Left Atrial Remodeling in Response to Aortic Valve Replacement: Pathophysiology and Myocardial Strain Analysis.

Severe aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common valve disease in the elderly and is associated with poor prognosis if treated only medically. AS causes chronic pressure overload, concentric left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, myocardial stiffness, and diastolic dysfunction. This adverse remodeling also affects the left atrium (LA), which dilates and develops myocardial fibrosis, with a reduction in intrinsic function and a consequent high risk of the development of atrial fibrillation.

[Heavy metal! A case of severe iron overload and supraventricular arrhythmias in a thalassemia major patient].

Cardiovascular complications are among the main causes of mortality and morbidity in patients with thalassemia major. Iron-chelation therapy is essential to prevent the chronic iron overload linked to the need for transfusions and the consequent cardiac hemosiderosis. Despite the wide use of iron-chelation drugs, today it is still possible to find cases of severe iron accumulation.

Atrial Fibrillation in β-Thalassemia: Overview of Mechanism, Significance and Clinical Management.

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder with worldwide distribution. Transfusion and chelation therapy have radically improved the prognosis of β-thalassemic patients in the developed world, but this has led to the development of new chronic cardiac complications like atrial fibrillation (AF). Prevalence of AF in patients with β-thalassemia is higher than in the general population, ranging from 2 to 33%.

Zero-Fluoroscopy Cardiac Ablation: Technology Is Moving Forward in Complex Procedures-A Novel Workflow for Atrial Fibrillation.

A fluoroscopy-based approach to an electrophysiological procedure is widely validated and has been recognized as the gold standard for a long time. The use of fluoroscopy exposes both the healthcare staff and the patient to a non-negligible dose of radiation. To minimize the risks associated with the use of fluoroscopy, it would be reasonable to perform ablation procedures with zero fluoroscopy.

Ablation of Atrioventricular Nodal Re-Entrant Tachycardia Combining Irrigated Flexible-Tip Catheters and Three-Dimensional Electroanatomic Mapping: Long-Term Outcomes.

Background: Transcatheter ablation is the standasrd treatment for atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT). However, different techniques are available. Data about the use of irrigated flexible-tip catheters and three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping (3D EAM) for AVNRT ablation are scant.

Contrast Associated Acute Kidney Injury and Mortality in Older Adults with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Pooled Analysis of the FRASER and HULK Studies.

Whether contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is only a bystander or a risk factor for mortality in older patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not well understood. Data from FRASER (NCT02386124) and HULK (NCT03021044) studies have been analysed. All patients enrolled underwent coronary angiography.

Peak atrial longitudinal strain is predictive of atrial fibrillation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and coronary artery disease.

Background: The peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) has been validated in the prediction of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the general population. If this finding can be applied to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD) is unknown.

Methods And Results: We analyzed two different study populations of patients with COPD and acute CAD in SCAP trial (Clinical trial.

Tools for the Assessment of the Malnutrition Status and Possible Interventions in Elderly with Cardiovascular Diseases.

Malnutrition represents a common and important feature in elderly people affected by cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have investigated its prevalence and prognostic role in most clinical settings, including cardiovascular disease. However, in daily practice it usually remains unrecognized and consequently untreated.