Radiomics Studies on Ischemic Stroke and Carotid Atherosclerotic Disease: A Reporting Quality Assessment.

To assess the reporting quality of radiomics studies on ischemic stroke, intracranial and carotid atherosclerotic disease using the Image Biomarker Standardization Initiative (IBSI) reporting guidelines with the aim of finding avenues of improvement for future publications. PubMed database was searched to identify relevant radiomics studies. Of 560 articles, 41 original research articles were included in this analysis.

Coronary Angiography Complicated by Acute Ischaemic Stroke and the Use of Thrombolysis: a Cardiology Perspective and Narrative Review of Current Literature.

Purpose Of Review: Coronary angiography-associated acute ischaemic stroke (CAAIS) is an uncommon event but is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. The incidence of CAAIS has increased with a rise in the volume of coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed. Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is utilized in the general management of acute ischaemic stroke; however, it is associated with a higher risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH).

Nocturnal hypertension: a common phenotype in a tertiary clinical setting associated with increased arterial stiffness and central blood pressure.

Objective: Although the detrimental effect of increased mean blood pressure (BP) is well established, the role of the dynamic and circadian features of BP is less well defined but may be similarly important. In this prospective analysis of hypertensive patients from a tertiary hospital hypertension clinic, we investigated whether the presence of night-time systolic hypertension is associated with more pronounced end-organ damage as assessed by measures of pulse wave analysis (PWA) and pulse wave velocity (PWV).

Methods: A cohort of 222 consecutive hypertensive patients underwent ambulatory blood pressure measurements, PWA, PWV testing and collection of routine clinical data.

Sympathetic Activation in Hypertensive Chronic Kidney Disease - A Stimulus for Cardiac Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death?

Studies have revealed a robust and independent correlation between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular (CV) events, including death, heart failure, and myocardial infarction. Recent clinical trials extend this range of adverse CV events, including malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Moreover, other studies point out that cardiac structural and electrophysiological changes are a common occurrence in this population.

New Molecules for Treating Resistant Hypertension: a Clinical Perspective.

Purpose Of Review: To review the findings of trials evaluating pharmacological treatment approaches for hypertension in general, and resistant hypertension (RH) in particular, and propose future research and clinical directions.

Recent Findings: RH is defined as blood pressure (BP) that remains above target levels despite adherence to at least three antihypertensive medications, including a diuretic. Thus far, clinical trials of pharmacological approaches in RH have focused on older molecules, with spironolactone being demonstrated as the most efficacious fourth-line agent.

New Approaches in the Management of Sudden Cardiac Death in Patients with Heart Failure-Targeting the Sympathetic Nervous System.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been considered the most predominant cause of death and one of the most critical public health issues worldwide. In the past two decades, cardiovascular (CV) mortality has declined in high-income countries owing to preventive measures that resulted in the reduced burden of coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure (HF). In spite of these promising results, CVDs are responsible for ~17 million deaths per year globally with ~25% of these attributable to sudden cardiac death (SCD).

Relevance of Targeting the Distal Renal Artery and Branches with Radiofrequency Renal Denervation Approaches-A Secondary Analysis from a Hypertensive CKD Patient Cohort.

We searched for an association between changes in blood pressure (BP) at 12 and 24 months after renal denervation (RDN) and the different patterns of ablation spots placement along the renal artery vasculature. We performed a post-hoc analysis of a 24-month follow-up evaluation of 30 patients who underwent RDN between 2011 and 2012 using our previous database. Patients who had (i) resistant hypertension, as meticulously described previously, and (ii) Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 2, 3 and 4.

Sympathetic Nervous System Activation and Its Modulation: Role in Atrial Fibrillation.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) has a significant influence on the structural integrity and electrical conductivity of the atria. Aberrant activation of the sympathetic nervous system can induce heterogeneous changes with arrhythmogenic potential which can result in atrial tachycardia, atrial tachyarrhythmias and atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods to modulate autonomic activity primarily through reduction of sympathetic outflow reduce the incidence of spontaneous or induced atrial arrhythmias in animal models and humans, suggestive of the potential application of such strategies in the management of AF.

Autonomic Regulation of Glucose Homeostasis: a Specific Role for Sympathetic Nervous System Activation.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiometabolic disorders such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes are increasingly common and associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The mechanisms driving these developments are incompletely understood but likely to include autonomic dysregulation. The latest evidence for such a role is briefly reviewed here.