Cardiology Letters, 2021 (vol. 30), issue 3-4

Comment on 2020 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation

Hatala R, Svetlošák M

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):141-147  

Screening for Arterial Hypertension in Primary Healthcare Facilities in Slovakia - the "Charter 70/2023" Initiative

Charta 70/2023

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):148-158  

Arterial hypertension (AH) is the most prevalent modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and in about half of the cases it is the determining factor for stroke and coronary heart disease. In addition, significant burdens of atrial fibrillation and heart failure are attributable to AH. At population level, appropriate management of AH is crucial for cardiovascular health. The "Charter 70/2023" is an initiative to improve BP control so that at least 70% of hypertensive patients in Slovakia achieve target BP values by the year 2023. Study aim: To assess the prevalence of AH in Slovak adult population and to evaluate the level...

Adult cardiac surgery report 2020: The first annual report from the Slovak cardiac surgery registry - National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Bratislava

Hulman M, Bezák B, Gašparovič I, Hudec V, Glonek I, Beňa M, Jurčo R, Kiss M, Jančár M, Ondrušek M, Cikrai R, Charchoglhyan R, Domonkos A, Zembery M, Artemiou P Hulman M, Bezak B, Gasparovic I, Hudec V, Glonek I, Bena M, Jurco R, Kiss M, Jancar M, Ondrusek M, Cikrai R, Charchoglhyan R, Domonkos A, Zembery M, Artemiou P

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):192-200  

Introduction: Based on a longtime voluntary registry founded by the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic in 2012, well-defined data of all adult cardiac surgery procedures performed in Slovakia at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases during the year 2020 are analyzed. Material and method: For this period, a total of 1021 procedures were submitted to the registry from the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Results: The unadjusted in-hospital survival rate for the 401 isolated coronary artery bypass grafting procedures including urgent and emergency procedures (relatioship on-/off pump 4.5:1) was 97%. For isolated 306 isolated...

Necroptosis-mediated damage of atrial myocardium - another proarrhythmic factor of atrial fibrillation?

Horváth C, Jarabicová I, Beňa M, Beňačka O, Hulman M, Hlivák P, Hatala R, Duriš Adameová A

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):159-167  

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder worldwide, with a dominant position in the epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases. In spite of a number of various therapeutic approaches for the restoration and/or maintenance of sinus rhythm, the mortality of patients with AF is twice as high as in patients with sinus rhythm. This suggest that other, so far unknown, factors are likely responsible for atrial damage, and that targeting such factors might be more beneficial in the management of AF. It is known that besides electrical and contractile remodelling, structural remodelling of atria, particularly due to inflammation-related...

COVID-19 vaccination and thrombosis

Sokol J, Nehaj F, Chudej J, Lisá L

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):168-174  

Vaccines against COVID-19 caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 represent a key countermeasure in fighting the current pandemic. From December 2020 to March 2021, the European Medicines Agency approved four vaccines. In late February of 2021, a prothrombotic syndrome was observed in a small group of individuals who received the ChAdOx1 CoV-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca, University of Oxford), an adenoviral vector-based vaccine. Subsequently, similar findings were observed in a small number of subjects who received the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine (Janssen; Johnson & Johnson), also based on an adenoviral vector. This syndrome is currently referred to as vaccine-induced...

Biomarkers in heart failure. From well-established to promising

Chudý M, Lesný P, Goncalvesová E

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):175-184  

The importance of biomarkers is continuously growing in all fields of medicine. Their significance does not lie in diagnosis and prognosis evaluation only: they contribute moreover to reveal novel signaling pathways which are becoming new potential therapeutic targets. Because of the complexity of heart failure syndrome, the wide spectrum of biomarkers representing several pathophysiological processes has to be studied and analysed. These biomarkers include myocardial damage, overload and remodeling markers, peripheral organs´ damage biomarkers and on the genetic level also post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression - so-called microRNA. Evaluation...

Antiallergic premedication for hypersensitive patients before radiographic examinations with administration of intravascular contrast

Rašiová M, Koščo M, Petruš J, Mišíková S, Gibarti C, Studenčan M

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):185-191  

The routine use of angiographic and CT-angiographic examination requires rapid recognition and correct treatment of acute complications associated with contrast medium administration. A hypersensitivity reaction, which occurs less frequently with low- and isoosmolar contrast medium compared to hyperosmolar contrast medium administration, may have in the most severe cases fatal outcome. The greatest risk factor for hypersensitivity reaction is previous hypersensitivity reaction following contrast medium administration. Although it is a serious complication, there is no clear consensus among scientific societies regarding premedication of patient with...

From HFpEF and atrial fibrillation to severe functional mitral regurgitation

Vysočanský S, Postulka J, Líška B, Dlesk A, Goncalvesová E

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):201-206  

Atrial functional mitral regurgitation (AFMR) represents a type of mitral regurgitation (MR) which has not been described in detail so far and is present typically in patients with prolonged history of atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Considering the aging of the population, we can expect such patients in our clinical practice more often. Progress in 3D transesophageal echocardiography allowed the study and description of mechanisms which are crucial for developing AFMR. Treatment options are limited, focused on left atrial remodelling either pharmacologically or by interventional arrythmology...

Current focus on the quantification of aortal stenosis severity

Vachalcová M, Valočik G, Jakubová M, Porubän T, Sieradzka KA, Schusterová I

Cardiology Letters 2021, 30(3):207-211  

Echocardiography is the primary non-invasive imaging method for the diagnosis and evaluation of aortic stenosis (AS) severity. To adequately evaluate AS severity, it is essential to maintain standard procedures in echocardiographic laboratories. Recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) focused on the management of valvular heart disease, recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) and numerous new trials have been published with particular new insights into the difficult subgroup of low gradient AS. This case report focuses on use of the diverse echocardiographic modalities in more accurate diagnostics of AS...