Cardiovascular disease and COVID-19: a consensus paper from the ESC Working Group on Coronary Pathophysiology & Microcirculation, ESC Working Group on Thrombosis and the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC), in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA).

The cardiovascular system is significantly affected in coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Microvascular injury, endothelial dysfunction, and thrombosis resulting from viral infection or indirectly related to the intense systemic inflammatory and immune responses are characteristic features of severe COVID-19. Pre-existing cardiovascular disease and viral load are linked to myocardial injury and worse outcomes.

Gender Disparities on Access to Care and Coronary Disease Management.

Mortality decline in women to a lesser extent than in men with coronary artery disease (CAD) has provoked a bigger interest in some already existing dilemmas and questions. Many studies carried out in the past three decades did not provide us with precise conclusions. Moreover, various challenges in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of CAD in women are still remaining.

Assessment of Coronary Microcirculation with Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography.

Myocardial contrast echocardiography has been used in clinical arena and for scientific research extensively in the last fifteen years. This non-invasive, bed-side and radiation free imaging technique offers several important possibilities: better delineation of the endocardial border, more reliable assessment of the left ventricular wall motion abnormalities, both in rest and during stress, and myocardial perfusion evaluation. Here we provide an overview on different applications of the myocardial contrast echocardiography in the ischemic heart disease with the special focus on perfusion studies and evaluation of coronary microcirculation.

Three-Year Impact of Immediate Invasive Strategy in Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (from the RIDDLE-NSTEMI Study).

Previous studies compared clinical outcomes of early versus delayed invasive strategy in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome up to 1-year follow-up, but long-term data remain scarce. Our aim was to evaluate the long-term effects of immediate invasive intervention in patients with Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI). The Randomized Study of Immediate Versus Delayed Invasive Intervention in Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (RIDDLE-NSTEMI) was a randomized, investigator-initiated, parallel-group trial that assigned 323 patients with NSTEMI (1:1) to either immediate (median time to intervention 1.

Sex and age differences and outcomes in acute coronary syndromes.

Background: There is conflicting information about sex differences in presentation, treatment, and outcome after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in the era of reperfusion therapy and percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of this study was to examine presentation, acute therapy, and outcomes of men and women with ACS with special emphasis on their relationship with younger age (≤65years).

Methods: From January 2010 to June 2015, we enrolled 5140 patients from 3 primary PCI capable hospitals.

Immediate Versus Delayed Invasive Intervention for Non-STEMI Patients: The RIDDLE-NSTEMI Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the clinical impact of immediate versus delayed invasive intervention in patients with non-ST-segment myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Background: Previous studies found conflicting results on the effects of earlier invasive intervention in a heterogeneous population of acute coronary syndromes without ST-segment elevation.

Methods: We randomized 323 NSTEMI patients to an immediate-intervention group (<2 h after randomization, n = 162) and a delayed-intervention group (2 to 72 h, n = 161).

Feasibility of semi-quantitative assessment of left ventricular contractile reserve in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: We and others have shown previously that left ventricular (LV) contractile reserve assessed quantitatively by high-dose dobutamine stress-echocardiography (DSE) has prognostic implications in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of semi-quantitative assessment of LV contractile reserve by differently skilled operators in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Methods: High-dose DSE was performed in 63 consecutive patients, mean age 50 ± 10 years and ejection fraction (EF) 19 ± 8%.

[Characteristics, outcome and predictors of one year mortality rate in patients with acute heart failure].

Background/aim: Acute heart failure (AHF) is one of the most common diseases in emergency medicine, associated with poor prognosis and high in-hospital and long-term mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate characteristics, outcomes and one year mortality of patients with AHF in the local population.

Methods: This prospective study consisted of 64 consecutive unselected patients treated in the Coronary Care Unit of the Emergency Centre (Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade) and were followed for one year after the discharge.

[Are de novo acute heart failure and acutely worsened chronic heart failure two subgroups of the same syndrome?].

Introduction: Acute heart failure (AHF) is one of the most common diseases in emergency medicine, associated with poor prognosis and high in-hospital and long-term mortality.

Objective: To investigate clinical presentation of patients with de novo AHF and acute worsening of chronic heart failure (CHF) and to identify differences in blood levels of biomarkers and echocardiography findings.

Methods: This prospective study comprised 64 consecutive patients being grouped according to the onset of the disease into patients with the de novo AHF (45.

Predictive value of biphasic response during dipyridamole echocardiography test in the low-risk group of patients after acute myocardial infarction.

To investigate whether biphasic response during dipyridamole echocardiography test (DET), which represents viable but potentially ischemic myocardium in the infarcted region, affects prognosis of patients after uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction, we performed high-dose DET in 80 consecutive patients younger than 65 years with first acute myocardial infarction and preserved left ventricular function. Patients were followed up for 27 +/- 12 months for new coronary events. According to DET results all patients were classified into 4 groups: group 1 consisted of 20 patients with biphasic response; group 2 included 14 patients with sustained improvement in regional contractility; group 3 consisted of 24 patients showing no change in contractility; and group 4 included 22 patients with worsening response.

A novel mobile transtelephonic system with synthesized 12-lead ECG.

The problem of synthesizing the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) from the signals recorded using three special ECG leads is studied in detail. The implementation of that concept into the design of a new mobile ECG transtelephonic system is presented. The system has two separate units: a stationary diagnostic-calibration center and a mobile ECG device with integrated electrodes.