Discrepancies Between Physician-Perceived and Calculated Cardiovascular Risk in Primary Prevention: Implications for LDL-C Target Achievement and Appropriate Lipid-Lowering Therapy.

Introduction: Accurate risk assessment is critical in cardiovascular (CV) prevention, yet physicians often underestimate CV risk, leading to inadequate preventive measures.

Aim: This study evaluates the concordance between physician-perceived CV risk and calculated CV risk in a primary prevention setting.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included primary prevention patients from the Cardiology Outpatient Clinic of Caserta Hospital, Italy.

Role of LipoprotEin(a) in CardiovascuLar diseases and premature acute coronary syndromes (RELACS study): Impact of Lipoprotein(a) levels on the premature coronary event and the severity of coronary artery disease.

Background And Aims: Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] emerging as a significant risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the role and the impact of Lp(a) in the early formation and progression of complex CAD remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of Lp(a) levels on the age of first acute coronary events and CAD severity in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.

Eligibility for and practical implications of Semaglutide in overweight and obese patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Aims: Semaglutide has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events in non-diabetic patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease and overweight/obesity in the SELECT trial. Data on the applicability of these results to clinical practice are limited. We evaluated the eligibility for and practical implications of semaglutide in overweight/obese non-diabetic patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) from a contemporary real-world registry.

The clinical relevance of the reversal of coronary atherosclerotic plaque.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains a leading cause of death globally despite advances in preventive therapies. Understanding of the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, the interplay between lipoproteins, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and immune responses is critical to treating this disease. The development of vulnerable coronary plaques prone to thrombosis, can lead to acute coronary syndromes, for these reasons, the potential plaque stabilization and regression through pharmacological interventions, particularly lipid-lowering agents like statins and PCSK9 inhibitors is crucial.

[Multidistrict atherosclerotic disease: epidemiological and clinical framework].

Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that can involve different arterial districts. Traditionally, the focus of cardiologists has been on the diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). However, atherosclerosis localization in other districts is increasingly common and is associated with an increased risk of CAD and, more generally, of adverse cardiovascular events.

[Lipoprotein(a): relationships with atherosclerosis and valvular heart disease, and emerging therapies].

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a well-established cardiovascular risk factor, whose relationship with atherosclerotic disease has been confirmed by epidemiological, genome-wide association, Mendelian randomization, and meta-analysis studies. This association is determined by its pro-atherogenic, pro-thrombotic and pro-inflammatory properties. Lp(a) is the most common monogenic risk factor for atherosclerosis, with a prevalence of about 1 in 5 people.

Visceral adipose tissue and residual cardiovascular risk: a pathological link and new therapeutic options.

Obesity is a heterogeneous disease that affects almost one-third of the global population. A clear association has been established between obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, CVD risk is known to be related more to the local distribution of fat than to total body fat.

Understanding the role of coronary artery revascularization in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and multivessel disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Advances and innovations in medical therapy have been shown to play a crucial role in improving the prognosis of patients with CAD and HFrEF; however, mortality rate in these patients remains high, and the role of surgical and/or percutaneous revascularization strategy is still debated. The Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial and the Revascularization for Ischemic Ventricular Dysfunction (REVIVED) trial have attempted to provide an answer to this issue.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors in Patients with Diabetes and Coronary Artery Disease: Translating the Benefits of the Molecular Mechanisms of Gliflozins into Clinical Practice.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) were initially developed for the treatment of diabetes due to their antihyperglycemic activity. However, in the light of the most recent clinical studies, they are revolutionizing the approach to cardiovascular disease in patients with and without diabetes. We aimed to generate real-world data about the use of SGLT2i in patients with T2DM and coronary artery disease (CAD), focusing on their effectiveness in glycemic control, adherence, long-term efficacy, and safety outcomes.

Reduction of cerebrovascular and peripheral events with PCSK9 inhibitors: Does it just depend on the lowering of the low-density lipoprotein?

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a systemic condition involving several vascular districts. The most involved vascular bed, beyond the coronary district, is represented by the peripheral arteries, whose involvement can give rise to cerebrovascular or peripheral events. PCSK9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) have established themselves as safe and effective drugs in reducing cholesterol linked to low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), a causative factor of disease, with a consequent reduction in cardiovascular events.