Publications by authors named "Rocio Garcia-Orta"

Introduction: Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment and mental health disorders compared to the general population. Physical exercise might improve their brain health. The overall goal of the HEART-BRAIN randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to investigate the effects of different types of exercise on brain health outcomes in patients with CAD, and the underlying mechanisms.

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  • COVID-19 significantly affects coagulation in adult patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD), making them more susceptible to thromboembolic (TE) and bleeding complications.
  • In a study from May 2020 to November 2021 involving nearly 2,000 ACHD patients, 1.5% experienced severe TE or bleeding events, which were linked to higher mortality rates and more advanced health conditions.
  • Key risk factors for these complications included prior anticoagulation treatment, incidents of cardiac injury, and severity of the COVID-19 infection, with logistic regression confirming their independent associations with TE and bleeding risks.
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Evaluation of right ventricular (RV) function after tricuspid valve surgery is complex. The objective was to identify the most appropriate RV function parameters for this purpose. This prospective study included 70 patients undergoing cardiac and tricuspid valve (TV) surgery.

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Background: Haemoptysis is a rare symptom associated with endocarditis. We describe the unusual clinical manifestation of endocarditis on regurgitant bicuspid aortic valve and (probably) secondarily on a perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD) as massive haemoptysis.

Case Summary: A 24-year-old male with aortic coarctation, bicuspid aortic valve, and VSD since birth.

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Introduction: Recurrent tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is frequently observed after cardiac surgery; however, the correct approach remains controversial. We developed an algorithm for action on the tricuspid valve (TV) and conducted a 1-year follow-up study. The aim was to assess the efficacy of the algorithm to minimise residual TR after TV surgery.

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Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) is a life-threatening disease which predispose to malignant arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the early stages of the disease. Risk stratification relies on the electrical, genetic, and imaging data. Our study aimed to investigate how myocardial deformation parameters may identify the subjects at risk of known predictors of major ventricular arrhythmias.

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  • Mortality rates for adults with pulmonary hypertension associated with congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD) are high, and this study aims to identify factors predicting death and the impact of treatment.
  • A retrospective study followed 103 adults with PAH-CHD for approximately 8.6 years, categorizing patients by shunt type and analyzing survival rates and predictors of death using regression models.
  • Key findings indicated that pre-tricuspid patients had the highest mortality rates, with significant predictors of poor outcomes including pericardial effusion and oxygen saturation; the study suggests that earlier and more aggressive treatment may be necessary for those in advanced disease stages.
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Background: Adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) have been considered potentially high risk for novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) mortality or other complications.

Objectives: This study sought to define the impact of COVID-19 in adults with CHD and to identify risk factors associated with adverse outcomes.

Methods: Adults (age 18 years or older) with CHD and with confirmed or clinically suspected COVID-19 were included from CHD centers worldwide.

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Aims: Patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) are a potentially vulnerable patient cohort in case of COVID-19. Some cardiac defects may be associated with a poor COVID-19 outcome. Risk estimation in ACHD is currently based on expert opinion.

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Background The determinants and consequences of pulmonary hypertension after successfully corrected valvular heart disease remain poorly understood. We aim to clarify the hemodynamic bases and risk factors for mortality in patients with this condition. Methods and Results We analyzed long-term follow-up data of 222 patients with pulmonary hypertension and valvular heart disease successfully corrected at least 1 year before enrollment who had undergone comprehensive hemodynamic and imaging characterization as per the SIOVAC (Sildenafil for Improving Outcomes After Valvular Correction) clinical trial.

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Objectives: To develop, calibrate, test and validate a logistic regression model for accurate risk prediction of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and non-fatal sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD), based on baseline lesion-specific risk stratification and individual's characteristics, to guide primary prevention strategies.

Methods: We combined data from a single-centre cohort of 3311 consecutive ACHD patients (50% male) at 25-year follow-up with 71 events (53 SCD and 18 non-fatal SCA) and a multicentre case-control group with 207 cases (110 SCD and 97 non-fatal SCA) and 2287 consecutive controls (50% males). Cumulative incidences of events up to 20 years for specific lesions were determined in the prospective cohort.

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We report the case of a patient diagnosed with extreme tetralogy of Fallot who received subclavian-pulmonary artery shunt at the age of 3 years and underwent corrective surgery at the age of 16 years. The patient developed progressive effort dyspnea and left ventricular dysfunction from the age of 40 years. The exploratory finding of a continuous jugular and left subclavian murmur prompted an echocardiographic study that evidenced a continuous flow in the suprasternal view.

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Aims: We aimed to determine whether treatment with sildenafil improves outcomes of patients with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PH) after correction of valvular heart disease (VHD).

Methods And Results: The sildenafil for improving outcomes after valvular correction (SIOVAC) study was a multricentric, randomized, parallel, and placebo-controlled trial that enrolled stable adults with mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 30 mmHg who had undergone a successful valve replacement or repair procedure at least 1 year before inclusion. We assigned 200 patients to receive sildenafil (40 mg three times daily, n = 104) or placebo (n = 96) for 6 months.

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Introduction And Objectives: Nonischemic sudden cardiac death (SCD) is predominantly caused by cardiomyopathies and channelopathies. There are many diagnostic tests, including some complex techniques. Our aim was to analyze the diagnostic yield of a systematic diagnostic protocol in a specialized unit.

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In this article, we review the contributions of the most important imaging techniques used in cardiology, reported in 2014. Echocardiography remains the cornerstone for diagnosing and monitoring valvular heart disease, and there has been a continuing effort to improve quantification of this condition and obtain prognostic parameters for follow-up. The study of regional myocardial function is anchored in the diagnosis of subclinical ventricular dysfunction, and 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography has become the perfect ally in interventional procedures for structural heart disease.

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Cardiac imaging is a cornerstone of diagnosis in heart conditions, and an essential tool for assessing prognosis and establishing treatment decisions. This year, echocardiography stands out as a guide in interventional procedures and in choosing the size of the prosthesis. It is also proving to be a valuable technique in low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis.

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Cardiac imaging is one of the basic pillars of modern cardiology. The potential list of scenarios where cardiac imaging techniques can provide relevant information is simply endless so it is impossible to include all relevant new features of cardiac imaging published in the literature in 2012 in the limited format of a single article. We summarize the year's most relevant news on cardiac imaging, highlighting the ongoing development of myocardial deformation and 3-dimensional echocardiography techniques and the increasing use of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in daily clinical practice.

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Segmental contractility can be assessed quantitatively by analyzing deformation, or strain, and the rate of deformation, or the strain rate. This type of analysis can be performed using either tissue Doppler imaging or, more recently, two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. The aim of this study was to determine typical parameter values in healthy subjects and their reproducibility.

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Objectives: We sought to compare the diagnostic performance of 3-dimensional (3D) versus 2-dimensional (2D) echocardiography in patients with regurgitant mitral valve.

Background: An accurate assessment of morphology and function of the mitral valve is essential for surgical repair. Two-dimensional echocardiography has certain spatial limitations that could be overcome by 3D imaging.

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