Current Problems in Cardiology

INTRODUCTION: The rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) reflects a major shift from communicable to noncommunicable diseases as primary health challenges. Consequently, this study aims to explore the burden of CVD and associated risk factors in SSA using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. METHODS: This study utilized data from the GBD 1990 to 2019 to examine CVD prevalence in 46 SSA countries. We employed Bayesian regression models, demographic techniques, and mortality-to-incidence ratios to analyze both prevalence and mortality rates...

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) constitute the leading cause of death at the moment. More effective treatments to combat CVDs are urgently required. Recent advances in nanotechnology have opened the door to new avenues for cardiovascular health treatment. Silver nanotechnology's inherent therapeutic powers and wide-ranging applications have made it the center of focus in recent years. This review aims to analyze the chemical, physical, and biological processes ofproducing AgNPs and determine their potential utility as theranostics...

Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) is a major and common cardiovascular condition with widely variable clinical outcomes. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) often co-exists with HFpEF and tends to affect patient outcomes; this study aims to identify the impact of PH on the clinical outcome of patients admitted to the hospital with acute HFpEF exacerbations. We analyzed data from the National Inpatient Sample between 2016 and 2020, focusing on 464,438 acute HFpEF exacerbation hospitalizations. Outcomes were compared between those with PH (27...

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate DAOC dosing is precuarious and frequently encountered . Apixaban is the most reported DOAC to be inappropriately dosed. We examined the effect of adding a Clinical Pharmacist to the cardiology team rounds to the standard practice in Apixaban prescription patterns in a tertiary center in KSA. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of clinical pharmacy services on Apixaban dose appropriateness upon discharge in Atrial Fibrillation patient pobulation ...

The following letter presents an answer of a comment of our work titled "Ross procedure: valve function, clinical outcomes and predictors after 25 years' follow-up," recently published in your journal by Rangwala et al1 . As our colleagues point out, the Ross procedure has excellent survival rates but a significant risk of valve dysfunction and therefore reintervention at follow-up. Although the survival advantage with the Ross procedure appears to be consistent compared with mechanical valve substitutes, this benefit is not as clear compared with biological valve substitutes...

Dyslipidaemia and hyperhomocysteinemia are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. While it is evident that optimization of plasma lipid is associated with low risk of cardiovascular disease in the general population, it is not yet fully clear whether reduction of homocysteinemia is associated with an improvement in risk in all subjects. The aim of our narrative review is to highlight eventual effects of folate supplementation on LDL-C levels, LDL-C oxidation and atherosclerosis-related complications...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a prevalent inflammatory skin condition characterized by erythematous plaques with scaling. Recent research has demonstrated an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in patients with psoriasis; however, current evidence on atrial fibrillation (AF) risk in psoriasis is limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed on major bibliographic databases to retrieve studies that evaluated AF risk in patients with psoriasis...

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) presents as a complex hemodynamic and pathophysiologic state present in many cardiovascular, respiratory, and systemic diseases. PH is considered to have a higher risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. The most common type of functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is associated with PH. Secondary TR, resulting not from intrinsic valvular pathology but from distortion of the valve apparatus due to right ventricular remodeling and dilation, is commonly seen in the setting of PH...

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, contributing to approximately 1 in 8 deaths. Individuals with end-stage HF (eHF) experience debilitating symptoms leading to poor quality of life (QoL). METHODS: We used the ICD-10 code for eHF (I5084) from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) (2016-2020) to identify all patients with eHF. We used a multivariable logistic regression model to adjust for confounders and estimate the mortality probability in each arrhythmia cohort...

BACKGROUND: . The unexpected virulence of the COVID19 pandemic brought to significant changes of generally accepted therapeutic approaches. The consequences of these changes were difficult to define during the pandemic period. METHODS: . We analyzed the National Registries including 97% of hospital admissions in Italy, regrading data describing number of operations for aortic valve implantation or repair, carotid and coronary revascularization, AAA repair, and lower limb arterial reconstruction performed in the period 2015 to 2019 and in the pandemic years 2020, 2021, and 2022...

There has been a significant increase in the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) over the past 30 years.3 Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF), but research investigations have shown that AF recurrence still occurs in a significant number of patients after ablation. Heart rhythm outcomes following catheter ablation are correlated with numerous clinical factors, and researchers developed predictive models by integrating risk factors to predict the risk of recurrence of atrial fibrillation...

Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) remains a leading cause of cardiovascular death (CVD) globally. Mitral Valve repair (MVP) and mitral valve replacement (MVR) are the two most commonly and successfully used techniques to treat the disease. MVP is associated with reduced post-operative complications compared to MVR; however, it carries the risk of valvular fibrosis and scarring. Given the lack of recommendations, inconsistent findings, and paucity of pathophysiological evidence at present, we aimed to conduct a meta-analysis and systematically review the available literature to determine the efficacy and safety of MVP compared to MVR in improving clinical outcomes among patients with RHD...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION: Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most life-threatening pathologies characterized by sudden cardiac death and is among the leading causes of mortality in the developed world. AIMS: This study investigates the demographic, socio-economic, and healthcare access disparities in the US among patients with myocardial infarction (MI). METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective original research study conducted using the BRFSS (Behavioural risk factor surveillance system) database of CDC (Centers for disease control and prevention)...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac procedures often induce pain and anxiety in patients, adversely impacting recovery. Pharmachological approaches have limitations, prompting exploration of innovative digital solutions like virtual reality (VR). Although early evidence suggests a potential favourable benefit with VR, it remains unclear whether the implementation of this technology can improve pain and anxiety. We aimed to assess by a systematic review and meta-analysis the effectiveness of VR in alleviating anxiety and pain on patients undergoing cardiac procedures...

INTRODUCTION: Advanced heart failure therapies and heart transplantation (HT) have been underutilized in women. Therefore, we aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and outcomes of HT by sex. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of adult discharges from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2012 and 2019. International Classification of Disease (ICD) procedure codes were used to identify those who underwent HT. RESULTS: A total of 20,180 HT hospitalizations were identified from 2012-2019...

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome with different etiologies and phenotypes. For all forms, supervised exercise training and individual physical activity are class IA recommendations in current guidelines. Over the past two decades it has become recognized that physical deconditioning may play a key role in the progression of symptoms and poor outcomes. A number of prior studies have assessed the ability of exercise training to improve functional capacity in patients with HF. Most of these previous studies showed positive effects of exercise training on exercise capacity, quality of life, and biomarkers and observed relatively few complications during training...

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have attracted significant attention for their broader therapeutic impact beyond simply controlling blood sugar levels, particularly in their ability to influence inflammatory pathways. This review delves into the anti-inflammatory properties of SGLT2 inhibitors, with a specific focus on canagliflozin, empagliflozin, and dapagliflozin. One of the key mechanisms through which SGLT2 inhibitors exert their anti-inflammatory effects is by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a crucial regulator of both cellular energy balance and inflammation...