Topic Review
Vascular Diseases in Women
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, yet its magnitude is often underestimated. Biological and gender differences affect health, diagnosis, and healthcare in numerous ways. The lack of sex and gender awareness in health research and healthcare is an ongoing issue that affects not only research but also treatment and outcomes. The importance of recognizing the impacts of both sex and gender on health and of knowing the differences between the two in healthcare is beginning to gain ground. There is more appreciation of the roles that biological differences (sex) and sociocultural power structures (gender) have, and both sex and gender affect health behavior, the development of diseases, their diagnosis, management, and the long-term effects of an illness. 
  • 82
  • 28 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Vascular Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients are at high risk of presenting with arterial calcification or stiffness, which confers increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In recent years, it has become evident that VC is an active process regulated by various molecules that may act as inhibitors of vessel mineralization.
  • 335
  • 09 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Vascular Aging
Vascular aging, i.e., the deterioration of the structure and function of the arteries over the life course, predicts cardiovascular events and mortality. Vascular degeneration can be recognized before becoming clinically symptomatic; therefore, its assessment allows the early identification of individuals at risk. This opens the possibility of minimizing disease progression. Vascular remodeling with advancing age is characterized by arterial stiffening and calcification. Arterial stiffening affects the macro- and micro-vasculature in unique ways. The main function of large arteries is to dampen the pulsatility of cardiac contraction by elastic recoiling after systolic expansion, so that constant, rather than pulsatile, blood flow is propelled to organs and tissues, including the coronary arteries.
  • 358
  • 06 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV) have been increasingly implanted instead of mechanical valves in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Structural valve deterioration (SVD) is a common issue at follow-up and can justify the need for a reintervention. In the evolving landscape of interventional cardiology, valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (ViV TAVR) has emerged as a remarkable innovation to address the complex challenges of patients previously treated with SAVR and has rapidly gained prominence as a feasible technique especially in patients at high surgical risk. On the other hand, the expanding indications for TAVR in progressively younger patients with severe aortic stenosis pose the crucial question on the long-term durability of transcatheter heart valves (THVs), as patients might outlive the bioprosthetic valve.
  • 57
  • 15 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Utility of Genetic Testing in Patients with ATTR-CM
Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an increasingly diagnosed condition. Although wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRwt) is the most common ATTR-CM, hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) may also occur. Genetic testing for transthyretin pathogenic variants is recommended for patients with a confirmed clinical diagnosis of ATTR-CM. In fact, confirmation of this autosomal dominant pathogenic variant prompts genetic counselling and allows early identification of affected relatives. Additionally, in the presence of an ATTR-CM-associated polyneuropathy, specific drugs targeting transthyretin can be used.
  • 68
  • 09 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Use of Cardioprotective Devices and Strategies
Cardioprotective devices such as TandemHeart, Impella family devices, and venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) have been proven to show significant cardioprotection through mechanical support. However, their use as interventional agents in the prevention of hemodynamic changes due to cardiac surgery or percutaneous interventions has been correlated with adverse effects. This can lead to a rebound increased risk of mortality in high-risk patients who undergo cardiac surgery. 
  • 343
  • 21 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Urocortin and Myocardila Infarction
Ucn is a mammalian peptide member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family. Three isoforms of Ucn have been described so far, Ucn1, Ucn2, and Ucn3, which differ in terms of their structure, expression, and affinity to CRF receptors.
  • 411
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Unmet Needs in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) swiftly evolved from a disrupting technology towards mainstream therapy in the field of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. A series of randomized evaluations established its role in treating severe aortic stenosis patients across all surgical risk categories, paving the way for an extension of its indications to younger low-risk patients with a longer life expectancy.
  • 470
  • 21 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Ultrathin-Strut Stents
Studies have shown a lower risk of very late stent thrombosis with developing second-generation DESs with biocompatible and biodegradable polymers or without polymers altogether. In addition, research has indicated that thinner struts are associated with a reduced risk of intrastent restenosis and angiographic and clinical results. A drug-eluting stents (DES) with ultrathin struts (strut thickness of 70 µm) is more flexible, facilitates better tracking, and is more crossable than a conventional second-generation DES. The question is whether ultrathin eluting drug stents suit all kinds of lesions. 
  • 315
  • 15 May 2023
Topic Review
Ultrasound Assessment in Cardiogenic Shock Weaning
Cardiogenic shock (CS) is associated with a high in-hospital mortality despite the achieved advances in diagnosis and management. Invasive mechanical ventilation and circulatory support constitute the highest step in cardiogenic shock therapy. Once established, taking the decision of weaning from such support is challenging. Intensive care unit (ICU) bedside echocardiography pro- vides noninvasive, immediate, and low-cost monitoring of hemodynamic parameters such as cardiac output, filling pressure, structural disease, congestion status, and device functioning. Supplemented by an ultrasound of the lung and diaphragm, it is able to provide valuable information about signs suggesting a weaning failure. The aim of this article was to review the state of the art taking into account current evidence and knowledge on ICU bedside ultrasound for the evaluation of weaning from mechanical ventilation and circulatory support in cardiogenic shock.
  • 352
  • 03 Nov 2021
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