J Sports Med Phys Fitness
January 2025
Endurance sports have witnessed an increase in female participation, demanding a constant and evolving reassessment of the specific physiological and health implications of female athletes. In the present review, we analyze cardiovascular, hematological adaptations and anthropometry and hormonal fluctuations highlighting sex-specific differences in response to exercise, with estrogen playing a fundamental role in modulating body composition and metabolic processes. Nutritional aspects, in particular energy availability, macronutrient distribution and hydration, are fundamental in supporting training demands and menstrual function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for over 9 million deaths annually. The prevalence of CAD continues to rise, driven by ageing and the increasing prevalence of risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Current clinical guidelines emphasize the importance of functional tests in the diagnostic pathway, particularly for assessing the presence and severity of ischemia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental factors such as extreme temperatures, humidity, wind, pollution, altitude, and diving can significantly impact athletes' cardiovascular systems, potentially hindering their performance, particularly in outdoor sports. The urgency of this issue is heightened by the increasing prevalence of climate change and its associated conditions, including fluctuating pollution levels, temperature variations, and the spread of infectious diseases. Despite its critical importance, this topic is often overlooked in sports medicine.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Sports Med Phys Fitness
July 2024
Introduction: Left ventricular (LV) trabeculations (LVTs) are common findings in athletes. Limited information exists regarding clinical significance, management, and outcome.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and morphologic characteristics of LVTs in elite athletes, with a focus on clinical correlates and prognostic significance.
Female physiology is regulated after puberty by the menstrual cycle, whose hormonal fluctuations create a multitude of effects on several systems, including the cardiovascular one. The use of hormone therapy (HT) is quite common in female athletes, and data on cardiovascular effects in this population are lacking. We sought to investigate the effects of HT in highly trained athletes to assess any difference associated with HT on cardiac remodeling, exercise capacity, and clinical correlates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Cardiovasc Drugs
November 2023
Observing mitral or tricuspid valve disease in an athlete raises many considerations for the clinician. Initially, the etiology must be clarified, with causes differing depending on whether the athlete is young or a master. Notably, vigorous training in competitive athletes leads to a constellation of structural and functional adaptations involving cardiac chambers and atrioventricular valve systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present article, we describe the case of a 21-year-old male presenting to the emergency department following a syncopal episode. Physical examination revealed a distinctive facial appearance in the context of an overgrowth syndrome. Also, an ajmaline test was performed because of the evidence of an incomplete right bundle branch block with ST-T segment elevation in the right precordial derivations, revealing a type-1 Brugada electrocardiographic pattern.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeart failure (HF) affects many patients worldwide every year. It represents a leading cause of hospitalization and still, today, mortality remains high, albeit the progress in treatment strategies. Several factors contribute to the development and progression of HF.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 55-year-old male affected by heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and a history of a transient cerebrovascular accident was accepted to the Cardiology Department for worsening dyspnea. A cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed after therapy optimization to further evaluate exercise intolerance. A rapid increase in the minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production slope, end-tidal oxygen pressure, and respiratory exchange ratio, with a concomitant decrease in end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure and oxygen saturation, were observed during the test.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPatients with advanced heart failure (AdHF) have a reduced quality of life and poor prognosis. A heart transplant (HT) is an effective treatment for such patients. Still, because of a shortage of donor organs, the final decision to place a patient without contraindications on the HT waiting list is based on detailed risk-benefit analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: In cancer survivors, chemotherapy-associated adverse neurological effects are described as side effects in non-targeted tissue. We investigated the role of redox-imbalance in neuronal damage by a relative low dose of Docetaxel (DTX).
Methods: The neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y cells) were exposed to DTX at a dose of 1.
Ecancermedicalscience
July 2020
Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer among women in the world and it remains a leading cause of cancer death in women globally. Among BCs, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive, and for its histochemical and molecular characteristics is also the one whose therapeutic opportunities are most limited. The REpurposing Drugs in Oncology (ReDO) project investigates the potential use of off patent non-cancer drugs as sources of new cancer therapies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTriple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive subtype of breast cancer (BC) for which limited therapeutic options are available. Recently, β-blockers (BBs) have been suggested to have favorable effects in the treatment of BC. The aim of this systematic review was to collect evidence from preclinical and clinical studies concerning the scientific evidence for the repurposing of BBs in TNBC treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRepurposing is a drug development strategy that seeks to use existing medications for new indications. In oncology, there is an increased level of activity looking at the use of non-cancer drugs as possible cancer treatments. The Repurposing Drugs in Oncology (ReDO) project has used a literature-based approach to identify licensed non-cancer drugs with published evidence of anticancer activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe non-selective beta-blocker propranolol is a leading candidate for repurposing as a novel anti-cancer agent. Emerging evidence, including human data, suggests that there are multiple mechanisms of action particularly relevant to breast cancer. This editorial reviews a number of recent studies that show it has anti-metastatic activity that warrants clinical investigation, including investigation as a potential perioperative therapy in breast cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSelective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, including sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil, are widely-used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. They are also well-known as examples of successful drug repurposing in that they were initially developed for angina and only later developed for erectile dysfunction. However, these drugs may also be effective cancer treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF