Coronary Artery Disease in Women —Review of Risk Factors and Emerging Concepts
AbstractPurpose of ReviewCoronary artery disease (CAD) in women is an evolving area of interest in cardiovascular medicine. This review seeks to provide a summary of contemporary insights into the gender-specific pathophysiology of CAD, particularly focusing on emerging risk factors and hormonal biology in women. In addition, we make our observations on gender differences in guideline-based management, highlighting the gaps in care and joining others in expounding the need for further research and gender-specific recommendations in the management of CAD.Recent FindingsRecent publications have brought into focus gender-base...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - February 19, 2024 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

An Overview of the Risks and Impact of Pre-exercise Supplements for Exercise Performance, Recovery, and Cardiovascular Health
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewPre-workout supplements, usually referred to as dietary supplements, are very popular among consumers looking to improve their physical and athletic performance. Although use is broad, there is data lacking on the potential short- and long-term cardiac impact of these supplements. This review was undertaken to assess available information on the contemporary most used pre-workout supplement categories, their ergogenic effects to understand the rationale for use, their use in patients with CVD or those interested in CVD prevention or disease progression mitigation, and potential safety concerns ...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - January 18, 2024 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Assisted Reproductive Technology and Cardiovascular Risk in Women
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo summarize what is currently known regarding the impact of assisted reproductive technology (ART) on the cardiovascular health of women, both during treatment and long-term, and to highlight specific at-risk subgroups and treatment considerations.Recent FindingsWomen utilizing ART are already at increased risk for cardiovascular pathology, and the association between ART and adverse pregnancy outcomes makes disentangling the individual contribution of ART to CVD risk challenging. Pregnancies conceived from ART are at increased risk for several complications including maternal venous thromboemboli...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - December 22, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Obesity Management Solutions in Rural Communities
AbstractPurpose of ReviewObesity is more common in rural than in urban areas. The disparities in body mass index (BMI) may be due to growing socioeconomic disparities in rural communities, including limited healthcare infrastructure, lack of access to healthy and affordable food, transportation barriers, financial insecurity, lower educational attainment, and barriers to physical activity. To address these issues, obesity management models are needed in rural areas to promote and sustain weight loss. Obesity interventions for rural populations published in the last 5  years are included in this review.Recent FindingsRecen...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - December 15, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Artificial Intelligence for Risk Assessment on Primary Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease
AbstractPurpose of ReviewCoronary artery disease (CAD) is a common and etiologically complex disease worldwide. Current guidelines for primary prevention, or the prevention of a first acute event, include relatively simple risk assessment and leave substantial room for improvement both for risk ascertainment and selection of prevention strategies. Here, we review how advances in big data and predictive modeling foreshadow a promising future of improved risk assessment and precision medicine for CAD.Recent FindingsArtificial intelligence (AI) has improved the utility of high dimensional data, providing an opportunity to bet...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - November 10, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Social and Demographic Correlates of Fast Food Consumption: A Review of Recent Findings in the United States and Worldwide
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo describe the social, demographic, and health correlates of fast food (FF) consumption.Recent FindingsThere does not appear to be a consistent definition or measurement method for FF intake, which may limit attempts to synthesize findings. However, we did analyze results based on these varying measurements and found consistent results. While FF consumption is very common across all respondents, it is more frequent among those who are younger, Black, and male. FF consumption varies by income, with middle-income and wealthier people consuming more. Although increasingly common worldwide, FF consump...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - October 11, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Leveraging Digital Health to Improve the Cardiovascular Health of Women
AbstractPurpose of ReviewIn this review, we present a comprehensive discussion on the population-level implications of digital health interventions (DHIs) to improve cardiovascular health (CVH) through sex- and gender-specific prevention strategies among women.Recent FindingsOver the past 30 years, there have been significant advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among men and women worldwide. However, women are often underdiagnosed, undertreated, and underrepresented in cardiovascular clinical trials, which all contribute to disparities within th...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - September 30, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Genetic Contributions to Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAdverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), low birthweight (LBW), and preterm birth (PTB), along with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) are associated with short- and long-term maternal and fetal cardiovascular risks. This review focuses on the genetic contributions to the risk of APOs and PPCM.Recent FindingsThe expansion of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has led to a better understanding of the biological mechanisms underpinning APO, PPCM, and the predisposition to cardiovascular disease across the life course. Genetic loci known to be involved ...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - September 28, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Remote Monitoring in Cardiovascular Diseases
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to discuss and explore selected clinically integrated and commercially available devices, the data supporting them, as well as the next phase of devices that are coming down the pipeline. This includes usage of devices such as the evolution of pacemaker in electrophysiology.Recent FindingsIn the last 10  years alone, there has been a multitude of devices from invasive to noninvasive and prescribed to over the counter, with potential cardiovascular disease applications. Recent developments in remote monitoring include: the emergency of wireless PA catheters, wearable d...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - September 25, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Inherited Heart Diseases
AbstractPurpose of ReviewPreimplantation genetic testing for monogenic conditions (PGT-M) is an increasingly utilized reproductive technology for patients with inherited heart disease (IHD). In this article, we provide an overview of the PGT-M process, including current guidance about its use, and review recent data about the perspectives and experiences of patients considering the use of PGT-M.Recent FindingsPGT-M is used for a variety of IHDs; however, there is evidence that providers do not consistently raise this topic with patients, which may be due to a lack of knowledge about PGT-M. Regardless of the condition, pati...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - September 6, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Homelessness, Race/Ethnicity, and Cardiovascular Disease: a State-of-the-Evidence Summary and Structured Review of Race/Ethnicity Reporting
AbstractPurposeIn this review, we examine the intersection of cardiovascular disease (CVD), race/ethnicity, and homelessness/unstable housing —a key social determinant of cardiovascular health. Homelessness has deep roots reflecting structural racism in housing, educational, and economic policies, leading to disproportional representation of Black, Native American, and Hispanic people among the U.S. homeless population.Recent FindingsIncreasingly rigorous observational studies detail the disproportionate incidence, prevalence, and mortality of CVD among people experiencing homelessness. Studies of hospital admissions doc...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - August 16, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Does GLP-RA Plus an SGLT2 Inhibitor Yield Greater Weight Loss in Patients with Obesity and Diabetes than Monotherapy?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWith the rate of obesity increasing in the USA, effective and safe medications for weight loss are more important than ever in patient care. Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-RA) and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are two medication for type 2 diabetes that have shown benefit in randomized control trials for not just diabetes but weight loss and lowering cardiovascular and renal risks. These novel medications have continued to show benefits in weight loss in randomized control trials. A literature review was conducted to determine the impact of GLP-RAs and SGLT2 inh...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - August 8, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Next Generation ECG: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
AbstractPurpose of ReviewDevelopment of artificial intelligence (AI) models, particularly the application of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) architectures to enhance the current diagnostic armoury for the detection of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has expanded exponentially over the past five years. We review the current AI landscape in CVD and the impact of applying AI models to the electrocardiogram (ECG).Recent FindingsResearchers continue to explore innovative methods utilising ML and DL to automate ECG diagnosis and gain insights into underlying cardiovascular physiology. The results from numerous studies...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - July 22, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Hybrid Ablation Procedures of Atrial Fibrillation —How to Optimize Patient Selection and Improve the Procedural Approach
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTraditional surgical ablation and endocardial catheter ablation have historically been the primary ablation approaches for treating atrial fibrillation (AF) concomitantly with another surgical procedure or as a standalone procedure, respectively. In the last several years, hybrid epicardial-endocardial ablation utilizing a subxiphoid approach for epicardial left atrial ablation combined with endocardial catheter ablation (converge procedure) has been an emerging hybrid approach to standalone AF catheter ablation. The procedure was developed as a treatment option for patients with advanced AF in whi...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - June 19, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Virtual Cardiology: Past, Present, Future Directions, and Considerations
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThrough this review, we attempt to explore the role of telemedicine and virtual visits in the field of cardiology pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 pandemic, their limitations and their future scope for delivery of care.Recent FindingsTelemedicine, which rose to prominence during COVID-19 pandemic, helped not only in reducing the burden on the healthcare system during a time of crisis but also in improving patient outcomes. Patients and physicians also favored virtual visits when feasible. Virtual visits were found to have the potential to be continued beyond the pandemic and play a significant role...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - May 29, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research