Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports 
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This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.Sex Differences in Heart Failure —Female Representation in Heart Failure Studies
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe prevalence of heart failure (HF) continues to grow in the USA, and approximately 50% of these patients are women. Despite this, there has been an underrepresentation of women in HF clinical trials, which has led to limitations in understanding of sex-related differences in HF pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. The purpose of this review is to highlight the differences between men and women in various heart failure trials conducted in the last century and emphasize new findings from recent trials in the management of, and outcomes in, women with HF.Recent FindingsHF trials have shown tha...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - May 24, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Lipids in Women: Management in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Special Subgroups
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAs the adverse impact of cardiovascular disease continues to afflict women around the world, the identification and treatment of risk factors to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality continue to rise in priority. Dyslipidemia is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease and should serve as a strong focus point in both primary and secondary prevention. However, women remain undertreated compared with men and receive less evidence-based therapies including cholesterol management. Some of the unique risk factors in women that contribute to cardiovascular disease have been incorporat...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - May 24, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
The Use of Risk-Enhancing Factors to Personalize ASCVD Risk Assessment: Evidence and Recommendations from the 2018 AHA/ACC Multi-Society Cholesterol Guidelines
AbstractPurpose of ReviewIn 2018, the AHA/ACC Multi-Society Cholesterol Guidelines introduced the novel concept of risk-enhancing factors to be used as a supplement to the pooled cohort risk equations to personalize atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk assessment in primary prevention. In this review, we discuss the rationale and evidence behind each of the risk-enhancing factors to help clinicians perform a more personalized cardiovascular risk assessment.Recent FindingsThe risk-enhancing factors are high-risk features that may guide the use of lipid-lowering therapy particularly in intermediate and select borderli...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - May 22, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Prevalence, Clinical Presentation, and Management of Channelopathies and Cardiomyopathies, Long QT Syndrome, Brugada Syndrome, Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy, and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWith this paper, we aim to summarize the knowledge on gender differences in the most common inheritable channelopathies and cardiomyopathies, focusing on aspects that are of clinical importance for patient management and follow-up.Recent FindingsDespite autosomal dominant inheritance patterns in most of the inheritable cardiac channelopathies and cardiomyopathies, there is increasing awareness that there are important gender differences in disease penetrance and severity, affecting prevalence, clinical presentation, and patient management.SummaryImportant gender differences are present in Long QT s...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - May 1, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Characteristic Symptoms in Women with Ischemic Heart Disease
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAdvances in coronary imaging techniques have revealed that there are important sex differences in the pattern of ischemic heart disease. In this review, we aim to summarize our current knowledge and focus on the relation between a distinct symptom presentation in women and their underlying type of coronary artery disease.Recent FindingsWomen in the age group 40 –70 years more often have non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and coronary vasomotor disorders compared with the traditional obstructive CAD as seen in men. These differences in pathophysiology translate into another symptom pre...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - May 1, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Review on Future Targets and Current Trends in Transcatheter Left Atrial Appendage Closure
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAtrial fibrillation is cause for a growing burden of thromboembolic stroke. Transcatheter left atrial appendage closure is an alternative to lifelong oral anticoagulation for many patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Reviewed here are three commonly used devices (Watchman, Amplatzer Cardiac Plug/Amulet, and Lariat) and their key clinical trials, special candidate patient populations, and recent investigations of the impact of post-procedure antithrombotic strategies.Recent FindingsTranscatheter left atrial appendage closure devices provide noninferior thromboembolic stroke risk reduction ...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - April 29, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Evaluation and Management of the Vulnerable Plaque
AbstractPurpose of ReviewCoronary plaque rupture is the dominant mechanism of acute myocardial infarction and sudden coronary death. If we are to make a major inroads on reducing morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease, more accurate prediction of an individual ’s near-term cardiovascular risk (i.e., prediction of future coronary events) than what we can offer today is the ultimate goal to enable a more patient-tailored treatment strategy for coronary artery disease. In this review, we address the value of the vulnerable plaque concept in the context of an integrative cardiovascular risk assessment.Recent Fin...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - April 25, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
The Role of Pacing in Elderly Patients with Unexplained Syncope
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo discuss the role of pacing in elderly patients with unexplained syncope.Recent FindingsIn patients with recurrent syncope with suspected reflex mechanism, the decision of pacemaker implantation can be guided by a standardized algorithm which includes carotid sinus massage, tilt-table testing, and implantable loop recorder. Cardiac pacing may reduce recurrent syncope in cardioinhibitory carotid sinus syndrome. In select elderly patients with recurrent cardioinhibitory vasovagal syncope, cardiac pacing may also reduce syncope recurrence. There is no role of cardiac pacing in patients with without ...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - April 25, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Transcatheter Mitral Valve Therapy: Repair and Replacement
AbstractPurpose of ReviewIn this paper, we discuss the salient clinical and anatomic challenges in percutaneous mitral valve repair and replacement.Recent FindingsThe mitral valve is complex structure and understanding its intricacies and anatomic relationships to surrounding structures (i.e., aortic valve and papillary muscles) is central to delivery of therapies. Part of the complexity is treatment of primary and secondary mitral regurgitation, where in primary regurgitation the valve is the primary issue and treatment should be curative or treatment of secondary mitral regurgitation, where the valve is subject to distor...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - April 23, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Emerging Lipid-Lowering Therapies in Secondary Prevention
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe primary purpose of this article was to review the next-generation lipid-lowering therapies that are under current development and clinical testing. We reviewed the mechanism of action of these drugs and how they act on different pathways of lipid metabolism. Additionally, we aimed to present data from clinical trials evaluating clinical outcomes, efficacy, and safety of these novel agents. Lastly, we sought to provide recommendations for clinical practice and to comment on the cost-benefit analyses of such drugs.Recent FindingsWe evaluated the following lipid-lowering agents as they pertain to ...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - April 16, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
A Review of the Use of Cryoballoon Ablation for the Treatment of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
AbstractPurpose of ReviewCryoballoon ablation is the standard-of-care treatment for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, but its efficacy in addressing persistent atrial fibrillation is unclear. Current research is underway to identify origins of persistent atrial fibrillation in locations outside of the pulmonary veins, which are likely high-yield targets for catheter ablation.Recent FindingsRandomized studies suggest that targeting non-pulmonary vein (PV) locations has not proven to significantly improve outcomes in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. A growing body of evidence suggests that cryoballoo...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - March 27, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
LGE-MRI Characterization of Left Atrial Fibrosis: a Tool to Establish Prognosis and Guide Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent arrhythmia and also an important cause of morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is often the preferred therapy, but the incidence of recurrences is still significant. This review summarizes the contribution of atrial substrate identification using late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI) to establish prognosis and to guide AF ablation.Recent FindingsLeft atrial (LA) fibrosis is thought to create the necessary substrate to sustain AF. The accuracy of LGE-MRI to identify areas of atrial fibrosis ...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - March 27, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Approaches to the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial-Esophageal Fistula After Catheter Ablation for Atrial Arrhythmias
AbstractPurpose of ReviewCatheter ablation has become a cornerstone of therapy in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Thermal energy generated in the left atrium (LA) during ablation has the potential to damage adjacent structures. The most feared and rare complication in these ablations is atrial-esophageal fistula (AEF) result from the thermal injury to the esophagus due to the proximity to the LA, with potential catastrophic outcome. This review focuses on the diagnosis and management of AEF after catheter ablation for AF, including preventive measures to avoid esophageal lesions.Recent FindingsSym...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - March 15, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Neighborhood Social Environment and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
AbstractPurpose of ReviewLimited physical activity (PA) and obesity are two primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Within a socio-ecological framework, neighborhood social environment may play a key role in influencing PA and obesity. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain ambiguous. Our goals in this review are as follows: (1) to summarize findings from the recent studies on neighborhood social environment in relation to PA and obesity as CVD risk factors, and (2) to briefly describe several innovative approaches to assessing neighborhood social environment.Recent FindingsAlmost all re...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - March 7, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Triglycerides: Mendelian Randomization Studies Suggest Causal Role, but How to Treat in 2019?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewHypertriglyceridemia (HTG), defined by fasting levels at or exceeding 200 mg/dL, is characterized as a pro-inflammatory, pro-thrombotic, metabolic state associated with endothelial dysfunction, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mendelian randomization studies now support a causal role for TG-rich lip oproteins in CVD risk enhancement. Yet, until recently, only post-hoc analyses from clinical trials suggested that treating HTG would translate into reduced CVD risk.Recent FindingsThe results of Reduction of Cardiovascular Events...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - February 28, 2019 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
