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During the COVID-19 pandemic, reductions in heart failure (HF) hospitalizations have been widely reported, and there is an urgent need to understand how HF care has been reorganized in countries with different infection levels, vaccination rates and healthcare services. The OPTIMIZE Heart Failure Care program has a global network of investigators in 42 countries, with first-hand experience of the impact of the pandemic on HF management in different care settings. The national coordinators were surveyed to assess: 1) the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic for continuity of HF care, from both a hospital and patient perspective; 2) the organizational changes enacted to ensure continued HF care; and 3) lessons learned for the future of HF care. Contributions were obtained from 37 national coordinators in 29 countries. We summarize their input, highlighting the issues raised and using the example of three very different settings (Italy, Brazil, and Taiwan) to illustrate the similarities and differences across the OPTIMIZE program.

Aims: Coronary artery disease (CAD) portends worse outcomes in heart failure (HF). We aimed to characterize patients with CAD and worsening HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and evaluate post hoc whether vericiguat treatment effect varied according to CAD.Methods and results: Cox proportional hazards were generated for the primary endpoint of cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization (CVD/HFH). CAD was defined as previous myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass grafting. Of 5048 patients in VICTORIA with available data on CAD status, 2704 had CAD and were older, were more frequently male, diabetic, and had a lower glomerular filtration rate than those without CAD (all p Conclusion: In this post hoc study, CAD was associated with more CVD and HFH in patients with HFrEF and worsening HF. Vericiguat was beneficial and safe regardless of concomitant CAD.

Dietary restriction of sodium has been suggested to prevent fluid overload and adverse outcomes for patients with heart failure. We designed the Study of Dietary Intervention under 100 mmol in Heart Failure (SODIUM-HF) to test whether or not a reduction in dietary sodium reduces the incidence of future clinical events.SODIUM-HF is an international, open-label, randomised, controlled trial that enrolled patients at 26 sites in six countries (Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and New Zealand). Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older, with chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class 2-3), and receiving optimally tolerated guideline-directed medical treatment. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1), using a standard number generator and varying block sizes of two, four, or six, stratified by site, to either usual care according to local guidelines or a low sodium diet of less than 100 mmol (ie,1500 mg/day). The primary outcome was the composite of cardiovascular-related admission to hospital, cardiovascular-related emergency department visit, or all-cause death within 12 months in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (ie, all randomly assigned patients). Safety was assessed in the ITT population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02012179, and is closed to accrual.Between March 24, 2014, and Dec 9, 2020, 806 patients were randomly assigned to a low sodium diet (n=397) or usual care (n=409). Median age was 67 years (IQR 58-74) and 268 (33%) were women and 538 (66%) were men. Between baseline and 12 months, the median sodium intake decreased from 2286 mg/day (IQR 1653-3005) to 1658 mg/day (1301-2189) in the low sodium group and from 2119 mg/day (1673-2804) to 2073 mg/day (1541-2900) in the usual care group. By 12 months, events comprising the primary outcome had occurred in 60 (15%) of 397 patients in the low sodium diet group and 70 (17%) of 409 in the usual care group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·89 [95% CI 0·63-1·26]; p=0·53). All-cause death occurred in 22 (6%) patients in the low sodium diet group and 17 (4%) in the usual care group (HR 1·38 [0·73-2·60]; p=0·32), cardiovascular-related hospitalisation occurred in 40 (10%) patients in the low sodium diet group and 51 (12%) patients in the usual care group (HR 0·82 [0·54-1·24]; p=0·36), and cardiovascular-related emergency department visits occurred in 17 (4%) patients in the low sodium diet group and 15 (4%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·21 [0·60-2·41]; p=0·60). No safety events related to the study treatment were reported in either group.In ambulatory patients with heart failure, a dietary intervention to reduce sodium intake did not reduce clinical events.Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the University Hospital Foundation, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Health Research Council of New Zealand.

Hospitalizations for heart failure (HF) have become a global problem worldwide. Each episode of HF decompensation may lead to deleterious short- and long- term consequences, but on the other hand is an unique opportunity to adjust the heart failure pharmacotherapy. Thus, in-hospital and an early post-discharge period comprise an optimal timing for initiation and optimization of the comprehensive management of HF. This timeframe affords clinicians an opportunity to up titrate and adjust guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMT) to potentially mitigate poor outcomes associated post-discharge and longer-term. This review will cover this timely concept, present the data of utilization of GDMT in HF populations, discuss recent evidence for in-hospital initiation and up-titration of GDMT with a need for post-discharge follow-up and implementation this into clinical practice in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

Background: Sodium restriction is a nonpharmacologic treatment suggested by practice guidelines for the management of patients with heart failure (HF). In this study, we synthesized the data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of sodium restriction on clinical outcomes in patients with HF. Methods: In this aggregate data meta-analysis, Cochrane Central, MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), Embase Ovid, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) Plus databases were searched up to April 2, 2022. RCTs were included if they investigated the effects of sodium/salt restriction as compared to no restriction on clinical outcomes in patients with HF. Outcomes of interest included mortality, hospitalization, change in New York Heart Association functional class, and quality of life (QoL). Results: Seventeen RCTs were identified (834 and 871 patients in intervention and control groups, respectively). Sodium restriction did not reduce the risk of all-cause death (odds ratio, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.58–1.58]), hospitalization (odds ratio, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.62–1.13]), or the composite of death/hospitalization (odds ratio, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.63–1.23]). The results were similar in different subgroups, except for the numerically lower risk of death with reduced sodium intake reported in RCTs with dietary sodium at the 2000 to 3000 mg/d range as opposed to Conclusions: In a meta-analysis of RCTs, sodium restriction was not associated with fewer deaths or hospitalizations in patients with HF. Dietary sodium restriction may be associated with improvements in symptoms and QoL.

As one of the neglected tropical diseases, leishmaniasis is defined as a parasitic communicable disease that is most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, affecting especially populations living in poverty. It has a profound negative impact on developing economies. It represents a group of heterogeneous syndromes with a wide spectrum of severity ranging from self-resolving cutaneous injuries to disseminated visceral compromise. Visceral leishmaniasis represents its most severe form, can affect almost all organs, and can have fatal consequences, especially in immunosuppressed patients. Cardiac involvement seems to be rare but has not been deeply studied. Consequently, there are no clear recommendations for the screening of cardiac manifestations in these patients. However, cardiovascular complications could be potentially lethal. In addition, there are valuable reports on the potential cardiotoxicity caused by drugs used in the treatment of this condition, so knowledge of its side effects could have important implications. This article is a part of the "Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases affecting the Heart" project (the NET-Heart Project); its purpose is to review all the information available regarding cardiac implications of this disease and its treatment and to add knowledge to this field of study, focusing on the barriers for diagnosis and treatment, and how to adopt strategies to overcome them.Como una de las enfermedades tropicales desatendidas (ETD), la leishmaniasis se define como una enfermedad parasitaria transmisible y muy prevalente en regiones tropicales-subtropicales afectando especialmente a poblaciones que viven en la pobreza. Tiene un profundo impacto negativo en las economías en vías de desarrollo. Representa un grupo heterogéneo de síndromes clínicos con un amplio espectro de severidad que va desde lesiones cutáneas que resuelven espontáneamente hasta compromiso visceral diseminado. La leishmaniasis visceral representa su forma más grave, puede afectar a casi todos los órganos del ser humano y suele tener consecuencias fatales, especialmente en pacientes inmunosuprimidos. La afectación cardíaca parece ser rara, pero nunca se ha estudiado en profundidad. En consecuencia, no existen recomendaciones claras para el cribado de las manifestaciones cardíacas en estos pacientes; sin embargo, las complicaciones cardiovasculares pueden ser potencialmente letales. Además, existen publicaciones sobre la potencial cardiotoxicidad provocada por los fármacos utilizados en el tratamiento de esta afección, por lo que el conocimiento de sus efectos secundarios podría tener importantes implicancias. Como parte del proyecto “Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases affecting the Heart” (Proyecto NET-Heart), el propósito de este artículo es revisar toda la información disponible sobre el compromiso cardiovascular de esta enfermedad y su tratamiento y agregar conocimientos a este campo de estudio, centrándose en las barreras para el diagnóstico y tratamiento y cómo adoptar estrategias para superarlas.

As one of the tropical diseases, malaria is endemic in developing countries. Severe malaria, mainly caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, can result in life-threatening complications. Traditionally, cardiac involvement has not been included as a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. This could be due to under-reporting or underdiagnosing. Specific cardiovascular (CV) complications include electrocardiogram abnormalities, myocarditis, pericarditis, pericardial effusion, ischemic disease, and heart failure. According to the data analyzed, CV manifestations can lead to severe consequences. Possible theories related to the pathophysiological mechanisms related to CV compromise include an imbalanced pro-inflammatory cytokine response and/or erythrocyte sequestration by increased cytoadherence to endothelium. Although there is a paucity of data regarding cardiac manifestations of malaria, an algorithm for appropriate use of diagnostic tools to assess cardiac involvement has been developed in this paper. Furthermore, it is important to note that typical antimalarial treatment regimens can have fatal cardiac side-effects.

The burden of cardiovascular diseases is sharply rising in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Along with the increasing rates of cardiovascular risk factors in these regions, there is a growing recognition of the contribution of neglected tropical diseases and other infections. Several cardiac implications of these infections have been reported but have not yet been validated by robust population data. This is in part due to limited access to health care and insufficient data collection infrastructure in many LMICs. Therefore, the true impact of these infections on the cardiovascular system may be underestimated, because of both underdiagnosis and underreporting bias. There is an urgent need to thoroughly delineate the cardiac impact of these conditions with elevated prevalence in LMICs and to propose strategies to reduce the negative consequences of these diseases in health systems with limited resources.

We aimed to describe and compare characteristics and outcomes of patients with a worsening heart failure episode included in the RECOLFACA registry during 2017-2019 vs population from VICTORIA trial. 2528 patients were included, 1890 (74.8%) had an ejection fraction45% and a worsening episode. VICTORIA population was similar to RECOLFACA patients in mean age (67.3 vs 66.9 years), ejection fraction (28.9% vs 28.4%), the prevalence of COPD (17.1% vs 15.7%), and the median eGFR (61.5 vs 61.4 mL/min/1.73m2). RECOLFACA patients were mostly women, with a lower prevalence of atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease. The 1-year heart failure hospitalization rate was 29.6% in the placebo group of VICTORIA, compared to 26.9% in RECOLFACA. Patients enrolled in the RECOLFACA that met the VICTORIA definition had more similar characteristics and outcomes compared to the VICTORIA population. There is an opportunity to improve this unmet need with the use of vericiguat.

Introduction: Neglected tropical diseases are a group of communicable diseases that occur in tropical and subtropical conditions and are closely related to poverty and inadequate sanitation conditions. Among these entities, chikungunya remains one of the most widely spread diseases. Although the main symptoms are related to a febrile syndrome, cardiovascular (CV) involvement has been reported, with short- and long-term implications. As part of the “Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases involving the Heart” (NET-Heart) Project, the aim of this review is to compile all the information available regarding CV involvement of this disease, to help healthcare providers gain knowledge in this field, and contribute to improving early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies. Methods: We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement in conducting and reporting this systematic review. The search was conducted using MEDLINE/PubMed, SciELO, and LILACS databases to identify any relevant studies or reviews detailing an association between chikungunya and cardiac involvement published from January 1972 to May 31, 2020. Results: Despite its mechanism not being fully understood, CV involvement has been described as the most frequent atypical presentation of chikungunya (54.2%). Myocarditis is the most prevalent CV complication. Different rhythm disturbances have been reported in 52% of cases, whereas heart failure was reported in 15% of cases, pericarditis in 5%, and acute myocardial infarction in 2%. Overall estimated CV mortality is 10%, although in patients with other comorbidities, it may increase up to 20%. In the proper clinical setting, the presence of fever, polyarthralgia, and new-onset arrhythmia suggests chikungunya virus-related myocarditis. Conclusion: Although most cases are rarely fatal, CV involvement in chikungunya infection remains the most frequent atypical presentation of this disease and may have severe manifestations. Timely diagnosis and appropriate management are necessary to improve patient outcomes.

Acute myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death in the world and the electrocardiogram remains the diagnostic tool for determining an acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation. In spite of this, only half of the patients present classic electrocardiogram findings compatible with the ST-elevation infarction criteria. There is a spectrum of electrocardiographic findings that may reflect a phenomenon of acute coronary occlusion, which should be promptly recognized by the clinician to offer early reperfusion therapy. El infarto agudo de miocardio es la principal causa de muerte en el mundo, y el electrocardiograma sigue siendo la herramienta diagnóstica para determinar un infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST. A pesar de ello, solo la mitad de los pacientes presenta hallazgos clásicos en el electrocardiograma, compatibles con los criterios de infarto con elevación del ST. Existe un espectro de hallazgos electrocardiográficos que pueden reflejar un fenómeno de oclusión coronaria aguda, el cual debe ser prontamente reconocido por el clínico para ofrecer una terapia de reperfusión temprana.

Los aneurismas de la arteria pulmonar son entidades infrecuentes y su tratamiento es tema de discusión. Desde el punto de vista etiológico pueden ser congénitos o adquiridos. Los primeros, generalmente se asocian a malformaciones cardiacas que producen hipertensión pulmonar, siendo el ductus arterioso la más frecuente. Otras anomalías incluyen defectos auriculares o ventriculares. Las causas adquiridas pueden ser idiopáticas o estar asociadas a infecciones (tuberculosis, sífilis), traumatismos o colagenopatías. Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 62 años, quien consultó por un cuadro clínico en el que se destacaba su sintomatología neurológica e infecciosa, con posterior progresión a un choque séptico y en quien los hallazgos de las imágenes mostraron un aneurisma gigante de la arteria pulmonar siendo este un hallazgo incidental y sin relación a la sintomatología de la paciente

Human African Trypanosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease resulting from the infection with the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Neurological compromise often dominates, and the impact of cardiovascular involvement has not been fully investigated. Recently, publications indicate that cardiovascular compromise is more frequent than previously thought. Early detection of cardiac complications may be of utmost importance for healthcare teams.As a part of the 'Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases involving the Heart' (the NET-Heart Project), the purpose of this article is to review all the information available regarding cardiovascular implications of this disease, focusing on diagnosis and treatment, and proposing strategies for early detection of cardiac manifestations. An electronic systematic literature review of articles published in MEDLINE, PubMed and EMBASE was performed. From 50 initial studies, 18 were selected according to inclusion criteria. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement was used for conducting and reporting this review.Cardiovascular compromise through infiltrative and inflammatory mechanisms seems to be frequent, and includes a wide spectrum of severity. Conventional 12-lead electrocardiogram could be a useful test for screening cardiovascular manifestations and used as a guide for considering specific treatments or more sophisticated diagnostic tools.

Acute aortic syndromes (AAS) include a variety of overlapping anatomical and clinical conditions. Intramural hematoma (IMH), penetrating aortic ulcer (UAP), and aortic dissection occur in isolation or may coexist in the same patient. All entities are potentially life threatening, so prompt diagnosis and management are a primary goal of care. IMH represents 5-30% of all AAS and 60-70% of cases are located in the descending portion of the aorta. The diagnosis relies on a high index of clinical suspicion and on the use of complementary images (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging). Management is conservative, but patients with persistent pain despite treatment, with hemodynamic instability, with a maximum diameter of the aorta of> 55 mm, with periaortic hemorrhage and focal intimal disruptions have a higher risk of mortality in the acute phase, therefore surgical management should be considered initially endovascular. We present the case of a 69-year-old patient, in whom IMH was diagnosed in the course of a hypertensive emergency and who required hybrid management due to high-risk anatomical characteristics with only endovascular management.

La falla cardíaca con fracción de eyección preservada (FCFep) constituye una entidad frecuente, sub- diagnosticada, que implica un gran reto diagnóstico y terapéutico. Datos actuales reportan una tendencia al incremento en su prevalencia, incluso por encima de la falla cardíaca con fracción de eyección reducida (FCFer). La fisiopatología es compleja e implica la contribución de múltiples factores como la interrelación genética, condiciones del estilo de vida y alta carga de condiciones crónicas (cardíacas y no cardíacas); lo cual lleva a la remodelación, mal adaptación y rigidez cardíaca, expresándose de manera tardía en síntomas como disnea, intolerancia al ejercicio y fatiga. Aunque la mortalidad y la tasa de supervivencia acumulada para pacientes con FCFep es tan igual como la de los pa- cientes con FCFer, ningún agente terapéutico ha mostrado de manera global efectividad en este tipo de pacientes, por lo que futuras propuestas arriesgan por un enfoque más individualizado en base al fenotipo de cada paciente.

La enfermedad por coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) es una enfermedad infecciosa cuya sintomatología inicial, en la mayoría de las ocasiones, se manifiesta con compromiso del tracto respiratorio. El virus que causa dicha enfermedad se denomina síndrome respiratorio agudo severo por coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). Si bien la manifestación grave más frecuente de la infección parece ser la neumonía, se han documentado diversas implicaciones cardiovasculares. Las personas que cursan con dicha infección y que tienen una enfermedad cardiovascular preexistente tienen un riesgo mayor de cuadros graves y mortalidad. Existen asociaciones directas o indirectas de la infección con injuria miocárdica, arritmias, enfermedad tromboembólica venosa y miocarditis. Los tratamientos en investigación pueden tener efectos adversos en el sistema eléctrico del corazón; además, algunos medicamentos de uso crónico (como los inhibidores del sistema renina angiotensina aldosterona) se les ha otorgado un polémico papel en la virulencia del microorganismo. La alta demanda en atención en salud que requieren los pacientes infectados por SARS-CoV 2 puede comprometer la asistencia de pacientes cardiovasculares sin dicha infección y dejar en riesgo de exposición al personal sanitario. Se presenta una revisión sobre los aspectos más llamativos donde estas dos condiciones interaccionan.

Cysticercosis is a parasitic tissue infection caused by larval cysts of the tapeworm Taenia solium. These larval cysts infect brain, muscle, or other tissue, and are a major cause of adult-onset seizures in most low-income countries with tropical climate. Prevalence it's around 50 million people. Although cardiovascular system is not the most affected, this disease can also be associated with multiple and randomly distributed cysts in the subpericardium, subendocardium and myocardium in up to 25% of infected patients. Most cardiac cysticercosis' cases are asymptomatic, but it can manifest with ventricular arrhythmias and conduction disorders. Area Covered: The "Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases affecting the Heart" (NET-Heart project) is an initiative by the Emerging Leaders group of the Interamerican Society of Cardiology to systematically review all these endemic conditions affecting the heart. A systematic review was conducted following preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis guidelines and including articles published in MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, PubMed and LILACS databases. A total of 41 papers were included in this review. Expert Opinion: In the areas of greatest prevalence, unhealthiness and poverty favor the development of this disease, which highlights the need to establish global health policies that reduce morbidity and mortality, economic losses of the affected population, and health costs related to hospitalizations for cardiovascular involvement. Authors provide an algorithm to evaluate the possibility of Cysticercosis' cardiovascular complications. Sin financiación 16.464 JCR (2021) Q1, 8/143 Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems 2.016 SJR (2021) Q1, 37/356 Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine No data IDR 2021 UEM

Introducción: La falla cardiaca (FC) es un problema de salud pública mundial. En Latinoamérica, la incidencia es de 199/100.000 personas-año y la prevalencia de ≈1%. En Colombia, pocos estudios han descrito el comportamiento sociodemográfico y clínico de los pacientes con FC agudamente descompensada (FCAD) y FC crónica (FCC). Método: Se implementó un registro multicéntrico para identificar características que puedan ayudar en la planeación y desarrollo de estrategias de prevención secundaria y tratamiento de esta población. Resultados: Se incluyeron 2528 pacientes. 57.59% hombres, edad promedio 69 años. La principal comorbilidad fue hipertensión arterial (72.04%). Las principales causas de descompensación de la FC fueron la progresión de la enfermedad (35.00%) y el tratamiento insuficiente (19.09%). La etiología más frecuente fue isquémica (43.99%). Al momento del ingreso, 86.95% de pacientes recibían betabloqueador, 67.25% recibían diuréticos, 55.66% recibían ARM, 42.41% recibían ARA-II, 33.66% recibían IECA y 9.73% recibían ARNI. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con FC en Colombia son similares a los descritos por otros registros de FC en el mundo occidental, destacando el uso de terapias basadas en la evidencia. Se documentó una proporción menor de fibrilación auricular, con mayor frecuencia de disfunción sistólica moderada-grave y un aparente uso subóptimo de dispositivos implantables.

Como una de las enfermedades tropicales desatendidas (ETD), la leishmaniasis se define como una enfermedad parasitaria transmisible y muy prevalente en regiones tropicales-subtropicales afectando especialmente a poblaciones que viven en la pobreza. Tiene un profundo impacto negativo en las economías en vías de desarrollo. Representa un grupo heterogéneo de síndromes clínicos con un amplio espectro de severidad que va desde lesiones cutáneas que resuelven espontáneamente hasta compromiso visceral diseminado. La leishmaniasis visceral representa su forma más grave, puede afectar a casi todos los órganos del ser humano y suele tener consecuencias fatales, especialmente en pacientes inmunosuprimidos. La afectación cardíaca parece ser rara, pero nunca se ha estudiado en profundidad. En consecuencia, no existen recomendaciones claras para el cribado de las manifestaciones cardíacas en estos pacientes; sin embargo, las complicaciones cardiovasculares pueden ser potencialmente letales. Además, existen publicaciones sobre la potencial cardiotoxicidad provocada por los fármacos utilizados en el tratamiento de esta afección, por lo que el conocimiento de sus efectos secundarios podría tener importantes implicancias. Como parte del proyecto “Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases affecting the Heart” (Proyecto NET-Heart), el propósito de este artículo es revisar toda la información disponible sobre el compromiso cardiovascular de esta enfermedad y su tratamiento y agregar conocimientos a este campo de estudio, centrándose en las barreras para el diagnóstico y tratamiento y cómo adoptar estrategias para superarlas.

Resumen Introducción: Los estudios bibliométricos permiten realizar un análisis cuantitativo y cualitativo de la producción científica en un campo determinado. En el área de la cardiología, la producción científica ha crecido sustancialmente durante las últimas décadas; sin embargo, existe poca información acerca del manejo integral de la insuficiencia cardiaca con fracción de eyección preservada (ICFEp). Objetivo: Realizar un análisis bibliométrico que proporcione una evaluación detallada del nivel de producción científica de la ICFEp. Método: Estudio bibliométrico descriptivo en el que se realizó una búsqueda en la literatura científica en los últimos 30 años respecto a la ICFEp, para lo cual se utilizó la estrategia de búsqueda "heart failure" AND "preserved ejection fraction" entre 1988 y 2018 en las bases de datos Web of Science, Scopus y Medline a partir de FABUMED y PubReMiner. Resultados: Se encontraron 2830, 4136 y 7943 publicaciones en las bases de datos Medline, Scopus y Web of Science, respectivamente. Los países destacados por su volumen de publicación fueron los Estados Unidos, el Reino Unido y Alemania. En Latinoamérica, los países más productivos fueron Brasil, Argentina y Chile, mientras que Colombia solo tuvo una publicación. Conclusiones: Este análisis bibliométrico es pionero en señalar la evolución de la investigación científica de la ICFEp en los últimos 30 años. Los resultados obtenidos representan un incentivo a la comunidad científica para priorizar la investigación sobre la ICFEp con el fin de mejorar el abordaje integral de los pacientes y, con ello, su calidad de vida. Abstract Introduction: Bibliometric studies are defined as the quantitative and qualitative analysis of scientific production in each field. The scientific production in the area of cardiology has had a substantial growth during the last decades. Despite this, there is currently little information about heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Objective: To provide a detailed assessment of the current status and level of scientific production of HFpEF over the past 30 years. Method: Bibliometric study based in scientific literature concerning HFpEF for the period of 1988 – 2018 using the terms "heart failure" AND "preserved ejection fraction" in the databases of the Web of Science, Scopus and Medline using FABUMED and PubReMiner. Results: We found 2830, 4136 and 7943 publications in Medline, Scopus and Web of Science databases, respectively. The countries with higher scientific production in general were: United States, United Kingdom and Germany. In Latin America, the most productive countries were Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Colombia only had one publication. Conclusions: This is the first bibliometric analysis to highlight the production, evolution and current situation of scientific research about the HFpEF in the last 30 years, a call is made to the scientific community worldwide and especially in our country, Colombia, to focus in the scientific production on this subject. The above mentioned, in order to clarify the pathophysiology, reduce morbidity, mortality and improve the quality of life of patients suffering from HFpEF.

Objective Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is a highly prevalent disease; some advances for improving the diagnosis are the development of the H2FPEF score and the diastolic stress test for the evaluation of diastolic function. The objective is to describe the clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of patients referred for stress tests, and the association between the H2FPEF score and the results of the diastolic test. Methods This is an analytical, observational, retrospective study. An exercise stress test was performed. The Chi-square test was used to establish an association between H2FpEF score and diastolic stress test results. Patients over the age of 18, in sinus rhythm, with the left ventricular ejection fraction > 54%, with no more than mild diastolic dysfunction on the baseline echocardiogram were included in the study. Results A total of 99 patients met the eligibility criteria. About 49.5% were women, median age was 62.2 years. The H2FPEF score was low in 27.2%, intermediate 71.7%, and 1% in the high range. There was a high prevalence of hypertension 58.6%, diabetes 12.1%, and coronary disease 20.2%. The stress test was positive for diastolic dysfunction in 36.4% of the patients. A statistically significant association was found between the H2FPEF score and the diastolic stress test (p = 0.02). Conclusions Although clinical scores such as H2FPEF help identify patients, a high percentage of patients are classified in the intermediate range. The diastolic stress test can help to make the diagnosis of diastolic function in this group of patients.

BACKGROUND Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is the current treatment of choice in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. The objective of the present study was to analyze the clinical and hemodynamic outcomes and the risk factors for mortality in a cardiovascular center in Colombia. METHODS Cohort study, conducted between 2001 and 2019. All operated patients were included in the study. Risk factors associated with mortality were established by means of a multivariate regression using the COX method and survival was established using the Kaplan-Meier method. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Seventy-three patients were operated. Median age was 51 years, 55% of females, 79% had functional Class III and IV. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 50 mmHg and 640 dyn.s.cm-5 for pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). After the intervention, there was a decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure (p ≤ 0.001) and in PVR (p = 0.357); 21% had evidence of residual pulmonary hypertension. Only 8% and 6% continued with functional Class III and IV at 6 and 12 months, respectively. There were 15 deaths (19.1%; 12% at 30 days). The factors associated with mortality were the diastolic diameter of the right ventricle measured postoperatively (hazard ratio [HR] 10.88 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.97-62, p = 0.007), time of invasive mechanical ventilation (HR 1.06 95% CI 1.02-1.09 p = 0.004), and the presence of complications during the surgical procedure (HR 5.62 95% CI 1.94-16.22 p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is associated with excellent clinical and hemodynamic outcomes. The mortality risk factors found are not those usually described in the literature.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) are a group of diseases with high prevalence in tropical and subtropical countries. They are associated to poverty and underdevelopment. Due to its high morbimortality, these conditions are considered a health crisis. The impact of these diseases can be worsened by the poor socioeconomic status of the affected countries, most of them under-developed, which affects the health care provided to patients. The morbidity of these diseases is explained by the wide organic impairment that they produce. The cardiovascular system is particularly affected, which explains the high morbimortality of NTD. In this article, we review the key issues of a project elaborated by Emerging Leaders of the Interamerican Society of Cardiology (SIAC), about the cardiovascular impact of NTD: the NET-Heart Project (Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases affecting the Heart).Las enfermedades tropicales desatendidas (ETD) constituyen un conjunto de afecciones altamente prevalentes en regiones tropicales y subtropicales, asociadas a pobreza y subdesarrollo. Constituyen una verdadera crisis sanitaria, incapacitando y llevando a la muerte a millones de personas anualmente. Esto se ve potenciado por las dificultades socioeconómicas que cursan estos países, mayormente en vías de desarrollo, lo cual repercute en la calidad de la asistencia sanitaria que pueden proveer a la población. La morbilidad de estas enfermedades se explica por la amplia afectación orgánica que generan. El aparato cardiovascular resulta particularmente afectado, lo que explica en gran medida la morbimortalidad de las ETD. En el presente artículo se revisan los aspectos fundamentales de un proyecto llevado a cabo por los Líderes Emergentes de la Sociedad Interamericana de Cardiología (SIAC), cubriendo diferentes aspectos del impacto sobre el aparato cardiovascular de las ETD: el Proyecto NET-Heart (del inglés, Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases Affecting the Heart).

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is the current treatment of choice in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. The objective of the present study was to analyze the clinical and hemodynamic outcomes and the risk factors for mortality in a cardiovascular center in Colombia.Cohort study, conducted between 2001 and 2019. All operated patients were included in the study. Risk factors associated with mortality were established by means of a multivariate regression using the COX method and survival was established using the Kaplan-Meier method. p0.05 was considered statistically significant.Seventy-three patients were operated. Median age was 51 years, 55% of females, 79% had functional Class III and IV. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 50 mmHg and 640 dyn.s.cm-5 for pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). After the intervention, there was a decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure (p ≤ 0.001) and in PVR (p = 0.357); 21% had evidence of residual pulmonary hypertension. Only 8% and 6% continued with functional Class III and IV at 6 and 12 months, respectively. There were 15 deaths (19.1%; 12% at 30 days). The factors associated with mortality were the diastolic diameter of the right ventricle measured postoperatively (hazard ratio [HR] 10.88 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.97-62, p = 0.007), time of invasive mechanical ventilation (HR 1.06 95% CI 1.02-1.09 p = 0.004), and the presence of complications during the surgical procedure (HR 5.62 95% CI 1.94-16.22 p = 0.001).Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is associated with excellent clinical and hemodynamic outcomes. The mortality risk factors found are not those usually described in the literature.

La irrigacion cardiaca normal viene dada por el origen de las arterias coronarias derecha e izquierda a nivel de los senos coronarianos derecho e izquierdo; sin embargo, pueden presentarse modificaciones de la anatomia descrita, algunas de las cuales corresponden a variantes inocuas, mientras que otras pueden asociarse con alto riesgo de morbimortalidad1,2.

Acute heart failure represents a challenge, especially in infrequent etiologies. We present the clinical case of a young woman diagnosed with acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Pheocromocytoma was identified as a reversible etiology. The surgical treatment led to a complete recovery of cardiac function. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.), Graphical abstract, Acute heart failure represents a challenge, especially in infrequent etiologies. We present the…