Association of diet with atrial fibrillation: villain or sidekick
Emerging data demonstrates a clear association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and lifestyle risk factors. Contemporary studies have observed that weight is a primary driver for AF in the Western world, with impacts on the AF substrate exacerbated by weight fluctuation1 and concomitant lifestyle risk factors. Additionally, weight loss1 2 and aggressive risk factor modification enable reverse remodelling of the atrial substrate that can reduce AF burden and even reverse the AF phenotype.3 Data evaluating the impacts of dietary intake on AF are limited. Post hoc analysis of the recent PREDIMED (Primary Prevention of Cardiov...
Source: Heart - October 26, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Hall, R., Raju, H., Nalliah, C. Tags: Editorials Source Type: research
Could imaging microcalcification activity improve abdominal aortic aneurysm risk stratification after intervention?
Calcification is a common feature of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), but its role in the pathogenesis of the disease remains incompletely understood. While heavy arterial macrocalcification is thought be a marker of disease stability, earlier stages in osteogenic remodelling of AAAs marked by microcalcification represent active disease associated with a healing response to inflammation and carry a greater risk of aneurysm expansion. Whether tracking changes in calcification using 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF) positron emission tomography (PET) after therapeutic intervention can improve risk stratification in AAA is the though...
Source: Heart - October 26, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Chowdhury, M. M., Tarkin, J. M. Tags: Editorials Source Type: research
Heartbeat: ultra-processed foods and atrial fibrillation risk
Recommendations for primary prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) emphasise the role of weight loss and other lifestyle risk factors. However, there is little information on the effect of dietary patterns on AF incidence and progression. In order to assess whether incident AF was affected by specific diets, Tu and colleagues1 analysed data from the UK Biobank in 121, 3000 individuals (mean age 59.4±7.8, 56.4% female) with 4579 incident AF cases over 8.8 years follow-up. Although adherence to a Mediterranean-style or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet initially appeared to be associated with a lower...
Source: Heart - October 26, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Otto, C. M. Tags: Highlights from this issue Source Type: research
Heart Best Paper Award 2023
Each year, the Heart editorial team selects the most meritorious research paper from the preceding year to receive the Heart Best Research Paper Award. Our initial considerations are the number of citations, number of readers and Altmetric Score for each paper. Then the editorial team selects the winner and finalists based on the relevance of the clinical question addressed by the research, the quality of the research study design and data presentation, and potential long-term impact of the research findings. Among the many outstanding research papers in Heart published online first in 2022, we selected one winner and two ...
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Otto, C. M. Tags: Open access, Cardiology in Focus Source Type: research
Management of valve dysfunction in patients with mitral annular calcification
Learning objectives Know typical comorbidities that associate with mitral annular calcification (MAC). Understand optimal diagnostic pathways in the preprocedural evaluation of patients with MAC and mitral valvular dysfunction. Know typical advantages, pitfalls and complications of surgical and transcatheter therapeutic strategies for patients with MAC and mitral valvular dysfunction. Understand possible treatment allocation algorithms for patients with MAC and mitral valvular dysfunction. Introduction Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a degenerative process of the fibrous base of the mitral valve. Most patients with M...
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Demal, T. J., Conradi, L. Tags: Education in Heart Source Type: research
Recurrence of syncope after valve replacement in severe aortic stenosis
Conclusions
Syncope on exertion in patients with SAS did not recur after aortic valve intervention. Syncope at rest recurs in a high proportion of patients and identifies a population with increased mortality. According to our results, syncope at rest should be thoroughly evaluated before proceeding to aortic valve intervention. (Source: Heart)
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: San Roman, J. A., Ybarra-Falcon, C., Garcia-Gomez, M., Ramos, N., Amat-Santos, I. J., Sevilla, T., Revilla, A., Carrasco-Moraleja, M., Lopez, J., Cabezon, G., Rollan, M. J., Vilacosta, I. Tags: Valvular heart disease Source Type: research
Left ventricular ejection fraction and long-term outcomes in women presenting with signs and symptoms of ischaemia
Conclusion
Among women with suspected ischaemia, women with LVEF above the defined normal threshold (>65%) had lower rates of all-cause mortality and non-fatal MI. Further investigation is needed to determine the optimal LVEF in women.
Trial registration number
NCT00000554. (Source: Heart)
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Wu, S., Wei, J., Lauzon, M., Suppogu, N., Kelsey, S. F., Reis, S. E., Shaw, L. J., Sopko, G., Handberg, E., Pepine, C. J., Bairey Merz, C. N. Tags: Heart failure and cardiomyopathies Source Type: research
Cost-effectiveness of a telemonitoring programme in patients with cardiovascular diseases compared with standard of care
Conclusion
NICC was associated with higher QoL and health utility. The programme is cost-effective if one is willing to pay approximately 11 000 per QALY per year. (Source: Heart)
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Ziegler, A., Öner, A., Quadflieg, G., Betschart, R. O., Thiery, A., Babel, H., Mwambi, H. G., Neumeyer, H., Mackschin, S., Hintz, S., Mann, M., Dittrich, H., Schmidt, C. Tags: Open access Healthcare delivery, economics and global health Source Type: research
Prevalence and impact of recreational drug use in patients with acute cardiovascular events
Conclusion
The prevalence of recreational drug use in patients hospitalised in ICCU was 11%. Recreational drug detection was independently associated with worse in-hospital outcomes.
Clinical trial registration
NCT05063097. (Source: Heart)
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pezel, T., Dillinger, J.-G., Trimaille, A., Delmas, C., Piliero, N., Bouleti, C., Pommier, T., El Ouahidi, A., Andrieu, S., Lattuca, B., Rossanaly Vasram, R., Fard, D., Noirclerc, N., Bonnet, G., Goralski, M., Elbaz, M., Deney, A., Schurtz, G., Docq, C., Tags: Editor's choice, Press releases Healthcare delivery, economics and global health Source Type: research
Subclinical congestion assessed by lung ultrasound in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction
Conclusion
Early subclinical pulmonary congestion identified by LUS in patients with Killip I STEMI at hospital admission is associated with adverse outcomes during hospitalisation and 30-day follow-up. (Source: Heart)
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Carreras-Mora, J., Simon-Ramon, C., Vidal-Burdeus, M., Rodriguez-Sotelo, L., Sionis, A., Giralt-Borrell, T., Izquierdo-Marquisa, A., Rodriguez-Gonzalez, C., Farre, N., Cainzos-Achirica, M., Tizon-Marcos, H., Garcia-Picart, J., Mila-Pascual, L., Vaquerizo, Tags: Coronary artery disease Source Type: research
Sudden-onset breathlessness in a middle-aged man
Clinic introduction A middle-aged man presented to the emergency department with sudden breathlessness and chest discomfort for the last 2 hours. He had a tall thin habitus and was anxious, diaphoretic and orthopneic. Vitals revealed tachycardia with a heart rate of 124 bpm and blood pressure of 155/60 mm Hg. On auscultation, a soft apical holosystolic murmur propagating to the base and into the neck was heard. ECG showed sinus tachycardia with no dynamic ST-segment changes on serial ECGs. Serial troponins were within normal limits. Chest X-ray revealed features of acute pulmonary oedema. Echocardiography showed non-coapta...
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Veeraraghavan, S., Kidambi, B. R. Tags: Image challenges Source Type: research
Anticoagulant in atrial fibrillation patients with prior intracranial haemorrhage: a meta-analysis
Conclusions
For patients with AF with prior ICH, OAC is associated with a significant reduction in IS/SE and all-cause mortality without increasing ICH recurrence, but may increase major bleeding risk. Compared with warfarin, NOACs had a better safety profile and comparable efficacy. Further larger RCTs are warranted to validate these findings. (Source: Heart)
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Cai, H., Chen, G., Hu, W., Jiang, C. Tags: Systematic review Source Type: research
Ambient air pollution and maternal cardiovascular health in pregnancy
In this review, we summarise the current epidemiological and experimental evidence on the association of ambient (outdoor) air pollution exposure and maternal cardiovascular health during pregnancy. This topic is of utmost clinical and public health importance as pregnant women represent a potentially susceptible group due to the delicate balance of the feto-placental circulation, rapid fetal development and tremendous physiological adaptations to the maternal cardiorespiratory system during pregnancy.
Several meta-analyses including up to 4 245 170 participants provide robust evidence that air pollutants, including partic...
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Decrue, F., Townsend, R., Miller, M. R., Newby, D. E., Reynolds, R. M. Tags: Review articles Reviews Source Type: research
Left ventricular ejection fraction in women: when normal isnt normal
‘What is a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)?’ A simple question that one would assume has a straightforward answer given that LVEF is one of the most frequently applied metrics in cardiology for diagnosis, risk stratification and management of multiple conditions, ranging from hypertension and coronary artery disease to heart failure (HF). The simple answer appears to be ‘it depends’—it depends on the patient (ie, age, sex, race/ethnicity, body size), imaging modality and who one asks. The British Society of Echocardiography defines a normal LVEF as ≥55%; the American Societ...
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Lam, C. S. P., Myhre, P. L. Tags: Editorials Source Type: research
Hospitalisation due to acute cardiovascular conditions: is screening for recreational drug use justified?
The burden of recreational drug use has increased dramatically over the last decade in Europe and at a global level, with an estimated 284 million people aged 15–64 years using drugs worldwide in 2020.1 2 Many of these drugs have cardiovascular effects, which may be underappreciated both by those taking them and by clinicians. Use of stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamines, for example, can cause sympathetic activation, increased myocardial oxygen demand, coronary vasospasm and thrombosis, as well as longer term effects such as arterial hypertension, accelerated atherosclerosis, and increased rates of sudden ...
Source: Heart - October 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Choudry, F. A., Jones, D. A., Archbold, R. A. Tags: Press releases Editorials Source Type: research
