Patient with Vulnerable Coronary Plaque and Treatment with Evolocumab: A Clinical Case.

Vulnerable coronary plaques are strongly associated with acute coronary events, posing significant therapeutic challenges despite statin therapy. This case report evaluates the impact of Evolocumab, a PCSK-9 inhibitor, on stabilizing high-risk plaques and promoting phenotypic transformation, assessed through coronary CT angiography (CCTA). A 50-year-old male with chronic coronary syndrome and a history of myocardial infarction underwent a CCTA, revealing a high-risk plaque (approximately 50%) in the proximal LAD.

Ex vivo efficacy assessment of ultralow temperature cryoablation versus standard RF ablation applied to surgical ventricular patches: implications for ventricular ablation in patients with repaired congenital heart disease.

Background: Clinical experience during trans-patch ventricular ablations shows difficult lesion formation when using standard RF ablation technology. The aim of this exploratory study is to test if ultralow temperature cryoblation (ULTC) technology could be suitable for trans-patch ventricular ablations.

Materials And Methods: Ex vivo ablations were performed on 16 porcine tenderloin specimens of 5 × 7 × 3 cm, eight with and eight without pericardial patch (Supple Peri-Guard Repair Patch, Baxter, USA).

Catheter-Based Renal Denervation for Resistant Arterial Hypertension: 10-Year Real-World Follow-Up Data.

This analysis of real-world data examines the efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes of renal denervation in hypertensive patients for up to 10 years. Sixty-five consecutive patients underwent renal denervation (RDN) (single operator) for uncontrolled resistant hypertension. Efficacy was defined as the interindividual change of office (OBPM) and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) at 1, 6, 12 months, 2-4 and 5-10 years after RDN.

Cardiomyopathy and Sudden Cardiac Death: Bridging Clinical Practice with Cutting-Edge Research.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) prevention in cardiomyopathies such as hypertrophic (HCM), dilated (DCM), non-dilated left ventricular (NDLCM), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) remains a crucial but complex clinical challenge, especially among younger populations. Accurate risk stratification is hampered by the variability in phenotypic expression and genetic heterogeneity inherent in these conditions. This article explores the multifaceted strategies for preventing SCD across a spectrum of cardiomyopathies and emphasizes the integration of clinical evaluations, genetic insights, and advanced imaging techniques such as cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in assessing SCD risks.

High efficiency single-catheter workflow for radiofrequency atrial fibrillation ablation in the QDOT catheter era.

Background: High-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation may improve the consistency and efficiency of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). The novel QDOT Micro™ catheter (Biosense Webster, Inc.) with temperature feedback and microelectrodes aims to enhance PVI efficiency and safety.

Combined Cardiac Damage Staging by Echocardiography and Cardiac Catheterization in Patients With Clinically Significant Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Cardiac damage (CD) staging enhances risk stratification in patients with clinically significant aortic stenosis (AS). We aimed to assess the prognostic value and reclassification rate of right heart catheterization (RHC) compared with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in characterising CD staging at 3-year follow-up in patients with clinically significant AS, to identify patients that would benefit from RHC for prognostic stratification, and to test the prognostic value of combined CD staging.

Methods: An observational cohort study of 432 AS patients undergoing TTE and RHC were divided into moderate or asymptomatic severe (m/asAS) and symptomatic severe (ssAS) AS.

Appropriate ICD Interventions for Ventricular Arrhythmias Are Predicted by Higher Syntax Scores I and II in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease.

Aims: The occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients is related to the presence and extent of fibrotic/scar tissue. As coronary atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of myocardial ischemia and fibrosis, in IHD patients implanted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) we investigated the relation between the VA burden and the complexity of coronary atherosclerotic lesions.

Methods And Results: In IHD patients who underwent coronary angiography and ICD implant, the Syntax scores I and II (SSI-II), as index of the severity of the coronary atherosclerotic disease, and the occurrence of VA were assessed.

Does the Age Affect the Outcomes of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Elderly Patients?

Background: More and more heart failure (HF) patients aged ≥ 75 years undergo cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device implantation, however the data regarding the outcomes and their predictors are scant. We investigated the mid- to long-term outcomes and their predictors in CRT patients aged ≥ 75 years.

Methods: Patients in the Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Modular (CRT MORE) Registry were divided into three age-groups: <65 (group A), 65-74 (group B) and ≥75 years (group C).