European Society of Cardiology: the 2023 Atlas of Cardiovascular Disease Statistics.

This report from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Atlas Project updates and expands upon the 2021 report in presenting cardiovascular disease (CVD) statistics for the ESC member countries. This paper examines inequalities in cardiovascular healthcare and outcomes in ESC member countries utilizing mortality and risk factor data from the World Health Organization and the Global Burden of Disease study with additional economic data from the World Bank. Cardiovascular healthcare data were collected by questionnaire circulated to the national cardiac societies of ESC member countries.

Associations of anaemia with bleeding and thrombotic complications in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with warfarin: a registry-based nested case-control study.

Objectives: We studied association of laboratory testing beyond the international normalised ratio (INR) with bleeding and stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with warfarin.

Design: This was a retrospective nested case-control study from the Finnish Warfarin in Atrial Fibrillation (FinWAF) registry (n=54 568), reporting the management and outcome in warfarin-anticoagulated patients. Associations of blood count test frequency and results were assessed together with risk of bleeding or stroke/TIA during 5-year follow-up.

Radiotherapy-induced diffuse myocardial fibrosis in early-stage breast cancer patients - multimodality imaging study with six-year follow-up.

Background: Breast radiotherapy (RT) induces diffuse myocardial changes, which may increase the incidence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. This study aimed to evaluate the early signs of diffuse fibrosis after RT and their evolution during a six-year follow-up.

Methods: Thirty patients with early-stage left-sided breast cancer were studied with echocardiography and electrocardiography (ECG) at baseline, after RT, and at three-year and six-year follow-up visits.

Transseptal snaring technique as a bailout from valvuloplasty balloon entrapment within a self-expanding valve: a case report.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become the dominant treatment strategy for severe aortic stenosis in patients with high and intermediate surgical risk. Although complications are significant cause of increasing mortality after TAVR and bailout techniques have been well established, we still encounter a rare complication without widely accepted bailout option. We present a rare complication of valvuloplasty balloon entrapment to a self-expanding valve strut with successful bailout.

Novel findings of an old algorithm: PVC response "Atrial Pace'' initiates atrial arrhythmias in Abbott ICD and CRT-D devices.

Background: Many algorithms have been developed to ensure the safety and accuracy of cardiac implantable electric devices (CIED). A specific algorithm designed to prevent pacemaker induced tachycardia (PMT) after a premature ventricular complex (PVC response) is available in all Abbott (former St. Jude Medical) CIED.

A Higher Mean Heart Radiation Dose Induces Higher Frequency of Multiple Cardiac Changes.

Background/aim: Radiotherapy (RT) induces late changes in all cardiac structures. Most studies of early changes focus on individual parameters.

Patients And Methods: Data from eighty early-stage breast cancer patients at baseline, post-RT and three-year follow-up visit were assessed prospectively.

Dynamic Integrated Backscatter Detects Radiotherapy-induced Cardiac Changes Better than Strain Analysis - A Prospective Three-year Study.

Background/aim: Radiotherapy (RT) related myocardial changes were analyzed by deformation imaging echocardiography in this study.

Patients And Methods: Ninety-nine breast cancer patients were studied at baseline, after chemotherapy, after RT, and three years after RT (3Y). Eighty patients received RT only, and twenty patients had right-sided breast cancer.

3-Year Follow-Up of Radiation-Associated Changes in Diastolic Function by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

Background: Radiation therapy (RT) results in myocardial changes consisting of diffuse fibrosis, which may result in changes in diastolic function.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore RT-associated changes in left ventricular (LV) diastolic function.

Methods: Sixty chemotherapy-naive patients with left-sided, early-stage breast cancer were studied with speckle tracking echocardiography at 3 time points: prior to, immediately after, and 3 years after RT.

Atrial fibrillation burden, episode duration and frequency in relation to quality of life in patients with implantable cardiac monitor.

Aims: To assess the relation between atrial fibrillation (AF) characteristics and health-related quality of life (QoL), and which AF characteristic had the greatest impact.

Method: The AF characteristics burden (percentage of time in AF), duration and number of AF episodes/month were obtained from implantable cardiac monitors during the 2-month run-in period in 150 patients included in the randomized CAPTAF trial comparing early ablation and antiarrhythmic drug therapy. The QoL was measured by the General Health and Vitality dimensions of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey.

Seventh time lucky-A case report of multiple radiofrequency ablations for right ventricular outflow tract tachycardia.

Right ventricular outflow tachycardia initially refractory to radiofrequency ablation may be successfully treated after radiofrequency ablation at multiple sites. Repeated radiofrequency ablations as well as cooperation across borders with referral to an international center of excellence may be required in complicated cases.

ST2 levels increased and were associated with changes in left ventricular systolic function during a three-year follow-up after adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Objectives: To search for biomarkers of RT-induced cardiotoxicity, we studied the behavior of ST2 during RT and three years after RT, and the associations with echocardiographic changes.

Materials And Methods: We measured soluble ST2 (ng/ml) in serum samples from 63 patients receiving RT for early breast cancer. Sampling and echocardiography were performed at baseline, after RT and at the three-year follow-up.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 levels predict echocardiographic changes at three years after adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Background: Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are cytokines involved in fibrotic processes causing radiotherapy (RT)-induced cardiovascular changes. We aimed to investigate the associations between TGF-β1 and PDGF and the echocardiographic changes that occur during RT and during three-year follow-up.

Methods: The study included 63 women receiving adjuvant RT for early-stage breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ.

Left Ventricular Speckle Tracking Echocardiography Changes Among Early-stage Breast Cancer Patients Three Years After Radiotherapy.

Background/aim: Chest radiotherapy (RT) doubles late cardiac mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the evolution of cardiac changes in speckle tracking echocardiography during a three-year follow-up.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study included 81 chemotherapy-naïve early-stage breast cancer patients who were evaluated at baseline, immediately after RT and three years after RT.

Adjuvant radiotherapy-induced cardiac changes among patients with early breast cancer: a three-year follow-up study.

In this study, we evaluate the evolution of cardiac changes during a three-year follow-up after adjuvant breast radiotherapy (RT). Sixty patients with left-sided and 20 patients with right-sided early stage breast cancer without chemotherapy were included in this prospective study. Echocardiography and cardiac biomarkers were evaluated before, immediately after and 3 years after RT.

Effect of Catheter Ablation vs Antiarrhythmic Medication on Quality of Life in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: The CAPTAF Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Quality of life is not a standard primary outcome in ablation trials, even though symptoms drive the indication.

Objective: To assess quality of life with catheter ablation vs antiarrhythmic medication at 12 months in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Randomized clinical trial at 4 university hospitals in Sweden and 1 in Finland of 155 patients aged 30-70 years with more than 6 months of atrial fibrillation and treatment failure with 1 antiarrhythmic drug or β-blocker, with 4-year follow-up.

Poor Quality of Warfarin Treatment Increases the Risk of All Types of Intracranial Hemorrhage in Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating complication of oral anticoagulation. The aim of this study was to describe the spectrum of ICH and to evaluate the association of warfarin control with the risk of ICH in a nationwide cohort of unselected atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

Methods and results: The FinWAF is a retrospective registry-linkage study.

Decreases in TGF-β1 and PDGF levels are associated with echocardiographic changes during adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Background: Radiation-induced heart disease is mainly caused by activation of the fibrotic process. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are pro-fibrotic mediators. The aim of our study was to evaluate the behavior of TGF-β1 and PDGF during adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for breast cancer and the association of these cytokines with echocardiographic changes.