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Topic Review
Monomeric C-Reactive Protein in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
C-reactive protein (CRP) is the final product of the interleukin (IL)-1β/IL-6/CRP axis. Its monomeric form can be produced at sites of local inflammation through the dissociation of pentameric CRP and, to some extent, local synthesis. Monomeric CRP (mCRP) has a distinct proinflammatory profile. In vitro and animal-model studies have suggested a role for mCRP in: platelet activation, adhesion, and aggregation; endothelial activation; leukocyte recruitment and polarization; foam-cell formation; and neovascularization. mCRP has been shown to deposit in atherosclerotic plaques and damaged tissues.
  • 491
  • 01 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Macrophage Heterogeneity and Functions in Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of hospitalization and death worldwide, especially in developing countries. The increased prevalence rate and mortality due to CVDs, despite the development of several approaches for prevention and treatment, are alarming trends in global health. Chronic inflammation and macrophage infiltration are key regulators of the initiation and progression of CVDs. Macrophage polarization is a unique phenotypic phenomenon where macrophages exhibit a particular functional response to the microenvironment. Macrophage activation produces distinct functional phenotypes that maintain homeostasis primarily by modulating the release of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
  • 491
  • 16 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Biomarkers in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe medical condition characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), right ventricular (RV) failure, and death in the absence of appropriate treatment. The progression and prognosis are strictly related to the etiology, biochemical parameters, and treatment response. The gold-standard test remains right-sided heart catheterization, but dynamic monitoring of systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery is performed using echocardiography. 
  • 490
  • 14 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Aetiology of Bicuspid Aortic Valve
BAV (Bicuspid Aortic Valve) stands as the most prevalent congenital heart condition closely linked to critical and potentially life-threatening cardiac and aortic ailments, including aortic stenosis, aortic insufficiency, aortic aneurysms, and aortic dissection. It is believed that both genetic and epigenetic factors influence the etiology of BAV. Gaining insight into this underlying causative framework is paramount in guiding treatment strategies for BAV and its associated pathologies.
  • 490
  • 12 Oct 2023
Topic Review
3D Printing in Complex Medical Procedures
Medicine is a rapidly-evolving discipline, with progress picking up pace with each passing decade. This constant evolution results in the introduction of new tools and methods, which in turn occasionally leads to paradigm shifts across the affected medical fields. The following review attempts to showcase how 3D printing has begun to reshape and improve processes across various medical specialties and where it has the potential to make a significant impact. 
  • 489
  • 18 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Insulin Receptors and Insulin Action in Heart
Heart failure is an early and severe complication of diabetes mellitus. The endocrine system and the heart are two interrelated entities, as this is proven by the close relationship between insulin and cardiac function. Insulin significantly contributes to cardioprotection via multiple pathways and various subsequent downstream proteins. Even slight malfunction in the participating pathways can lead to myocardial dysfunction, resulting finally in overt heart failure. At this stage, the implantation of an Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and its contribution to the regulation of the neuromodulatory effects of insulin on the heart is pivotal and may decelerate, stabilize, or even revert the deleterious cascades that have been activated in end-stage heart failure.
  • 488
  • 27 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Interventional Management of Nutcracker and Wilkie Syndromes
Nutcracker and Wilkie syndromes are rare mesoaortic compression entities, and their association is even less common. Data on interventional treatment of these pathologies are still scarce, but results from limited case series are encouraging. 
  • 487
  • 20 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Electrocardiogram-AI and Cardiovascular System
The electrocardiogram (ECG) is among the most commonly utilized clinical tests for patient monitoring and assessment because it is easy to acquire and provides extensive information about patients’ cardiac health. Instead, continuous, real-time, remote monitoring allows for a more rigorous oversight of patients’ conditions, even compared to in-hospital observation. Wearable devices to address monitoring are now a prominent focus of industry, which in turn provides strong motivation for applying artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to ECG signals for automated disease detection and prediction.
  • 487
  • 29 May 2023
Topic Review
The Long-Term Cardiovascular Effects of COVID-19
COVID-19 had stormed through the world in early March of 2019, and on 5 May 2023, SARS-CoV-2 was officially declared to no longer be a global health emergency. The rise of new COVID-19 variants XBB.1.5 and XBB.1.16, a product of recombinant variants and sub-strains, has fueled a need for continued surveillance of the pandemic as they have been deemed increasingly infectious. This has caused an increase in hospitalizations, a strain in resources, and a rise of concern for public health. In addition, there is a growing population of patients experiencing cardiovascular complications as a result of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.
  • 487
  • 30 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrythmia and one of the strongest risk factors and causal mechanisms of ischemic stroke (IS). Acute IS due to AF tends to be more severe than with other etiology of IS and patients with treated AF have reported to experience worse outcomes after endovascular treatment compared with patients without AF. As cardioembolism accounts for more than a fifth of ISs and the risk of future stroke can be mitigated with effective anticoagulation, which has been shown to be effective and safe in patients with paroxysmal or sustained AF, the screening of patients with cryptogenic IS (CIS) for AF is paramount.
  • 487
  • 05 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Telomere Length and Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial disease with a high prevalence, particularly in developing countries. The investigation of telomeres as a potential tool for the early detection of the atherosclerotic disease seems to be a promising method. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the extremities of chromosomes that maintain genetic stability. Telomere length (TL) has been associated with several human disorders and diseases while its attrition rate varies significantly in the population. The rate of TL shortening ranges between 20 and 50 bp and is affected by factors such as the end-replication phenomenon, oxidative stress, and other DNA-damaging agents.
  • 486
  • 27 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Diagnosis and Risk Stratification of Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) represents one of the most common causes of non-ischemic heart failure, characterised by ventricular dilation alongside systolic dysfunction. Despite advances in therapy, DCM mortality rates remain high, and it is one of the leading causes of heart transplantation. Developments in complementary diagnostic procedures, namely cardiac magnetic resonance and genetic testing, have shed new light on DCM understanding and management. 
  • 486
  • 19 May 2023
Topic Review
Heart Failure in Patients with Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy
Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a rare inherited cardiomyopathy characterized as fibro-fatty replacement, and a common cause for sudden cardiac death in young athletes. Development of heart failure (HF) has been an under-recognized complication of ACM for a long time. The current clinical management guidelines for HF in ACM progression have nowadays been updated. The current clinical management guidelines for HF in ACM progression have nowadays been updated. A comprehensive review for this great achievement in our understanding of HF in ACM is necessary.
  • 483
  • 01 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Cardiac Muscle in the Course of Obesity
Obesity is a growing epidemiological problem, as two-thirds of the adult population are carrying excess weight. It is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarct, and atrial fibrillation). It has also been shown that chronic obesity in people may be a cause for the development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), whose components include cellular hypertrophy, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and increased extracellular collagen deposition.
  • 483
  • 26 Apr 2022
Topic Review
CMR Findings of Myocardial Inflammation and Pathological Correlations
Myocarditis comprises many clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic to sudden cardiac death. The history, physical examination, cardiac biomarkers, inflammatory markers, and electrocardiogram are usually helpful in the initial assessment of suspected acute myocarditis. Echocardiography is the primary tool to detect ventricular wall motion abnormalities, pericardial effusion, valvular regurgitation, and impaired function. The advancement of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has been helpful in clinical practice for diagnosing myocarditis. 
  • 483
  • 19 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque
Atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations, coronary and cerebral artery diseases, are the most common cause of death worldwide. The main pathophysiological mechanism for these complications is the rupture of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques and subsequent thrombosis. Pathological studies of the vulnerable lesions showed that more frequently, plaques rich in lipids and with a high level of inflammation, responsible for mild or moderate stenosis, are more prone to rupture, leading to acute events. Identifying the vulnerable plaques helps to stratify patients at risk of developing acute vascular events. Traditional imaging methods based on plaque appearance and size are not reliable in prediction the risk of rupture. Intravascular imaging is a novel technique able to identify vulnerable lesions, but it is invasive and an operator-dependent technique.
  • 482
  • 25 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Inflammation and Heart Failure
Inflammation is defined as the response of the immune system to a variety of stimuli that might be infectious or tissue harmful. Regardless of the initial insult, there is a series of programmed sequelae depending on the ability of the immune system to eliminate the ‘enemy’ and restore the tissues’ normal structure and function. The inflammatory process can be divided, without clearly defined and therefore overlapping borders, into three sequential phases, including the acute phase, the intermediate and the restore/repair phase. The pivotal role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of heart-failure (HF) development and progression has long been recognized. High blood levels of pro-inflammatory and inflammatory markers are present and associated with adverse outcomes in patients with HF. 
  • 481
  • 28 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Molecular Determinants of Chronic Venous Disease
Chronic Venous Disease (CVD) refers to several pathological and hemodynamic alterations of the veins of lower limbs causing a wide range of symptoms and signs with a high prevalence in the general population and with disabling consequences in the most severe forms. The etiology and pathophysiology of CVD is complex and multifactorial, involving genetic, proteomic, and cellular mechanisms that result in changes to the venous structure and functions. Expressions of several genes associated with angiogenesis, vascular development, and the regulation of veins are responsible for the susceptibility to CVD. Evidence shows that several extracellular matrix alterations (ECM) could be identified and in some cases pharmacologically targeted. 
  • 481
  • 07 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Peptidic Connexin43 Therapeutics
Connexin (Cx43)-formed channels have been linked to cardiac arrhythmias and diseases of the heart associated with myocardial tissue loss and fibrosis. These pathologies include ischemic heart disease, ischemia-reperfusion injury, heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A number of Cx43 mimetic peptides have been reported as therapeutic candidates for targeting disease processes linked to Cx43, including some that have advanced to clinical testing in humans. These peptides include Cx43 sequences based on the extracellular loop domains (e.g., Gap26, Gap 27, and Peptide5), cytoplasmic-loop domain (Gap19 and L2), and cytoplasmic carboxyl-terminal domain (e.g., JM2, Cx43tat, CycliCX, and the alphaCT family of peptides) of this transmembrane protein. Additionally, RYYN peptides binding to the Cx43 carboxyl-terminus have been described.
  • 480
  • 16 May 2021
Topic Review
Antiplatelet Therapy
Antiplatelet therapy (APT) reduces platelet response to vascular damage, an increase in the potency, dosage, and/or duration of APT also inevitably increases the patient’s risk of bleeding. This has been observed in the results of large-scale studies involving tens of thousands of patients. In other words, APT cannot reduce both ischemic and bleeding risks; rather, it poses a technological limitation that has yet to be overcome by innovations.
  • 480
  • 13 Jan 2023
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