Spot Urinary Sodium Measurements: the Future Direction of the Treatment and Follow-up of Patients with Heart Failure
This article aims to provide answers to the role of urinary sodium measurements in acute and chronic heart failure.Recent FindingsIn acute heart failure, urinary sodium concentrations at the moment of admission and after diuretic administration are correlated with short- and long-term outcome. As this is a reflection of the degree of sodium retention, it can be used as a guide in the diuretic titration. In chronic heart failure, it might be used to predict and consequently prevent episodes of decompensation.SummaryUrinary sodium measurements hold great promises to be a novel diagnostic and therapeutic parameter in patients...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - February 1, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Myocardial Metabolism in Heart Failure
AbstractPurpose of ReviewMyocardial metabolism is intricately linked to cardiac function. Perturbations of cardiac energy metabolism result in an energy-starved heart and the development of contractile dysfunction. In this review, we discuss alterations in myocardial energy supply, transcriptional changes in response to different energy demands, and mitochondrial function in the development of heart failure.Recent FindingsRecent studies on substrate modulation through modifying energy substrate supply have shown cardioprotective properties. In addition, large cardiovascular outcome trials of anti-diabetic agents have demon...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - February 1, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Remote Monitoring of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices: What is the Evidence?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review offers an overview of the evidence in diagnostic and therapeutic applications of remote monitoring implantable devices.Recent FindingsRemote monitoring of cardiac implantable devices has become more and more popular in recent years as healthcare is moving towards a more patient centralized system. For heart failure patients with an ICD or pacemaker, there is controversial evidence regarding improvements in the clinical outcome, e.g., reduction of hospitalization rates or overall mortality. New developments as hemodynamic remote monitoring via measurement of the pulmonary artery pressure...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - February 1, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
What Is the Clinical Utility of Cardiac Troponins in Heart Failure? Are They Modifiable Beyond Their Prognostic Value?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo review the role of cardiac troponin (cTn) for prognosis in acute and chronic heart failure, and for predicting heart failure; and to explore the association between troponin and response to heart failure therapies, with an eye toward a possible role for troponin in a personalized approach to heart failure management, beyond prognosis.Recent FindingsA number of therapies, including the neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril/valsartan and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, have recently been shown to improve outcomes in heart failure patients. Most studies suggest that these agents improve outcom...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - January 31, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Remote Monitoring of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices: What is the Evidence?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review offers an overview of the evidence in diagnostic and therapeutic applications of remote monitoring implantable devices.Recent FindingsRemote monitoring of cardiac implantable devices has become more and more popular in recent years as healthcare is moving towards a more patient centralized system. For heart failure patients with an ICD or pacemaker, there is controversial evidence regarding improvements in the clinical outcome, e.g., reduction of hospitalization rates or overall mortality. New developments as hemodynamic remote monitoring via measurement of the pulmonary artery pressure...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - January 26, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Role of Arterial Hypertension and Hypertension-Mediated Organ Damage in Cardiotoxicity of Anticancer Therapies
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewArterial hypertension (AH) is the most common cardiovascular (CV) risk factor in the community and in oncologic patients. It also represents the most important CV condition predisposing to anticancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity. This risk is heightened in the presence of cardiac AH-mediated organ damage (HMOD). Influence of AH and HMOD on the development of cardiotoxicity will be reviewed, with a focus on specific scenarios and implications for management of oncologic patients.Recent FindingsNot adequately controlled AH before or during anticancer treatments and/or development of AH during...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - January 25, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Cardiotoxicity of Anti-Cancer Radiation Therapy: a Focus on Heart Failure
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAs the percentage of patients achieving long-term survival following treatment of their cancer grows, it is increasingly important to understand the long-term toxicities of cancer-directed treatment. In this review, we highlight the recent findings regarding radiation-induced cardiotoxicity across multiple disease sites, with a particular focus on heart failure.Recent FindingsDespite its relative lack of study historically, radiation-induced heart failure has now recently been implicated in several studies of breast cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and lymphoma as a non-trivial potential con...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - January 24, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
C-Reactive Protein, Interleukin-6, Trimethylamine-N-Oxide, Syndecan-1, Nitric Oxide, and Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-1 in Heart Failure with Preserved Versus Reduced Ejection Fraction: a Meta-Analysis
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this review was to synthesize the evidence on non-traditional biomarkers from proteomic and metabolomic studies that may distinguish heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and non-HF.Recent FindingsUnderstanding the pathophysiology of HFpEF continues to be challenging. A number of inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers that have recently been suggested to be involved include C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), syndecan-1 (SDC-1), nitric oxide (NO), and tumor necros...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - December 7, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Review of Hydroxychloroquine Cardiotoxicity: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has popularized the usage of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine (HCQ/CQ) as treatments for COVID-19. Previously used as anti-malarial and now commonly used in rheumatologic conditions, preliminary in vitro studies have demonstrated these medications also have anti-viral properties. Retinopathy and neuromyopathy are well recognized complications of using these treatments; however, cardiotoxicity is under-recognized. This review will discuss the implications and cardiotoxicity of HCQ/CQ, their mechanisms of action, and their utility in COVID-19.Recent ...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - December 1, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Sarcopenia and Frailty in Heart Failure: Is There a Biomarker Signature?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewSarcopenia and frailty are common in patients with heart failure (HF) and are strongly associated with prognosis. This review aims to examine promising biomarkers that can guide physicians in identifying sarcopenia and frailty in HF.Recent FindingsTraditional biomarkers including C-reactive protein, aminotransaminase, myostatin, and urinary creatinine as well as novel biomarkers including microRNAs, suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2), galectin-3, and procollagen type III N-terminal peptide may help in predicting the development of sarcopenia and frailty in HF patients. Among those biomarkers, am...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 20, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
The Electrocardiogram in the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Left Ventricular Non-Compaction
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewLeft ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is characterised by prominent left ventricular trabeculae and deep inter-trabecular recesses. Although considered a distinct cardiomyopathy, prominent trabeculations may also be found in other cardiomyopathies, in athletes or during pregnancy. Clinical presentation includes heart failure symptoms, systemic embolic events, arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Currently, LVNC diagnosis relies on imaging criteria, and clinicians face several challenges in the assessment of patients with prominent trabeculations. In this review, we summarise the available inf...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 13, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Efficacy of ICD/CRT-D Remote Monitoring in Patients With HFrEF: a Bayesian Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo evaluate remote monitoring using implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) devices as an adjunctive tool to the traditional care of patients with heart failure (HF).Recent FindingsWe included 11 trials encompassing 5965 patients. Absolute risk difference (ARD) with 95% credible interval (CrI) was estimated. Pooled (posterior) risk difference was computed using Bayesian hierarchical methods. The ARD for mortality was centered at − 0.01 (95% CrI: − 0.03; 0.01, Tau: 0.02), with an 82% probability of ARD of ICD/CRT-D remote m...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 7, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
