High-Intensity Interval Training vs. Medium-Intensity Continuous Training in Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: A Narrative Review.

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) programs are essential for patients diagnosed with cardiac diseases. Studies have shown that they aid in the rehabilitation process and may even facilitate a return to previous cardiorespiratory fitness. Also, patients who enroll and follow such programs have shown a lower rate of complications and mortality in the long run.

Assessment of Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A 6-Month Follow-Up Study.

Background/objectives: The association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common one, with long-term therapeutic and prognostic impact. In view of the high pulmonary and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, self-management contributes to decreasing the risk of an acute cardiac event or pulmonary decompensation.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study on 100 patients admitted to Iasi Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital who were divided into two groups according to the presence (67 patients) or absence (33 patients) of MetS.

Medical-Surgical Implications of Branching Variation of Human Aortic Arch Known as Bovine Aortic Arch (BAA).

(1) Background: The aortic arch (AA) branching model is challenging, considering the multiple anatomical variations documented in existing research. The bovine aortic arch (BAA) is the most prevalent anatomical variation among these. This variant of AA branching has long been considered a nonsymptomatic malformation, having been discovered incidentally during imaging investigations for other causes.

Lipid-Derived Biomarkers as Therapeutic Targets for Chronic Coronary Syndrome and Ischemic Stroke: An Updated Narrative Review.

The incidence and prevalence of cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases are constantly increasing, with chronic coronary syndrome and ischemic stroke as the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to current knowledge, the heart-brain axis is more than a theoretical concept, with many common pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the onset and evolution of both coronary and cerebral ischemia. Moreover, the focus is on the prevention and early intervention of risk factors in searching for targeted and personalized medical treatment.

Beyond the Acute Phase: Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Functional Capacity and Prothrombotic Risk-A Pilot Study.

: Assessment of the prothrombotic, proinflammatory, and functional status of a cohort of COVID-19 patients at least two years after the acute infection to identify parameters with potential therapeutic and prognostic value. : We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study that included 117 consecutive patients admitted to Iasi Pulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic for reassessment and a rehabilitation program at least two years after a COVID-19 infection. The cohort was divided into two groups based on the presence ( = 49) or absence ( = 68) of pulmonary fibrosis, documented through high-resolution computer tomography.

Changes in Arterial Stiffness in Response to Blood Flow Restriction Resistance Training: A Narrative Review.

Arterial stiffness naturally increases with age and is a known predictor of cardiovascular morbimortality. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training involves decreasing muscle blood flow by applying a strap or a pneumatic cuff during exercise. BFR induces muscle hypertrophy even at low intensities, making it an appealing option for older, untrained individuals.

Inflammatory Pathways in Overweight and Obese Persons as a Potential Mechanism for Cognitive Impairment and Earlier Onset Alzeihmer's Dementia in the General Population: A Narrative Review.

The overweight status or obesity can be confirmed through classical methods such as the body mass index (BMI) and the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Apart from metabolic issues such as atherosclerosis, liver steatosis, or diabetes mellitus, long-term obesity or overweight status can pose a risk for cardiovascular and neurovascular complications. While some acute adverse events like coronary syndromes of strokes are well-documented to be linked to an increased body mass, there are also chronic processes that, due to their silent onset and evolution, are underdiagnosed and not as thoroughly studied.

Blood and Salivary Cortisol Variations in Athletes in Relation to Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.

: Cortisol is a valuable marker for assessing the body's response to any form of stress. We conducted this study in order to evaluate the variations of salivary and serum cortisol levels in professional football players in relation to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and their significance in potentially evaluating overtraining in athletes. Also, the question of whether salivary cortisol determination could fully substitute serum sampling was addressed.

Gender Differences and Amputation Risk in Peripheral Artery Disease-A Single-Center Experience.

: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects both genders, but the knowledge of clinical and therapeutic aspects particular to each gender has a prognostic value, modulating the risk of amputation and helping to reduce the risk of death or the occurrence of an acute vascular event secondary to optimal management. : We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study that included 652 patients with PAD who were evaluated at "St. Spiridon" Hospital's Cardiology Department and divided into two groups according to gender: women (100 cases) and men (552 cases).

Association of CAPN10 gene (rs3842570) polymorphism with the type 2 diabetes mellitus among the population of Noakhali region in Bangladesh: a case-control study.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multifactorial, polygenic, and metabolically complicated disease. A large number of genes are responsible for the biogenesis of T2DM and calpain10 (CAPN10) is one of them. The association of numerous CAPN10 genetic polymorphisms in the development of T2DM has been widely studied in different populations and noticed inconclusive results.

The Role Played by Novel Inflammatory Markers in Assessment of Peripheral Artery Disease.

: Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial process in which inflammatory markers have both therapeutic and prognostic roles. Recent studies bring into question the importance of assessing new inflammatory markers in relation to the severity of peripheral artery disease (PAD), such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR). : We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study including 652 patients with PAD, who were divided into two groups according to the severity of the ankle-brachial index value: mild and moderate obstruction (257 patients) and severe obstruction (395 patients).

Association between Eating Patterns and Quality of Life in Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

(1) Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disease that has autosomal dominant inheritance, being characterized by increased levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) due to a decreased clearance of the circulant LDLs. Alimentation is a key factor in patients with FH. Implementing a restrictive diet may have a significant impact on their quality of life, besides the social and environmental factors.

Novel Biomarkers for Atherosclerotic Disease: Advances in Cardiovascular Risk Assessment.

Atherosclerosis is a significant health concern with a growing incidence worldwide. It is directly linked to an increased cardiovascular risk and to major adverse cardiovascular events, such as acute coronary syndromes. In this review, we try to assess the potential diagnostic role of biomarkers in the early identification of patients susceptible to the development of atherosclerosis and other adverse cardiovascular events.

Regional differences in physicians' behavior and factors influencing the intensity of PCSK9 inhibitor therapy with alirocumab: a subanalysis of the ODYSSEY APPRISE study.

Background: Despite better accessibility of the effective lipid-lowering therapies, only about 20% of patients at very high cardiovascular risk achieve the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals. There is a large disparity between European countries with worse results observed for the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) patients. One of the main reasons for this ineffectiveness is therapeutic inertia related to the limited access to appropriate therapy and suitable dosage intensity.

Infective Endocarditis during Pregnancy-Keep It Safe and Simple!

The diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) during pregnancy is accompanied by a poor prognosis for both mother and fetus in the absence of prompt management by multidisciplinary teams. We searched the electronic databases of PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE for clinical studies addressing the management of infective endocarditis during pregnancy, with the aim of realizing a literature review ranging from risk factors to diagnostic investigations to optimal therapeutic management for mother and fetus alike. The presence of previous cardiovascular pathologies such as rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, prosthetic valves, hemodialysis, intravenous catheters or immunosuppression are the main risk factors predisposing patients to IE during pregnancy.

T-Wave Analysis on the 24 h Holter ECG Monitoring as a Predictive Assessment of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Myocardial Infarction: A Literature Review and Future Perspectives.

Myocardial ischemia is a pathophysiological state characterized by inadequate perfusion of the myocardium, resulting in an imbalance between myocardial oxygen demand and supply. It is most commonly caused by coronary artery disease, in which atherosclerotic plaques lead to luminal narrowing and reduced blood flow to the heart. Myocardial ischemia can manifest as angina pectoris or silent myocardial ischemia and can progress to myocardial infarction or heart failure if left untreated.

Ups and downs of conducting a national representative survey on hypertension during pandemic time: main results of SEPHAR IV.

Objectives: This national representative survey sought to assess hypertension's prevalence, awareness, treatment and control in Romania.

Methods: A representative sample (by age, sex and residence) of 1477 Romanian adults (51.19 ± 16.

Long-Term Adherence in Overweight Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypertension-A Pilot Prospective Cohort Study.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, sedentarism, depression, anxiety and impaired quality of life. The long-term effectiveness of positive airway pressure (PAP) is insufficiently studied and limited by poor patient compliance. The aim of this pilot prospective cohort study was to evaluate long-term adherence in overweight patients with moderate-severe OSA and hypertension and to analyze changes in weight, sleepiness and quality of life.

The Influence of Metabolic Factors in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis C Who Received Oral Antiviral Treatment.

Hepatic diseases pose a significant public health concern. Regardless of the severity of hepatic fibrosis, treatment is recommended for all chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) subjects. However, fibrosis and steatosis assessment remains crucial for evaluating the prognosis, progression, and hepatic disease monitoring, particularly following the treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).

Role of Chemerin and Perivascular Adipose Tissue Characteristics on Cardiovascular Risk Assessment by Arterial Stiffness Markers in Patients with Morbid Obesity.

Background And Objective: The development of arterial stiffness (AS) in obesity is a multifactorial and complex process. The pleomorphic actions of adipokines and their local activity in perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) are potential modulators of AS appearance and progression. We aimed to assess the correlations between two adipokines (chemerin, adiponectin), PVAT morphological changes (adipocyte size, blood vessel wall thickness) and AS parameters in the special subgroup of patients with morbid obesity.

Determinants of Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Morbid Obesity. The Role of Echocardiography and Carotid Ultrasound Imaging.

Morbid obesity is accompanied by an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, which justifies a multidisciplinary, integrative approach. Arterial stiffness has a well-defined additional role in refining individual CV risk. Given that echocardiography and carotid ultrasound are usual methods for CV risk characterization, we aimed to identify the imaging parameters with a predictive value for early-onset arterial stiffness.

Relationships between Easily Available Biomarkers and Non-Dipper Blood Pressure Pattern in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Introduction: Chronic inflammation plays an essential role in the pathophysiology of both arterial hypertension (HTN) and coronary artery disease (CAD), and is more pronounced in individuals with a non-dipper circadian blood pressure (BP) pattern. A non-dipping BP pattern is in turn is associated with increased cardiovascular morbi-mortality, and a higher risk of atherosclerotic events. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are readily available predictors of systemic inflammation and cardiovascular risk.

Artificial Neural Network Models for Accurate Predictions of Fat-Free and Fat Masses, Using Easy-to-Measure Anthropometric Parameters.

Abdominal fat and fat-free masses report a close association with cardiometabolic risks, therefore this specific body compartment presents more interest than whole-body masses. This research aimed to develop accurate algorithms that predict body masses and specifically trunk fat and fat-free masses from easy to measure parameters in any setting. The study included 104 apparently healthy subjects, but with a higher-than-normal percent of adiposity or waist circumference.

Cardiovascular Involvement in Tuberculosis: From Pathophysiology to Diagnosis and Complications-A Narrative Review.

Although primarily a lung disease, extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) can affect any organ or system. Of these, cardiovascular complications associated with disease or drug toxicity significantly worsen the prognosis. Approximately 60% of patients with TB have a cardiovascular disease, the most common associated pathological entities being pericarditis, myocarditis, and coronary artery disease.