CardioPulmonary Resuscitation in patients with suspected or confirmed Covid-19. A consensus of the Working group on CardioPulmonary Resuscitation of the Hellenic Society of Cardiology.

The unprecedented for modern medicine pandemic caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus ("coronavirus", Covid-19 disease) creates in turn new data on the management and survival of cardiac arrest victims, but mainly on the safety of CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) providers. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in losses of thousands of lives, and many more people were hospitalized in simple or in intensive care unit beds, both globally and locally in Greece. More specifically, in victims of cardiac arrest, both in- and out- of hospital, the increased mortality and high contagiousness of the SARS-CoV-2 virus posed new questions, of both medical and moral nature/ to CPR providers.

Ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in patients with STEMI treated with thrombolysis: the MIRTOS trial.

Aims: We aimed to demonstrate whether coronary microvascular function is improved after ticagrelor administration compared to clopidogrel administration in STEMI subjects undergoing thrombolysis.

Methods And Results: MIRTOS is a multicentre study of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in STEMI subjects treated with fibrinolysis. We enrolled 335 patients <75 years old with STEMI eligible for thrombolysis, of whom 167 were randomised to receive clopidogrel and 168 to receive ticagrelor together with thrombolysis.

Effect of Colchicine vs Standard Care on Cardiac and Inflammatory Biomarkers and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized With Coronavirus Disease 2019: The GRECCO-19 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection has evolved into a global pandemic. Low-dose colchicine combines anti-inflammatory action with a favorable safety profile.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of treatment with colchicine on cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers and clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Greek study in the effects of colchicine in COvid-19 complications prevention (GRECCO-19 study): Rationale and study design.

Objective: Colchicine has been utilized safely in a variety of cardiovascular clinical conditions. Among its potential mechanisms of action is the non-selective inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome which is thought to be a major pathophysiologic component in the clinical course of patients with COVID-19. GRECCO-19 will be a prospective, randomized, open-labeled, controlled study to assess the effects of colchicine in COVID-19 complications prevention.

Incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with stabilized coronary heart disease: the EUROASPIRE IV follow-up study.

The EUROASPIRE surveys (EUROpean Action on Secondary Prevention through Intervention to Reduce Events) demonstrated that most European coronary patients fail to achieve lifestyle, risk factor and therapeutic targets. Here we report on the 2-year incidence of hard cardiovascular (CV) endpoints in the EUROASPIRE IV cohort. EUROASPIRE IV (2012-2013) was a large cross-sectional study undertaken at 78 centres from selected geographical areas in 24 European countries.

Hospitalisations for heart failure predict mortality in pulmonary hypertension related to congenital heart disease.

Objective: Despite the progress in the management of patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), a significant proportion of patients still develop pulmonary hypertension (PH). We aimed to highlight the rate of the complications in PH-ACHD and the predicting factors of cumulative mortality risk in this population.

Methods: Data were obtained from the cohort of the national registry of ACHD in Greece from February 2012 until January 2018.

Comparison of Triflusal with Aspirin in the Secondary Prevention of Atherothrombotic Events; Α Randomised Clinical Trial.

Background: Triflusal has demonstrated an efficacy similar to aspirin in the prevention of vascular events in patients with acute myocardial infarction (ΜΙ) and ischaemic stroke but with less bleeding events.

Objective: We performed a randomised, multicentre, phase 4 clinical trial to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of triflusal versus aspirin, administered for 12 months in patients eligible to receive a cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) inhibitor.

Methods: Patients with stable coronary artery disease or with a history of non-cardioembolic ischaemic stroke were randomly assigned to receive either triflusal 300 mg twice or 600 mg once daily or aspirin 100 mg once daily for 12 months.

Circulating progenitor cells and their interaction with platelets in patients with an acute coronary syndrome.

CD34 cells expressing KDR (CD34/KDR) represent a small proportion of circulating progenitor cells that have the capacity to interact with platelets and to differentiate into mature endothelial cells, thus contributing to vascular homeostasis and regeneration as well as to re-endothelialization. We investigated the levels of CD34 and CD34/KDR progenitor cells as well as their interaction with platelets in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients before the initiation (baseline) of their treatment with a P2Y receptor antagonist, and at 5-days post-treatment (follow-up). Sixty-seven consecutive ACS patients and thirty healthy subjects (controls) participated in the study.

Antiplatelet treatment in diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a GReek AntiPlatElet registry substudy.

Background And Aims: We compared the clinical outcome of diabetic versus nondiabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the GReek AntiPlatElet (GRAPE) registry.

Patients And Methods: GRAPE is a prospective observational study, focusing on contemporary antiplatelet use in moderate-risk to high-risk ACS patients receiving PCI. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), (composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, urgent revascularization, and stroke) and bleeding events (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium definition) at 1 year of follow-up were analyzed using propensity score adjustment.

Contemporary Antiplatelet Treatment in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients with Impaired Renal Function Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Objectives: To assess the clinical impact of impaired renal function (IRF), in "real-world" acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, receiving clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational, multicenter, cohort study of ACS patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with IRF (creatinine clearance <60 mL/min by Cockroft-Gault equation), who were recruited into the Greek Antiplatelet Registry (GRAPE). Patients were followed-up until 1 year for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, urgent revascularization, and stroke) and BARC (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium) bleeding.

The use of statins alone, or in combination with pioglitazone and other drugs, for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and related cardiovascular risk. An Expert Panel Statement.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease, is characterized by accumulation of fat (>5% of the liver tissue), in the absence of alcohol abuse or other chronic liver diseases. It is closely related to the epidemic of obesity, metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). NAFLD can cause liver inflammation and progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis or hepatocellular cancer (HCC).

Gender-related differences in antiplatelet treatment patterns and outcome: Insights from the GReekAntiPlatElet Registry.

Aims: Data on the clinical impact of gender in "real-life" patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), receiving clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor are limited. We aimed to investigate sex-based differences in clinical outcome of those patients.

Methods: In a prospective, observational, multicenter, cohort study, 2047 patients were recruited into the GReekAntiPlatElet (GRAPE) Registry and were followed up until 1 year for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE, composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, urgent revascularization, and stroke) and bleeding events (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium [BARC] classification).

Dyspnea in patients treated with P2Y receptor antagonists: insights from the GReek AntiPlatElet (GRAPE) registry.

In 'real life' acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and receiving contemporary antiplatelet treatment, data on dyspnea occurrence and impact on persistence with treatment are scarce. In a prospective, multicenter, cohort study, ACS patients undergoing PCI were recruited into the GReekAntiPlatElet (GRAPE) registry. During 1-year follow up, overall, 249/1989 (12.

Electrocardiographic abnormalities and arrhythmic risk markers in adult patients with beta thalassemia major.

Background: There seems to be a significant arrhythmia burden in β-thalassemia major (TM) patients without overt cardiomyopathy. Apart from conventional electrocardiographic (ECG) and arrhythmic risk markers we studied novel markers of ventricular repolarization and autonomic imbalance both at rest and after exercise testing.

Methods: We studied 47 adult TM patients without systolic heart failure and 47 age and sex-matched healthy control subjects.

Novel no touch technique of saphenous vein harvesting: Is great graft patency rate provided?

Coronary artery bypass grafting surgery effectively relieves signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia. The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) graft is the gold standard having 90-95% patency rate at 10 years, whereas only 50% of saphenous vein (SV) grafts are patent at 10 years. However, there is a novel "no touch" technique in order to harvest an SV complete with its cushion of surrounding tissue, thus maintaining its endothelium-intact.

Dynamic platelet adhesion in patients with an acute coronary syndrome: The effect of antiplatelet therapy.

Platelet adhesion and aggregation are key functions leading to thrombus formation. The effect of aspirin, clopidogrel, and ticagrelor on platelet aggregation has been well established, however, there is limited data on the effect of these drugs on platelet adhesion. We therefore evaluated the effect of these drugs on platelet adhesion in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.

Acute myocardial infarction in a young bodybuilder taking anabolic androgenic steroids: A case report and critical review of the literature.

We describe a case report of a 30-year-old bodybuilder suffering acute myocardial infarction (AMI). He had been taking stanozolol and testosterone for two months. The coronary angiogram showed high thrombotic burden in the left anterior descending artery without underlying atherosclerosis.

Salts of Clopidogrel: Investigation to Ensure Clinical Equivalence: A 12-Month Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: In the present clinical trial, we compared the efficacy and safety of the generic clopidogrel besylate (CB) with the innovator clopidogrel hydrogen sulfate (CHS) salt in patients eligible to receive clopidogrel.

Methods: A prospective 2-arm, multicenter, open-label, phase 4 clinical trial. Consecutive patients (n = 1864) were screened and 1800 were enrolled in the trial and randomized to CHS or CB.

Contemporary antiplatelet treatment in acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: 1-year outcomes from the GReek AntiPlatElet (GRAPE) Registry.

Unlabelled: Essentials The comparative efficacy and safety of antiplatelet agents in 'real life' is not clear. We recruited acute coronary syndrome patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention. At 1-year follow-up, prasugrel offers better anti-ischemic protection than clopidogrel.