Severance Cardiovascular Hospital publishes four papers in NEJM

Faculty members from the Department of Cardiology at Severance Cardiovascular Hospital have published four research papers in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) within a nine-month period, spanning from November 2023 to August 2024.

The published studies cover several critical areas of cardiovascular health:

• Anticoagulation therapy for atrial fibrillation patients with drug-eluting stents was found to be safer and more stable with monotherapy compared to dual therapy. • Research indicated that lowering LDL cholesterol targets from 70mg/dl to 55mg/dl is more effective in reducing myocardial infarction and stroke risks. • For atrial fibrillation patients with intermediate stroke risk, anticoagulants were shown to effectively reduce complication risks. • For high-ischemic-risk patients who underwent stent procedures, dual antiplatelet therapy remains necessary even one year after the procedure.

Lee Sang-hak, head of the Department of Cardiology at Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, noted that publishing four papers in such a prestigious journal within a year is a rare achievement in South Korea.