“The value of a technique, in part, is if it can show you what is likely to work and not likely to work,” according to Dr. Steven E. Nissen, Chairman, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. In his keynote presentation, Intravascular Ultrasound Insights into the Regression and Progression of Coronary Atherosclerosis, Dr. Nissen will discuss the role of IVUS as a screening tool and in determining new approaches to treatment and selecting those that are suitable for further development versus those that are not.
“What IVUS has taught us from the very beginning is that atherosclerosis is not a disease of the coronary lumen, it is a disease of the vessel wall,” he said. Dr. Nissen will describe the method behind IVUS and early findings associated with its use. About 10 randomized controlled trials have been done with IVUS to examine different approaches to either slow progression or induce regression of coronary atherosclerosis. Dr. Nissen will review some of these trials (eg, REVERSAL and ASTEROID) as well as discuss future directions (eg, the Apoa1 Milano project). Dr. Nissen will also touch on the ongoing GLAGOV trial, which is studying high-dose statin therapy alone compared with high-dose statin therapy plus a PCSK9 inhibitor, for which results are expected later this year.
