The year in Cardiovascular Medicine 2025: the top 10 papers in dyslipidaemias.

A 54-year-old man presented with dyspnea on effort. Echocardiogram revealed reduced apical wall motion of the left ventricle (LV) with extreme hypertrophy of the interventricular septum (IVS). Conventional coronary angiogram showed normal coronary arteries. Endomyocardial-biopsy specimens obtained from the IVS revealed extensive vacuolization of cardiac myocytes and mild fibrosis on light microscopy, and typical lysosomal inclusions with a concentric lamellar configuration were seen with electron micros-copy (Figure 1). With these findings and low plasma α-galactosidase activity, he was diagnosed as having Fabry disease. To evaluate the characteristics of the LV, ECG-gated …

The number of clinically available genetic tests for heritable cardiovascular diseases has recently increased because of novel gene discoveries and advancements in DNA sequencing technologies. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date genetic testing information and guidance on how to incorporate genetic testing into cardiovascular medicine. Heritable cardiovascular conditions display vast genetic heterogeneity, genetic overlap between phenotypes, incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity, and are associated with risk for sudden cardiac death, making the practice of cardiovascular genetic medicine a great responsibility. Multigene testing panels now exist for many cardiovascular conditions, and test utility has recently been augmented by population-based genomic sequence datasets. Large amounts of DNA sequence data necessitate rigorous interpretation of this probabilistic information. Timely practice guidelines and expert statements have been published. To fully realize the benefits of clinical genetic testing in cardiovascular medicine, clinicians must implement several components including judicious genetic testing, pretest and posttest genetic counseling, interpretation and application of genetic test results, and cascade family genetic testing and clinical screening. Components important to the proper integration of cardiovascular genetic medicine are offered.

Something there is that doesn't love a wall, That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it And spills the upper boulders in the sun, And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.I let my neighbor know beyond the hill, And on a day we meet to walk the line And set the wall between us as we go . . .

Cardiovascular molecular imaging: Expanding the paradigms and parameters

The majority of patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) are admitted to internal medicine (IM) rather than to cardiology (CA) units, but to date few studies have analyzed the characteristics of these two populations. In this snapshot survey, we compared consecutive patients admitted for HF in six IM units vs. one non-intensive CA unit. During the 6-month survey period, 467 patients were enrolled (127 in CA, 27.2% vs. 340 in IM, 72.8%). IM patients were almost 10years older (CA 75 ± 10, IM 82 ± 8years; p < 0.001), more frequently female (CA 39%, IM 55%; p = 0.002) and living at home alone (CA 12%, IM 21%; p = 0.017). The leading cause of hospitalization in both groups was acute worsening of HF (CA 42%, IM 53%; p = 0.031), followed by atrial fibrillation (CA 29%, IM 12%; p < 0.001) and infections (CA 24%, IM 27%; p = 0.563). Ischemic (CA 43%, IM 30%; p = 0.008) and dilated cardiomyopathy patients (CA 21%, IM 12%; p < 0.001) were primarily admitted to CA unit, whereas those with hypertensive heart disease to IM (CA 3%, IM 39%; p < 0.001). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was available in 96% of CA patients, but only in 60% of IM patients (p = 0.001). Among patients with LVEF measured, those with LVEF < 40% were predominantly admitted to CA (CA 60%, IM 14%; p < 0.001), whereas those with LVEF ≥ 50% were admitted to IM (CA 21%, IM 33%; p = 0.019); 26% of IM patients were discharged without a known LVEF. Medical treatments also significantly differed, according to patients' clinical and instrumental characteristics in each unit. This study demonstrates important differences between HF patients hospitalized in CA vs. IM, and the need for a greater interaction between these two medical specialties for a better care of HF patients.

Carotid artery stenting: Impact of practitioner specialty and volume on outcomes and resource utilization

Using grey relational analysis (GRA) to analyze the grey relation between the cardiovascular medicine and fatality rate in hospitalized patients with acute coronary heart disease events in Beijing. A few valid data from the published results of the study "the fatality trends of acute coronary heart disease events in Beijing", which was a part of the National Key 75' Project, shared with WHO MONICA Project. GRA with order test of these data was performed. Positive grey relation was found between cardiovascular fatality rate and medicine including non-beta adrenoceptor blocker antiarrhythmics (NBAA), positive inotropic drugs (PID), calcium channel blockers (CCB). Negative grey relation between cardiovascular fatality rate and medicine including nitroglycerin (NG), antiplatelet agents (APT), beta-adrenoceptor blockers (BB) and ACEI was revealed. Grey relation between fatality rate and anticoagulants or thrombolytics was very weak. Cardiovascular fatality rate can be increased by CCB and NBAA, and decreased by NG, APT, BB and ACEI. GRA with order test is a more effective method in trial data.

Study ObjectiveMultimorbidity and multimedicine use are common in people with cardiovascular disease and can lead to harms, such as prescribing errors and drug interactions. We quantified multimedicine use in people treated with cardiovascular medicines in a national sample of Australians.DesignCross‐sectional study.Data SourcePharmaceutical dispensing claims for a 10% random sample of Australians.PatientsAustralian adults dispensed any cardiovascular medicine between June and August 2019.InterventionNone.MeasurementsWe quantified the number and type of cardiovascular and non‐cardiovascular medicines dispensed during the study period, and the number of unique prescribers, by age and sex.Main ResultsWe identified 493,081 people dispensed any cardiovascular medicine (median age = 67 years, 50.2% women). The population prevalence of cardiovascular medicine dispensing increased from 1.7% (n = 10,503) in people 18–34 years to 80.1% (n = 99,271) in people 75–84 years. Cardiovascular medicine dispensing varied by sex; women 18–34 years were more likely to be dispensed any cardiovascular medicine than men (male:female prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.81–0.87), whereas the prevalence of cardiovascular medicine dispensing was higher in men 35–44 years (PR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.24–1.30) and 45–54 years (PR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.22–1.26) and was similar between sexes in people ≥65 years. Overall, both women and men were dispensed a median of 2.0 (interquartile range [IQR] = 1.0–3.0) cardiovascular medicines. Two‐thirds of people ≥65 years (73.5%; n = 208,524) were dispensed ≥2 cardiovascular medicines, with 16.6% (n = 6736) of people ≥85 years dispensed five or more. Women and men were dispensed a median of 2.0 (IQR = 1.0–5.0) and 2.0 (IQR = 0.0–4.0) non‐cardiovascular medicines, respectively, to treat comorbid conditions, commonly gastroesophageal reflux disease medicines (32.2% of women and 26.6% of men), antibiotics (28.7% of women and 22.4% of men), and antidepressants (26.3% of women and 15.9% of men). One quarter of both sexes had multiple prescribers for their cardiovascular medicines alone, whereas 54.5% (n = 134,939) of women and 49.9% (n = 122,706) of men had multiple prescribers for all medicines.ConclusionMultimedicine use is common in people treated with cardiovascular medicines and presents a risk for inappropriate prescribing. Understanding the comorbid conditions commonly treated concurrently with cardiovascular disease can help improve co‐prescribing guidelines and develop a person‐centered approach to multimorbidity treatment.

Cascading Effects of COVID-19 on Women in Cardiology.

The objective of this review is to investigate the association between the use of cardiovascular medicines and the risk of mild cognitive function impairment and dementia in people with cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is one of the most important modifiable factors for mild cognitive function impairment and dementia. The current evidence about the effectiveness of cardiovascular disease medicine on the risk of dementia is inconclusive; hence, it is imperative to conduct a comprehensive investigation on the effect of cardiovascular disease medicine on the risk of mild cognitive function impairment and dementia. This review will include studies involving participants (age ≥18 years) who were using cardiovascular medicine for hypertension, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, stroke, or heart failure. The eligible studies will include observational studies and randomized controlled trials. MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and PsycINFO (Ovid) will be searched from 2000 to the present. We will only include studies published in English. Titles, abstracts, and full texts will be screened by authors independently. The methodological quality of included studies will be assessed using the JBI critical appraisal checklist for observational studies and randomized controlled trials. The data to be extracted will include the basic study characteristics, populations, drug groups, clinical indicators, and outcomes. Studies will be pooled using statistical meta-analysis, where possible. Alternatively, the findings will be presented in narrative form where statistical pooling is not possible. PROSPERO CRD42020175386.

Welcome to the first issue of 2012 of Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry. I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season and I want to wish everyone a wonderful New Year. As you are aware, our journal aims to cover the latest and outstanding developments in medicinal chemistry, rational drug design for the discovery of novel cardiovascular and hematological agents and discusses such therapies in clinical practice. Each issue contains a series of timely in-depth reviews, original research articles and drug clinical trial studies written by leaders in the field covering a range of current topics in cardiovascular and hematological sciences. I feel that Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry is an essential journal for every medicinal chemist, clinician and healthcare provider who wishes to be kept informed and up-to-date with the latest and most important developments in cardiovascular and hematological drug discovery and their clinical uses. In the coming issues of the journal, we will discuss several important topics pertinent to medicinal chemists and clinicians in the cardiovascular and hematology field such as evidence for the use of adrenaline in the treatment of neonatal hypotension, use of selective Inhibitors of plasma kallikrein, potential cardiotoxic effect of clozapine, novel antiplatelets agents in cardiovascular medicine among others. Cardiovascular medicine and hematology are both very dynamic fields with rapid advances and we will continue to strive to keep you up to date on new advances and therapies. I would also take this opportunity to invite our readers and experts to contribute hot topics and general articles in their respective fields to our journal. The journal is in its tenth successful year of publication, and is indexed by all major indexing media including Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Index Medicus/MEDLINE, BIOSIS Previews, BIOSIS Reviews Reports and Meetings, Google, Google Scholar, Genamics JournalSeek, MediaFinder®-Standard Periodical Directory and Scopus and remains a valuable resource for chemists and clinicians.

Utilization of cardiovascular medicines and cardiovascular mortality in Lithuania, Sweden and Norway in 2003–2012

A newborn male was transferred for severe cyanosis and suspected transposition of the great arteries and ventricular septal defect (VSD). An emergency balloon septostomy was performed. The position and commitment of VSD and great arteries were more precisely defined by echocardiography. There was double-outlet left ventricle (DOLV) with doubly committed VSD, l-malposition of the great arteries, and pulmonary stenosis. The infundibular septum was virtually absent. A modified Blalock–Taussig shunt was inserted before a Rastelli-type corrective surgery was performed at 20 months of age. The VSD was closed, the pulmonary trunk was transsected, …

Proteomics in cardiovascular surgery

Background: Sexuality is an aspect of quality of life that is important for many patients and their partners, but may be adversely affected by a cardiac event. Therefore, it is necessary that cardiologists assess sexual issues among cardiovascular patients. However, most health professionals avoid talking about sex issues due to some barriers. The recognition of these barriers leads to new information that is helpful for future planning and intervention in Iran. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to identify the barriers to discussing sexual issues among cardiovascular patients and to discover cardiologists’ reasons for not addressing sexual issues. Methods: Using a self-made questionnaire, a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out at the seventeenth national congress on cardiovascular update which was held in 2015, and cardiologists’ answers were gathered and analyzed. Results: The study population consisted of 138 cardiologists (87 male and 51 female) with a mean age of 45.42 years. Analysis of data showed that most of the barriers for discussing sexual issues were “Patient discomfort for discussing about sexual issues,” “Religious and cultural reasons”, “Not having enough time,” “Presence of other person” and “Lack of knowledge and skill in dealing with sexual issues.” Among the demographic characteristics, cardiologists’ gender showed a significant relationship with “Cardiologist discomfort for discussing sexual issues” (P value = 0.005). Female cardiologists had more discomfort than male cardiologists. Conclusions: From the opinion of cardiologists, patients’ uncomfortable feelings, cultural-religious issues and time restrictions were the most important when discussing sexual issues with cardiovascular patients, so these barriers need more attention in the delivery of public health interventions.