endpoint, GUSTO-defined severe/life-threatening bleeding, in patients who did (0.4% vs. 0.5%; OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.25 to 1.99) or did not receive GPIs (0.2% vs. 0.1%; OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 0.80 to 3.04; Pint = 0.21). GPI use was associated with increased risk of bleeding in both treatment arms. Conclusions Cangrelor’s efficacy in reducing ischemic complications in patients undergoing PCI was maintained irrespective of GPI administration. GPI use was associated with substantially higher bleeding rates, regardless of the randomization to cangrelor or clopidogrel. (A Clinical Trial to Demonstrate the Efficacy of Cangrelor [PCI]: NCT00305162 ; Cangrelor Versus Standard Therapy to Achieve Optimal Management of Platelet Inhibition [PLATFORM]: NCT00385138 ; A Clinical Trial Comparing Cangrelor to Clopidogrel Standard Therapy in Subjects Who Require Percutaneous Coronary Intervention [PCI] [CHAMPION PHOENIX] [CHAMPION]: NCT01156571 )

Lifestyle changes are believed responsible for temporal trends of reduced population total cholesterol (TC), but it is uncertain whether this applies to patients with known coronary heart disease (CHD) often prescribed lipid lowering therapy (LLT). We studied temporal TC trends at presentation with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to determine the contribution of LLT given for secondary prevention.TC and LLT were obtained in 5592 patients in annual surveys of ACS admissions in Australia between 1999 and 2013, and annual mean trends analysed by linear and segmented regression.TC declined from 5.13±1.1 to 4.53±1.2mmol/L (p0.001) and LLT (96% statin) use at presentation increased from 37.4% to 47.5% (p=0.005). TC decline was greater in those on LLT vs. those not on therapy, with LLT contributing to 57% of the TC decline. The decline in TC and increase in LLT use was non-linear and much steeper in those with, than without CHD history, and LLT contributed substantially more to the TC decline (79%, p0.001 vs. 27%, p=0.06 respectively). The rapid decline in TC and increase in LLT, plateauing after 2005 in those with CHD history differed markedly from trends in recent population studies, while TC trend for those without CHD history was slower, linear and consistent with population trends.Declining TC level at presentation for ACS was strongly associated with increasing LLT use in those with a history of CHD, indicating that increasing uptake of LLT for secondary prevention has impacted TC changes in the new millennium.

ObjectiveEthnic differences in the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in heart failure (HF) remain unclear. We compared the prevalence and clinical correlates of AF among different ethnicities in an Asian-Pacific population with HF.MethodsPatients with validated HF were prospectively studied across Singapore and New Zealand (NZ).ResultsAmong 1746 patients with HF (62% Asian, 26% women, mean age 66 (SD 13) years, mean ejection fraction (EF) 37 (SD 16%), 39% had AF. The prevalence of AF was markedly lower in Singapore-Asians than NZ-Europeans (24% vs 63%; pinteraction for EF=0.39). Patients with AF were older, had higher body mass index and were more likely to have a history of hypertension, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, renal disease, chronic respiratory disease and increased alcohol intake, but less likely to have diabetes. Clinical correlates were similar for Asians and NZ-Europeans, except diabetes: Asian diabetic patients with HF had less AF compared with Asian patients without diabetes (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.88), whereas among NZ-Europeans there was no significant association between diabetes and AF (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.75) (pinteraction for ethnicity=0.01). AF was associated with a higher crude composite outcome of mortality and HF hospitalisations at 2 years (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.38).ConclusionThere is a strikingly lower prevalence of AF among Asian compared with NZ-European patients with HF. The underlying mechanisms for the lower prevalence of AF among Asians, particularly in the presence of diabetes, deserve further study.Trial registration numberACTRN12610000374066.

Background: Efforts to safely reduce length of stay for emergency department patients with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have had mixed success. Few system-wide efforts affecting multiple hospital emergency departments have ever been evaluated. We evaluated the effectiveness of a nationwide implementation of clinical pathways for potential ACS in disparate hospitals. Methods: This was a multicenter pragmatic stepped-wedge before-and-after trial in 7 New Zealand acute care hospitals with 31 332 patients investigated for suspected ACS with serial troponin measurements. The implementation was a clinical pathway for the assessment of patients with suspected ACS that included a clinical pathway document in paper or electronic format, structured risk stratification, specified time points for electrocardiographic and serial troponin testing within 3 hours of arrival, and directions for combining risk stratification and electrocardiographic and troponin testing in an accelerated diagnostic protocol. Implementation was monitored for >4 months and compared with usual care over the preceding 6 months. The main outcome measure was the odds of discharge within 6 hours of presentation Results: There were 11 529 participants in the preimplementation phase (range, 284–3465) and 19 803 in the postimplementation phase (range, 395–5039). Overall, the mean 6-hour discharge rate increased from 8.3% (range, 2.7%–37.7%) to 18.4% (6.8%–43.8%). The odds of being discharged within 6 hours increased after clinical pathway implementation. The odds ratio was 2.4 (95% confidence interval, 2.3–2.6). In patients without ACS, the median length of hospital stays decreased by 2.9 hours (95% confidence interval, 2.4–3.4). For patients discharged within 6 hours, there was no change in 30-day major adverse cardiac event rates (0.52% versus 0.44%; P =0.96). In these patients, no adverse event occurred when clinical pathways were correctly followed. Conclusions: Implementation of clinical pathways for suspected ACS reduced the length of stay and increased the proportions of patients safely discharged within 6 hours. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.anzctr.org.au/ (Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry). Unique identifier: ACTRN12617000381381.

Background The prospective, randomized FREEDOM (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes) trial found coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) was associated with better clinical outcomes than percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with diabetes and multivessel disease, managed with or without insulin. Objectives In this subgroup analysis of the FREEDOM trial, we examined the association of long-term clinical outcomes after revascularization in patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) compared with patients not treated with insulin. Methods A total of 1,850 FREEDOM subjects had an index revascularization procedure performed: 956 underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents (DES), and 894 underwent CABG. A total of 602 patients (32.5%) had ITDM (PCI/DES n = 325, 34%; CABG n = 277, 31%). Subjects were classified according to ITDM versus non-ITDM, with comparison of PCI/DES versus CABG for each group. Interaction analyses were performed for treatment by diabetes mellitus (DM) status alone and for treatment by DM status by coronary lesion complexity. Analyses were performed for the primary outcome composite of death/stroke/myocardial infarction (MI) using all available follow-up data. Results The overall 5-year event rate of death/stroke/MI was significantly higher in ITDM versus non-ITDM patients (28.7% vs. 19.5%, p Conclusions In patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease, the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (death, MI, or stroke) is higher in patients treated with insulin than in those not treated with insulin. Furthermore, we did not detect a significant difference in the magnitude of PCI versus CABG treatment effect for patients treated with insulin and those not treated with insulin. (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes [FREEDOM]; NCT00086450 ).

Pre-procedural planning for increasingly complex transcatheter procedures requires accurate and detailed understanding of cardiac anatomy. Echocardiography is widely used but has limitations of interoperator variability (2-dimensional [2D] and 3-dimensional [3D]), wider anatomic appreciation (2D)

The All New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome Quality Improvement programme (ANZACS-QI) uses a web-based system to create a clinical registry of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and other cardiac problems admitted to hospitals across New Zealand. This detailed clinical registry is complemented by parallel analyses of, and individual linkage to, New Zealand's multiple routine health information datasets. The programme is primarily designed to support secondary care clinicians to implement evidence based guidelines and to meet national performance targets for New Zealand cardiac patients. ANZACS-QI simultaneously generates a large-scale research database and provides an electronic data infrastructure for clinical registry studies. ANZACS-QI has been successfully implemented in all the 41 public hospitals across New Zealand where acute cardiac patients are admitted. By June 2015 25,273 patients with suspected ACS and 30,696 referred for coronary angiography were registered in ANZACS-QI. In this report we describe the development and national implementation of ANZACS-QI, its governance, the data collection processes and the current ANZACS-QI cohorts and available outputs.

The exercise ECG is an integral part within the evaluation algorithm for diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with stable ischaemic heart disease (SIHD). There is evidence, both older and new, that the exercise ECG can be an effective and cost-efficient option for patients capable of performing at maximal levels of exercise with suitable resting ECG findings. In this review, we will highlight the major dilemmas in interpreting suspected coronary artery disease symptoms in women and identify optimal strategies for employing exercise ECG as a first-line diagnostic test in the SIHD evaluation algorithm. We will highlight current evidence as well as recent guideline statements on this subject. Trial registration number NCT01471522; Pre-results.

Background Readmission following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is frequent in our community. Patient specific factors identifying those at risk of readmission are poorly described. Methods Data were analysed from 5219 patients with an ACS enrolled in the Australian and New Zealand population of the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) between 1999 and 2007. Patients who were readmitted for cardiovascular disease within 6 months of discharge were identified; regression analysis was used to predict independent patient factors associated with readmission 1 month and 1–6 months after discharge. Results 1048 patients (20.1%) were readmitted within 6 months, with a significant proportion (n=434, 41.4%) of readmissions occurring within 30 days of discharge. Readmission within 6 months was associated with a higher incidence of unscheduled cardiac catheterisation (HR 25.64, 95% CI 18.41 to 35.71), unscheduled percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (HR 15.78, 95% CI 10.56 to 23.59), stroke (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.43), and death (HR 2.40, 95% CI 1.66 to 3.49). Recurrent ischemia in hospital and a diagnosis of S-T elevation myocardial infarction during the index admission were associated with the strongest risk of early rehospitalisation, while revascularisation by PCI or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) was associated with lowest risk of early readmission. A history of heart failure, prior myocardial infarction or angina was associated with a greater likelihood of later rehospitalisation, whereas revascularisation by CABG was associated with the lowest risk of later rehospitalisation. Conclusions Several patient and clinical factors identify patients at higher risk of readmission. Identifying these factors and escalating in-hospital and post-discharge care for these higher risk patients may prevent readmission and improve outcome.

The term "vulnerable plaque" refers to a vascular lesion that is prone to rupture and may result in life-threatening events which include myocardial infarction. It consists of thin-cap fibroatheroma and a large lipid core which is highly thrombogenic. Acute coronary syndromes often result from rupture of vulnerable plaques which frequently are only moderately stenosed and not visible by conventional angiography. Several invasive and non-invasive strategies have been developed to assess the burden of vulnerable plaques. Intravascular ultrasound provides a two-dimensional cross-sectional image of the arterial wall and can help assess the plaque burden and composition. Optical coherent tomography offers superior resolution over intravascular ultrasound. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging provides non-invasive imaging for visualizing fibrous cap thickness and rupture in plaques. In addition, it may be of value in assessing the effects of treatments, such as lipid-lowering therapy. Technical issues however limit its clinical applicability. The role of multi-slice computed tomography, a well established screening tool for coronary artery disease, remains to be determined. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) may provide physiological functional assessment of plaque vulnerability; however, its role in the management of vulnerable plaque requires further studies. Treatment of the vulnerable patient may involve systemic therapy which currently include statins, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, aspirin, and calcium-channel blockers and in the future local therapeutic options such as drug-eluting stents or photodynamic therapy.

Background The OAT found that routine late (3-28 days post-myocardial infarction) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of an occluded infarct-related artery did not reduce death, reinfarction, or heart failure relative to medical treatment (MED). Angina rates were lower in PCI early, but the advantage over MED was lost by 3 years. Methods Angina and revascularization status were collected at 4 months, then annually. We assessed whether non-protocol revascularization procedures in MED accounted for loss of the early symptomatic advantage of PCI. Results Seven per 100 more PCI patients were angina-free at 4 months ( P P = .005) with the difference narrowing to 1 per 100 at 3 years ( P = .34). Non-protocol revascularization was more frequent in MED (5-year rate 22% vs 19% PCI, P = .05). Indications for revascularization included acute coronary syndromes (39% PCI vs 38% MED), stable angina/inducible ischemia (39% in each group), and physician preference (17% PCI vs 15% MED). Revascularization rates among patients with angina at any time during follow-up (35% of cohort) did not differ by treatment group (5-year rates 26% PCI vs 28% MED). Most symptomatic patients were treated without revascularization during follow-up (77%). Conclusions In a large randomized clinical trial of stable post–myocardial infarction patients, the modest benefit on angina from PCI of an occluded infarct-related artery was lost by 3 years. Revascularization was slightly more common in MED during follow-up but was not driven by acute ischemia, and almost 1 in 5 procedures were attributed to physician preference alone.

Implantation of a transvenous endocardial pacing lead in the right ventricle is contra-indicated after mechanical tricuspid valve replacement; therefore a surgical approach to the epicardium is usually required. This case report describes ventricular pacing via a branch of the coronary sinus in a patient with mechanical mitral, aortic and tricuspid valve replacements. In conclusion, this approach is minimally invasive, provides effective ventricular stimulation with low pacing threshold and stable lead position, and is a feasible option when transvenous right ventricular pacing is not possible.

Women and older patients with cardiovascular disease are frequently underinvestigated and are less likely to receive evidence-based treatments than younger male counterparts. A lack of sex and age-specific clinical trial evidence is frequently cited for this practice. This manuscript reviews the currently available evidence base in the management of both groups presenting with ischaemic heart disease and heart failure.Registry data in both women and older patients confirm that these groups receive suboptimal care in the management of ischaemic heart disease and heart failure. A number of recent trials, including several meta-analyses, do not support this practice and suggest that, with the possible exception of implantable cardiac defibrillator implantation in females, both women and elderly patients derive similar benefit to younger males in the management of risk factors, symptomatic ischaemic heart disease and heart failure.Pending sex and age-specific trials to address in particular not only outcomes but dosing and complications, women and elderly patients should receive similar evidence-based treatment of cardiac risk factors, symptomatic ischaemic disease and heart failure to younger males.

Congenital coronary artery fistulas (CAFs) are uncommon abnormalities. A connection between the left main stem and main pulmonary artery is extremely rare. Congenital CAFs are frequently associated with another congenital heart disease. Associated anomalies include atrial septal defect, tetralogy of Fallot, patent ductus arteriosus, ventricular septal defect, and pulmonary atresia. Association of bicuspid aortic valve with CAF has not been reported in literature to date. We report on a 68-year-old man with congenital left main to pulmonary artery fistula associated with bicuspid aortic valve and moderate aortic stenoses, who underwent successful aortic valve replacement with ligation of CAF and also review the natural history, pathophysiology, and management of CAF.

The open-artery hypothesis postulates that late opening of an infarct-related artery after myocardial infarction will improve clinical outcomes. We evaluated the quality-of-life and economic outcomes associated with the use of this strategy.We compared percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) plus stenting with medical therapy alone in high-risk patients in stable condition who had a totally occluded infarct-related artery 3 to 28 days after myocardial infarction. In 951 patients (44% of those eligible), we assessed quality of life by means of a battery of tests that included two principal outcome measures, the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) (which measures cardiac physical function on a scale from 0 to 58, with higher scores indicating better function) and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Mental Health Inventory 5 (which measures psychological well-being). Structured quality-of-life interviews were performed at baseline and at 4, 12, and 24 months. Costs of treatment were assessed for 458 of 469 patients in the United States (98%), and 2-year cost-effectiveness was estimated.At 4 months, the medical-therapy group, as compared with the PCI group, had a clinically marginal decrease of 3.4 points in the DASI score (P=0.007). At 1 and 2 years, the differences were smaller. No significant differences in psychological well-being were observed. For the 469 patients in the United States, cumulative 2-year costs were approximately $7,000 higher in the PCI group (P0.001), and the quality-adjusted survival was marginally longer in the medical-therapy group.PCI was associated with a marginal advantage in cardiac physical function at 4 months but not thereafter. At 2 years, medical therapy remained significantly less expensive than routine PCI and was associated with marginally longer quality-adjusted survival. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00004562.)

Left ventricular (LV) false aneurysm is an uncommon complication of myocardial infarction. Conventional treatment mandates surgical repair but is associated with significant perioperative risk. We present a case of successful percutaneous closure of a LV false aneurysm in a patient at high operative risk who suffered cardioembolic stroke related to thrombus within the aneurysm. The primary aim of treatment was to prevent recurrent embolic event.

Objectives: Pericardial effusion associated with malignancy is a life-threatening complication of late-stage disease. While simple drainage is effective in relieving the symptoms, reaccumulation of effusion may cause further symptomatic episodes, often during a period when overall patient management is focused on improving the quality of remaining life. Over a 16-year period, we have adopted a strategy of managing such patients with balloon pericardiotomy as the initial preferred treatment. The results are described and compared to alternative management strategies. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients who presented with symptomatic, malignant pericardial effusion, their management, procedural complication rates, and the need for further therapy for the same condition was made. Survival, reaccumulation rates, and readmissions after the index procedure were recorded and compared. Results: Forty-three patients were treated for malignant pericardial effusion. Balloon pericardiotomy was the primary treatment in 27/43 patients, simple drainage in 14/43, and surgery in 2/43. Reaccumulation rates between balloon pericardiotomy and simple aspiration (7.4% vs. 14.3%, respectively, P = 0.48) and complication rates (7.4% vs. 7.1%, respectively, P = 0.98) were not statistically different. Survival following intervention was driven by the underlying pathology and was poor, with overall median survival of 56 days. Conclusions: Balloon pericardiotomy, as initial management of symptomatic malignant pericardial effusions, allows a definitive procedure to be performed at presentation. This can be achieved with low complication rates, similar to treatment by simple drainage. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Background. Ischaemic stroke is reduced by anticoagulant therapy in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation. Evidence however, suggests patients are under treated. Aim. To assess anticoagulant use in patients with ischaemic stroke and atrial fibrillation in Waikato Hospital. Methods. A retrospective review of all patients admitted with stroke over a one-year period. Results. Ischaemic stroke occurred in 189 patients with atrial fibrillation noted in 21% (39/189) of this group. The majority were female, 59% (23/39) with a mean age of 79.8 years. A total of 84% (33/39) were considered high risk for thromboembolic complications but only 18% (6/33) were anticoagulated prior to the stroke. Following the cerebrovascular accident all patients were considered to be at high risk but only a further 25% (10/39), were anticoagulated. In the remaining 55% (21/39) anticoagulant therapy was not commenced with age alone cited as a contraindication in 8% (3/39). At a mean follow-up of 10 months no complications of anticoagulant therapy were reported. Conclusions. A significant proportion of patients with atrial fibrillation and high-risk characteristics are not anticoagulated prior to ischaemic stroke. These findings reflect overseas experience. Reasons are unknown but may in part relate to physician reluctance to anticoagulate elderly patients.

In New Zealand(NZ)fibrinolysis remains an important treatment for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (rPCI), if performed promptly post failed fibrinolytic therapy impacts favourably on clinical outcomes. We report our experience with rPCI over a 2

In New Zealand(NZ)fibrinolysis remains an important treatment for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (rPCI), if performed promptly post failed fibrinolytic therapy impacts favourably on clinical outcomes. We report our experience with rPCI over a 2

We assessed the feasibility and safety of a strategy of transfemoral percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bivalirudin anticoagulation, immediate sheath removal, early ambulation, and, where possible, same-day discharge in 100 consecutive patients. Ambulation was achieved by 2 hr 30 min in 85% of patients and same-day discharge in 26%. PCI was angiographically successful in 97%. In hospital, there were no deaths or Q-wave myocardial infarctions. One patient suffered a non-Q-wave infarction, another in-hospital surgical revascularization and one required blood transfusion for rectal bleeding. Femoral access site hematoma > 5 cm diameter occurred in two patients. In addition, by 1 month there had been one death (at 10 days) and one pseudoaneurysm treated nonsurgically. In this preliminary study, the strategy of bivalirudin bolus anticoagulation, immediate sheath removal, and 2-hr ambulation after PCI appeared safe, with same-day discharge possible in 26% of unselected patients with stable or unstable angina.

Introduction: AS is a condition with an increasing prevalence in New Zealand (NZ). The natural history of severe AS is such that patients face a poor prognosis once the disease becomes clinically evident. Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is the standard of care, yet many are at high risk of poor outcomes due to comorbidity, frailty or anatomical limitations. Clinically TAVR may be an appropriate alternative treatment; however, at present it remains an expensive technology: the procurement cost of an Edwards Sapien trans catheter valve is NZD$30,000. Expansion of TAVR could have a major budget impact on the NZ public healthcare system. Conversely, the high cost of the transcatheter valve may be offset by intensive care unit stay and the cost of complications related to SAVR. Methods: To explore this further, we retrospectively compare index admission cost in AS patients with Euroscore 2 > 4 undergoing SAVR with those having TAVR. Patients were excluded if they had surgery outsourced to the private sector, if they had not had their procedure by 31/3/2014 or if full costing data could not be extracted from the hospital business department. Clinical variables include date of admission, date of procedure, age, gender, weight, Euroscore 2, renal function (GFR), LV function and previous sternotomy. Data was collected across the three TAVR centers in NZ. A total of 170 TAVR patients are compared with 168 SAVR patients. Initial Results: Mean Euroscore 2 was 9.8 +/- 5.4 in the TAVR group compared with 7.4 +/- 4.3 in the SAVR group. The mean cost of SAVR vs TAVR was $65,793 and $52,582 respectively. Median cost was $54,826 for SAVR and $46,899 for TAVR. 57% of the mean cost of TAVR was due to the valve. Average length of stay in TAVR patients was half that of SAVR patients. ICU cost in SAVR patients was $10,021 higher than in the TAVR patients. On average, TAVR required 10% of the blood product costs associated with SAVR. Conclusions: We show that the average index admission cost of SAVR is significantly higher than TAVR in this group of patients who were at moderate to high risk of surgery. Also, non-device costs are much higher in SAVR, suggesting higher hospital resource requirements compared to TAVR. This data has implications for TAVR funding in the NZ public healthcare system.

Transradial access for percutaneous coronary intervention and diagnostic coronary angiography has been increasingly utilised in the routine practice in most catheterisation laboratories as it reduces the incidence of major access site complications such as bleeding and haematoma. Radial artery spasm with or without perforation is one of the more frequent reasons for converting from radial to femoral access. In this article, the balloon-assisted technique and Sheathless EauCath (Asahi Intecc, Aichi, Japan) are demonstrated to overcome radial artery spasm with associated significant perforation in two cases.

This randomized trial compared a strategy of direct stenting without predilatation (n = 39) with conventional stenting with predilatation (n = 42) in patients with suitable lesions in native vessels > or = 2. 5-mm diameter to be covered by either a 9- or 16-mm-length NIR Primo stent. Equipment cost [mean (median) +/- SD] was less in those with direct stenting [$1,199 (979) +/- 526] than in those with predilatation [$1,455 (1,285) +/- 401, P < 0.001]. There was no significant difference in contrast use or fluoroscopy time. Procedural time was shorter in the direct stenting group. The clinical outcome at 1 month was satisfactory in both groups. In selected patients, a strategy of direct stenting is feasible, costs less, and is quicker to perform than the conventional strategy of stenting following predilatation.

Myostatin is a secreted growth and differentiating factor (GDF-8) that belongs to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily. Targeted disruption of the myostatin gene in mice and a mutation in the third exon of the myostatin gene in double-muscled Belgian Blue cattle breed result in skeletal muscle hyperplasia. Hence, myostatin has been shown to be involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass in both mice and cattle. Previous published reports utilizing Northern hybridization had shown that myostatin expression was seen exclusively in skeletal muscle. A significantly lower level of myostatin mRNA was also reported in adipose tissue. Using a sensitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique and Western blotting with anti-myostatin antibodies, we show that myostatin mRNA and protein are not restricted to skeletal muscle. We also show that myostatin expression is detected in the muscle of both fetal and adult hearts. Sequence analysis reveals that the Belgian Blue heart myostatin cDNA sequence contains an 11 nucleotide deletion in the third exon that causes a frameshift that eliminates virtually all of the mature, active region of the protein. Anti-myostatin immunostaining on heart sections also demonstrates that myostatin protein is localized in Purkinje fibers and cardiomyocytes in heart tissue. Furthermore, following myocardial infarction, myostatin expression is upregulated in the cardiomyocytes surrounding the infarct area. Given that myostatin is expressed in fetal and adult hearts and that myostatin expression is upregulated in cardiomyocytes after the infarction, myostatin could play an important role in cardiac development and physiology. J. Cell. Physiol. 180:1–9, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Failure of internal mammary artery (IMA) bypass grafts is uncommon. However, as their use continues to increase, this complication will be encountered more frequently by interventional cardiologists. The purpose of this article is to describe the short- and long-term outcome of patients undergoing IMA angioplasty through a retrospective review of patients undergoing internal mammary angioplasty at two centers from January 1988 to June 1995. Percutaneous recanalization was attempted on 82 lesions either within an IMA or in the ongoing native left anterior descending artery during 74 procedures in 67 patients. The mean time from bypass surgery was 23 months. The lesion success rate was 84%. Dissection of the IMA occurred in 18% of procedures and was the most common cause for procedural failure and unfavorable outcome. Long-term follow-up was available in 82% of patients at a mean follow-up of 45 months postprocedure. Clinical events occurred in 23 patients (34%) with 4 deaths (1 of which occurred during the initial hospitalization and after emergency bypass surgery), 2 repeat coronary bypass operations, and 17 patients with repeat coronary angioplasties. Despite the high repeat revascularization rate, 80% of patients were asymptomatic or had only infrequent angina at follow-up. We conclude that angioplasty of or through an IMA bypass graft can be performed with a satisfactory procedural success rate and long-term symptomatic benefit.

To audit all patients admitted to a New Zealand (NZ) Hospital with a suspected or definite acute coronary syndrome (ACS) over a 14-day period, to assess their presentation type and management in hospital and at discharge, with emphasis on time delays for invasive management and revascularisation treatments.We updated the established NZ ACS Audit group of 39 hospitals admitting ACS patients across NZ, and enrolled NZ patients in conjunction with the bi-National Australia and NZ ACS 'SNAPSHOT' audit. Comprehensive data was recorded on all patients admitted between 00.00 hours on 14 May 2012 to 24.00 hours on 27 May 2012. Patient management at intervention centres (7 public, 3 private) was compared with non-intervention centres (29 public).There were 1007 patient admissions: STEMI (10%), NSTEMI (26%), UAP (17%), other diagnoses including secondary myonecrosis (18%), chest pain thought unlikely to be ischaemic (29%). Cardiac investigations were used in a minority of patients: chest X-ray (91%), echocardiogram (29%), exercise test (23%), computed tomographic (CT) angiogram (4%) and conventional coronary angiogram (33%). Patients admitted to a non-intervention centre (n=439) were less likely to receive an echocardiogram (25 vs 31%, p0.05). Non-intervention centre patients with NSTEMI/UAP waiting longer for angiography (3.8 vs 2.1 days p0.0001), and had a longer length of hospital stay (4.0 vs 3.1 days, p=0.043). For patients with a final diagnosis of a definite ACS (n=531), non-intervention centre patients were significantly less likely to be revascularised with PCI (25% vs 37%, p=0.0019) although CABG surgery numbers were not statistically different (4.1% vs 7.3%, p=0.13).A collaborative group of clinicians and nurses has performed a third nationwide audit of suspected and definite ACS patients, and shown some gaps in the current service, including limited access to echocardiography and cardiac angiography. In particular we noted significant delays for non-intervention centre patients accessing planned invasive assessment. This study reveals areas of clinical need and emphasises the benefit of ongoing clinical audit, with subsequent feedback and a focus on integrated clinical service delivery, which can improve the care of ACS patients in New Zealand.

The prospective, randomized FREEDOM (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes) trial found coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) was associated with better clinical outcomes than percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with diabetes and multivessel disease, managed with or without insulin.In this subgroup analysis of the FREEDOM trial, we examined the association of long-term clinical outcomes after revascularization in patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) compared with patients not treated with insulin.A total of 1,850 FREEDOM subjects had an index revascularization procedure performed: 956 underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents (DES), and 894 underwent CABG. A total of 602 patients (32.5%) had ITDM (PCI/DES n = 325, 34%; CABG n = 277, 31%). Subjects were classified according to ITDM versus non-ITDM, with comparison of PCI/DES versus CABG for each group. Interaction analyses were performed for treatment by diabetes mellitus (DM) status alone and for treatment by DM status by coronary lesion complexity. Analyses were performed for the primary outcome composite of death/stroke/myocardial infarction (MI) using all available follow-up data.The overall 5-year event rate of death/stroke/MI was significantly higher in ITDM versus non-ITDM patients (28.7% vs. 19.5%, p 0.001), which persisted even after adjustment for multiple baseline factors, angiographic complexity, and revascularization treatment group (death/stroke/MI hazard ratio [HR]: 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06 to 1.73, p = 0.014). With respect to the primary composite endpoint, CABG was superior to PCI/DES in both DM types and the magnitude of treatment effect was similar (interaction p = 0.40) for ITDM (PCI vs.1.21; 95% CI: 0.87 to 1.69) and non-ITDM patients (PCI vs.1.46; 95% CI 1.10 to 1.94), even after adjusting for the angiographic SYNTAX score level. Based on 5-year event rates, the number needed to treat with CABG versus PCI to prevent 1 event is 12.7 in ITDM and 13.2 in non-ITDM.In patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease, the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (death, MI, or stroke) is higher in patients treated with insulin than in those not treated with insulin. Furthermore, we did not detect a significant difference in the magnitude of PCI versus CABG treatment effect for patients treated with insulin and those not treated with insulin. (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes [FREEDOM]; NCT00086450).

To determine the proportion of patients presenting with heart failure (HF) at Waikato Hospital who receive an evidence-based approach to care, and to investigate whether differences in guideline adherence between Maori and New Zealand Europeans (NZ Europeans) exist.An audit of medical records was performed for a random sample of 71 Maori and 69 NZ European patients with a first admission for HF at the Waikato Hospital between 1/1/2007 and 31/8/2008. Information relating to investigation and management of HF was obtained from these records, with comparisons made between Maori and NZ Europeans.Maori patients admitted with HF were significantly younger than NZ European with a mean age of 62 years compared to 78 years respectively (p0.01). An echocardiogram was performed in 57% of cases. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers were prescribed to 96% and 82% of cases with systolic dysfunction and no contraindications respectively. Diuretics were prescribed to 84%, aldosterone antagonists to 17% and angiotensin receptor blockers to 4% of cases.In this small retrospective series the adherence to key components of HF guidelines at Waikato Hospital is comparable with that seen in previous studies. Further studies with greater case numbers will be required to clarify whether there are differences in the investigation and treatment of HF between Maori and non-Maori.