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ACC.17 to offer practice-changing research, new learning pathways
Live from Washington, D.C., Cardiology Today will be presenting coverage of the top research presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session.
The 3-day conference, starting Friday, will focus on the future of health care and feature intensive sessions, as well as more interactive poster sessions in which attendees can speak directly to the researchers.
The evolution of healthcare
According to ACC President Richard Chazal, MD, FACC, medical director of the Heart and Vascular Institute at Lee Health in Fort Myers, Florida, this year, attendees can look forward not only to late-breaking clinical trial data, but trials focusing on learning pathways to lead clinicians the right direction in a time of health care evolution.
“There are some non-clinical pieces to this that help us on the backend to deliver improved care,” he said during a telebriefing with press. “There’s a great deal to learn and much of it is cutting edge science and much of it is how to apply that science in the current environment.”
Latest in clinical research
Just under 5,458 abstracts were submitted and 2,600 were accepted for oral presentations and poster sessions. There will be 23 late-breaking clinical trials featured in five sessions, with 17 late-breaking trials accepted as featured clinical research.
“We’re incredibly excited about this upcoming meeting,” Jeffrey T. Kuvin, MD, FACC, chair of the meeting, said in the telebriefing. “We’re confident that there are going to be numerous practice-changing scientific presentations.”
Clinical trial presentations
FOURIER is a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled,clinical trial looking at the effect of PCSK9 inhibition with evolocumab (Repatha, Amgen) on clinical outcomes in high-risk patients already receiving statin therapy, according to Kuvin, professor of medicine at Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
“We’re thrilled at ACC.17 that the first long-term outcomes trial utilizing these medications will be presented in our opening sessions,” Kuvin said. “This is undoubtedly going to be a widely noted study and has the potential to be truly game-changing.”
Primary endpoints for the study are CV death, MI, stroke, hospitalization, unstable angina or need for revascularization.
“We’re going to finally find out, does this class of medication improve or not the major CV endpoints,” he said. “I think this is going to be a great headliner as we begin our meeting.”
According to Kuvin, the SPIRE study of bococizumab (Pfizer) will be another important trial presented on PCSK9 inhibition.
“There are a number of primary endpoints that have been accrued up to this point with this class of medication that will be that will be discussed and presented on behalf of the SPIRE investigators,” he said. “Looking at this class of medications, I think cardiologists and practitioners across the world are eager to know if this entire class and/or one of these specific medications has an impact on CV endpoints.”
Also of interest, Kuvin said, are the first results from the SURTAVI clinical studies, which focus on transcatheter aortic valve replacement with a self-expanding bioprosthesis (CoreValve, Medtronic) compared with surgical AVR in patients at intermediate surgical risk.
Kuvin also said the ORION 1 trial, which focuses on cholesterol management and prevention, could prove valuable.
“This study is going to give us more information on these unique class of medications, that are focused on LDL reduction with infrequent dosage.” Kuvin said. “I think it’s a very important study and has implications in primary as well as secondary prevention.”
Unique environment
Andrew Kates, MD, FACC, vice chair of the session, said other late-breaking trials that could have important results include ABSORB III 2-year-outcomes, RE-CIRCUIT, LEVO-CTS and CVD-Real.
“I think we’re all very excited about what’s going to be coming out related to the trials and some of the other educational opportunities,” Kates, professor of medicine in the cardiovascular division at Washington University in St. Louis, said. “I think we all agree that this is truly a unique environment with educational opportunities and learning opportunities for everyone and we’re all looking forward to it.”– by Dave Quaile
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