Insights Into Genetics and Pathophysiology of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy
AbstractPurpose of ReviewArrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a genetic disease characterized by life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in apparently healthy young adults. Mutations in genes encoding for cellular junctions can be found in about half of the patients. However, disease onset and severity, risk of arrhythmias, and outcome are highly variable and drug-targeted treatment is currently unavailable.Recent FindingsThis review focuses on advances in clinical risk stratification, genetic etiology, and pathophysiological concepts. The desmosome is the central part of the disease, but ...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - December 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Management of Maternal Complex Congenital Heart Disease During Pregnancy
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewThe purpose of this review is to discuss the risk stratification and management of pregnancy in women with complex congenital heart disease.Recent FindingsClassifying congenital heart defects (CHD) including both anatomy and physiology is important for maternal risk stratification. Although most women with CHD can tolerate the physiological challenge of pregnancy, some may experience serious risks both to their health and that of their foetus. The WHO maternal risk classification model remains the best-validated risk measure. Ideally, women with CHD should have pre-conception assessment with a ...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - December 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction —Does Sex Matter?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThere is an increasing recognition of the importance of sex in susceptibility, clinical presentation, and outcomes for heart failure. This review focusses on heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), unravelling differences in biology, clinical and demographic features and evidence for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This is intended to inform clinicians and researchers regarding state-of-the-art evidence relevant to women, as well as areas of unmet need.Recent FindingsFemales are well recognised to be under-represented in clinical trials, but there have been some improvements in...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - December 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Correction to: Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of the Adult Mammalian Heart – State of the Art and Future Perspectives
A Correction to this paper has been published:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-021-00507-0 (Source: Current Heart Failure Reports)
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - December 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Management of Maternal Complex Congenital Heart Disease During Pregnancy
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewThe purpose of this review is to discuss the risk stratification and management of pregnancy in women with complex congenital heart disease.Recent FindingsClassifying congenital heart defects (CHD) including both anatomy and physiology is important for maternal risk stratification. Although most women with CHD can tolerate the physiological challenge of pregnancy, some may experience serious risks both to their health and that of their foetus. The WHO maternal risk classification model remains the best-validated risk measure. Ideally, women with CHD should have pre-conception assessment with a ...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - November 16, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction —Does Sex Matter?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThere is an increasing recognition of the importance of sex in susceptibility, clinical presentation, and outcomes for heart failure. This review focusses on heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), unravelling differences in biology, clinical and demographic features and evidence for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This is intended to inform clinicians and researchers regarding state-of-the-art evidence relevant to women, as well as areas of unmet need.Recent FindingsFemales are well recognised to be under-represented in clinical trials, but there have been some improvements in...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - November 15, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Heart Failure in Breast Cancer Survivors: Focus on Early Detection and Novel Biomarkers
AbstractPurpose of Review
Breast cancer survival rate has greatly improved in the last two decades due to the emergence of next-generation anti-cancer agents. However, cardiotoxicity remains a significant adverse effect arising from traditional and emerging chemotherapies as well as targeted therapies for breast cancer patients. In this review, we will discuss cardiotoxicities of both traditional and emerging therapies for breast cancer. We will discuss current practices to detect cardiotoxicity of these therapies with the focus on new and emerging biomarkers. We will then focus on ‘omics approaches, especially the us...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - November 3, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Echocardiographic Longitudinal Strain Analysis in Heart Failure: Real Usefulness for Clinical Management Beyond Diagnostic Value and Prognostic Correlations? A Comprehensive Review
We describe, by critical analysis of thepros andcons, various clinical settings in HF, and how the appropriate use and interpretation of GLS can provide important clues. (Source: Current Heart Failure Reports)
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
The Potential of Oxygenation-Sensitive CMR in Heart Failure
AbstractPurpose of ReviewCardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) use in the context of heart failure (HF) has increased over the last decade as it is able to provide detailed, quantitative information on function, morphology, and myocardial tissue composition. Furthermore, oxygenation-sensitive CMR (OS-CMR) has emerged as a CMR imaging method capable of monitoring changes of myocardial oxygenation without the use of exogenous contrast agents.Recent FindingsThe contributions of OS-CMR to the investigation of patients with HF includes not only a fully quantitative assessment of cardiac morphology, function, and tissue chara...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Clinical Phenotypes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Characteristics, Cardiovascular Outcomes and Treatment Strategies
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWith recent advances in the pharmacological management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), there is a growing need to understand which patients optimally benefit from these novel therapies. Various clinical clustering methodologies have emerged that utilise data-agnostic strategies to categorise patients that have similar clinical characteristics and outcomes; broadly, this characterisation is termed phenotyping. In patients with T2DM, we aimed to describe patient characteristics from phenotype studies, their cardiovascular risk profiles and the impact of antihyperglycemic treatment.Recent Findings...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
SGLT2 Inhibitors and Their Mode of Action in Heart Failure —Has the Mystery Been Unravelled?
This article discusses the current clinical evidence for using SGLT2i in different types of heart failure and provides an overview about the possible underlying mechanisms.Recent findingsClinical and basic data strongly support and extend the use of SGLT2i in HF. Improvement of conventional secondary risk factors is unlikely to explain the prognostic benefits of these drugs in HF. However, different multidirectional mechanisms of SGLT2i could improve HF status including volume regulation, cardiorenal mechanisms, metabolic effects, improved cardiac remodelling, direct effects on cardiac contractility and ion-homeostasis, re...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy in Females with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis narrative review synthesizes sex differences in guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) use and response among female patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), discusses female representation in HFrEF clinical trials, and outlines future areas of investigation to reduce sex disparities in HFrEF care globally.Recent FindingsObservational registries suggest sex-specific disparities persist in GDMT rates, and there may be key sex-specific differences in optimal dosing of GDMT in HFrEF patients. Underrepresentation of female patients in HF clinical trials is a key barri...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Arrhythmia in Cardiomyopathy: Sex and Gender Differences
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThere is emerging evidence for important sex differences in cardiac arrhythmias. In this up-to-date review, we summarise the differences in incidence, aetiology, treatment and prevention of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in women versus men, in the context of ischaemic and nonischaemic cardiomyopathies.Recent FindingsThe incidence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia and SCD is significantly lower in women than in men with ischaemic cardiomyopathy, whereas sex differences in nonischaemic cardiomyopathy are less clear. Women who receive a primary prevention implantable cardio...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Sex Differences in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Interaction With Genetics and Environment
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWe explore the sex-specific interaction of genetics and the environment on the clinical course and outcomes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).Recent FindingsWomen account for approximately one-third of patients in specialist HCM centres and reported in observational studies. As a result, evidence informing clinical guideline recommendations is based predominantly on risk factors and outcomes seen in men. However, disease progression appears to be different between the sexes. Women present at a more advanced stage of disease, are older at diagnosis, have higher symptom burden, carry greater risk ...
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Optimal CRT Implantation —Where and How To Place the Left-Ventricular Lead?
This article reviews current strategies for a successful planning, implementation, and validation of the optimal CRT implantation. Pre-implant imaging modalities offer promising assistance for complex cases; empirical lead positioning and intraoperative testing remain the cornerstone in most cases and ensure a successful CRT effect. (Source: Current Heart Failure Reports)
Source: Current Heart Failure Reports - October 1, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
