Cardiology Letters, 2022 (vol. 31), issue 1

Príhovor prezidentky Slovenskej kardiologickej spoločnosti

Hanák P

Cardiology Letters 2022, 31(1):5-7  

Current treatment trends of the non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome in the Slovak Republic: Analysis of the SLOVAKS-2 2020 register

Kovář F, Hricák V†, Studenčan M, Alberty R, Hudec M, Hatala R, Hlivák P, Gonçalvesová E

Cardiology Letters 2022, 31(1):10-22  

Introduction: The SLOVAKS register collects and analyses data on patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) in the Slovak Republic. Objective: Collection, analysis, and evaluation of NSTE-ACS patients' data. Methodology: Electronic reports from NSTE-ACS inpatients were collected during October and November 2020. Representative demographic and anamnestic variables, risk profiles, diagnostic and therapeutic management (conservative and invasive), and subsequent coronary revascularization were evaluated. Data for the whole cohort were evaluated; some analyses were also conducted with a focus on diabetes mellitus and gender. Results:...

Ventriculo-ventricular interaction in severe aortal stenosis

Dvorožňáková M, Fülöp P, Valočik G

Cardiology Letters 2022, 31(1):23-28  

Aims: At the present time, the right ventricular (RV) function in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) is insufficiently taken into account in the decision-making process of aortic valve replacement. The aim of our study was to evaluate by modern 3D echocardiographic methods the significance of RV dysfunction in patients with severe AS. Methods: This is a prospective analysis of 41 patients with severe high gradient (HG) and low gradient (LG) AS. In addition to basic echocardiographic parameters, we evaluated the function of the left ventricle (LV) and RV on the basis of 3D reconstruction using a prototype program for 3D analysis of heart chambers. Enddiastolic,...

Vericiguat - new drug in heart failure treatment and possibilities of its clinical use

Lesný P

Cardiology Letters 2022, 31(1):29-34  

Hospitalization for worsening of heart failure is one of the most important negative prognostic factors in heart failure (HF) patients. Vericiguat, a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator, decreases hospitalizations for HF and cardiovascular mortality in patients with worsening heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The European Society of Cardiology recommends considering prescription of vericiguat in patients with worsening HFrEF despite optimal medical treatment. Reduction of the primary outcome in the VICTORIA study seems less significant than in studies with sacubitril/valsartan and dapagliflozin. However, vericiguat was tested in...

Proteomic markers associated with the progression of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes

Demková K, Yaluri A, Tkáč I

Cardiology Letters 2022, 31(1):35-47  

Atherosclerosis and its complications are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Early detection and treatment of atherosclerosis is thus imperative to improve global health. Identification of subjects at increased risk for atherosclerosis and its complications plays a central role in the worldwide efforts to improve prevention, prediction, diagnosis, and prognosis of atherosclerosis and to decrease the related costs. Despite their high predictive value on population level, traditional risk factors fail to fully predict individual risk. With the recent advances in proteomics, many new risk factors with smallto-moderate effects...

Transcatheter left atrial appendage closure

Oláh M

Cardiology Letters 2022, 31(1):48-54  

Chronic oral anticoagulation therapy is the standard therapy for preventing thromboembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, oral anticoagulation has been associated with an increased risk of bleeding events, and despite the improvements linked to the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants, more than one third of atrial fibrillation patients still remain untreated. Over the past decade, percutaneous left atrial appendage closure has emerged as a valid alternative to anticoagulation therapy for the prevention of stroke/systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. In this article, I provide an updated overview of two...

Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis

Krajčík M

Cardiology Letters 2022, 31(1):55-60  

The incidence and prevalence of chronic heart failure is rising in all developed countries, with a prevalence of around 10% in people over 75 years of age. The most common cause of chronic heart failure is coronary heart disease, but in clinical practice in elderly patients other causes should be considered, one of which is senile transthyretin amyloidosis. The paper presents a patient in whom this diagnosis could have been overlooked due to associated chronic diseases.