Jason G Andrade, Ricky D Turgeon, Laurent Macle, Marc W Deyell
{"title":"Cryoablation or Drug Therapy for Initial Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation.","authors":"Jason G Andrade, Ricky D Turgeon, Laurent Macle, Marc W Deyell","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2021.38","DOIUrl":"10.15420/ecr.2021.38","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>AF is a common chronic and progressive disorder. Without treatment, AF will recur in up to 75% of patients within a year of their index diagnosis. Antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) have been proven to be more effective than placebo at maintaining sinus rhythm and remain the recommended initial therapeutic option for AF. However, the emergence of 'single-shot' AF ablation toolsets, which have enabled enhanced procedural standardisation and consistent outcomes with low rates of complications, has led to renewed interest in determining whether first-line catheter ablation may improve outcomes. The recently published EARLY-AF trial evaluated the role of initial cryoballoon ablation versus guideline-directed AAD therapy. Compared to AADs, an initial treatment cryoballoon ablation strategy resulted in greater freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia, superior reduction in AF burden, greater improvement in quality of life and lower healthcare resource utilisation. These findings are relevant to patients, providers and healthcare systems when considering the initial treatment choice for rhythm-control therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"21 1","pages":"e10"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2022-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9006125/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84460596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Tyebally, Aruni Ghose, Daniel H. Chen, A. Abiodun, Arjun K. Ghosh
{"title":"Chest Pain in the Cancer Patient","authors":"S. Tyebally, Aruni Ghose, Daniel H. Chen, A. Abiodun, Arjun K. Ghosh","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2021.45","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2021.45","url":null,"abstract":"Chest pain is one of the most common presenting symptoms in patients seeking care from a physician. Risk assessment tools and scores have facilitated prompt diagnosis and optimal management in these patients; however, it is unclear as to whether a standardised approach can adequately triage chest pain in cancer patients and survivors. This is of concern because cancer patients are often at an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity given the shared risk factors between cancer and cardiovascular disease, compounded by the fact that certain anti-cancer therapies are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events that can persist for weeks and even years after treatment. This article describes the underlying mechanisms of the most common causes of chest pain in cancer patients with an emphasis on how their management may differ to that of non-cancer patients with chest pain. It will also highlight the role of the cardio-oncology team, who can aid in identifying cancer therapy-related cardiovascular side-effects and provide optimal multidisciplinary care for these patients.","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85359042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multimodality Imaging to Explore Sex Differences in Aortic Stenosis.","authors":"Gurpreet K Singh, Victoria Delgado","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2022.26","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2022.26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this article is to review sex differences in aortic stenosis (AS) assessed with multimodality imaging. Echocardiography remains the mainstay imaging technique to diagnose AS and provides important insights into the differences between men and women in relation to valve haemodynamic and left-ventricular response. However, echocardiography does not have adequate resolution to provide important insights into sex differences in the degenerative, calcific pathophysiological process of the aortic valve. CT shows that women with AS have more fibrotic changes of the aortic valve whereas men show more calcific deposits. Cardiac magnetic resonance shows that women have left ventricles that are less hypertrophic and smaller compared with those of men, while men have more replacement myocardial fibrosis. These differences may lead to different responses to aortic valve replacement because myocardial diffuse fibrosis but not replacement myocardial fibrosis may regress after the procedure. Sex differences in the pathophysiological process of AS can be assessed using multimodality imaging, assisting in decisionmaking in these patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"17 ","pages":"e26"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/44/7b/ecr-17-e26.PMC9947932.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10792895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Obituary: C Richard Conti, MD","authors":"C. Pepine","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2022.21","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2022.21","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"81 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73716359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cardiovascular Complications of Chronic Kidney Disease: An Introduction","authors":"H. Warrens, D. Banerjee, C. Herzog","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2021.54","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2021.54","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"155 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86308283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Han Naung Tun, M. T. Kyaw, E. Rafflenbeul, Xiuhtlaulli López Suástegui
{"title":"Role of Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Post-operative Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis","authors":"Han Naung Tun, M. T. Kyaw, E. Rafflenbeul, Xiuhtlaulli López Suástegui","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2021.55","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2021.55","url":null,"abstract":"Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the leading causes of post-operative morbidity and mortality. Over previous decades, heparin and warfarin were the predominant therapeutic options for post-operative thromboprophylaxis. However, their use is limited by drawbacks including a narrow therapeutic range, numerous food and drug interactions, and the need for regular monitoring for dose adjustments. Recently, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), such as dabigatran etexilate (a direct thrombin inhibitor) and apixaban, rivaroxaban and edoxaban (direct factor Xa inhibitors), have been developed to overcome these issues. DOACs have shown promising results in Phase III clinical trials for post-operative VTE prophylaxis. This review summarises the pharmacological profile of DOACs and highlights the use of DOACs in post-operative VTE prophylaxis based on the available clinical trial data.","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81896935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The DELIVER Trial: the Beginning of the End of Ejection Fraction Tyranny.","authors":"Antoni Bayes-Genis","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2022.44","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2022.44","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>It has been reported at the 2022 European Society of Cardiology Congress that the DELIVER trial has met its primary outcome - a relative reduction of 18% in a composite of worsening heart failure (HF) or cardiovascular death. These results, added to evidence from previously reported pivotal trials with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) in patients with reduced and preserved heart failure (HF), provide compelling evidence of the benefit of SGLT2is across the HF spectrum, irrespective of ejection fraction. New diagnostic algorithms that are quick and easy to implement at the point of care are needed for quick diagnosis and implementation of these drugs. Ejection fraction may come later for proper phenotyping.</p>","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"17 ","pages":"e30"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/c7/6d/ecr-17-e30.PMC9947924.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10850768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Highlights of Acute Coronary Syndromes.","authors":"Alejandro Recio-Mayoral","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2022.49","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2022.49","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>New evidence for acute coronary syndrome has been presented in Hot Line sessions at the 2022 European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona. This editorial describes some of the highlights.</p>","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"17 ","pages":"e23"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/a9/7e/ecr-17-e23.PMC9820060.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10533508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Grading of Aortic Stenosis: Is it More Complicated in Women?","authors":"Dana Cramariuc, Edda Bahlmann, Eva Gerdts","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2022.13","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2022.13","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular heart disease and the main indication for valvular replacement in older women. Correct AS grading is mandatory for an adequate selection of patients for both surgical and transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Women and men have different AS severity grades at the same level of aortic valve calcification. Moreover, besides having smaller cardiac volumes, left ventricular outflow tract and aortic size, women have a specific pattern of left ventricular structural and functional remodelling in response to the AS-related chronic pressure overload. Here, the sex-specific cardiac changes in AS that make AS grading more challenging in women, with consequences for the management and outcome of this group of patients, are reviewed.</p>","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"17 ","pages":"e21"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/d4/84/ecr-17-e21.PMC9820123.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10533513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Artificial Intelligence and Cardiovascular Risk Prediction: All That Glitters is not Gold.","authors":"Mauro Chiarito, Luca Luceri, Angelo Oliva, Giulio Stefanini, Gianluigi Condorelli","doi":"10.15420/ecr.2022.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15420/ecr.2022.11","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Artificial intelligence (AI) is a broad term referring to any automated systems that need 'intelligence' to carry out specific tasks. During the last decade, AI-based techniques have been gaining popularity in a vast range of biomedical fields, including the cardiovascular setting. Indeed, the dissemination of cardiovascular risk factors and the better prognosis of patients experiencing cardiovascular events resulted in an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), eliciting the need for precise identification of patients at increased risk for development and progression of CVD. AI-based predictive models may overcome some of the limitations that hinder the performance of classic regression models. Nonetheless, the successful application of AI in this field requires knowledge of the potential pitfalls of the AI techniques, to guarantee their safe and effective use in daily clinical practice. The aim of the present review is to summarise the pros and cons of different AI methods and their potential application in the cardiovascular field, with a focus on the development of predictive models and risk assessment tools.</p>","PeriodicalId":45957,"journal":{"name":"European Cardiology Review","volume":"17 ","pages":"e29"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/d5/ae/ecr-17-e29.PMC9947926.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10799438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}