Cardiology Letters, 2020 (vol. 29), issue 4

Comment on the 2019 ESC/EASD Guidelines on diabetes, pre-diabetes and cardiovascular diseases

Fábryová Ľ, Martinka E, Murín J

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):205-212  

Role of adrenomedullin, galectin-3 and soluble ST2 in hypertensive patients at risk of heart failure

Huňavý M, Jankajová M, Gibarti C, Pella D, Gonsorčík J

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):220-228  

Background: Adrenomedullin (ADM), galectin-3 (Gal-3) and soluble ST2 (sST2) levels have been found elevated in heart failure (HF). Their relationship to coronary atherosclerosis and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) remains unclear. We evaluated the association of these biomarkers to the extent of coronary atherosclerosis and presence of LVH evaluated by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in hypertensive patients at risk of HF. Methods: The study group consisted of 67 hypertensives indicated for MDCT coronary angiography who underwent echocardiography and plasma biomarker evaluation. 53 patienst had measurable for left ventricular mass indexed...

Exact classification of left ventricular function

Beňačka O, Horváth V, Hatala R, Goncalvesová E

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):229-234  

Introduction: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is an important prognostic parameter and plays a role in indication of many cardiologic and cardiosurgery interventions. Despite a recommendation to assess LVEF by bi-plane Simpson's method, it is still very common to evaluate LVEF by visual estimation. Wrongly estimated LVEF can fundamentally change the clinical destiny of the patient. Aims: To evaluate the dispersion of LVEF values assessed in a certain patient by nine experienced echocadiography examiners. A secondary aim was to evalute the proportion of patients in which the examiners were not able to sort into groups with LVEF > 35% or...

Potassium disturbances and some drugs in seniors with atrial fibrillation (data from SAFIS study)

Dúbrava M, Németh F, Drobná T, Gerlich L

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):235-239  

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent arrhythmia in seniors and can negatively influence their quality of life. In the "Slovak audit of Atrial FIbrillation in Seniors" study (4252 consecutive patients with AF aged ≥ 65 years [mean age 80.9 years], hospitalised during 2.5 years in 4 acute geriatric departments) serum potassium level was one of the analysed parameters. We proved that both hypo- and hyperkalemia are quite frequent. This can be related to the drugs used as well (we analysed 9 drugs / drug groups with the potential known to influence kalemia). We could not prove an association between diuretics and hypokalemia. Neither did a...

Is it important to reduce serum levels of Lp(a) in secondary prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality?

Murín J, Bulas J, Wavruch M

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):240-242  

Reduction of serum lipids, mainly of LDL-Ch level, with lipid lowering treatments (statins, event with ezetimibe and PCSK9 inhibitors in special patients) reduces cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. These days we want, in secondary CV prevention, to lower serum LDL-Ch levels even more and we also want to start with this treatment very much earlier. There are also other new serum lipids, and Lp(a) is one of them, and an association of its serum levels with CV atherosclerotic diseases was found. It is not a (bio)marker, but a risk factor. Up to now we have not had the possibility to reduce serum levels of Lp(a), but treatment with PCSK9 inhibitors...

Effect of growth hormone hypersecretion on the cardiovascular system

Smaha J, Kužma M, Payer J

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):243-247  

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) are molecules whose overproduction in patients with acromegaly leads to the development of cardiovascular comorbidities. The extent of the disease depends on the length of exposure of myocardial cells and endothelial cells to excessive concentrations of GH/IGF-1. However, the coexistence of other classical cardiovascular risk factors is also important. The most common cardiovascular comorbidities are arterial hypertension, acromegalic cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, arrhythmias and coronary artery disease. When a typical echocardiographic image of cardiomyopathy is present rare causes...

Odporúčania na diaľkové monitorovanie kardiálnych implantovateľných elektronických prístrojov

Kaliská G, Šášov M, Ďurčíková P

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):216-219  

Left atrial thrombus despite continuous oral anticoagulant therapy

Ivancikova M, Sipka J, Skamla M, Kaliska G

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):256-258  

Left atrial thrombus may be detected by transoesophageal echocardiography in patients with atrial fibrillation despite continuous anticoagulation therapy. We would like to introduce a case report of a patient treated in our hospital, in whom ischemic stroke occurred despite effective anticoagulant treatment.

Supraventricular tachycardia in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension

Luknár M, Lesný P, Svetlošák M, Hlivák P, Goncalvesová E

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):259-267  

Supraventricular arrhythmias in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are common and often result in severe clinical and hemodynamic deterioration. The management is complex and involves conservative and interventional approaches. We present a case of a patient with idiopathic PAH with multiple recurrent supraventricular arrhythmias. The female patient (b. 1978) was diagnosed with idiopathic PAH in 2006 and sildenafil treatment was initiated in 2007. Due to disease progression, SQ treprostinil was started in 2012 and bosentan was added in 2013. In April, 2014, she was admitted to hospital due to abrupt worsening of dyspnea and hypotension. Regular...

Vitamin C supplementation promotes whole blood rheology in healthy humans

Radošinská J, Jasenovec T, Púzserová A, Krajčír J, Laceková J, Kučerová K, Kalnovičová T, Tóthová Ľ, Kovačicová I, Vrbjar N

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):248-255  

Objectives: Rheological properties of blood significantly affect blood flow in large vessels. Changes in macrocirculation contribute to atherogenesis and consequently cardio-vascular diseases. However, blood flow disorders also impair the quality of microcirculation, e.g. in patients with recurrent episodes of cardiac ischemia. Since a negative correlation between plasma vitamin C levels and blood viscosity was found, we focused on the effect of vitamin C on hemorheology in more detail. Considering the important role of erythrocytes in blood rheology, we decided to simultaneously monitor changes in erythrocyte parameters. Methods: Hemorheological parameters...

Požiadavky na špecializované kardiologické pracovisko oprávnené na implantáciu kardioverterov-defibrilátorov (ICD) v Slovenskej republike

Hatala R, Kaliská G, Margitfalvi P, Bystriansky A, Mišíková S, Urban Ľ, Hlivák P

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(4):213-215