Hypertension in Cancer Survivors.

Purpose Of Review: With increasing survival after cancer treatment, there is a need for long-term management of risk factors and chronic medical conditions to realize the full benefit of improvement of outcomes. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has a higher prevalence in cancer survivors compared to the general population. In this review article, we discuss the burden of hypertension in cancer survivors and how this impacts their long-term outcomes and risk of cancer recurrence.

Continuing cancer care delivery during the peak of COVID-19 in the Bronx, New York: experience from a public teaching hospital.

Introduction: We report our experience with cancer care delivery during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic in New York City.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the patients treated from the 1 of March, 2020 to the 8 of May, 2020.

Results: Team huddles, infection screening and patient selection strategies were implemented.

Survival With Continuous Outpatient Intravenous Inotrope Therapy in the Modern Era.

Background: To describe baseline characteristics and outcomes in the largest known registry of advanced heart failure (HF) patients receiving continuous outpatient intravenous inotrope therapy. Studies evaluating the use of outpatient inotropes for palliation or as a bridge to advanced therapies were performed before current guideline directed medical and device therapy (GDMDT). There are limited data on the modern experience using outpatient inotrope (OI) therapy.

Vulnerable Plaque: A Review of Current Concepts in Pathophysiology and Imaging.

Advances in our understanding of the natural history and biology of atherosclerotic vascular disease led to the concept of a vulnerable plaque (VP), which is predisposed toward more rapid progression and acute coronary events. With newer technologies, we now have at our disposal high-quality imaging studies, both invasive and noninvasive, which promise in identifying plaque characteristics that make it more vulnerable. Upcoming trials aim to evaluate the utility of imaging VP in predicting clinical events.

Long-Term Outcomes of Drug-Eluting Stents Versus Bare-Metal Stents in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Dialysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

There are no dedicated data to guide drug-eluting stent (DES) versus bare-metal stent (BMS) selection in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis (ESRD-D). It is unclear whether long-term benefits of a specific stent type outweigh risks in this population at high risk for both bleeding and ischemic events. We performed a meta-analysis of nonrandomized studies extracted from PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE, assessing the safety and effectiveness of DES versus BMS in ESRD-D patients.

Sacubitril/valsartan in cardiovascular disease: evidence to date and place in therapy.

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing and the developed world. Mortality from CV disease had plateaued in the recent years raising concerning alarms about the sustained efficacy of available preventive and treatment options. Heart failure (HF) is among the major contributors to the CV-related health care burden, a persisting concern despite the use of clinically proven guideline-directed therapies.

Managing Hypertension in Patients Aged 75 Years and Older.

On the basis of the available data, we would diagnose a normal blood pressure in elderly persons including those 75 years of age and older if the blood pressure was below 120/80 mmHg. We would diagnose hypertension in elderly persons including those aged 75 years and older if the systolic blood pressure was 130 mmHg and higher or if the diastolic blood pressure was 80 mmHg and higher. We would treat these elderly patients with hypertension to a blood pressure goal of less than 130/80 mmHg if the blood pressure was obtained by automated blood pressure monitoring in a quiet room.

Efficacy and safety of dronedarone in the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation.

Dronedarone, a derivative of amiodarone with structural modifications, was designed to have similar electrophysiological properties with a less toxic profile. Areas covered: Brief overview of the pharmacology of dronedarone followed by a summary of randomized clinical trials testing the efficacy of dronedarone in maintaining normal sinus rhythm and clinical outcomes associated with these trials. In depth discussion and commentary on trial findings which may seem contradictory at first approach and brief discussion of post-marketing surveillance studies.

Are two drugs better than one? A review of combination therapies for hypertension.

Current guidelines for pharmacotherapy briefly describe a role for combination antihypertensive therapy. However, guidance on whether combination therapy should be used at the time of initiating therapy or as add on, and the choice of combination therapy is scarce. Areas covered: Current literature suggests that intensive blood pressure control is the key to managing cardiovascular risk.