Cardiology Letters, 2020 (vol. 29), issue 5-6

Medicine, COVID-19, cardiology and the year 2020

Hatala R

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):273-277  

Management of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices and diagnostic indication for magnetic

Šašov M, Neuschl V, Margitfalvi P, Kaliská G, Hatala R

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):285-292  

Diagnostic indications for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are rapidly expanding and continue to present a challenge in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs - mainly pacemakers or ICDs). Most currently implanted CIEDs are compatible with MRI environment (MRI conditional devices) and the procedure is safe when instructions from the manufacturer are followed. These instructions are usually realized by specialized cardiologists of the implanting centre in collaboration with radiologists. Nevertheless, it is important also for a wider community of medical specialists not to consider mere presence of CIED as contraindication to MRI...

Gerontocardiology: COVID-19

Dúbrava M, Jánošiová J, Koščálová A, Šuba J ml.

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):293-302  

Since December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the "new virus" SARS-CoV-2, has changed the way the world runs. In the majority of cases, the course of the infection is asymptomatic or only mild symptoms are present: however it can also be serious and even lethal. Here, seniors are at special COVID-19 risk. The disease attacks mainly the respiratory system, but other systems, the cardiovascular sytem being one of them, are frequently affected as well. In this review, we offer one way of looking at what we know of the cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19 in seniors.

The impact of long-term NO-deficiency on the vasoactive properties of thoracic aorta, NOS activity, and plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress in young SHR

Berényiová A, Dovinová I, Kvandová M, Kristek F, Jansen E, Majzúnová M, Čačányiová S

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):303-309  

Aim: In this study we aimed to describe the effect of chronic NO-deficiency on the systolic blood pressure (sBP), the vasoactive responses of thoracic aorta (TA), activity of NO-synthase (NOS) and general biomarkers of oxidative stress in plasma of young spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Subjects and methods: A non-specific NOS inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NAME, 50 mg/kg/day, p.o.) was administered for 4-5 weeks to four-week-old SHR (n = 8), age matched SHRs (n = 8) used as a control group. The sBP was measured by the non-invasive plethysmographic method, weekly. At the end of the treatment plasma samples were collected, the biometric parameters...

Left atrial appendage occlusion, early and late complications

Mišíková S, Juhás S, Ondušová D, Šimurda M

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):310-379  

Objective: The aim of the observational, retrospective and single-centre study is to analyse early and late complications due to left atrial appendage occlusion with Amplatzer AmuletTM. Methods: We analyzed 49 patients (21 female and 28 male) with mean age of 72.1 ± 7.4 years. All patients were diagnosed with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and with high risk of thromboembolic (CHA2DS2-VASc 4,1 ± 1.3) and bleeding (HASBLED 3.3 ± 0.9) complications. We observed periprocedure, early (within 7 days after the procedure) and late complications: vascular, bleeding, stroke, systemic embolization, device embolization, pericardiac effusion...

Ascending aortic aneurysm and treatment with the PEARS method

Bezák B, Artemiou P, Hulman M

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):320-324  

Dilatation of the aortic root or ascending aorta is a commom condition, especially in patients with genetic disorders like Marfan syndrome, Loyes-Dietz syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndome and bicuspid aortic valve disease. Prophylactic replacement of the aortic root/ascending aorta aims to mitigate the risk of dissection or rupture. Current established surgical techniques are there placement of the aortic root/ ascending aorta or the valve sparing root replacement. Personalized external aortic root support (PEARS) is an emerging technology that was developed as an alternative surgical method to aortic root replacement in patients with Marfan syndrome....

Rúška počas pandémie COVID-19 - áno, ale aké? ("Diabol je v detailoch")

Hatala R

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):343-345  

Comment on 2019 ESC Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism

Šimková I, Gašpar Ľ

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):279-283  

SPRÁVA Z KONGRESU: AHA - virtuálny kongres v USA, 13. - 16. november 2020

Kučera L, Chudý M, Vojvodová M, Gonçalvesová E

Cardiology Letters 2020, 29(5):325-329