Topic Review
Structural Correlates of Conduction Disturbances
Structural remodelling refers to the development of atrial fibrosis, as well as to alterations in atrial size and cellular ultrastructure. The latter includes myolysis, the development of glycogen accumulation, altered Connexin expression, subcellular changes, and sinus rhythm (SR) alterations.
  • 288
  • 19 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Coronary Artery Disease Pathophysiology in End-Stage Renal Disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and during the first year after transplantation. Besides the traditional cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, tobacco use, family history), in CKD patients non-traditional risk factors play an important role in CAD pathophysiology.
  • 288
  • 04 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Current Knowledge of Enterococcal Endocarditis
Enterococci are a unique type of bacteria due to their ability to withstand a broad range of different environmental parameters such as pH, temperature, salinity, bile acids, and so on. They are resistant to many antibiotic compounds and have the flexibility to flourish as both common commensal and opportunistic pathogens in a broad range of clinical settings.
  • 288
  • 26 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Linc-ROR in Cancer and Disease
Cancer is responsible for more than 10 million deaths every year. Metastasis and drug resistance lead to a poor survival rate and are a major therapeutic challenge. Substantial evidence demonstrates that an increasing number of long non-coding RNAs are dysregulated in cancer, including the long intergenic non-coding RNA, regulator of reprogramming (linc-ROR), which mostly exerts its role as an onco-lncRNA acting as a competing endogenous RNA that sequesters micro RNAs.
  • 288
  • 11 May 2023
Topic Review
Trained Immunity in Atherosclerosis
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. It is a result of the buildup of atherosclerosis within the coronary arteries. The role of the immune system in CAD is complex and multifaceted. The immune system responds to damage or injury to the arterial walls by initiating an inflammatory response. However, this inflammatory response can become chronic and lead to plaque formation. Neutrophiles, macrophages, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, and NKT cells play a key role in immunity response, both with proatherogenic and antiatherogenic signaling pathways.
  • 285
  • 03 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Microvascular Disease in Heart and Brain by MRI
Microvascular disease (small vessel disease), affecting the small arteries, arterioles, capillaries, and venules of the heart and brain, presents a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems with costs totalling billions each year. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) are complex conditions that present significant ongoing challenges in both diagnosis and treatment. 
  • 284
  • 19 Sep 2023
Topic Review
The Roles of Periodontal Bacteria in Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis (AS) is an inflammatory vascular disease that constitutes a major underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and stroke. Infection is a contributing risk factor for AS. Epidemiological evidence has implicated individuals afflicted by periodontitis displaying an increased susceptibility to AS and CVD. 
  • 283
  • 06 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Signaling Mechanism of Remote Postconditioning of the Heart
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains the leading cause of mortality in the world, highlighting an urgent need for the development of novel, more effective approaches for the treatment of AMI. Remote postconditioning (RPost) of the heart could be a useful approach. It was demonstrated that RPost triggers infarct size reduction, improves contractile function of the heart in reperfusion, mitigates apoptosis, and stimulates autophagy in animals with coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion. Endogenous opioid peptides and adenosine could be involved in RPost. It was found that kinases and NO-synthase participate in RPost. KATP channels, MPT pore, and STAT3 could be hypothetical end-effectors of RPost. 
  • 281
  • 21 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Heart Failure in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Patients with heart failure (HF) and associated chronic kidney disease (CKD) are a population less represented in clinical trials; additionally, subjects with more severe estimated glomerular filtration rate reduction are often excluded from large studies. In this setting, most of the data come from post hoc analyses and retrospective studies. Accordingly, in patients with advanced CKD, there are no specific studies evaluating the long-term effects of the traditional drugs commonly administered in HF. 
  • 281
  • 28 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Cerebral Protection Devices in Transcatheter Procedures
Intraprocedural stroke is a well-documented and feared potential risk of cardiovascular transcatheter procedures (TPs). Moreover, subclinical neurological events or covert central nervous system infarctions are concerns related to the development of dementia, future stroke, cognitive decline, and increased risk of mortality. Cerebral protection devices (CPDs) were developed to mitigate the risk of cardioembolic embolism during TPs. They are mechanical barriers designed to cover the ostium of the supra-aortic branches in the aortic arch, but newer devices are able to protect the descending aorta. CPDs have been mainly designed and tested to provide cerebral protection during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), but their use in both Catheterization and Electrophysiology laboratories is rapidly increasing. 
  • 280
  • 07 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers in Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined as the presence of albuminuria and/or reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, is considered a growing public health problem. The implementation of novel biomarkers in clinical practice is crucial, since it could allow earlier diagnosis and lead to an improvement in CKD outcomes.
  • 280
  • 14 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Familial Hypercholesterolemia and Lipoprotein(a)
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the most frequent genetic disorder resulting in increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels from childhood, leading to premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) if left untreated. FH diagnosis is based on clinical criteria and/or genetic testing and its prevalence is estimated as being up to 1:300,000–400,000 for the homozygous and ~1:200–300 for the heterozygous form. Apart from its late diagnosis, FH is also undertreated, despite the available lipid-lowering therapies. In addition, elevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) (>50 mg/dL; 120 nmol/L), mostly genetically determined, has been identified as an important cardiovascular risk factor with prevalence rate of ~20% in the general population. Novel Lp(a)-lowering therapies have been developed and their cardiovascular efficacy is investigated. 
  • 279
  • 14 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Off-Target Effects of P2Y12 Receptor Inhibitors
Ischemic heart disease holds the foremost position as the primary contributor to mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Furthermore, it constitutes the predominant underlying cause of heart failure on a global scale. Diverging from other tissues, the myocardium demonstrates a markedly limited ability to regenerate in the aftermath of injuries. Consequently, necrotic cardiomyocytes are replaced by fibrotic scar tissue in the cardiac repair process, which can lead to an adverse cardiac remodeling. Different cell types, including fibroblasts and macrophages, are involved in this process and play a pivotal role by releasing a wide array of mediators (i.e., cytokines) that regulate the activation of multiple molecular pathways, such as the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, involved in cardiac fibrosis. For this reason, the modulation of these pathways might be effective in promoting the replacement of fibrosis in reactive tissue. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), consisting of the combination of a platelet P2Y12 receptor inhibitor and aspirin, is the cornerstone of treatment for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) requiring percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). P2Y12 receptor activation, a platelet purinergic receptor for adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP), significantly contributes to the arterial thrombosis process. 
  • 279
  • 28 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Aortic Elasticity and Cardiovascular Risk Stratification
Cardiovascular risk stratification is a cornerstone of preventive cardiology, aiming to identify individuals at a higher risk for adverse events. In line with this, aortic elastic properties have gained recognition as crucial indicators of vascular health and predictors of cardiovascular outcomes.
  • 279
  • 08 Mar 2024
Topic Review
N-Acetylcysteine and Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis remains a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. Although the mechanism for atherosclerosis is complex and has not been fully understood, inflammation and oxidative stress play a critical role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used as a mucolytic agent and an antidote for acetaminophen overdose with a well-established safety profile. NAC has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects through multiple mechanisms, including an increase in the intracellular glutathione level and an attenuation of the nuclear factor kappa-B mediated production of inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukins. Numerous animal studies have demonstrated that NAC significantly decreases the development and progression of atherosclerosis.
  • 277
  • 21 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Metabolic Syndrome and Atrial Fibrillation
Obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia are all clusters of an entity called “Metabolic Syndrome”. The global trends of this syndrome’s incidence/prevalence continue to increase reciprocally, converting it into a massive epidemic problem in the medical community.
  • 275
  • 19 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Stress Echo in Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis
Rest and stress echocardiography (SE) plays a pivotal role in the evaluation of valvular heart disease. The use of SE is recommended in valvular heart disease when there is a mismatch between resting transthoracic echocardiography findings and symptoms. In aortic stenosis (AS), rest echocardiographic analysis is a stepwise approach that begins with the evaluation of aortic valve morphology and proceeds to the measurement of the transvalvular aortic gradient and aortic valve area (AVA) using continuity equations or planimetry. 
  • 274
  • 26 May 2023
Topic Review
The Role of Non-Invasive Multimodality Imaging in CCS
Non-invasive imaging methods can assess coronary anatomy through coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and/or inducible myocardial ischemia through functional stress testing (stress echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, single photon emission computed tomography—SPECT, or positron emission tomography—PET). 
  • 274
  • 27 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Intracoronary Imaging of Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Several cardiovascular risk factors are implicated in atherosclerotic plaque promotion and progression and are responsible for the clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease (CAD), ranging from chronic to acute coronary syndromes and sudden coronary death. The advent of intravascular imaging (IVI), including intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography and near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy has significantly improved the comprehension of CAD pathophysiology and has strengthened the prognostic relevance of coronary plaque morphology assessment. Indeed, several atherosclerotic plaque phenotype and mechanisms of plaque destabilization have been recognized with different natural history and prognosis. Finally, IVI demonstrated benefits of secondary prevention therapies, such as lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory agents. 
  • 272
  • 13 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation and Cardiac Conduction Abnormalities
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or replacement (TAVR) has become a potential, widely accepted, and effective method of treating aortic stenosis in patients at moderate and high surgical risk and those disqualified from surgery. The method evolved what translates into a noticeable decrease in the incidence of complications and more beneficial clinical outcomes.
  • 272
  • 16 Oct 2023
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