Search

The choice of anticoagulant agent for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in the setting of active cancer has not been well studied.The aim of this study was to compare the rates of cerebrovascular accident (CVA), gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulant agents (DOACs) compared with warfarin for NVAF in patients with active cancer.This was a retrospective electronic medical record review of eligible patients treated at a cancer hospital. The outcome events were CVA; GIB; ICH; the composite of GIB, CVA, or ICH; and overall mortality. Propensity score matching (1:1) was conducted to select comparable patients receiving warfarin vs DOACs. Fine-Gray models were fitted for each outcome event.The study cohort included 1,133 patients (mean age 72 ± 8.8 years, 42% women), of whom 74% received DOACs (57% received apixaban). After propensity score matching, 195 patients were included in each anticoagulant agent group. When comparing warfarin with DOACs, there were similar risks for CVA (subdistribution HR: 0.738; 95% CI: 0.334-1.629); ICH (subdistribution HR: 0.295; 95% CI: 0.032-2.709); GIB (subdistribution HR: 1.819; 95% CI: 0.774-4.277); and the composite of GIB, CVA, or ICH (subdistribution HR: 1.151; 95% CI: 0.645-2.054).Patients with active cancer had similar risks for CVA, ICH, and GIB when treated with DOACs compared with warfarin for NVAF.

The "2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure" replaces the "2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure" and the "2017 ACC/AHA/HFSA Focused Update of the 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure." The 2022 guideline is intended to provide patient-centric recommendations for clinicians to prevent, diagnose, and manage patients with heart failure.A comprehensive literature search was conducted from May 2020 to December 2020, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other relevant databases. Additional relevant clinical trials and research studies, published through September 2021, were also considered. This guideline was harmonized with other American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines published through December 2021.Heart failure remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The 2022 heart failure guideline provides recommendations based on contemporary evidence for the treatment of these patients. The recommendations present an evidence-based approach to managing patients with heart failure, with the intent to improve quality of care and align with patients' interests. Many recommendations from the earlier heart failure guidelines have been updated with new evidence, and new recommendations have been created when supported by published data. Value statements are provided for certain treatments with high-quality published economic analyses.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis (ICI-myocarditis) often presents with arrhythmias, but the prognostic value of early electrocardiogram findings is unclear. Although ICI-myocarditis and acute cellular rejection (ACR) following cardiac transplantation use similar treatment strategies, differences in arrhythmia burden are unknown.To evaluate the association of electrocardiogram findings in ICI-myocarditis with myocarditis-related mortality and life-threatening arrhythmia.A total of 125 cases of ICI-myocarditis were identified retrospectively across 49 hospitals worldwide; 50 cases of grade 2R or 3R ACR were included as comparators. Two cardiologists blinded to clinical data interpreted electrocardiograms. Associations between electrocardiogram features, myocarditis-related mortality and the composite of myocarditis-related mortality and life-threatening arrhythmias were examined. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were calculated.The cohort had 78 (62.4%) men; median (interquartile range) age was 67 (58-76) years. At 30 days, myocarditis-related mortality was 20/124 (16.1%), and 28/124 (22.6%) met the composite endpoint. Patients who developed complete heart block (aHR by subdistribution hazards model [aHR(sh)] 3.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-8.68; P=0.02) or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias (aHR(sh) 6.82, 95% CI: 2.87-16.21; P0.001) had a higher risk of myocarditis-related mortality. Pathological Q waves (aHR(sh) 3.40, 95% CI: 1.38-8.33; P=0.008), low QRS voltage (aHR(sh) 6.05, 95% CI: 2.10-17.39; P0.001) and Sokolow-Lyon index (aHR(sh)/mV 0.54, 95% CI: 0.30-0.97; P=0.04) on admission electrocardiogram were also associated with increased risk of myocarditis-related mortality. These associations were mirrored in the composite outcome analysis. Compared with ACR, ICI-myocarditis had a higher incidence of life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias (15/125 [12.0%] vs 1/50 [2%]; P=0.04) and third-degree heart block (19/125 [15.2%] vs 0/50 [0%]; P=0.004).Electrocardiograms in ICI-myocarditis with ventricular tachycardias, heart block, low-voltage and pathological Q waves were associated with myocarditis-related mortality and life-threating arrhythmia. Arrhythmia burden in ICI-myocarditis exceeds that of ACR after heart transplant.

Obese heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a distinct HFpEF phenotype. Sodium retention, high circulating neurohormone levels, alterations in energy substrate metabolism, group 3 pulmonary hypertension, pericardial restraint, and systemic inflammation are central pathophysiologic mechanisms. Confirming the diagnosis may be challenging and high suspicion is required. Reduction of visceral adipose tissue, via caloric restriction and/or bariatric surgery, may improve outcomes in obese HFpEF patients. Furthermore, mineralocorticoid receptor inhibition, neprilysin inhibition, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition can ameliorate the effects of adiposity on the cardiovascular system, allowing for promising new treatment targets for the obese HFpEF phenotype.

Background Although intensive blood pressure reduction has cardiovascular benefits, the absolute benefit is greater in those at higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Objectives This study examined whether N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) helps identify subjects at higher risk for CVD events across systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), or pulse pressure (PP) categories. Methods Participants from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study visit 4 (1996 to 98) were grouped according to SBP, DBP, or PP categories and further stratified by NT-proBNP categories. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios for incident CVD (coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, or heart failure hospitalization) and mortality across combined NT-proBNP and/or BP categories, adjusting for CVD risk factors. Results There were 9,309 participants (age: 62.6 ± 5.6 years; 58.3% women) with 2,416 CVD events over a median follow-up of 16.7 years. Within each SBP, DBP, or PP category, a higher category of NT-proBNP (100 to Conclusions Elevated NT-proBNP is independently associated with CVD and mortality across SBP, DBP, and PP categories and helps identify subjects at the highest risk. Participants with stage 1 hypertension but elevated NT-proBNP had greater cardiovascular risk compared with those with stage 2 SBP but lower NT-proBNP. Future studies are needed to evaluate use of biomarker-based strategies for CVD risk assessment to assist with initiation or intensification of BP treatment.

Aim This executive summary of the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy clinical practice guideline provides recommendations and algorithms for clinicians to diagnose and manage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in adult and pediatric patients as well as supporting documentation to encourage their use. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted from January 1, 2010, to April 30, 2020, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports, and other relevant databases. Structure Many recommendations from the earlier hypertrophic cardiomyopathy guidelines have been updated with new evidence or a better understanding of earlier evidence. This summary operationalizes the recommendations from the full guideline and presents a combination of diagnostic work-up, genetic and family screening, risk stratification approaches, lifestyle modifications, surgical and catheter interventions, and medications that constitute components of guideline directed medical therapy. For both guideline-directed medical therapy and other recommended drug treatment regimens, the reader is advised to follow dosing, contraindications and drug-drug interactions based on product insert materials.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for heart failure (HF) and discharged home who received home healthcare (HHC) to those who did not, and to examine associations between HHC and readmission and mortality rates. BACKGROUND: After hospitalization for HF, some patients receive HHC; however, utilization of HHC over time, factors associated with its use and post-discharge outcomes after receiving it are not well studied. METHODS: We used Get With The Guidelines-HF data, merged with Medicare fee-for-service claims. Propensity-score matching and Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the associations between HHC and post-discharge outcomes. RESULTS: From 2005 to 2015, 95,531 patients were admitted for HF and 32,697 (34.2%) received HHC after discharge. The rate of HHC increased over time from 31.4% to 36.1% (p

Introduction Late cardiotoxicity related to radiotherapy (RT) in breast cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been well-reported. However, the relatively higher cardiac dose exposure for esophageal cancer (EC) may result in the earlier onset of cardiac diseases. In this report, we examined the incidence, onset, and long-term survival outcomes of high-grade cardiac events after RT in a large cohort of patients with EC. Methods Between March 2005 and August 2017, a total of 479 patients with EC from a prospectively maintained institutional database at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were analyzed. All patients were treated with either intensity-modulated RT or proton beam therapy, either preoperatively or definitively. We focused on any grade 3 or higher (G3+) cardiac events according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0. Results G3+ cardiac events occurred in 18% of patients at a median of 7 months with a median follow-up time of 76 months. Preexisting cardiac disease (p = 0.001) and radiation modality (intensity-modulated RT versus proton beam therapy) (p = 0.027) were significantly associated with G3+ cardiac events. Under multivariable analysis, the mean heart dose, particularly of less than 15 Gy, was associated with reduced G3+ events. Furthermore, G3+ cardiac events were associated with worse overall survival (p = 0.041). Conclusions Severe cardiac events were relatively common in patients with early onset EC after RT, especially those with preexisting cardiac disease and higher radiation doses to the heart. Optimal treatment approaches should be taken to reduce cumulative doses to the heart, especially for patients with preexisting cardiac disease.

Background The benefits of invasive versus noninvasive management in oncology patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are unclear. We aimed to retrospectively determine outcome differences between conservative and invasive management of AMI in cancer patients. Methods Patients from our institution between March 2016 and December 2018 with type 1 and type 2 AMI (excluding STEMI) were classified into 2 groups: medical therapy only and invasive strategies. Analyzed outcomes were overall survival (OS), procedural complications, subsequent events, and hospice referral. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare OS between subgroups. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted to find factors associated with OS. Results We included 201 patients. Type 1 MI was seen in 152 patients (76%) and type 2 MI in 49 (24%). Median OS was 13 months. Most presented with symptoms other than dyspnea or chest pain (49%) and with ECG revealing changes other than ST-segment depression and T-wave inversion (62%). Patients with type 2 MI had worse OS than patients with type 1 MI (HR = 2.3, p = 0.0002). Early coronary angiography (≤72 h; HR = 0.327, p 72 h; HR = 0.496, p = 0.0426), and percutaneous coronary intervention (HR = 0.481, p = 0.0116) were associated with better OS than noninvasive approaches. Single and dual agent antiplatelet therapy, beta blockers, and statins were each associated with better OS. Conclusions Cancer patients without STEMI who underwent invasive treatment for AMI had better OS compared with those treated only medically, with the highest benefit when coronary angiography was performed within 72 h of admission for AMI.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for incident heart failure and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients with established disease. Secular trends in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and heart failure forecast a growing burden of disease and underscore the need for effective therapeutic strategies. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated the shared pathophysiology between diabetes mellitus and heart failure, the synergistic effect of managing both conditions, and the potential for diabetes mellitus therapies to modulate the risk of heart failure outcomes. This scientific statement on diabetes mellitus and heart failure summarizes the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and impact of diabetes mellitus and its control on outcomes in heart failure; reviews the approach to pharmacological therapy and lifestyle modification in patients with diabetes mellitus and heart failure; highlights the value of multidisciplinary interventions to improve clinical outcomes in this population; and outlines priorities for future research.

Dietary guidance for patients with heart failure (HF) has traditionally focused on sodium and fluid intake restriction, but dietary quality is frequently poor in patients with HF and may contribute to morbidity and mortality. Restrictive diets can lead to inadequate intake of macronutrients and micronutrients by patients with HF, with the potential for deficiencies of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, thiamine, vitamins D, E, and K, and folate. Although inadequate intake and low plasma levels of micronutrients have been associated with adverse clinical outcomes, evidence supporting therapeutic repletion is limited. Intravenous iron, thiamine, and coenzyme Q10 have the most clinical trial data for supplementation. There is also limited evidence supporting protein intake goals. Obesity is a risk factor for incident HF, and weight loss is an established approach for preventing HF, with a role for bariatric surgery in patients with severe obesity. However weight loss for patients with existing HF and obesity is a more controversial topic owing to an obesity survival paradox. Dietary interventions and pharmacologic weight loss therapies are understudied in HF populations. There are also limited data for optimal strategies to identify and address cachexia and sarcopenia in patients with HF, with at least 10%-20% of patients with ambulatory systolic HF developing clinically significant wasting. Gaps in our knowledge about nutrition status in patients with HF are outlined in this Statement, and strategies to address the most clinically relevant questions are proposed.

Since 1980, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have translated scientific evidence into clinical practice guidelines with recommendations to improve cardiovascular health [(1)][1]. These guidelines, based on systematic methods to evaluate and classify

The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is higher in cancer survivors than in the general population. Several cancer treatments are recognized as risk factors for CVD, but specific therapies are unavailable. Many cancer treatments activate shared signaling events, which reprogram myeloid cells (MCs) towards persistent senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and consequently CVD, but the exact mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to provide mechanistic insights and potential treatments by investigating how chemo-radiation can induce persistent SASP. We generated ERK5 S496A knock-in mice and determined SASP in myeloid cells (MCs) by evaluating their efferocytotic ability, antioxidation-related molecule expression, telomere length, and inflammatory gene expression. Candidate SASP inducers were identified by high-throughput screening, using the ERK5 transcriptional activity reporter cell system. Various chemotherapy agents and ionizing radiation (IR) up-regulated p90RSK-mediated ERK5 S496 phosphorylation. Doxorubicin and IR caused metabolic changes with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide depletion and ensuing mitochondrial stunning (reversible mitochondria dysfunction without showing any cell death under ATP depletion) via p90RSK-ERK5 modulation and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation, which formed a nucleus-mitochondria positive feedback loop. This feedback loop reprogramed MCs to induce a sustained SASP state, and ultimately primed MCs to be more sensitive to reactive oxygen species. This priming was also detected in circulating monocytes from cancer patients after IR. When PARP activity was transiently inhibited at the time of IR, mitochondrial stunning, priming, macrophage infiltration, and coronary atherosclerosis were all eradicated. The p90RSK-ERK5 module plays a crucial role in SASP-mediated mitochondrial stunning via regulating PARP activation. Our data show for the first time that the nucleus-mitochondria positive feedback loop formed by p90RSK-ERK5 S496 phosphorylation-mediated PARP activation plays a crucial role of persistent SASP state, and also provide preclinical evidence supporting that transient inhibition of PARP activation only at the time of radiation therapy can prevent future CVD in cancer survivors., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • High-throughput screening detects chemo-radiation as p90RSK-ERK5 modulator, which induces senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). • Chemo-radiation instigates mitochondrial (mt) stunning (reversible mt dysfunction without showing any cell death under ATP depletion). • Mt stunning is provoked by p90RSK-ERK5 modulation and PARP activation, which forms a nucleus-mitochondria positive feedback loop. • This feedback loop reprogramed myeloid cells (MCs) to induce a sustained SASP state, and ultimately prime MCs to be more sensitive to reactive oxygen species. • When PARP activity is transiently inhibited at the time of IR, mitochondrial stunning, priming, macrophage infiltration, and coronary atherosclerosis are all eradicated.

Objectives This study sought to determine whether pre-heart failure (HF) myocardial injury explains the differential mortality after HF across weight categories. Background Obesity is a risk factor for HF, but pre-HF obesity is associated with lower mortality after incident HF. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) is a sensitive marker of myocardial injury, and predicts incident HF and mortality. Methods Stratifying 1,279 individuals with incident HF hospitalizations by their pre-HF hs-cTnT levels ( Results Mean age at HF was 74 years (53% women, 27% black). Individuals with pre-HF hs-cTnT ≥14 ng/l had higher mortality after incident HF (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18 to 1.80) compared to individuals with hs-cTnT Conclusion Although greater pre-existing subclinical myocardial injury was associated with higher mortality after incident HF hospitalization, it did not explain the obesity paradox in HF, which was observed irrespective of subclinical myocardial injury. (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities [ARIC]; NCT00005131 )

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a systemic process involving multiple vascular beds and includes coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD), and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). All these manifestations are associated with an increased risk of subsequent myocardial infarction, stroke, and death. Guideline-directed medical therapy is recommended for all patients with CVD. In a cohort of US veterans, we identified 1,242,015 patients with CVD receiving care in 130 Veterans Affairs facilities from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014. CVD included diagnoses of CHD, PAD, or ICVD. We assessed the frequency of risk factor optimization and the use of guideline-directed medical therapy in patients with CHD, PAD alone, ICVD alone, and PAD + ICVD groups. A composite of 4 measures (blood pressure140/90 mm Hg, A1c7% in diabetics, statin use, and antiplatelet use in eligible patients), termed optimal medical therapy (OMT) was compared among groups. Multivariate logistic regression was performed with CHD as the referent category. CHD comprised 989,380 (79.7%), PAD alone 70,404 (5.7%), ICVD alone 163,730 (13.2%), and PAD + ICVD 18,501 (1.5%) of the cohort. Overall, only 36% received OMT with adjusted odds ratios of 0.54 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.55), 0.77 (0.76 to 0.78), and 0.97 (0.94 to 1.00) for patients with PAD alone, ICVD alone, and PAD + ICVD, respectively, compared with patients with CHD. In conclusion, OMT was low in all groups. Patients with PAD alone and ICVD alone were less likely to receive OMT than those with CHD and PAD + ICVD.

Background The current number of physicians will not be sufficient to accommodate 30 to 40 million Americans expected to secure health coverage with Affordable Care Act implementation. One proposed solution is to use advanced practice providers (APPs) (nurse practitioners and physician assistants). Objectives This study sought to determine whether there were clinically meaningful differences in the quality of care delivered by APPs versus physicians in a national sample of cardiology practices. Methods Within the American College of Cardiology’s PINNACLE Registry, we compared quality of coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and atrial fibrillation care delivered by physicians and APPs for outpatient visits between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2012. We performed hierarchical regression adjusting for provider sex; panel size; duration of participation in registry; and patient’s age, sex, insurance, number of outpatient visits, history of hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting in the preceding 12 months. Results We included 883 providers (716 physicians and 167 APPs) in 41 practices who cared for 459,669 patients. Mean number of patients seen by APPs (260.7) was lower compared with that seen by physicians (581.2). Compliance with most CAD, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation measures was comparable, except for a higher rate of smoking cessation screening and intervention (adjusted rate ratio: 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.03 to 1.26) and cardiac rehabilitation referral (rate ratio: 1.40; 95% confidence interval: 1.16 to 1.70) among CAD patients receiving care from APPs. Compliance with all eligible CAD measures was low for both (12.1% and 12.2% for APPs and physicians, respectively) with no significant difference. Results were consistent when comparing practices with both physicians and APPs (n = 41) and physician-only practices (n = 49). Conclusions Apart from minor differences, a collaborative care delivery model, using both physicians and APPs, may deliver an overall comparable quality of outpatient cardiovascular care compared with a physician-only model.

Pulse pressure (PP), a marker of arterial stiffness, and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) have been associated with heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We examined whether the combination of PP and NT-proBNP identifies individuals at higher risk for

Recent cardiovascular (CV) outcome trials have shown that certain glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues (GLP-1a) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) reduce adverse CV events in individuals with established CV disease (CVD). While current diabetes treatment guidelines recommend

There are no studies on the optimal timing of cancer therapy resumption after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). We aimed to describe the timing of cancer treatment resumption and its impact on cardiovascular outcomes after new-generation drug eluting stent (DES) implantation. Cancer