EU-Wide Cross-Sectional Observational Study of Lipid-Modifying Therapy Use in Secondary and Primary Care: the DA VINCI study.

Aims: To provide contemporary data on the implementation of European guideline recommendations for lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs) across different settings and populations and how this impacts low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement.

Methods And Results: An 18 country, cross-sectional, observational study of patients prescribed LLT for primary or secondary prevention in primary or secondary care across Europe. Between June 2017 and November 2018, data were collected at a single visit, including LLT in the preceding 12 months and most recent LDL-C.

Proportion of High-Risk/Very High-Risk Patients in Europe with Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol at Target According to European Guidelines: A Systematic Review.

Objective: Assess achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets in European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) guidelines.

Design: Systematic literature review.

Data Sources: Medline, EMBASE, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature.

Morbidity and mortality associated with atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease: A systematic review.

Background And Aims: It is unclear whether improvements in the detection/treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD) affect overall survival and morbidity. We undertook a systematic review to describe survival and morbidity in contemporary PAD cohorts.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched for randomised and observational studies reporting mortality/morbidity events between 1 May 2003 and 31 December, 2017 in patients with PAD, diagnosed by intermittent claudication (IC), critical limb ischaemia (CLI), or an ankle brachial index (ABI) < 0.

Combining cholesterol-lowering strategies with imaging data: a visible benefit?

Coronary artery disease is characterised by the development of atherosclerotic plaques and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality on a global level. However, many patients with atherosclerosis are asymptomatic and the prediction of acute coronary events is challenging. The role of imaging studies in characterising plaque morphology and stability is emerging as a valuable prognostic tool, while providing evidence for the beneficial effects of cholesterol-lowering therapy on plaque burden.

Relationship of home blood pressure with target-organ damage in children and adolescents.

The objective of this study was to compare home blood pressure (HBP) vs. ambulatory (ABP) and clinic (CBP) measurements in terms of their association with target-organ damage in children and adolescents. A total of 81 children and adolescents (mean age 13 ± 3 years, 53 boys) referred for elevated CBP had measurements of CBP (1 visit), HBP (6 days) and ABP (24-h).

Ambulatory arterial stiffness index, pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity in children and adolescents.

Arterial stiffness, assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) or indirectly by pulse pressure (PP) or ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI), is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease in adults. However, in children limited evidence is available. This study investigated the usefulness of AASI and PP as indices of arterial stiffness in children and adolescents, by taking PWV as the reference method.

Long-term reproducibility of home vs. office blood pressure in children and adolescents: the Arsakeion school study.

This study compared the long-term reproducibility of home blood pressure (BP) in comparison with office BP in children and adolescents. Forty-eight subjects (27 boys, mean age 11.3+/-3.

Diagnosis of hypertension in children and adolescents based on home versus ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Objective: To investigate the usefulness of home blood pressure measurements in comparison with ambulatory monitoring in the diagnosis of sustained, white-coat hypertension and masked hypertension in children and adolescents.

Subjects And Methods: One hundred and two subjects, referred for elevated blood pressure, were assessed with clinic (two visits), home (6 days) and awake ambulatory blood pressure measurements [64 boys, mean age 12.8 +/- 2.

Home blood pressure monitoring in children: how many measurements are needed?

Objective: To investigate the minimum schedule of blood pressure (BP) measurements necessary to provide a reliable assessment of home BP (HBP) in children and adolescents.

Methods: Subjects aged 6-18 years referred for elevated BP were assessed with HBP monitoring (6 workdays, duplicate morning and evening measurements) and 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABP). Criteria for HBP reliability were its reproducibility (test-retest correlations and SD of differences (SDDs) between repeated measurements), its stability (average home BP of an increasing number of readings and its SD), and its relationship with ABP.

Can validated wrist devices with position sensors replace arm devices for self-home blood pressure monitoring? A randomized crossover trial using ambulatory monitoring as reference.

Background: Electronic devices that measure blood pressure (BP) at the arm level are regarded as more accurate than wrist devices and are preferred for home BP (HBP) monitoring. Recently, wrist devices with position sensors have been successfully validated using established protocols. This study assessed whether HBP values measured with validated wrist devices are sufficiently reliable to be used for making patient-related decisions in clinical practice.

Validation of the A&D UM-101 professional hybrid device for office blood pressure measurement according to the International Protocol.

Objective: Assessment of the accuracy of the A&D UM-101 mercury-free professional device for auscultatory blood pressure (BP) measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol. Further to auscultation, the device has a button to mark readings during deflation.

Methods: Fifteen adults were included in phase 1 and another 18 in phase 2.

Validation of the Microlife WatchBP Home device for self home blood pressure measurement according to the International Protocol.

Objective: Current guidelines recommend that self monitoring of blood pressure at home should only be performed using validated devices. This study assessed the accuracy of the Microlife WatchBP Home device for self home blood pressure measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol.

Methods: Thirty-three participants were included (15 in phase 1 and an additional 18 in phase 2).

A tool for reliable self-home blood pressure monitoring designed according to the European Society of Hypertension recommendations: the Microlife WatchBP Home monitor.

Background: Self-blood pressure monitoring by patients at home (HBPM) is being increasingly used in clinical practice and has been endorsed by hypertension societies as an important adjunct to the conventional office blood pressure measurements. Several problems, however, exist regarding the application of HBPM in practice, such as device inaccuracy, observer bias and misreporting, variable monitoring schedule and variable method for summarizing measurements. The European Society of Hypertension Working Group (ESH-WG) on Blood Pressure Monitoring has published detailed recommendations on how to apply HBPM in clinical practice.

Validation of the Microlife BPA100 Plus device for self-home blood pressure measurement according to the International Protocol.

Objective: Current guidelines recommend that only validated devices for blood pressure measurement should be used. This study presents the validation results of the Microlife BPA100 Plus monitor for self-home blood pressure measurement, according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol.

Methods: Fifteen study participants were included in phase 1 and an additional 18 in phase 2 (total 33).