The European Society of Cardiology - A Digital Educator.

The mission statement of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is "to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease". The ESC is the leading scientific society for cardiovascular health care professionals across Europe and increasingly the world. Recognising the need for democratisation of education in cardiology, the ESC has for many years embraced the digital world within its education programme.

Sex differences in cardiovascular risk factors and disease prevention.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been seen as a men's disease for decades, however it is more common in women than in men. It is generally assumed in medicine that the effects of the major risk factors (RF) on CVD outcomes are the same in women as in men. Recent evidence has emerged that recognizes new, potentially independent, CVD RF exclusive to women.

Determinants of high cardiovascular risk in relation to plaque-composition of a non-culprit coronary segment visualized by near-infrared spectroscopy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between clinical and blood characteristics of a vascular inflammatory milieu and coronary plaque composition visualized by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients.

Methods And Results: Between April 2009 and January 2011, we performed NIRS in 208 patients who underwent PCI or invasive diagnostic coronary exploration for various indications. Imaging was performed of one non-intervened coronary segment after the initial procedure.

Mortality and morbidity reduction by primary percutaneous coronary intervention is independent of the patient's age.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to obtain a valid estimate of the clinical effects of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in relation to age.

Background: Treatment with PPCI is most beneficial in high-risk myocardial infarction patients. Paradoxically, elderly patients, who are at increased risk of adverse outcome, are often withheld PPCI.

Does time matter? A pooled analysis of randomized clinical trials comparing primary percutaneous coronary intervention and in-hospital fibrinolysis in acute myocardial infarction patients.

Aims: Although outcomes after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) seemed to be superior with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) relative to fibrinolysis (FL), the extent to which treatment delay modulates this treatment effect is unclear.

Methods And Results: Twenty-five randomized trials (n = 7743) testing the efficacy of PPCI vs. FL were identified in journal articles and abstract listings published between 1990 and 2002.

Sustained benefit at 10-14 years follow-up after thrombolytic therapy in myocardial infarction.

Aims: To investigate whether the benefit of thrombolytic therapy was sustained beyond the first decade. We report the 10-14 year outcome of 533 patients who were randomized to treatment with intracoronary streptokinase or to conventional therapy during the years 1980-1985.

Methods And Results: Details of survival and cardiac events were obtained from the civil registry, from medical records or from the patient's physician.