Targeting a systolic blood pressure (BP) of less than 120 mm Hg lowered the incidence of major cardiovascular events compared with a target of less than 140 mm Hg among participants with elevated BP and a previous ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, according to a multicenter, open-label, randomized trial […]
Two randomized, placebo-controlled trials of targeted therapies—ziltivekimab, a monoclonal antibody neutralizing interleukin-6, and pelacarsen, an antisense oligonucleotide lowering lipoprotein(a)—both failed to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events despite effectively lowering their respective biomarkers. In the ziltivekimab trial, 6,376 adults with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular inflammation (high-sensitivity […]
Two randomized trials conducted in China found that endovascular therapy improved functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by anterior-circulation large-vessel occlusion and imaging evidence of salvageable brain tissue, both within 24 hours and 24–72 hours after symptom onset, although the benefits were accompanied by important safety concerns. […]
A meta-analysis of 15 randomized controlled trials involving 4,824 patients with high blood pressure found that sacubitril/valsartan significantly improved multiple ambulatory blood pressure measures compared with angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) or calcium channel blockers (CCBs), with a favorable safety profile. Compared with ARBs or CCBs, sacubitril/valsartan reduced 24-hour systolic and […]
In patients with intermediate-high–risk acute pulmonary embolism, catheter-directed thrombolysis with alteplase plus anticoagulation significantly reduced the 7-day risk of death, recurrent pulmonary embolism, or cardiorespiratory decompensation or collapse compared with anticoagulation alone, without a significant increase in clinically relevant or major bleeding. In this Czech multicenter, open-label, randomized trial, 558 […]
In patients with symptomatic nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), aficamten significantly improved exercise capacity and patient-reported health status compared with placebo at 36 weeks. In this phase 3 multinational, double-blind trial, 517 adults were randomly assigned to receive aficamten or placebo for up to 72 weeks. At week 36, the Kansas […]
In patients with atrial fibrillation at intermediate risk for stroke, direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy significantly reduced the 24-month risk of a composite of stroke, systemic embolism, major bleeding, or cardiovascular death compared with no anticoagulation. In the Korean multicenter, open-label, adjudicator-masked randomized trial, 1,803 patients with a CHA₂DS₂-VASc score […]
In adults aged 75 years or older without a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) who were taking statins for primary prevention, discontinuing statin therapy was non-inferior to continuing treatment with respect to 3-year all-cause mortality. In the French multicentre, open-label, phase 3 randomised controlled trial, 1,180 participants were assigned […]
Intensive blood pressure (BP) control targeting <130/80 mm Hg reduced cardiovascular events and mortality consistently across all baseline diastolic blood pressure (DBP) strata in a post hoc analysis of 33,288 participants from the China Rural Hypertension Control Project, with no evidence that lower DBP diminished benefit. Participants were categorized into […]
In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), early subcutaneous administration of zalunfiban significantly improved coronary artery patency and reduced the risk of adverse 30-day clinical outcomes without increasing severe bleeding. In an international, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 2,467 patients randomly assigned to receive zalunfiban (0.11 mg/kg or 0.13 mg/kg) […]