Three imaging-guided PCI trials (two with surprising results), LDL targets, an oral PCSK9 inhibitor, and another beta-blocker withdrawal trial are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast.

This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only.

To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit:

https://www.medscape.com/twic

I IVUS-Guided PCI

• OPTIMAL Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2600440
• IVUS-CHIP Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2601521
• ILUMIEN IV Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2305861
• DKCRUSH VIII Trial https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.01.081

II Ez-PAVE Trial — Low vs Very Low LDL-targets

Does Ez-PAVE Support 'Lower Is Better' for LDL-C? https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/does-ez-pave-support-lower-better-ldl-c-2026a1000akx

• Ez-PAVE Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2600283
• 2026 ACC/AHA Lipid Guidelines https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001423

III CORALreef AddOn

• CORALreef AddOn Trial https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.03.036
• This Week in Caardiology 2-6-26 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/1003240
• CORALreef Lipids Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2511002

IV Another Post-MI Beta-blocker Withdrawal Study: SMART-DECISION

• SMART-DECISION Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2601005
• ABYSS Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2404204

You may also like:

The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington

Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

John Mandrola offers an ACC recap of 5 big trials—Hi-PEITHO, PROTAVI, ORBITA-CTO, CHIPS-BCIS3 and CHAMPION AF

This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only.

To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit:

https://www.medscape.com/twic

I Catheter Based Fibrinolysis of Pulmonary Embolism –Hi PEITHO

• Fibrinolysis Treatment Validated in Large Trial for Acute Intermediate-Risk PE https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/fibrinolysis-treatment-validated-large-trial-acute-2026a10009im
• Ultrasound-Facilitated, Catheter-Directed Fibrinolysis for Acute Pulmonary Embolism (HI PEITHO) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2516567
• National Early Warning Score (NEWS) https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/sepsis/nationalearlywarningscore/

II PRO-TAVI trial

• Deferral of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (PRO-TAVI) 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00308-9 External Link
• PCI in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Implantation (Notion 3) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2401513

III ORBITA CTO Sham vs PCI for Angina Relief

• Tightly Blinded Trial Confirms PCI Reduces Angina in Obstructive Occlusion https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/tightly-blinded-trial-confirms-pci-reduces-angina-2026a10009ob

• A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Stable Angina - ORBITA-CTO https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.03.027
• ORBITA 1 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32714-9 External Link
• ORBITA 2 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2310610
• DECISION CTO https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.031313
• EuroCTO https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehy220

IV CHIPS BCIS3 Impella Supported High-Risk PCI

• Adoption Before Evidence: CHIP-BCIS3 Humbles Impella https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/adoption-before-evidence-chip-bcis3-humbles-impella-2026a10009jh

• Left Ventricular Unloading in High-Risk PCI (CHIP BCIS3) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2515704
• Microaxial Flow Pump or Standard Care in Infarct-Related Cardiogenic Shock (DanGer Shock) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2312572

V CHAMPION AF – Watchman vs DOAC in Patients With AF

• CHAMPION-AF Trial Finds LAAC an Alternative for NOAC in Lower-Risk Patients https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/champion-af-trial-finds-laac-alternative-noac-lower-risk-2026a10009ij
• Six Reasons Why CHAMPION-AF Should Not Change Practice https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/six-reasons-why-champion-af-should-not-change-practice-2026a10009i7

• Left Atrial Appendage Closure or Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation (CHAMPION AF) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2517213
• Left Atrial Appendage Closure or Medical Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation (CLOSURE AF) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2513310

You may also like:

The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington

Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

Early aortic valve replacement in aortic stenosis, left atrial appendage occlusion in JAMA Cardiology, and a big preview of the upcoming American College of Cardiology meeting are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast.

This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only.

To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit:

https://www.medscape.com/twic

I Early AVR

• RECOVERY Trial at 10 Years https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2511920

II Major Bleeding with Amulet and Watchman in JAMA Cardiology

• Amulet IDE Trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2847047
• 5-year Results From Amulet IDE https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.10.101

III ACC Preview

Mandrola's Top 4 Trials from ACC 2026: Details Matter

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/mandrolas-top-4-trials-acc-2026-details-matter-2026a10008ti

• CHIB-BCIS3 Trial https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.123.013367
• Champion-AF Protocol https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2023.05.022
• ORBITA-CTO Protocol Paper https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1172763/full
• SPIRIT-HF Clinical Trials.gov https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04727073

You may also like:

The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington

Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net