CARDIOPROGRESS
Foundation for the advancement of cardiology

Minimizing Atrial Pacing No Benefit in Sinus Node Disease: DANPACE II Minimizing atrial pacing does not alter the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with sinus node dysfunction (SND), suggest results of a trial that randomly assigned patients with SND who had received their first pacemaker implant to one of two pacing programs.

Heartbeat: improving outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation are essential in ensuring survival after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), which is estimated to account for 15–20% of global mortality. Yet widespread training in CPR and availability of public defibrillators remains suboptimal in many places.

Reproductive Technologies Not Tied to Maternal CVD After a median follow-up of 11 years, women who gave birth with the assistance of reproductive technology were not at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those who did not receive this intervention, a new study shows.

Adverse Fetal Environment Is a Cardiovascular Risk Factor Fetal exposure to poorly controlled diabetes or other situations that overtax the heart, or to intrauterine growth restriction, is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, according to the most recent evidence.

Pulmonary hypertension in significant aortic valve disease: a dive into real-world data Left heart disease is the most common cause of pulmonary hypertension (PHT) accounting for over 65% of all diagnosed cases. In over half of these patients, PHT is the consequence of valve dysfunction, predominantly mitral regurgitation. However, echocardiographic evidence of PHT is not infrequent in the setting of aortic valve disease, particularly in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) in whom an estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (eSPAP) >60 mm Hg has previously been reported in up to 34%.

Heartbeat: elevated pulmonary pressures in adults with aortic valve disease Left heart disease is the most common cause of pulmonary hypertension (PHT) accounting for over 65% of all diagnosed cases. In over half of these patients, PHT is the consequence of valve dysfunction, predominantly mitral regurgitation. However, echocardiographic evidence of PHT is not infrequent in the setting of aortic valve disease, particularly in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) in whom an estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (eSPAP) >60 mm Hg has previously been reported in up to 34%.

Epistaxis and Hypertension: Reviewing a Complex Relationship Epistaxis and hypertension are common conditions in the adult population. Establishing a link between blood pressure level and the incidence of epistaxis in a patient with hypertension is a real issue facing physicians in their clinical practice.

Bipolar Disorder Tied to a Sixfold Increased Risk of Early Death Bipolar disorder (BD) is linked to a sixfold increased risk of early death from external causes and a twofold increased risk of dying prematurely from somatic disease than the general population, a new study shows. In addition, patients with BD are three times more likely to die prematurely of all causes vs the general population, with alcohol-related diseases contributing to more premature deaths than cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Impact of cardiac surgery on left-sided infective endocarditis with intermediate-length vegetations The best strategy to manage patients with left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) and intermediate-length vegetations (10–15 mm) remains uncertain. Researches aimed to evaluate the role of surgery in patients with intermediate-length vegetations and no other European Society of Cardiology guidelines-approved surgical indication.

Connection systolic blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular risk In individuals with complex underlying health problems, the association between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and cardiovascular disease is less well recognised. The association between SBP and risk of cardiovascular events in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was investigated.

New Type 2 Diabetes Guidance Ties Treatment Choice to Cardio-Renal Risk New guidance on preventing cardiovascular (CV) and renal complications in type 2 diabetes (T2D) emphasizes tailoring therapy to a patient’s individual risk profile.

ACC and AHA guidelines for the treatment of hypertension have been updated The target blood pressure level for adults remains below 130/80 mm Hg, but drug therapy should be initiated sooner, according to new guidelines published by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC). Eleven other medical organizations endorsed the new guidelines, which replace those issued in 2017.

Spanish company closes a financing round of one million euros Spanish Company a spin-off from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), the UPC and the University of Barcelona (UB), has successfully closed a funding round led by Grow Ventures together with Namarel Ventures and Inveniam Group where they have secured more than one million euros.

Insomnia, Short Sleep Linked to Greater Risk for MI Insomnia — difficulty falling or staying asleep — was associated with a 69% greater risk of having a myocardial infarction (MI) than among adults without insomnia, according to new research.

New ACC, AHA, SCAI Interventional Cardiology Training Guidance The American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) have jointly issued new guidance outlining competency-based advanced training requirements for interventional cardiology trainees.

Guidance for PCI Without Onsite Surgical Backup Updated The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions has issued an updated expert consensus statement to provide clearer guidance on what percutaneous coronary angioplasty cases can be done in outpatient settings such as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and office-based laboratories and which are best left to more traditional settings, such as hospitals with full cardiac support.

3 challenges to watch in global health in 2023 For the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, people working in the infectious diseases and global health spheres were largely focused on the new disease. In 2022, however, gears shifted. Covid didn’t go away, but diseases like flu that had been held in abeyance by the new virus and the measures we used to slow its spread — well, they’re baaack. From late summer onward in the United States, hospitals have been packed with people sick with one respiratory illness or another.

ADA Advises New BP, Lipid Targets for People With Diabetes New more aggressive targets for blood pressure and lipids are among the changes to the annual American Diabetes Association (ADA) Standards of Care in Diabetes — 2023. The document, long considered the gold standard for care of the more than 100 million Americans living with diabetes and prediabetes, was published December 12 as a supplement in Diabetes Care. The guidelines are also accessible to doctors via an app; last year's standards were accessed more than 4 million times.

American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2022 AHA’s Scientific Sessions 2022 in hybrid mode took place on Nov. 5-7, 2022, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, IL.

ACC Calls for More Career Flexibility in Cardiology A new statement from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) is calling for a greater degree of career flexibility in the specialty to promote cardiologists' personal and professional well-being and preserve excellence in patient care.