Asundexian versus Apixaban in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Stroke prevention with direct-acting oral anticoagulant agents in patients with atrial fibrillation confers a risk of bleeding and limits their use. Asundexian, an activated factor XI (XIa) inhibitor, is an oral anticoagulant that may prevent strokes with less bleeding.

Methods: In a phase 3, international, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation in a 1:1 ratio to receive asundexian at a dose of 50 mg once daily or standard-dose apixaban.

Digital consults in heart failure care: a randomized controlled trial.

Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) has clear benefits on morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure; however, GDMT use remains low. In the multicenter, open-label, investigator-initiated ADMINISTER trial, patients (n = 150) diagnosed with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) were randomized (1:1) to receive usual care or a strategy using digital consults (DCs). DCs contained (1) digital data sharing from patient to clinician (pharmacotherapy use, home-measured vital signs and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaires); (2) patient education via a text-based e-learning; and (3) guideline recommendations to all treating clinicians.

Validation of advanced hybrid SPECT/CT system using dynamic anthropomorphic cardiac phantom.

Objective: Myocardial blood flow (MBF) assessment can provide incremental diagnostic and prognostic information and thus the validation of dynamic SPECT is of high importance. We recently developed a novel cardiac phantom for dynamic SPECT validation and compared its performance against the GE Discovery NM 530c. We now report its use for validation of a new hybrid SPECT/CT System featuring advanced cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) technology in a ring array detector design (StarGuide™, GE HealthCare).

Atherogenic lipid profile in patients with statin treatment after acute coronary syndrome: a real-world analysis from Chinese cardiovascular association database.

Background: Adverse atherogenic lipid profile is associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiac events in patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Knowledge regarding the impact of statins on lipid profile remains limited.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed multicenter, real-world data from the Chinese Cardiovascular Association Database-iHeart Project.

Outcomes of myocardial revascularization in patients with obesity and multivessel coronary artery disease.

Background: There is uncertainty regarding the best revascularization approach-whether coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-for obese patients suffering from multi-vessel coronary artery disease.

Results: 406 patients with low and intermediate SYNTAX scores (SS) underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents (n = 200, 100 with SS ≤ 22, and 100 with SS 23-32) and CABG (n = 206, 100 with SS ≤ 22, and 106 with SS 23-32). Patients were also categorized by body mass index (BMI): normal weight (12%, 48 patients), overweight (41.

Implementing contingency management into rural recovery housing: recommendations of a professional advisory expert panel.

Rural areas in the United States have been severely impacted by recent rises in substance use related mortality and psychosocial consequences. There is a dearth of treatment resources to address substance use disorder (SUD). Rural recovery houses (RRH) are important services that provide individuals with SUD with an environment where they can engage in recovery-oriented activities, but dropout rates are unacceptably high, and evidence-based interventions such as contingency management (CM) may reduce dropout and improve outcomes for RRH residents.

Gender differences in outcomes after left atrial appendage closure with Watchman FLX device: insights from the Italian-FLX registry.

Introduction: Recent studies have shown gender differences in cardiovascular outcomes after left atrial appendage closure (LAAC), highlighting different complication rates and adverse events, particularly in short-term assessments. As a result, there remains a significant knowledge gap on how these differences directly impact the efficacy and safety of LAAC procedures. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of LAAC in women and men using the Watchman FLX device.

Mechanisms of QingRe HuoXue Formula in atherosclerosis Treatment: An integrated approach using Bioinformatics, Machine Learning, and experimental validation.

Background: Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main cause of coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction, and peripheral vascular disease. QingRe HuoXue Formula (QRHXF), a common prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, has a definite effect on the clinical treatment of AS, but its mechanism remains to be further explored.

Purpose: The current study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the QRHXF in the treatment of AS and further reveal its potential pharmacological mechanisms.

Endothelial Immunosuppression in Atherosclerosis : Translational Control by Elavl1/HuR.

Atherosclerotic plaques are defined by the accumulation of lipids and immune cells beneath the endothelium of the arterial intima. CD8 T cells are among the most abundant immune cell types in plaque, and conditions linked to their activation correlate with increased levels of cardiovascular disease. As lethal effectors of the immune response, CD8 T cell activation is suppressed at multiple levels.

Detection of Subclinical Cardiac Dysfunction in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease Using Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by chronic anemia and recurrent ischemia-reperfusion episodes, which can lead to high-output heart failure. The impact of SCD on cardiac structure and function remains underinvestigated. We conducted a single-institution retrospective analysis of clinical and echocardiographic data from patients with hemoglobin SS SCD (SCD-SS) between January 2016 and June 2022.

Jin-Xin-Kang alleviates heart failure by mitigating mitochondrial dysfunction through the Calcineurin/Dynamin-Related Protein 1 signaling pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a severe consequence of cardiovascular disease, marked by cardiac dysfunction. Jin-Xin-Kang (JXK) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula used for the treatment of CHF. This formula consists of seven medicinal herbs, including Ginseng (Ginseng quinquefolium (L.

Seven psychiatric traits and the risk of increased carotid intima-media thickness: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Numerous observational studies have suggested an association between psychiatric traits and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). However, whether these associations have a causal relationship remains unknown, largely due to issues of reverse causality and potential confounders. This study aims to elucidate the potential causal role of psychiatric traits in the risk of arterial injury as measured by cIMT.

Leveraging machine learning to enhance postoperative risk assessment in coronary artery bypass grafting patients with unprotected left main disease: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Risk stratification for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) for left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease is essential for informed decision-making. This study explored the potential of machine learning (ML) methods to identify key risk factors associated with mortality in this patient group.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 866 patients from the Gulf Left Main Registry who presented between 2015 and 2019.

Association between glycemia and multi-vessel lesion in participants undergoing coronary angiography: a cross-sectional study.

Background: This study aims to elucidate the association between glycemia and the occurrence of multi-vessel lesions in participants undergoing coronary angiography.

Methods: We analyzed 2,533 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography. Of these, 1,973 patients, identified by the endpoint of multi-vessel lesions, were examined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to determine the relationship between glycemia levels and multi-vessel lesion occurrence.

Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction and Frailty: From Young to Superaged Coexisting HFpEF and Frailty.

Being commonly diagnosed in elderly women and associated with comorbidities as well as ageing-related cardio-vascular changes, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been recently considered as a distinct cardiogeriatric syndrome. Frailty is another frequent geriatric syndrome. HFpEF and frailty share common underlying mechanisms, often co-exist, and represent each other's risk factors.

Association between Malnutrition and Coronary Plaque Characteristics in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study.

Background: Malnutrition has a negative impact on patients with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); however, only a few studies have confirmed the effect of malnutrition on atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the association between malnutrition and vulnerable plaques via optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: Overall, 142 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients were included in this study.

Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Cardiac Surgery: A Narrative Review.

Cardiac relaxation is a complex process that involves various interconnected characteristics and, along with contractile properties, determines stroke volume. Perioperative ischemia-reperfusion injury and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (DD) are characterized by the left ventricle's inability to receive a sufficient blood volume under adequate preload. Baseline DD and perioperative DD have an impact on postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and major clinical outcomes in a variety of cardiac pathologies.

May Measurement Month 2021: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Georgia.

The annual global May Measurement Month screening campaign initiated by the International Society of Hypertension aims to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP) and in the absence of systematic screening is a useful surrogate indicating the size of the problem of hypertension in the general population in Georgia. May Measurement Month screening was carried out at 400 sites in Georgia in 2021, and more than 500 volunteers, including physicians (80%) and medical students (20%), carried out in the screening. Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited opportunistically, and three BP readings were measured, along with a questionnaire collecting information on demographics, lifestyle, and co- morbidities.

Atrial fibrillation and flank pain: Think renal infarction: A case report.

Renal infarction is a rare pathology, threatening the functional prognosis of the kidney. Given the lack of clinical features specific to this pathology, the practitioner may wrongly diagnose pyelonephritis or other causes of abdominal pain. Renal infarction frequently occurs in patients with thromboembolic risk factors, most often secondary to atrial fibrillation.

The role of uromodulin in cardiovascular disease: a review.

Uromodulin, also referred to as Tamm Horsfall protein (THP), is a renal protein exclusively synthesized by the kidneys and represents the predominant urinary protein under normal physiological conditions. It assumes a pivotal role within the renal system, contributing not only to ion transport and immune modulation but also serving as a critical factor in the prevention of urinary tract infections and kidney stone formation. Emerging evidence indicates that uromodulin may serve as a potential biomarker extending beyond renal function.