Cardiology Letters, 2025 (vol. 34), issue 3

Comment on ESC 2024 Guidelines for the management of chronic coronary syndromes

Martin Hudec, Martin Studenčan

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):141-145  

Exposome and cardiovascular diseases: The impact of environmental pollutants on cardiovascular health

Andrej Dukát, Eva Gonçalvesová, Dominika Šimková, Juraj Payer

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):146-152  

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The primary risk factors for cardiovascular diseases-such as hypertension, dyslipoproteinemia, diabesity, diet, smoking, stress, and low physical activity-are well documented and regularly discussed in the scientific literature. In recent years, however, increasing attention has been given to the influence of the environment and the long-term effects of various exogenous and endogenous factors. This review explores the concept of the exposome and its impact on cardiovascular disease, while also highlighting the importance of prevention and potential strategic...

Introduction to FFR-CT HeartFlow

František Nehaj, Derek Leslie Connolly

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):153-164  

The emergence of non-invasive, computationally derived fractional flow reserve from computed tomography (FFR-CT) marks a significant breakthrough in clinical diagnostic and non-invasive medicine. FFR-CT is obtained from standard resting coronary CT scans, eliminating the need for additional pharmacological agents and invasive procedures. This technology represents a major advancement in the field of cardiology. Studies have demonstrated that FFR significantly influences the accuracy of CT coronary angiography (CCTA), leading to improved diagnostic precision. This work aims to review the FFR-CT imaging technique, with a specific focus on validated methodology...

Bromocriptine in the management of peripartum cardiomyopathy: a review of current evidence

Karolina Stachyra, Julia Krasnodębska, Mateusz Leśniewski, Michał Kluska, Przemysław Kwiatka, Marta Borecka, Arkadiusz Zaremba, Karolina Hanusz, Maciej Wyskok, Anna Bieda, $Monika Szpotańska-Sikorska

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):165-170  

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a severe form of heart failure that occurs during late pregnancy or early postpartum. Bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist that inhibits prolactin secretion, has been proposed as a disease-specific therapy due to its potential role in mitigating the cardiotoxic effects of the 16-kDa prolactin fragment. A comprehensive review of observational studies and clinical trials from PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted, with a focus on original research assessing bromocriptine therapy in PPCM. Data from ClinicalTrials.gov were also analyzed to identify ongoing research efforts. Key outcomes included changes in left ventricular...

Do patients receive the recommended pharmacotherapy after an acute myocardial infarction?

Lukáš Marcinov, Elena Teringová, René Molnár, Eva Gonçalvesová

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):171-174  

Aim: The one-year post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality rate in Slovakia ranges from 16% to 20%. This study aimed to evaluate prescription patterns and the use of pharmacotherapy during the first year following hospital discharge after AMI. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 100 consecutive patients hospitalized for AMI. After excluding cases with incomplete electronic medication records, data from 81 patients were analyzed. We assessed prescriptions of guideline-recommended drug classes over a one-year period postdischarge, using data from hospital information systems and patients' electronic medication records. Results: High...

Thrombosis of the annuloplasty ring of the mitral valve - the cause of repeated systemic embolizations?

Peter Snopek, Jozef Hasilla, Milan Klačanský, Rastislav Gnyp, Mariana Barbierik Vachalcová

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):175-181  

The subject of our case study is a 67-year-old female patient with sticky plaque syndrome and thrombosis of the annuloplasty ring of the mitral valve with repeated systemic embolizations. Sticky platelet syndrome (SPS) is a thrombocytopathy with an autosomal dominant form of inheritance, which is characterized by increased in-vitro platelet aggregation in response to low concentrations of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and or epinephrine (EPI). The syndrome is associated with arterial and venous thrombosis. Our case report aims to point out the difficult pharmacological influence of increased platelet aggregability in a specific population of patients...

Acute myocarditis in patient with IgG4-related disease

Samuel Nachtmann, Tomas Koller, Martin Jankovsky, Yashar Jalali, Juraj Payer

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):182-185  

We present case of 27-year-old woman in the chronic care of her gastroenterologist for IgG4-related disease, with pancreatitis, cholangitis, colitis, and perimyocarditis in the past. Now in long-term remission on combination therapy with budesonide and biological therapy with rituximab, she was admitted to our Intensive care unit (ICU) for chest pain and dyspnoea with increased frequency of stools. She did not present with any remarkable findings during physical examination and she was hemodynamically stable, without requiring oxygen. Laboratory findings showed leukocytosis with neutrophilia, elevated CRP (C-reactive protein) without PCT (procalcitonin),...

Navigating the unknown: a unique pacemaker implantation

Rafael Coelho Viana, Marta Paralta de Figueiredo, Bruno Miguel Cordeiro Piçarra, Pedro Miguel Loureiro Santarém Semedo

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):186  

Late ICD lead amputation as a cause of recurrent inappropriate shocks

Jozef Dodulík, Eva Gonçalvesová

Cardiology Letters 2025, 34(3):187-188