Pregnancy in women with biventricular circulation and a systemic right ventricle (sRV) is considered high risk, with limited data available on pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to investigate pregnancy outcomes in this population. A systematic review was conducted using four major electronic databases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe complication among adult patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD). This study presents real-world data on risk stratification, pharmacotherapy and survival rates in PAH-ACHD.
Methods: Data from PAH-ACHD patients were analyzed using The Hellenic Pulmonary Hypertension Registry (HOPE), spanning eight specialized centers between 2015 and 2023.
Delivering valvular intervention for all eligible patients with valvular heart disease (VHD) in a timely manner remains a challenge. Therefore, a high number of patients with heart failure (HF) and VHD receive pharmacotherapy while awaiting intervention or as destination therapy if they are deemed inoperable. The sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are recommended with a class I indication for patients with chronic HF throughout the spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoronary artery calcification (CAC) is a hallmark of atherosclerosis and a critical factor in the development and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). This review aims to address the complex pathophysiological mechanisms underlying CAC and its relationship with CAD. We examine the cellular and molecular processes that drive the formation of calcified plaques, highlighting the roles of inflammation, lipid accumulation, and smooth muscle cell proliferation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) is comparable to that of the general population and is driven by traditional ASCVD risk factors.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of traditional ASCVD risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus [DM], obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity) in ACHD and compare it with the general population.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted up to May 15, 2024, to identify studies (with or without control group) reporting the prevalence of ASCVD risk factors in ACHD.
The SCN5A gene encodes the alpha subunit of the cardiac sodium channel, which plays a fundamental role in the generation and propagation of the action potential in the heart muscle. During the past years our knowledge concerning the function of the cardiac sodium channel and the diseases caused by mutations of the SCN5A gene has grown. Although initially SCN5A pathogenic variants were mainly associated with channelopathies, increasing recent evidence suggests an association with structural heart disease in the form of heart muscle disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are worldwide reports that hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chios is a Greek island with only one confirmed coronavirus case during the lockdown. This study aimed to compare admissions for ACS in Chios General Hospital, Greece, between the COVID-19 lockdown period and the same period in the previous year.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChemerin, an adipokine known for its role in adipogenesis and inflammation, has emerged as a significant biomarker in cardiovascular diseases, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Recent studies have highlighted chemerin's involvement in the pathophysiological processes of coronary artery disease (CAD), where it modulates inflammatory responses, endothelial function, and vascular remodelling. Elevated levels of chemerin have been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including increased myocardial injury, left ventricular dysfunction, and heightened inflammatory states post-AMI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) has a high diagnostic accuracy for visualization of grafts. Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in patients with CABG is associated with increased procedural time, contrast agent administration, radiation exposure, and complications, compared with non-CABG patients. The aim of this multicenter, randomized controlled trial was to compare the strategy of CCTA-guided ICA versus classic ICA in patients with prior CABG.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeft ventricular (LV) thrombus formation remains a post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complication even in the modern era of early reperfusion. The optimal anticoagulation regimen in this clinical scenario is poorly defined. The present meta-analysis sought to investigate the efficacy and safety profile of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) compared with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for the management of LV thrombus after AMI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The precise triggers for atherosclerotic plaque rupture and the underlying pathophysiology of coronary thrombogenesis remain elusive. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils, particularly their formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), have garnered attention in the context of coronary atherothrombosis. This study sought to explore the association of NETs burden with clinical and angiographic characteristics in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) and thrombus aspiration (TA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, requiring ongoing efforts to identify novel therapeutic targets to improve patient outcomes. This manuscript reviews promising therapeutic targets for ACS identified through preclinical research, including novel antiplatelet agents, anti-inflammatory drugs, and agents targeting plaque stabilization. Preclinical studies have expounded these agents' efficacy and safety profiles in mitigating key pathophysiological processes underlying ACS, such as platelet activation, inflammation, and plaque instability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) allows comprehensive myocardial tissue characterisation, revealing areas of myocardial inflammation or fibrosis that may predispose to ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). With this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of structural heart disease (SHD) and decipher the prognostic implications of CMR in selected patients presenting with significant VAs.
Methods: Electronic databases were searched for studies enrolling adult patients that underwent CMR for diagnostic or prognostic purposes in the setting of significant VAs.
Aims: Evidence on the relative impact of diverse genetic backgrounds associated with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) remains contradictory. This study sought to synthesize the available data regarding long-term outcomes of different gene groups in DCM.
Methods And Results: Electronic databases were systematically screened to identify studies reporting prognostic data on pre-specified gene groups.