Cardiology Letters, 2025 (vol. 34), issue 2

Commentary on the 2024 ESC Guidelines for the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension

Anna Vachulová

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(2):77-83  

Risk profile of anatomical and functional parameters of patent foramen ovale and associated anatomical structures in patients with cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack

Juraj Dúbrava, Rastislav Šidlo

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(2):84-92  

Background: This study evaluated the risk profile of patent foramen ovale (PFO) parameters and associated structures for cryptogenic cerebrovascular (CV) accidents. Methods: We enrolled prospectively 1270 consecutive patients who underwent contrast transesophageal echocardiography: 702 patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) and 568 controls without CV accidents. In this study, we evaluated the patients diagnosed with PFO. We compared 224 patients with CS or TIA and PFO (31.9%) to 106 controls with the incidental finding of a PFO (18.7%). Diameter and length of the PFO, large PFO (diameter ≥ 4 mm), long PFO (length...

The parameters of atrial deformation and their use in heart failure diagnostics

Tomáš Bolek, Jakub Jurica, Martin Jozef Péč, Marián Mokáň, Martin Hudec, Matej Samoš

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(2):93-100  

The role of echocardiography in heart failure patients is focused on determining the systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle, while determining the deformation parameters of the left ventricle, known as global longitudinal strain (GLS), is important in detecting subclinical ventricular dysfunction. The proper function of the ventricles depends on preload, which depends on the proper function of the atrium. The assessment of the atrial function can provide information about hemodynamics, which can be important in diagnostics, prognosis, or evaluating the effectiveness of treatment in patients with heart failure. To assess atrial function,...

Mechanical prosthetic valve thrombosis

Stanislava Buday Bujňáková

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(2):101-112  

Prosthetic valve thrombosis is a rare but serious complication of valve replacement, most often encountered with mechanical prostheses. The significant morbidity and mortality associated with this condition warrants rapid diagnostic evaluation. However, diagnosis can be challenging, mainly because of variable clinical presentations and the degree of valvular obstruction. Trans­ thoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography, fluoroscopy, and computed tomography represent the main diagnostic procedures. Although surgical treatment is usually preferred in cases of obstructive prosthetic valve thrombosis, optimal treatment remains controversial. The different...

Optical coherence tomography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention

Marek Strachan, Jihad Bou Ezzeddine

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(2):113-121  

Coronary angiography is limited to two-dimensional assessment of the lumen of coronary arteries that are filled with contrast. In addition to coronary angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) - as an intravascular imaging modality - provides high resolution imaging of a coronary lesion and consequently helps the operator to choose an optimal intervention strategy and stent size. Imaging of the implanted stent enables the evaluation of the need of stent optimization and the need of another stent implantation when edge dissection is present. OCT has an important role in identification of stent failure mechanism. The authors of this article demonstrate...

14. stretnutie zástupcov centier pre pľúcnu artériovú hypertenziu: Okrúhly stôl PAH

Čižmárová E, Hrebík M, Vršanská V

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(2):129-134  

Hemorrhagic pericardial effusion after removal of pericardial drain in penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer of the ascending aorta with pseudoaneurysm

Tibor Poruban, Silvia Farkasova Iannacone, Dorota Sopkova, Peter Bohus, David Farkas, Tomas Toporcer

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(2):125-128