Thrombosis in Hypertension: Pathophysiology, Biomarkers, and the Effect of Antihypertensive Treatment.

Hypertension, characterized by elevated blood pressure levels, remains a global health concern due to its association with cardiovascular complications, notably thrombosis. Thrombosis, the formation of blood clots within blood vessels, poses a significant risk for myocardial infarction, stroke, and limb ischemia, leading to adverse patient outcomes. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying thrombosis in hypertension is crucial for developing effective preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Cutting the Gordian knot of diuretic resistance using continuous ultrafiltration in a Holt-Oram patient with decompensated heart failure and Eisenmenger syndrome: a case report.

Background: Continuous ultrafiltration consists a decongestion method for patients with refractory decompensated heart failure with diuretic resistance as it enables the energetic withdrawal of isotonic fluid under controlled rate according to the patient's vital signs, offering decongestion without exceeding plasma refill rate.

Case Summary: A 62-year-old male with history of Holt-Oram syndrome with Eisenmenger physiology presented with worsening dyspnoea. Patient initial clinical and laboratory examination, renal vein ultrasound, and echocardiogram were consistent with significant congestion.

The Efficacy of Coronary Sinus Reducer in Patients with Refractory Angina: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Refractory angina is a frequently encountered phenomenon in patients with coronary artery disease, often presenting therapeutic challenges to the clinical cardiologist. Novel treatment methods have been explored in this direction, with the coronary sinus reducer (CSR) being among the most extensively-investigated.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature for studies assessing the efficacy of CSR in patients with refractory angina.

Coronary artery thromboembolism as a cause of myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA).

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) usually represents the clinical manifestation of atherothrombotic coronary artery disease (CAD) resulting from atherosclerotic plaque rupture. However, there are cases in which coronary angiography or coronary computed tomography angiography reveals patients with acute coronary syndrome with non-obstructive CAD. This clinical entity is defined as myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) and often considered as a clinical dynamic working diagnosis that needs further investigations for the establishment of a final etiologic diagnosis.

Anticoagulation Status and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Indications in Hospitalized Cardiology Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Hellenic Cardiorenal Morbidity Snapshot (HECMOS) Sub-Study.

: The proper use of oral anticoagulants is crucial in the management of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) may be considered for stroke prevention in patients with AF and contraindications for long-term anticoagulant treatment. We aimed to assess anticoagulation status and LAAC indications in patients with AF from the HECMOS (Hellenic Cardiorenal Morbidity Snapshot) survey.

One-year outcomes following a hypertensive urgency or emergency.

There are scarce data on the comparative prognosis between patients with hypertensive emergencies (HE), urgencies (HU), and those without HU or HE (HP). Our study aimed to compare cardiovascular (CV) outcomes of HE, HU, and HP during a 12-month follow-up period. The population consisted of 353 consecutive patients presenting with HE or HU in a third-care emergency department and subsequently referred to our hypertension center for follow-up.

The effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on the endothelium and the microcirculation: from bench to bedside and beyond.

Aims: The beneficial cardiovascular effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors irrespective of the presence of diabetes mellitus are nowadays well established and they already constitute a significant pillar for the management of heart failure, irrespective of the ejection fraction. The exact underlying mechanisms accountable for these effects, however, remain largely unknown. The direct effect on endothelial function and microcirculation is one of the most well studied.

Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Interventions: A Triumph for Transcatheter Procedures?

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a common valvular pathology, estimated to affect 1.6 million people in the United States alone. Even though guidelines recommend either medical therapy or surgical treatment for TR, the misconception of TR as a benign disease along with the high mortality rates of surgical intervention led to undertreating this disease and commonly describing it as a "forgotten" valve.

Cardiometabolic Care: Assessing Patients with Diabetes Mellitus with No Overt Cardiovascular Disease in the Light of Heart Failure Development Risk.

The mechanisms leading to the development of heart failure (HF) in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients are multifactorial. Assessing the risk of HF development in patients with DM is valuable not only for the identification of a high-risk subgroup, but also equally important for defining low-risk subpopulations. Nowadays, DM and HF have been recognized as sharing similar metabolic pathways.

The Impact of High Protein Diets on Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

High protein diets have gained increased popularity as a means of losing weight, increasing muscle mass and strength, and improving cardiometabolic parameters. Only a few meta-analyses have addressed their impact on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and failed to show any significant associations without applying strict values to define high protein intake. Due to the conflicting research background, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the impact of high protein diets compared to normal protein consumption on cardiovascular outcomes in adults without established cardiovascular disease.

Sex-related cardiovascular prognosis in patients with hypertensive emergencies: a 12-month study.

Current evidence on the prognosis of patients with a hypertensive crisis and predisposing factors is limited. We registered the clinical phenotype of patients with HC admitted to the emergency department, while those with a hypertensive emergency (HE) were hospitalized. One-year outcomes, i.

Broad Electrocardiogram Syndromes Spectrum: From Common Emergencies to Particular Electrical Heart Disorders.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) still remains a very useful diagnostic method in modern cardiology. Its broad availability, noninvasiveness and good sensitivity explain why it plays a capital role in the very beginning of the process of diagnosis for every patient, with or without cardiac-related complaints. For the practitioner, good training in ECG interpretation is mandatory.

Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2 in Coronary Artery Disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in western societies. Therefore the identification of novel biomarkers to be used as diagnostic or therapeutic targets is of significant scientific interest. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is one such protein shown to be involved in endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation and atherogenesis.

Fluid and Salt Balance and the Role of Nutrition in Heart Failure.

The main challenges in heart failure (HF) treatment are to manage patients with refractory acute decompensated HF and to stabilize the clinical status of a patient with chronic heart failure. Beyond the use of medications targeted in the inhibition of the neurohormonal system, the balance of salt and fluid plays an important role in the maintenance of clinical compensation in respect of renal function. In the case of heart failure, a debate of opinion exists on salt restriction.

Rationale and Design of the ACS-BP Study: Prognostic Value of In-Hospital Blood Pressure and Indices of Atherosclerosis in Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) is a leading risk factor for coronary artery disease and other major cardiovascular events.

Objective: Blood pressure variability (BPV), ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) and ankle- brachial index (ABI) have been proposed as indices that can improve risk stratification for an adverse cardiac outcome. However, their utility in the setting of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is unclear.

Monitoring asthma in children.

The goal of asthma treatment is to obtain clinical control and reduce future risks to the patient. To reach this goal in children with asthma, ongoing monitoring is essential. While all components of asthma, such as symptoms, lung function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and inflammation, may exist in various combinations in different individuals, to date there is limited evidence on how to integrate these for optimal monitoring of children with asthma.

Breastfeeding duration and cognitive, language and motor development at 18 months of age: Rhea mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece.

Background: Breast feeding duration has been associated with improved cognitive development in children. However, few population-based prospective studies have evaluated dose-response relationships of breastfeeding duration with language and motor development at early ages, and results are discrepant.

Methods: The study uses data from the prospective mother-child cohort ('Rhea' study) in Crete, Greece.

Childhood asthma: recent developments and update.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review is to provide an update on childhood asthma specifically related to the underlying genetic background and pathophysiology of asthma and their interaction with environmental stimuli. We will also discuss emerging data in the field of disease phenotyping.

Recent Findings: The field of genetics is continuously evolving to expand our knowledge on the cause of disease.