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COVID-19: the Risk to Athletes
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on athletics, and the question of safely resuming competitive sports at all levels has been a source of significant debate. Concerns regarding myocarditis and the risk of arrhythmias and sudden death in athletes have prompted heightened attention to the role of cardiovascular screening. In this review, we aim to comprehensively outline the cardiovascular manifestations associated with COVID-19 infection, to discuss screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies, and to evaluate the current literature on the risk to athletes and recommendations regardi...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - October 15, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Valvular Heart Disease in Athletes
AbstractPurpose of ReviewValvular heart disease is prevalent in older athletes with primarily degenerative valvular disorders and younger athletes with congenital or genetic syndromes. Limited data exist on the risks and benefits of exercise for athletes with underlying valvular disorders, so current guidelines are primarily based upon expert consensus. This review focuses on the current data, guideline recommendations, and emerging clinical conundrums for athletes with common valvular heart conditions including aortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), mitral regurgitation (MR), mitral valve prolapse (MVP), and thorac...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - October 15, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Assessment of Atrial Fibrosis and Its Implications in Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke
AbstractPurpose of reviewCardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) can be used to accurately define atrial fibrosis burden and is increasingly available, which has led to a renaissance in our understanding of atrial fibrosis as a major component of the atrial disease substrate. The purpose of this review is to provide information on our current understanding of atrial fibrosis and its relation to atrial fibrillation (AFib) and stroke, highlight its implications in the treatment of these conditions, and discuss potential therapies for atrial fibrosis.Recent findingsCMRI-defined atrial fibrosis has a proven utility in strati...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - October 15, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Advances in Mapping of Ventricular Tachycardia
AbstractPurpose of ReviewImplantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks are common with catheter ablation procedures being increasingly used to minimize recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT). The purpose of the review is to provide an update on approaches to identify critical portions of VT circuits.Recent FindingsVT ablation has evolved from a surgical approach to a percutaneous minimally invasive approach. Pre-procedural planning including the use of cardiac MRI can provide valuable information about the underlying substrate. Mapping of the VT circuit with multipolar catheters and improved detection of slow conduction zo...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - October 15, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Current and Potential Applications of Wearables in Sports Cardiology
AbstractPurpose of the reviewCommercial wearable biosensors are commonly used among athletes and highly active individuals, although their value in sports cardiology is not well established. In this review, we discuss the evidence for the current applications of wearables and provide our outlook for promising future directions of this emerging field.Recent findingsThe integration of routine assessment of physiological parameters, activity data, and features such as electrocardiogram recording has generated excitement over a role for wearables to help diagnose and monitor cardiovascular disease. Presently, however, there ar...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - October 14, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Antiarrhythmic Agents: a Review and Comment on Relevance in the Current Era —Part 2
AbstractPurpose of reviewThere is apprehension and a general lack of familiarity with regards to using the “membrane-active” antiarrhythmic agents among internists and even general cardiologists.Recent findingsThis hesitancy regarding use of these agents may be related to their relative infrequent use, complicated mechanisms of actions, and real or perceived risks involved with their use. For example, the fact that dofetilide requires prescription only by certified electrophysiologists and hospitalization for initiation creates a mystique about its use.SummaryThis review paper will attempt to lay out the general pharma...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - September 18, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Running the Risk: Exercise and Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy
AbstractPurpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to summarize what is known about the relationship between exercise and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) with regard to disease onset, diagnosis, progression, and clinical severity. This relationship forms the basis of the management recommendations for restricting physical activity in individuals with and at risk for ARVC.Recent findingsWhile ARVC can be challenging to diagnose, there are several diagnostic testing and imaging modalities that may help distinguish athletic heart remodeling from ARVC. There is an increased risk of adverse clinical o...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - September 18, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research

Troubleshooting Left Ventricular Assist Devices: Modern Technology and Its Limitations
AbstractPurpose of reviewAs the incidence of heart failure continues to rise, modern generation left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have become the primary therapeutic modality used as both bridge to transplant (BTT) and destination therapy (DT) in patients with acute and chronic heart failure. This review aims to highlight the progression of LVAD technology, outline LVAD complications and manifestations, and provide evidence-based therapeutic methods to troubleshoot such adverse events.Recent findingsDespite modern innovation, LVAD adverse events continue to hinder the progress of HF paradigms and are associated with ...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - August 2, 2021 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research