In this JAMA Cardiology viewpoint, Drs. Paul Armstrong, Kevin Bainey, and Christopher Granger argue that total ischemic time—the interval from symptom onset to the restoration of blood flow—is the most critical factor in surviving a severe heart attack, known as an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). While the gold standard treatment is percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), its life-saving […]
Year: 2026
Bridging the Time Gap in STEMI Treatment: Key Findings from the CELEBRATE Trial
Although an interventional cardiology procedure called primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the gold standard for treating a severe heart attack—known as an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)—its success is highly time-dependent. Current oral medications are often absorbed too slowly to provide immediate protection during transit to the hospital and the actual PCI procedure, creating […]
Maintenance Dialysis and Cardiovascular Risk: New Insights from the ACHIEVE Trial
Patients undergoing maintenance dialysis for kidney failure face a substantial risk of cardiovascular disease and death, yet relatively few proven preventive therapies currently exist. To address this gap, an international team—including CVC Faculty Member Dr. David Collister—conducted the ACHIEVE trial, a randomized controlled study investigating whether the heart failure medication spironolactone, as compared to placebo, could reduce […]
The STRIVE Trial: Evaluating Alteplase in High-Risk STEMI Patients Undergoing Primary PCI
For patients experiencing a type of major heart attack known as ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), the standard treatment is a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to clear the blocked artery. However, in about half of these cases, fragments of the blood clot break off and cause new blockages in smaller vessels downstream—a complication known […]

