ABIM Interventional Cardiology case studies
ABIM Interventional Cardiology · Put your knowledge to work in context.
Interventional Cardiology is an ABIM subspecialty certification for cardiologists who have completed accredited interventional training and want formal recognition of their ability to perform and interpret percutaneous coronary and structural procedures. It signals to hospitals, credentialing committees, and patients that the physician has met a national standard beyond general cardiology. The ABIM Interventional Cardiology case studies are 5 cases and about 2,674 words.
1Bifurcation PCI in a Patient on Oral Anticoagulation
A 74-year-old man with permanent atrial fibrillation (CHA2DS2-VASc 5) on apixaban 5 mg twice daily presents with stable angina CCS III. Coronary angiography shows a Medina 1,1,1 bifurcation lesion in the mid-LAD involving a large diagonal (reference vessel diameters: LAD 3.0 mm, diagonal 2.5 mm).
686 words, about 3 min2Cardiogenic Shock After Anterior STEMI
A 58-year-old woman presents 4 hours after onset of substernal chest pain with diaphoresis. ECG shows 3 mm ST elevation in V1–V4 with reciprocal changes.
567 words, about 3 min3Severe Aortic Stenosis with a Small Annulus and Frailty
An 84-year-old woman with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (indexed aortic valve area 0.35 cm²/m², mean gradient 42 mmHg, peak velocity 4.2 m/s) is evaluated for aortic valve replacement. She has COPD on home oxygen, prior CABG 12 years ago, and frailty (gait speed slow, 5-meter walk 6 seconds).
514 words, about 3 min4Claudication with Multilevel Peripheral Artery Disease
A 66-year-old man with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and a 40-pack-year smoking history reports lifestyle-limiting claudication after 100 meters, now limiting his ability to work. He has no rest pain or tissue loss.
488 words, about 2 min5Radial Access, Contrast, and Radiation in a Complex PCI
A 70-year-old man with CKD stage 3b (eGFR 38 mL/min/1.73 m²) and a BMI of 34 undergoes complex PCI for a calcified RCA lesion. The planned procedure includes rotational atherectomy and multiple stent deployments.
419 words, about 2 min