There is a growing interest in the potential use of intracardiac fluid dynamic analysis to better understand cardiac mechanics and identify novel imaging biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. Abnormalities of vortex formation and shape may in fact play a critical role in cardiac function, affecting both efficiency and myocardial workload. Recent advances in imaging technologies have significantly improved our ability to analyze these dynamic flow patterns in vivo, offering new insights into both normal and pathological cardiac conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVascular calcification (VC) is a biological phenomenon characterized by an accumulation of calcium and phosphate deposits within the walls of blood vessels causing the loss of elasticity of the arterial walls. VC plays a crucial role in the incidence and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), leading to a significant increase in cardiovascular mortality in these patients. Different conditions such as age, sex, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension are the main risk factors in patients affected by chronic kidney disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute coronary syndromes (ACSs) represent a significant global health challenge arising from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels being a primary contributor. Despite standard statin therapy, individuals with ACS remain at high risk for recurrent cardiovascular events, particularly in the initial post-ACS period. Monoclonal antibodies targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), such as evolocumab and alirocumab, offer a potential strategy to reduce LDL-C levels further and mitigate this residual risk.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur Heart J Cardiovasc Pharmacother
October 2024
Cardiomyopathies are the structural and functional disorders of the myocardium. Etiopathogenesis is complex and involves an interplay of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors eventually leading to myocardial abnormalities. It is known that non-coding (Nc) RNAs, including micro (mi)-RNAs and long non-coding (lnc) RNAs, play a crucial role in regulating gene expression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a main cause of morbidity and mortality. The effectiveness of coronary revascularization in chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) is still debated. Our recent study showed the superiority of coronary revascularization over optimal medical therapy (OMT) in reducing cardiovascular (CV) mortality and myocardial infarction (MI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Embolization of debris can complicate transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) causing stroke. Cerebral embolism protection (CEP) devices can divert or trap debris.
Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of CEP during TAVI vs the standard procedure.
An 80-year-old post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patient had an acute coronary syndrome with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (ACS-NSTE) with saphenous vein graft (SVG)-obtuse marginal stenosis. High-definition intravascular ultrasound revealed an underexpanded SVG stent with a hyperechoic structure. Optical coherence tomography confirmed surgical clip causing compression, resolved by post-dilation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiac myxoma (CM) is a potentially life-threatening disease because frequently asymptomatic or debuts with aspecific manifestations. Definitive diagnosis is established by histopathological assessment including tumor and endothelial cell markers. To derive a specific panel of circulating cells antigenically detectable, pre-surgery peripheral blood samples of CM patients were analyzed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To provide a quantitative comparison between myocardial revascularization (REVASC) and optimal medical treatment (OMT) alone in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS).
Methods: Pertinent studies were searched for in PubMed/Medline until 12/03/2023. Randomized controlled trials that compare REVASC to OMT reporting clinical outcomes were selected according to PRISMA guidelines.
Cardiac amyloidosis is caused by the extracellular deposition of amyloid fibrils in the heart, involving not only the myocardium but also any cardiovascular structure. Indeed, this progressive infiltrative disease also involves the cardiac valves and, specifically, shows a high prevalence with aortic stenosis. Misfolded protein infiltration in the aortic valve leads to tissue damage resulting in the onset or worsening of valve stenosis.
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