Summary

Hypertension is a major public health concern worldwide because of its rising prevalence and concomitant risks of cardiovascular diseases. Coping strategies may encompass a full spectrum of clinical, epidemiological, experimental, and technological factors to inspire front-line practices and shape critical thinking. This entry collection aims to assemble entries of wealthy topics related to clinical, therapeutic, and population sciences of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases that could inform research scientists and healthcare professionals.

Expand All
Entries
Topic Review
Vasospasm in Fluoropyrimidine-Induced Ischemic Heart Disease
Cardiovascular diseases and cancer are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Cardiotoxicity from chemotherapeutic agents results in substantial morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors and patients with active cancer. Cardiotoxicity induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been well established, yet its incidence, mechanisms, and manifestation remain poorly defined. Ischemia secondary to coronary artery vasospasm is thought to be the most frequent cardiotoxic effect of 5-FU. The available evidence of 5-FU-induced epicardial coronary artery spasm and coronary microvascular dysfunction suggests that endothelial dysfunction or primary vascular smooth muscle dysfunction (an endothelial-independent mechanism) are the possible contributing factors to this form of cardiotoxicity. In patients with 5-FU-related coronary artery vasospasm, termination of chemotherapy and administration of nitrates or calcium channel blockers may improve ischemic symptoms. However, there are variable results after administration of nitrates or calcium channel blockers in patients treated with 5-FU presumed to have myocardial ischemia, suggesting mechanisms other than impaired vasodilatory response. 
  • 842
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Effect of Oral Infections on Systemic Health
Immunological mechanisms are known to affect the oral cavity with characteristic pathologic alterations. Infections in general have been suggested to trigger autoimmune diseases such as rheumatic diseases and diabetes and their oral microorganisms such as P. gingivalis may play a role. In The Stockholm Study, the prevalence of autoimmune diseases was investigated and 50 such patients were detected in the database.
  • 851
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Pathophysiology of the Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disease that has a complex etiology. It is defined as the co-occurrence of several pathophysiological disorders, including obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.
  • 2.9K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Traditional and Novel Biomarkers for Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction
Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is related to a broad variety of clinical scenarios in which cardiac microvasculature is morphologically and functionally affected, and it is associated with impaired responses to vasoactive stimuli. Although the prevalence of CMD involves about half of all patients with chronic coronary syndromes and more than 20% of those with acute coronary syndrome, the diagnosis of CMD is often missed, leading to the underestimation of its clinical importance. The established and validated techniques for the measurement of coronary microvascular function are invasive and expensive. An ideal method to assess endothelial dysfunction should be accurate, non-invasive, cost-effective and accessible. There are varieties of biomarkers available, potentially involved in microvascular disease, but none have been extensively validated in this heterogeneous clinical population. The investigation of potential biomarkers linked to microvascular dysfunction might improve the assessment of the diagnosis, risk stratification, disease progression and therapy response. 
  • 907
  • 26 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Pathogenesis and Management of Brugada Syndrome
Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a primary electrical disease associated with arrhythmias and an elevated risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). It was described by Pedro and Josep Brugada in 1992 as a syndrome comprised of “right bundle branch block, persistent ST segment elevation and SCD”. The prevalence of BrS electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns differs largely among various regions and populations of the world. Patients with BrS are considered symptomatic if they have history of aborted SCD, ventricular fibrillation (VF), sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), or syncope. BrS usually presents during the third or fourth decade of life, and about 63% of patients are asymptomatic at diagnosis. However, syncope or major arrhythmic events (MAE) can occur at any age, or SCD may even present as the first event. BrS contributes towards sudden infant death syndrome, SCD in children, and is estimated to cause about 20% of all SCDs in individuals with anatomically normal cardiac structures.
  • 1.7K
  • 18 Apr 2022
Topic Review
RDW Change in Heart Failure
Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is an integral parameter of the complete blood count (CBC), which has been traditionally used for the classification of several types of anemia. It has been defined either as the standard deviation (SD) of erythrocyte volumes (RDW-SD), which is measured by calculating the width at the 20% height level of the red blood cell (RBC) size distribution histogram; or, as the coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) of erythrocyte volumes by dividing the standard deviation (SD) of the red blood cell volume (RBCs) by the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) multiplied by 100 (SD/MCV × 100), and expressing the variability in size of circulating erythrocytes (anisocytosis). The normal reference ranges of RDW-SD and RDW-CV are typically 39–46 fL and 11.5–15%, respectively, but often vary depending on the method of RDW calculation and the available hematological analyzers used.
  • 1.2K
  • 18 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Analyzing Heart Failure Care by Actor-Partner Interdependence Model
Heart failure (HF) is a complex, heterogeneous, increasingly prevalent cardiovascular disorder with high morbidity and mortality. Self-care behaviors are essential for the effective treatment of heart failure, and poor self-care may lead to adverse clinical events in patients with HF, including repeated hospitalizations, poor quality of life, and increased mortality. One of the most common approaches for analyzing data on HF self-care dyads is the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). Studies using the APIM approach revealed interrelated patient and caregiver characteristics that influence self-care and explain many complex dyadic behaviors. 
  • 881
  • 15 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Artificial Intelligence in Coronary Artery Disease
Clinically significant atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, known as coronary artery disease (CAD), is an endemic condition that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning over the last two decades has unlocked new dimensions in the field of cardiovascular medicine. From automatic interpretations of heart rhythm disorders via smartwatches, to assisting in complex decision-making, AI has quickly expanded its realms in medicine and has demonstrated itself as a promising tool in helping clinicians guide treatment decisions. Understanding complex genetic interactions and developing clinical risk prediction models, advanced cardiac imaging, and improving mortality outcomes are just a few areas where AI has been applied in the domain of coronary artery disease. 
  • 1.6K
  • 13 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Pulmonary Atresia with Ventricular Septal Defect
Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD) is the extreme form of Fallot's tetralogy in which pulmonary blood flow is ensured from systemic blood flow sources. In the presence of Major Aorto-Pulmonary Collateral Arteries (MAPCAs), the disease assumes the greatest complexity due to the variable pulmonary perfusion patterns, of which MAPCAs are an important, although not the only source. True pulmonary arteries may have varying degrees of hypoplasia, be absent and, more rarely, discontinuous, with unilateral pulmonary perfusion provided by the arterial duct and contralateral by MAPCAs. The variability of the pulmonary perfusion pattern is a determining factor in the complexity of patients with PA/VSD/MAPCAs and the consequent diversity of their surgical management.
  • 1.0K
  • 12 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Gap Junctions in Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents the most common type of clinical cardiac arrhythmia worldwide and contributes to substantial morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic burden. Aggregating evidence highlights the strong genetic basis of AF. In addition to chromosomal abnormalities, pathogenic mutations in over 50 genes have been causally linked to AF, of which the majority encode ion channels, cardiac structural proteins, transcription factors and gap junction channels. In the heart, gap junctions comprised of connexins (Cxs) form intercellular pathways responsible for electrical coupling and rapid coordinated action potential propagation between adjacent cardiomyocytes. Among the 21 isoforms of connexins already identified in the mammal genomes, 5 isoforms (Cx37, Cx40, Cx43, Cx45 and Cx46) are expressed in human heart. Abnormal electrical coupling between cardiomyocytes caused by structural remodeling of gap junction channels (alterations in connexin distribution and protein levels) has been associated with enhanced susceptibility to AF and recent studies have revealed multiple causative mutations or polymorphisms in 4 isoforms of connexins predisposing to AF.
  • 1.3K
  • 11 Apr 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 39

Other Entry Collections

>>