Cardiology

The January 2023 cardiology month in review features a trio of articles related to management of atrial fibrillation, the FDA approval of Abbott’s Navitor system, and a study spotlighting the prevalence of mental health conditions among cardiologists.

An analysis of registry data recorded in Denmark over a 4-decade period offers an overview of the risk of acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke incurred as a result of preeclampsia during pregnancy and how this risk changes over time.

An analysis of the Jackson Heart Study reports economic food insecurity as a risk factor for incident CHD and incident HFrEF, independent of socioeconomic measures and traditional CV risk factors.

Rurality was associated with an increased risk of HF among women and Black men, which persisted after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and socioeconomic status.

With up to 40 years of follow-up, a retrospective study of matched pairs is providing an overview of the long-term risks and benefits of bariatric surgery in people with overweight or obesity.

The SPRINT MIND trial is providing new evidence related to the effects of intensive blood pressure lowering on cognitive impairment and risk of dementia according to baseline diastolic blood pressure

Results from the ACTIVE-AF trial indicate participation in an exercise-based intervention reduced arrhythmia recurrence and improved symptom severity among patients with AF.

Men in the highest quartile of PDE-5i exposure had the lowest incidence of MACE and overall mortality compared to the lowest exposure quartile.

A new study from clinicians in the VA Boston Healthcare System provides an overview of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on racial disparities in wait times for new cardiology and orthopedic specialist consultations.

An analysis of data from the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database provides an updated overview of the risks of mortality, morbidity, and conversion-to-replacement among patients undergoing mitral valve repair for primary mitral regurgitation.

Stroke symptoms that disappear in under an hour need emergency assessment to help prevent a full-blown stroke. A new scientific statement from the AHA provides guidance and a standardized approach to evaluating people with suspected TIA, particularly in rural areas.

An analysis of patient data from the REGARDS cohort suggests the increase in relative risk observed with traditional risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, on risk of stroke decreases as patients age, but investigators point out this does not diminish the importance of addressing these risk factors.

Each 1-SD increment in HDL-C level was associated with a 14% higher risk of fractures in cohort study of approximately 16,000 community-dwelling healthy adults.

Results of the PREVENT CLOT study indicate use of aspirin was as effective as low-molecular-weight heparin for reducing incidence of mortality in patients hospitalized with a traumatic fracture.

The TAVI system Navitor from Abbott is designed to treat people with severe aortic stenosis who are at high or extreme risk for open-heart surgery.

In a cohort of consecutive HFrEF patients admitted with AHF, the findings suggest almost three-quarters of patients were eligible for combined quadruple therapy.

The 2022 updated guidelines includes 13 recommendations and 52 practice points for clinicians caring for patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

An analysis of NHANES data from 1999-2018 details the progress made with regard to cholesterol management on a population level but also provides insight into areas where room for improvement still exists.

A simulation study including both cardiologists and pulmonologists found providers failed to properly diagnose pulmonary hypertension more than 50% of the time.

At 12 months of the CAPLA trial, the addition of posterior wall isolation to pulmonary vein isolation led to no significant improvements in freedom from atrial arrhythmia.

A secondary analysis of a cluster RCT indicated the Texas Sprouts intervention led to improvements in glucose control and reduced LDL-C in high-risk schoolchildren.

In this case report, a man in his 50s with a history of ESRD, alcoholic cirrhosis, and anemia presents to the emergency department for evaluation of generalized weakness after missing his last 2 dialysis appointments. Check out the ECG and determine the most likely cause of the rhythm!

Applying a statistical model to estimate the effects of reducing sodium intake at a population level in Australia, investigators suggest adherence to World Health Organization benchmarks could prevent 6900 deaths from CVD, CKD, and stomach cancers annually.

Using data from 2 large prospective studies, a Harvard-led team estimates the impact of adherence to a group of healthy eating patterns on risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

The COACH trial reported a hospital-based strategy led to lower risk of death from any cause or hospitalization for cardiovascular causes within 30 days than usual care in patients with acute heart failure.

Patients with AF experienced worse 90-day outcomes than those without AF, even with comparable, successful reperfusion outcomes.

Data from a 2019 survey of more than 5000 cardiologists across the globe suggests 28% of the field may be experiencing some form of mental health condition, with results also shedding light on predictors of mental health conditions.

Using data from more than 55,000 people with diabetes using metformin is providing new insight into the apparent reductions in risk of negative cardiovascular and renal outcomes as well as all-cause mortality with use of SGLT2 inhibitors.

Ulcerative colitis was considered an independent risk factor, while Crohn’s disease and unclassified inflammatory bowel disease were not.

Using real-world data from the US, Japan, and Sweden provides insight into contemporary trends in GDMT use, including initiation, uptitration, and discontinuation, following hospitalization among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.