Coronary,

We aimed to investigate how dietary fructose and sodium impact blood pressure and risk of hypertensive target organ damage 10 years later. Data from n = 3116 individuals were obtained from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Four groups were identified based on the four possible combinations of the lower and upper 50th percentile for sodium (in mg) and fructose (expressed as percent of total daily calories). Differences among groups were ascertained and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the risk of hypertensive target organ damage (diastolic dysfunction, coronary calcification and albuminuria)...

Mitomycin C (MMC)-induced genotoxic stress can be considered to be a novel trigger of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis-a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Given the increasing genotoxic load on the human organism, the decryption of the molecular pathways underlying genotoxic stress-induced endothelial dysfunction could improve our understanding of the role of genotoxic stress in atherogenesis. Here, we performed a proteomic profiling of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) and human internal thoracic endothelial cells (HITAECs) in vitro that were exposed to MMC to identify the biochemical pathways and proteins underlying genotoxic stress-induced endothelial dysfunction...

The role of antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes is a moving target with considerable novelty in the last few years. The pathophysiological basis of the treatment depends on platelet biology and physiology, and the interplay between these aspects and clinical practice must guide the physician in determining the best therapeutic options for patients with acute coronary syndromes. In the present narrative review, we discuss the latest novelties in the antiplatelet therapy of patients with acute coronary syndromes...

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death and include several vascular and cardiac disorders, such as atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, and heart failure. Multiple treatment strategies exist for CVDs, but there is a need for regenerative treatment of damaged heart. Stem cells are a broad variety of cells with a great differentiation potential that have regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. Multiple studies have evaluated the efficacy of stem cells in CVDs, such as mesenchymal stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes...

Non-obstructive coronary artery disease (NO-CAD) constitutes a heterogeneous group of conditions collectively characterized by less than 50% narrowing in at least one major coronary artery with a fractional flow reserve (FFR) of ≤0.80 observed in coronary angiography. The pathogenesis and progression of NO-CAD are still not fully understood, however, inflammatory processes, particularly atherosclerosis and microvascular dysfunction are known to play a major role in it. Chemokine fractalkine (FKN/CX3CL1) is inherently linked to these processes...

Ischemic heart disease, which is one of the top killers worldwide, encompasses a series of heart problems stemming from a compromised coronary blood supply to the myocardium. The severity of the disease ranges from an unstable manifestation of ischemic symptoms, such as unstable angina, to myocardial death, that is, the immediate life-threatening condition of myocardial infarction. Even though patients may survive myocardial infarction, the resulting ischemia-reperfusion injury triggers a cascade of inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress that poses a significant threat to myocardial function following successful revascularization...

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a fat deposit surrounding the heart and located under the visceral layer of the pericardium. Due to its unique features, the contribution of EAT to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders is extensively studied. Especially, EAT can be associated with the onset and development of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and post-infarct heart failure which all are significant problems for public health. In this article, we focus on the mechanisms of how EAT impacts acute coronary syndromes...

Luteolin-7-O-β-d-glucuronide (LGU) is a major active flavonoid glycoside compound that is extracted from Ixeris sonchifolia (Bge.) Hance, and it is a Chinese medicinal herb mainly used for the treatment of coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, cerebral infarction, etc. In the present study, the neuroprotective effect of LGU was investigated in an oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) model and a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model. In vitro, LGU was found to effectively improve the OGD-induced decrease in neuronal viability and increase in neuronal death by a 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage rate assay, respectively...

The current standard of care for coronary artery disease (CAD) requires an intake of radioactive or contrast enhancement dyes, radiation exposure, and stress and may take days to weeks for referral to gold-standard cardiac catheterization. The CAD diagnostic pathway would greatly benefit from a test to assess for CAD that enables the physician to rule it out at the point of care, thereby enabling the exploration of other diagnoses more rapidly. We sought to develop a test using machine learning to assess for CAD with a rule-out profile, using an easy-to-acquire signal (without stress/radiation) at the point of care...

Objective : The present systematic review assessed the efficacy of peri-procedurally administered trimetazidine in the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing coronary interventions with contrast agents. Methods : We performed a systematic literature review of articles published in PubMed and Google Scholar by 7 December 2023 and included articles from the last 15 years that evaluated the efficacy of trimetazidine in preventing CIN in cardiac patients undergoing coronary intervention...

Background: Comatose survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and target temperature management (TTM) are at increased risk of stent thrombosis (ST), partly due to delayed platelet inhibition even with more potent P2Y12 agents. We hypothesized that periprocedural cangrelor would induce immediate platelet inhibition, bridging the "P2Y12 inhibition gap". Methods: In our pilot study, we randomized 30 comatose OHCA patients undergoing PCI and TTM (32-34 °C) into cangrelor and control groups...

Background : Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a widespread condition with significant morbidity and mortality. Its clinical heterogeneity may delay the diagnosis. Aim : To identify predictors of HFpEF-related hospitalizations in ambulatory patients presenting with elevated cardiovascular risk, suspected coronary artery diseases (CADs), and positive HFpEF screenings. Methods : Consecutive patients presenting with suspected CAD, enrolled in the observational LIFE-Heart study (2006-2014, NCT00497887), and meeting HFpEF criteria per the 2016 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines were categorized according to the presence of "overlapping conditions" potentially masking or contributing to their symptoms...

Background : This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in elderly men with overweight or obesity and coronary artery disease. Methods : Patients recruited in cardiac rehabilitation centers post-myocardial infarction provided demographic and anthropomorphic data. ED was assessed using the abbreviated International Index of Erectile Function 5 (IIEF-5) Questionnaire. Results : The study included 661 men with a mean age of 67.3 ± 5.57 years, a mean BMI of 27...

The relationship between vigorous physical activity (PA) and the development of coronary atherosclerosis has remained less explored for many years. Recently, literature data have focused on coronary atherosclerosis in athletes showing that prevalence is not trivial, that there are differences among various types of sport, and that there are some peculiar features. As a matter of fact, plaque composition in athletes seems to be characterized by calcium rather than soft components. Specific mechanisms through which vigorous PA influences coronary artery disease are not yet fully understood...

Achieving guideline-recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets remains a significant challenge in clinical practice. This review assesses the barriers to reaching LDL-C goals and explores the potential solutions to these issues. When aiming for the recommended LDL-C goal, strategies like "lower is better" and "strike early and strong" should be used. The evidence supports the safety and efficacy of intensive lipid-lowering therapy post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS), leading to improved long-term cardiovascular health and atherosclerotic plaque stabilization...

Objectives : To review the evidence on the effectiveness and safety of low-dose-rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily (LDR) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and/or peripheral artery disease (PAD) taking antiplatelets. Methods : We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Efficacy endpoints were cardiovascular events (CVEs), myocardial infarction, stroke, all-cause, and cardiovascular death. Any, major, fatal bleeding, and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) were safety endpoints...

Background/Objetives : Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant contributor to global morbidity and mortality rates. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a critical intervention for patients with coronary artery disease, yet it poses psychological challenges that can impact recovery. Methods : This prospective cohort study, conducted across six hospitals in the West Bank/Palestine, aimed to assess changes in depression, anxiety, and stress levels among CABG patients and identify associated factors...

Background : Our aim was to assess the relationship of the index of microvascular resistance (IMR) in left anterior descending (LAD) artery involved STEMI patients. Methods : Data of 316 STEMI patients who had undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were collected from three cardiovascular centers from 2005 to 2015. In total, 246 patients with LAD STEMI were enrolled for IMR evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups respective of the cut-off IMR value of 30. All-cause mortality, left ventricular function, improvement of systolic function, and cardiac biomarkers were analyzed and compared...

Coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) are an increasingly frequent entity in clinical practice and represent a challenging percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) scenario. Despite data from randomized trials that have not yet demonstrated a clear benefit of CTO recanalization, the widespread of CTO-PCI has substantially increased. The improvement in operators' techniques, equipment, and training programs has led to an improvement in the success rate and safety of these procedures, which will represent an important field of future development of PCI...

The proportion of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease in individuals experiencing acute coronary syndrome (ACS) varies based on age and ACS subtype. In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without cardiogenic shock, the prognostic benefit of complete revascularization has been demonstrated by several randomized trials and meta-analyses, leading to a strong guideline recommendation. However, similar data are lacking for ACS without ST-segment elevation (NSTE-ACS). Non-randomized data suggesting a benefit from complete revascularization in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) are prone to selection bias and should be interpreted with caution...