Science News from Scientific Sessions 2023

Scientific Sessions: November 11–13, 2023
Pennsylvania Convention Center | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Day 3 Recap: Takeaways from #AHA23

Amit Khera, MD, FAHA, and Joanna Chikwe, MD, FAHA talk to Melissa Mahtani of AHAtv about some of the highlights of the last day of Scientific Sessions 2023 in Philadelphia.

In case you missed it:
Watch Day 1 Recap
Watch Day 2 Recap

AHA Presidential Address: Dr. Joseph C. Wu, MD, PhD, FAHA

Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, introduces AHA President Joseph C. Wu, MD, PhD, FAHA, during Scientific Sessions 2023 on Sunday, November 12, 2023.

SELECT

Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Overweight or Obesity Who Do Not Have Diabetes
Abraham Michael Lincoff | Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH

RESULTS: In adults with overweight or obesity who do not have diabetes, semaglutide reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 20%.

SELECT Trial and Implications for Population Health

Chiadi Ndumele MD, MHS, PhD and Tiffany Powell-Wiley, MD, MPH discuss the results of the SELECT trial and the potential impact of the semaglutide as a treatment for obesity.

MINT

Restrictive versus Liberal Blood Transfusion in Patients With Myocardial Infarction and Anemia: Results of the MINT Trial
Jeffrey L Carson | Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ

RESULTS: In patients with acute heart attack and anemia, there was no statistically significant difference in 30-day death or recurrent MI between a restrictive or liberal transfusion strategy.

ORBITA-2

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Stable Angina: A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial 
Rasha Al-Lamee and Christopher Rajkumar | Imperial College of London, London, UK

RESULTS: In stable angina patients receiving minimal or no antianginal medication and exhibiting objective evidence of ischemia, PCI led to a lower angina symptom score than placebo procedure.

Using Drugs, Diet and Delivery to Optimize Hypertension Outcomes 

Moderators Angela L. Brown, MD and Daichi Shimbo, MD discuss the results of four hypertension trials that were presented in LBS.04 during #AHA23.

Click to jump to the studies referenced in this session:

CRHCP Dementia

Effectiveness Of Blood Pressure-lowering Intervention On Risk Of Total Dementia Among Patients With Hypertension: A Cluster-randomized Effectiveness Trial
Jiang He | Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

RESULTS: In patients with hypertension in rural China, the primary outcome of all-cause dementia was significantly reduced by 15% in the intensive BP lowering group compared to the usual care group at 48 months. In addition, intensive BP reduction significantly reduced cognitive impairment without dementia by 16% compared to the usual care group.

POP-HT

Long-Term Blood Pressure Control After Physician Optimised Postpartum Blood Pressure Self-Management: The POP-HT Randomised Clinical Trial
Jamie Kitt and Paul Leeson, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

RESULTS: In post partum patients with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, the 24-hour mean diastolic and systolic blood pressures, measured at 9-months postpartum were lower in intervention group versus those who had received usual care.

CARDIA-SSBP

Effects of Dietary Sodium on Systolic Blood Pressure in Middle-Aged Individuals: A Randomized Order Cross-Over Trial
Deepak K Gupta | Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN

RESULTS: In normotensive and hypertensive adults, a low sodium diet significantly lowered SBP. The decline in BP was independent of HTN status and anti-hypertensive medication use, consistent across subgroups, and did not result in excess adverse events.

KARDIA-1

Sustained Blood Pressure Reduction With the RNA Interference Therapeutic Zilebesiran: Primary Results From KARDIA-1, a Phase 2 Study in Patients With Hypertension
George L Bakris | University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL

RESULTS: In adults with mild-to-moderate HTN, single doses of zilebesiran resulted in clinically meaningful and significant reductions in 24-hour mean SBP compared to placebo at 3 months sustained through 6 months.

Other studies published in AHA Journals

Arrhythmic Risk In Biventricular Pacing Compared with Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing: Results From The International LBBAP Collaborative Study (I-CLAS)
Circulation

A Multicenter, Phase 2, Randomized, Controlled Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Etripamil Nasal Spray for the Acute Reduction of Rapid Ventricular Rate in Patients with Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation (ReVeRA-201) 
Circulation: Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology

Novel Prediction Equations for Absolute Risk Assessment of Total Cardiovascular Disease Incorporating Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Circulation

Development and Validation of the American Heart Association Predicting Risk of Cardiovascular Disease EVENTs (PREVENT) Equations
Circulation

Optimal Screening for Predicting and Preventing the Risk of Heart Failure Among Adults With Diabetes Without Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: a Pooled Cohort Analysis
Circulation

Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Stroke Prevention in Patients with Device-Detected Atrial Fibrillation: A Study-Level Meta-Analysis of the NOAH-AFNET 6 and ARTESiA Trials
Circulation

Estimated Lifetime Cardiovascular, Kidney and Mortality Benefits of Combination Treatment With SGLT2 Inhibitors, GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, and Non-steroidal MRA Compared With Conventional Care in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Albuminuria
Circulation

Effects of Semaglutide on Symptoms, Function, and Quality of Life in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity: A Prespecified Analysis of the STEP-HFpEF Trial
Circulation

‘Hard and Fast’ Resuscitation Guidelines May Need a Bit of ‘Breathing’ Room
Circulation

Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation and Survival from Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Multicenter Study
Circulation

See more #AHA23 science from AHA Journals


ARTESIA

Apixaban for the Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation
Jeff S Healey | McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

RESULTS: Patients with subclinical atrial fibrillation (SCAF) taking apixaban were 49% less likely to have stroke or a blood clot compared to patients who were taking aspirin daily but had an increased risk of bleeding.

heart-1

Safety and Pharmacodynamic Effects of VERVE-101, an Investigational DNA Base Editing Medicine Designed to Durably Inactivate the PCSK9 Gene and Lower LDL Cholesterol - Interim Results of the Phase 1b heart-1 Trial
Andrew M Bellinger | Verve Therapeutics, Boston, MA

RESULTS: In patients with HeFH, dose-dependent reductions in blood PCSK9 protein & LDL-C levels were observed following VERVE-101 administration. Durable 55% reduction in LDL-C extending up to 180 days in the single participant in the highest dose cohort was observed. The observed serious adverse events were consistent with a severe, advanced ASCVD patient population.

ESPRIT

Effect of a Multifaceted Implementation Strategy on Blood Pressure Control in Low-Income Patients: A Cluster Randomized Trial
Jing Li, MD, PhD | Fuwai Hospital, Beijing, China

RESULTS: In participants at increased CV risk, an intensive BP lowering treatment (SBP target <120 mmHg) reduced major CV events by 12%, CV mortality by 39% and all-cause mortality by 21% at 3 years compared to standard treatment (SBP target <140 mmHg).

SPEC-AI Nigeria

Screening For Peripartum Cardiomyopathies Using An Artificial Intelligence Enhanced Digital Stethoscope: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Demilade A Adedinsewo | Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL

RESULTS: In pregnant and postpartum women, AI-guided screening with a digital stethoscope was associated with an increase in the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy defined as LVEF <50% by echocardiography.

SPEECH

Validation of a Speech Analysis Application to Detect Worsening Heart Failure Events in Ambulatory Heart Failure Patients
William T Abraham | Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

RESULTS: In NYHA Class II/III HF outpatients, this study developed a speech processing model and validated a novel speech analysis app that detected future HF events (HFEs) early with a high sensitivity and low unexplained notification rate, supporting its potential to reduce HFEs and improve patient outcomes.