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Topic Review
Polyoxygenated Chalcones
Polyphenols consumption has been associated to a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) notably through nitric oxide (NO)- and estrogen receptor α (ERα)-dependent pathways. Among polyphenolic compounds, chalcones have been suggested to prevent endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. However, the involvement of both the NO and the ERα pathways for the beneficial vascular effects of chalcones has never been demonstrated. In this study, we aimed to identify chalcones with high vasorelaxation potential and to characterize the signaling pathways in relation with ERα signaling and NO involvement. The evaluation of vasorelaxation potential was performed by myography on wild-type (WT) and ERα knock-out (ERα-KO) mice aorta in presence or in absence of the eNOS inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Among the set of chalcones that were synthesized, four exhibited a strong vasorelaxant effect (more than 80% vasorelaxation) while five compounds have shown a 60% relief of the pre-contraction and four compounds led to a lower vasorelaxation. We were able to demonstrate that the vasorelaxant effect of two highly active chalcones was either ERα-dependent and NO-independent or ERα-independent and NO-dependent.
  • 724
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection
The main challenge in diagnosing and managing thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAA/D) is represented by the early detection of a disease that is both deadly and “elusive”, as it generally grows asymptomatically prior to rupture, leading to death in the majority of cases. Gender differences exist in aortic dissection in terms of incidence and treatment options. Efforts have been made to identify biomarkers that may help in early diagnosis and in detecting those patients at a higher risk of developing life-threatening complications. As soon as the hereditability of the TAA/D was demonstrated, several genetic factors were found to be associated with both the syndromic and non-syndromic forms of the disease, and they currently play a role in patient diagnosis/prognosis and management-guidance purposes.
  • 723
  • 02 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Hypertension and Arrhythmias
Because of demographic aging, the prevalence of arterial hypertension (HTN) and cardiac arrhythmias, namely atrial fibrillation (AF), is progressively increasing. Not only are these clinical entities strongly connected, but, acting with a synergistic effect, their association may cause a worse clinical outcome in patients already at risk of ischemic and/or haemorrhagic stroke and, consequently, disability and death.
  • 722
  • 25 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Cancer Patients
Cancer patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and, notably, a significant prevalence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). It has been shown that an elevated presence of cardiovascular risk factors in this setting leads to an interaction between these two conditions, influencing their therapeutic strategies and contributing to higher mortality. 
  • 722
  • 28 Nov 2022
Topic Review
FABPs in Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain a global pandemic and leading cause of deaths worldwide. While several guidelines have been developed to control the development of CVDs, its prevalence keeps on increasing until this day. Cardiovascular risk factors, such as reduced exercises and high fat or glucose diets, culminate in the development of the metabolic syndrome and eventually atherosclerosis, which is driven by high blood lipid and cholesterol levels, and by endothelial dysfunction. Late complications of atherosclerosis give rise to serious clinical cardiovascular manifestations such as myocardial infarction and hypertension. Therefore, endothelial functions and the lipid metabolism play critical roles in the pathogenesis of CVDs. Fatty acid-binding proteins are a family of intracellular proteins expressed in many cell types known mainly for their interaction with and tracking of cellular lipids. The roles of a number of isoforms in this family have been implicated in lipid metabolic homeostasis, but their influence on endothelial function and vascular homeostasis remain largely unknown. This entry’s purpose is to update fundamentals about the connection between cardiovascular disease, metabolism, endothelial function, and mainly the roles of fatty acid-binding proteins.
  • 720
  • 19 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Chronic Renal Failure and Cardiovascular Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with a linear increase in the risk of cardiovascular mortality with decreasing eGFR. The concomitant renal disease often poses a major challenge in decision making as symptoms, cardiac biomarkers, and noninvasive studies for evaluation of myocardial ischemia have different sensitivity and specificity thresholds in this specific population.
  • 719
  • 11 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Macrophages as Potential Therapeutic Targets in Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the greatest public health concerns and is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. CVD is a broad yet complex term referring to numerous heart and vascular conditions, all with varying pathologies. Macrophages are one of the key factors in the development of these conditions. Macrophages play diverse roles in the maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis, and an imbalance of these mechanisms contributes to the development of CVD.
  • 717
  • 15 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and Heart Failure (HF) are closely linked to each other, as each can be either the cause of or the result of the other. Successfully treating one of the two entities means laying the basis for treating the other one as well. AF is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, It is predisposed by several risk factors such as HF, ischemic heart disease, high blood pressure, valvular heart disease, sleep apnea, and diabetes, and at the same time increases the risk of developing heart failure of any kind (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, HFpEF; heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction, HFmrEF; heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, HFrEF). AF and heart failure co-exist in up to 30% of patients and are closely linked to each other, as each can be either the cause of or the result of the other (“Atrial Fibrillation Begets Heart Failure and Vice Versa”). When both conditions occur in the same patient, the prognosis is worse than with either condition alone. Pulmonary Vein Isolation (PVI) is a well established treatment option in patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Studies investigating PVI in patients with AF and HF will be discussed in this paper.
  • 715
  • 16 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Blood Culture-Negative Infective Endocarditis by Mycoplasma hominis
Mycoplasma hominis is a habitual colonizing microorganism of the lower genital tract but can exceptionally be the causal agent of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis (IE). 
  • 713
  • 21 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Monoamine Oxidases
On the one hand, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the onset and progression of a wide array of diseases. On the other hand, these are a part of signaling pathways related to cell metabolism, growth and survival. While ROS are produced at various cellular sites, in cardiomyocytes the largest amount of ROS is generated by mitochondria. Apart from the electron transport chain and various other proteins, monoamine oxidases (MAO) has been proposed to modify mitochondrial ROS formation. 
  • 713
  • 07 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Chronic Coronary Syndromes
Chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) are a widespread phenomenon associated with different clinical entities, mostly characterized by a stable and progressive process of atherosclerotic plaque formation. As symptoms among patients with CCS are often not uniform and atypical, diagnostic tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate the risk of events.
  • 711
  • 23 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Short-Chain Fatty Acid Receptors and Cardiovascular Function
Free fatty acids (FFAs) are metabolically produced and utilized as energy substrates during almost every biological process in the human body. Contrary to long- and medium-chain FFAs, which are mainly synthesized from dietary triglycerides, short-chain FFAs (SCFAs) derive from the gut microbiota-mediated fermentation of indigestible dietary fiber. Originally thought to serve only as energy sources, FFAs are now known to act as ligands for a specific group of cell surface receptors called FFA receptors (FFARs), thereby inducing intracellular signaling to exert a variety of cellular and tissue effects. All FFARs are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that play integral roles in the regulation of metabolism, immunity, inflammation, hormone/neurotransmitter secretion, etc. Four different FFAR types are known to date, with FFAR1 (formerly known as GPR40) and FFAR4 (formerly known as GPR120) mediating long- and medium-chain FFA actions, while FFAR3 (formerly GPR41) and FFAR2 (formerly GPR43) are essentially the SCFA receptors (SCFARs), responding to all SCFAs, including acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid. As with various other organ systems/tissues, the important roles the SCFARs (FFAR2 and FFAR3) play in physiology and in various disorders of the cardiovascular system have been revealed over the last fifteen years.
  • 711
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Erectile Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Disease Links
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a multi-factorial illness that is characterized by the presence of vascular atherosclerosis and hormonal, lifestyle, age, neurological, and physiological factors, all occurring in a well-coordinated manner. Among all of the listed characteristics, vascular disease is the most common cause of ED. Testosterone levels, psychological concerns, such as performance anxiety, and iatrogenesis are all the variables that contribute to ED development.
  • 711
  • 02 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Bedside Ultrasound for Hemodynamic Monitoring in CICU
Thanks to the advances in medical therapy and assist devices, the management of patients hospitalized in cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) is becoming increasingly challenging. In fact, Patients in the cardiac intensive care unit are frequently characterized by dynamic and variable diseases, which may evolve into several clinical phenotypes based on underlying etiology and its complexity. Therefore, the use of noninvasive tools in order to provide a personalized approach to these patients, according to their phenotype, may help to optimize the therapeutic strategies towards the underlying etiology. Echocardiography is the most reliable and feasible bedside method to assess cardiac function repeatedly, assisting clinicians not only in characterizing hemodynamic disorders, but also in helping to guide interventions and monitor response to therapies. Beyond basic echocardiographic parameters, its application has been expanded with the introduction of new tools such as lung ultrasound (LUS), the Venous Excess UltraSound (VexUS) grading system, and the assessment of pulmonary hypertension, which is fundamental to guide oxygen therapy. 
  • 710
  • 05 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Hypoxia-Inducible Transcription Factors in Signaling during Myocardial Ischemia
Despite increasing availability and more successful interventional approaches to restore coronary reperfusion, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. During myocardial ischemia, the myocardium becomes profoundly hypoxic, thus causing stabilization of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIF). Stabilization of HIF leads to a transcriptional program that promotes adaptation to hypoxia and cellular survival. Transcriptional consequences of HIF stabilization include increases in extracellular production and signaling effects of adenosine. Extracellular adenosine functions as a signaling molecule via the activation of adenosine receptors. Several studies implicated adenosine signaling in cardioprotection, particularly through the activation of the Adora2a and Adora2b receptors. Adenosine receptor activation can lead to metabolic adaptation to enhance ischemia tolerance or dampen myocardial reperfusion injury via signaling events on immune cells. Many studies highlight that clinical strategies to target the hypoxia-adenosine link could be considered for clinical trials. This could be achieved by using pharmacologic HIF activators or by directly enhancing extracellular adenosine production or signaling as a therapy for patients with acute myocardial infarction, or undergoing cardiac surgery. 
  • 708
  • 24 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Infection
Infection is the most feared complication in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED), with an incidence of 1–3% during the lifetime and a mortality rate of up to 27.5% at three years. Different strategies have been proposed to prevent infections. Strategies of proven efficacy include appropriate procedure timing, management of antithrombotic therapy, patient preparation, surgical technique, and adequate wound care. However, the most important defense against CIED infection (and the most studied in more than 40 years of clinical trials) is systemic antibiotic prophylaxis. In short, preoperative administration of antibiotics is clearly beneficial and represents the standard of care for all patients, recommended by international consensus, mostly with drugs covering Staphylococcus aureus species, such as beta-lactams or glycopeptides.
  • 707
  • 24 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography in Mitral Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis
Despite advances in diagnosis, imaging methods, and medical and surgical interventions, prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) remains an extremely serious and potentially fatal complication of heart valve surgery. Characteristic changes of PVE are more difficult to detect by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) than those involving the native valve.
  • 706
  • 24 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Evolution of Extracellular Vesicles’ Knowledge
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a family of particles/vesicles present in blood and body fluids, composed of phospholipid bilayers that carry a variety of molecules that can mediate cell communication, modulating crucial cell processes such as homeostasis, induction/dampening of inflammation, and promotion of repair. Since their discovery in 1946, the scientific interest on EVs has increased exponentially promoting promising studies on their possible roles in health and disease.
  • 701
  • 24 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Epigenetics of Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is known to be the most common supraventricular arrhythmia affecting up to 1% of the general population. Its prevalence exponentially increases with age and could reach up to 8% in the elderly population. The management of AF is a complex issue that is addressed by extensive ongoing basic and clinical research. AF centers around different types of disturbances, including ion channel dysfunction, Ca2+-handling abnormalities, and structural remodeling. 
  • 700
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve-in-Valve Procedure
Severe tricuspid commitment is no longer understood as merely a marker of disease but is now widely thought of as a significant contributor to cardiac morbidity and mortality. However, isolated tricuspid valve surgery remains rare and to this day continues to be associated with the highest surgical risk among all valve procedures and high operative mortality rates, especially in reoperations. Therefore, the development of tricuspid transcatheter procedures is as necessary as it was for the other valves a couple of years ago. Recently, multiple percutaneous therapies have been developed for the management of severe tricuspid disease, initially only repair and more recently replacement, thus creating a new branch for the management of patients who have already undergone surgery and who present with dysfunctional bioprostheses.
  • 699
  • 20 Oct 2021
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