Management and Outcomes of Cardiogenic Shock in Cardiac ICUs With Versus Without Shock Teams.

Background: Single-center studies suggest that implementation of multidisciplinary cardiogenic shock (CS) teams is associated with improved CS survival.

Objectives: The aim was to characterize practice patterns and outcomes in the management of CS across multiple centers with versus without shock teams.

Methods: The Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network is a multicenter network of cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) in North America.

OCT: A Modality for Identifying Stent Failure in Pediatric Patients With Angiographically Silent Coronary Arteries.

We present the case of a 16-year-old patient with anomalous left coronary artery from the left pulmonary artery requiring percutaneous coronary intervention in infancy who presented with ventricular fibrillation arrest. A coronary angiogram revealed 40% narrowing of the stent relative to the remainder of the left main coronary artery. Optical coherence tomography was performed and revealed an area stenosis of 70% relative to the native left main coronary artery.

Use of antithrombotic therapy for secondary prevention in patients with stable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Insights from the COordinated National Network to Engage Cardiologists in the antithrombotic Treatment of patients with CardioVascular Disease (CONNECT-CVD) study.

Background: Although acetylsalicylic acid is the most commonly used antithrombotic agent for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events, residual atherothrombotic risk has prompted a guideline recommendation for the addition of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) or dual pathway inhibition (DPI) in high vascular risk patients. Accordingly, the CONNECT CVD quality enhancement initiative provides a contemporary "snapshot" of the clinical features and antithrombotic management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) patients in Canada.

Methods: Canadian cardiologists (49 cardiologists from six provinces) undertook a retrospective chart audit of 10 ASCVD patients in their outpatient practice who met the Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagulation Strategy-like criteria from May 2018 to April 2019.

The Human Explanted Heart Program: A translational bridge for cardiovascular medicine.

The progression of cardiovascular research is often impeded by the lack of reliable disease models that fully recapitulate the pathogenesis in humans. These limitations apply to both in vitro models such as cell-based cultures and in vivo animal models which invariably are limited to simulate the complexity of cardiovascular disease in humans. Implementing human heart tissue in cardiovascular research complements our research strategy using preclinical models.

Incidence, underlying conditions, and outcomes of patients receiving acute renal replacement therapies in tertiary cardiac intensive care units: An analysis from the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network Registry.

Background: The prevalence of renal disease in cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) is increasing, but little is known about the utilization, concurrent therapies, and outcomes of patients requiring acute renal replacement therapy (RRT) in this specialized environment.

Methods: In the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network, 16 centers submitted data on CICU admissions including acute RRT (defined as continuous renal replacement therapy and/or acute intermittent dialysis).

Results: Among 2,985 admissions, 178 (6.

The association between hyperuricemia and coronary artery calcification development: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hyperuricemia coincides with coronary artery calcification (CAC) development, but the role of serum uric acid (SUA) as a risk factor for CAC remains unclear. The objective of this study was to gain an insight into the association between SUA and CAC in adults by performing a meta-analysis. MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and EBSCO (CINAHL) were searched for relevant observational studies published until 2 June 2019.

Quantification of lung water in heart failure using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Pulmonary edema is a cardinal feature of heart failure but no quantitative tests are available in clinical practice. The goals of this study were to develop a simple cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) approach for lung water quantification, to correlate CMR derived lung water with intra-cardiac pressures and to determine its prognostic significance.

Methods: Lung water density (LWD, %) was measured using a widely available single-shot fast spin-echo acquisition in two study cohorts.

Epidemiology of Shock in Contemporary Cardiac Intensive Care Units.

Background Clinical investigations of shock in cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) have primarily focused on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMICS). Few studies have evaluated the full spectrum of shock in contemporary CICUs. Methods and Results The Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network is a multicenter network of advanced CICUs in North America.

Acoustic diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension: automated speech- recognition-inspired classification algorithm outperforms physicians.

We hypothesized that an automated speech- recognition-inspired classification algorithm could differentiate between the heart sounds in subjects with and without pulmonary hypertension (PH) and outperform physicians. Heart sounds, electrocardiograms, and mean pulmonary artery pressures (mPAp) were recorded simultaneously. Heart sound recordings were digitized to train and test speech-recognition-inspired classification algorithms.

Validity and utility of ICD-10 administrative health data for identifying ST- and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction based on physician chart review.

Background: Health care administrative databases are useful for assessing the population-level burden of disease and examining issues related to access, costs and quality of care. In these databases, the diagnoses and procedures are coded with the use of the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases (ICD). We examined the validity of 2 ICD-10 coding definitions for categorizing patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) as having ST-elevation MI (STEMI) or non-ST-elevation MI (non-STEMI).

Four-year experience with the CoreValve transcatheter heart valve.

Aims: Our aim was to evaluate the long-term device performance and clinical outcomes of patients with symptomatic, severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with the CoreValve bioprosthesis.

Methods And Results: The CoreValve CE Pivotal Study was a prospective, multicentre, single-arm TAVI trial using the CoreValve system. Valve performance, patient quality of life (QoL), New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, and mortality at four years were analysed in 126 patients (mean age 82.

From Coronary Care Units to Cardiac Intensive Care Units: Recommendations for Organizational, Staffing, and Educational Transformation.

Medical care in Canadian cardiac units has changed considerably over the past 3 decades in response to an increasingly complex and diverse patient population admitted with acute cardiac pathology. To maintain the highest level of care for these patients, there is a pressing need to evolve traditional coronary care units into contemporary cardiac intensive care units. In this article we aim to highlight the current variations in Canadian units, develop approaches to overcome logistical and infrastructural obstacles, and propose staffing and training recommendations that would allow for the establishment of contemporary cardiac intensive care units.

Providing Rapid Out of Hospital Acute Cardiovascular Treatment 4 (PROACT-4).

Background: Whether prehospital point-of-care (POC) troponin further accelerates the time to diagnosis in patients with chest pain (CP) is unknown. We conducted a randomized trial of POC-Troponin testing in the ambulance.

Methods And Results: Patients with chest pain presenting by ambulance were randomized to usual care (UC) or POC-Troponin; ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients or those with noncardiovascular symptoms were excluded.

Alignment of site versus adjudication committee-based diagnosis with patient outcomes: Insights from the Providing Rapid Out of Hospital Acute Cardiovascular Treatment 3 trial.

Background: Adjudication by an adjudication committee in clinical trials plays an important role in the assessment of outcomes. Controversy exists regarding the utility of adjudication committee versus site-based assessments and their relationship to subsequent clinical events.

Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the Providing Rapid Out of Hospital Acute Cardiovascular Treatment-3 trial, which randomized patients with chest pain or shortness of breath for biomarker testing in the ambulance.

Troponin rise in hospitalized patients with nonacute coronary syndrome: retrospective assessment of outcomes and predictors.

Background: Cardiac troponin is elevated in several clinical settings apart from thrombotic acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and is associated with increased adverse events. It is not clear whether troponin elevation in type II myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with increased cardiovascular events. Our objectives were to identify the cause of mortality in type II MI and to attempt to establish the threshold range of cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) elevation as well as clinical factors associated with adverse outcomes in type II MI.

Prostate perfusion mapped by technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin after selective arterial injection.

Purpose: To determine if perfusion of the prostate can be mapped using technetium-99m ((99m)Tc) macroaggregated albumin (MAA) after selective prostate artery catheterization.

Materials And Methods: Selective prostate artery injections of MAA were performed and analyzed in 14 patients; 9 patients received unilateral injection, and 5 patients received bilateral injections (37 MBq/1 mCi per injection). Fused single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) images were subsequently acquired using a fiducial marker technique.

Incorporating patient preferences into clinical trial design: results of the opinions of patients on treatment implications of new studies (OPTIONS) project.

Background: Traditionally, clinical outcomes comprising composite end points in cardiovascular trials are assigned equal weights in statistical analyses. However, the importance of weighting outcomes according to their relative severity is now recognized. This study aimed to elicit patients' perceptions of the importance of cardiovascular outcomes and treatment complications and compare them with those of clinicians.

Providing Rapid Out of Hospital Acute Cardiovascular Treatment 3 (PROACT-3).

Background: The outcomes of acute cardiovascular symptom presentations are potentially modifiable with the use of biomarkers to accelerate accurate diagnosis. This randomized trial tested troponin and B-type natriuretic peptide before hospital guidance in patients with acute cardiovascular symptoms.

Methods: Patients with either chest pain or shortness of breath were randomized to usual care or biomarkers analyzed using a point-of-care device in the ambulance.

Exercise training improves aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and quality of life in renal transplant recipients.

Renal transplant recipients (RTR) have reduced peak aerobic capacity, muscle strength, arterial function and an unfavorable cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) profile. This study compared the effects of 12 weeks of supervised endurance and strength training (EST, n = 16) versus usual care (UC, n = 15) on peak aerobic capicity, cardiovascular and skeletal muscle function, CVD risk profile, and quality of life (QOL) in RTR (55 ± 13 years). Peak aerobic capacity and exercise hemodynamics, arterial compliance, 24-h blood pressure, muscle strength, lean body mass, CVD risk score, and QOL were assessed before and after 12 weeks.

Effect of exercise training on pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics in heart transplant recipients.

Pulmonary oxygen uptake (V˙O2p) at exercise onset is severely delayed in heart transplant recipients (HTRs). The role of exercise training to improve V˙O2p kinetics in HTRs has not been studied. We examined V˙O2p kinetics before and after 12 weeks of aerobic and strength training (HTR-T; n = 19, mean ± SD age: 57 ± 10 years) or usual care (HTR-UC; n = 16, mean age: 58 ± 12 years).