The Role of Obesity as a Cardiac Disease Risk Factor in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally and is closely associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This review examines the interplay between obesity, T2DM, and CVD, highlighting the increasing prevalence and economic burden of these conditions.

Recent Findings: Pharmacologic therapies, particularly glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, show promise in substantial weight loss and subsequent reduction of adverse cardiovascular events in obese individuals with and without diabetes.

One-year retrospective analysis of anti-FXa apixaban and rivaroxaban levels demonstrates utility for management decisions in various urgent and nonurgent clinical situations.

Objectives: Quantification of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) plasma levels can guide clinical management, but insight into clinical scenarios surrounding DOAC-calibrated anti-FXa assays is limited.

Methods: Apixaban- and rivaroxaban-calibrated chromogenic anti-Xa assays performed over a 1-year period were retrospectively analyzed. Patient demographics, DOAC history, concomitant medications, and renal/liver comorbidities were obtained.

Virtual Care Team Guided Management of Patients With Heart Failure During Hospitalization.

Background: Scalable and safe approaches for heart failure guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) optimization are needed.

Objectives: The authors assessed the safety and effectiveness of a virtual care team guided strategy on GDMT optimization in hospitalized patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods: In a multicenter implementation trial, we allocated 252 hospital encounters in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% to a virtual care team guided strategy (107 encounters among 83 patients) or usual care (145 encounters among 115 patients) across 3 centers in an integrated health system.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in end-stage renal disease: Reliability of the PF4-heparin ELISA.

Background: Diagnosing heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) can be difficult, as they are frequently exposed to heparin and have multiple etiologies for thrombocytopenia.

Objective: To correlate 4T scores, IgG heparin-platelet factor 4 (PF4-heparin) ELISA results, and serotonin release assay (SRA) results in patients with ESRD.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients with ESRD (creatinine clearance < 15 mL/min or on renal replacement therapy [RRT]) who underwent PF4-heparin ELISA testing from October 2015 to September 2019.

Virtual optimization of guideline-directed medical therapy in hospitalized patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: the IMPLEMENT-HF pilot study.

Aims: Implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) remains incomplete. Non-cardiovascular hospitalization may present opportunities for GDMT optimization. We assessed the efficacy and durability of a virtual, multidisciplinary 'GDMT Team' on medical therapy prescription for HFrEF.

Treatment of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage-associated Delayed Cerebral Ischemia With Milrinone: A Review and Proposal.

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage continues to be associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality. This complication had long been thought to occur secondary to severe cerebral vasospasm, but expert opinion now favors a multifactorial etiology, opening the possibility of new therapies. To date, no definitive treatment option for DCI has been recommended as standard of care, highlighting a need for further research into potential therapies.

Cardiac Myosin Activation for the Treatment of Systolic Heart Failure.

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction is the hallmark pathology in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Increasing left ventricular contractility with beta-adrenergic receptor agonists, phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitors, or levosimendan has failed to improve clinical outcomes and, in some situations, increased the risk of sudden cardiac death. Beta-adrenergic receptor agonists and phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitors retain an important role in advanced heart failure.