BACKGROUND Guidelines for echocardiographic evaluation of aortic regurgitation (AR) have not been validated against an independent quantitative standard. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the ASE (American Society of Echocardiography) AR guidelines against cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and to develop simplified approaches for detection of significant AR. METHODS Patients

Coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography–derived attenuation-based plaque burden assessments can identify patients at risk of myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND The ideal timing for surgery in asymptomatic chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) remains unclear. New thresholds for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular (LV) indexed end-systolic volume (iESV), and global longitudinal strain (GLS) have been associated with mortality in these patients. These represent markers of early LV dysfunction. OBJECTIVES The authors sought to

BACKGROUND Patients aged ≥65 years account for a disproportionately large portion of cardiovascular (CV) events and pose a challenge for noninvasive detection of coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine the prognostic value of stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in a Medicare-eligible group of patients in a multicenter setting in the United States. METHODS From a multicenter

Vulnerable plaque presents prognostic implications in addition to functional significance. The aim of this study was to identify relevant features of vulnerable plaque in functionally significant lesions. In this multicenter, prospective study conducted across 5 countries, including patients who had invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≤0.80, a total of 95 patients with available pullback pressure

BACKGROUND Patients with moderate or asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) are at risk of cardiovascular events. OBJECTIVES The authors investigated the utility of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to identify drivers of outcome in patients with moderate or asymptomatic severe AS. METHODS A prospective, international, multicenter cohort (n = 457) of patients with moderate (aortic valve area [AVA]:

BACKGROUND Myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) using stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) have been shown to identify epicardial coronary artery disease. However, comparative analysis between quantitative perfusion and conventional qualitative assessment (QA) remains limited. OBJECTIVES The aim of this multicenter study was to test the hypothesis that quantitative

BACKGROUND Clinical features and outcomes in severe aortic stenosis (AS) have been described according to the hemodynamic phenotypes. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and prognosis of patients with high-gradient (HG) AS with aortic valve area (AVA) >1.0 cm2. METHODS A total of 3,209 patients were identified according to AVA (cm2), peak velocity (m/s), systolic

Coronary artery calcification is an integral part of atherosclerosis. It has been suggested that early coronary artery calcification is associated with active inflammation, and advanced calcification forms as inflammation subsides. Inflammation is also an important factor in plaque vulnerability. However, the relationship between coronary artery calcium burden, vascular inflammation, and plaque vulnerability

In severely symptomatic patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the VALOR-HCM (A Study to Evaluate Mavacamten in Adults With Symptomatic Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Who Are Eligible for Septal Reduction Therapy) trial showed that mavacamten reduced the eligibility for septal reduction therapy with sustained improvement in left ventricular outflow tract gradients. Mavacamten

BACKGROUND In patients with ischemic heart disease, coronary microvascular dysfunction is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and poor prognosis; however, data from healthy individuals are scarce. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical atherosclerosis on coronary microvascular function in middle-aged asymptomatic individuals

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients with troponin elevation have a higher prevalence of cardiac abnormalities than control individuals. However, the progression and impact of myocardial injury on COVID-19 survivors remain unclear.

Myocardial strain imaging by echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is a powerful method to diagnose cardiac disease. Strain imaging provides measures of myocardial shortening, thickening, and lengthening and can be applied to any cardiac chamber. Left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain by speckle-tracking echocardiography is the most widely used clinical strain parameter. Several

BACKGROUND There is increasing evidence that coronary artery calcium (CAC) density is inversely associated with plaque vulnerability and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. OBJECTIVES A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to examine the predictive value of CAC density for future cardiovascular events in asymptomatic individuals undergoing noncontrast CAC scoring computed tomography

BACKGROUND Recently, a standardized classification system for carotid atherosclerotic plaques, known as Carotid Plaque-RADS (Reporting and Data System), has been introduced. However, its capacity to improve stroke risk stratification beyond traditional stenosis degree assessment has not been extensively explored. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the incremental prognostic value of Carotid Plaque-RADS

BACKGROUND Two subtypes of atrial functional mitral regurgitation (AFMR) have been described, one is characterized by Carpentier type I and the other by Carpentier type IIIb leaflet motion. OBJECTIVES The authors sought to analyze echocardiographic characteristics and outcomes of AFMR subtypes undergoing mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER). METHODS Of 1,047 consecutive patients

BACKGROUND Anatomical and functional imaging identify different phenotypes of coronary artery disease (CAD) that may have implications for lipid-lowering medication (LLM). OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the associations between LLM and long-term outcomes after combined anatomical and functional imaging in patients with suspected obstructive CAD. METHODS Consecutive patients (n = 1,973;

Studies in paradoxical low-flow low-gradient aortic stenosis (PLFAS) have demonstrated conflicting outcomes with variable survival advantage from aortic valve replacement (AVR). PLFAS is a heterogeneous composition of patients with uncertainty regarding true stenosis severity that continues to confound decision-making for AVR.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is characterized by calcification and fibrosis. The ability to quantify these processes simultaneously has been limited with previous imaging methods.

BACKGROUND Right ventricular (RV) hemodynamic performance determines the prognosis of patients with RV pressure overload. Using ultrafast ultrasound, natural wave velocity (NWV) induced by cardiac valve closure was proposed as a new surrogate to quantify myocardial stiffness. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess RV NWV in rodent models and children with RV pressure overload vs control subjects and

Coronary microvascular function is impaired in patients with obesity, contributing to myocardial dysfunction and heart failure. Bariatric surgery decreases cardiovascular mortality and heart failure, but the mechanisms are unclear.