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Introduction: Stable angina pectoris (SAP) is a widely prevalent disease affecting 30 000 to 40 000 per million people in Europe and the US. SAP is associated with reductions in quality of life and ability to work, and increased use of healthcare resources. Ivabradine is a drug with a unique therapeutic target, the if current of the sinus node, developed for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases including SAP. It has an exclusive heart rate reducing effect, without any negative effect on left ventricular function or coronary vasodilatation. Aims: The aim of this paper is to review the evidence concerning the use of ivabradine in the treatment of SAP. Evidence review: Ivabradine is an effective antianginal and antiischemic drug, not inferior to the beta blocker atenolol and the calcium channel antagonist (CCA) amlodipine. It decreases the frequency of angina attacks and increases the time to anginal symptoms during exercise. Because of its exclusive chronotropic effect, ivabradine is not associated with the typical adverse reactions associated with beta blockers or other antianginal drugs. Clinical value: Clinical evidence shows that ivabradine is a very good antiischemic and antianginal agent, being as effective as beta blockade and CCA therapy in controlling myocardial ischemia and symptoms of stable angina. Ongoing studies will determine the potential of ivabradine to improve morbidity and mortality in coronary artery disease and heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. Although aspirin is recommended for secondary prevention of ASCVD, there was no difference in safety and effectiveness of aspirin dosed daily at 81 mg or 325 mg in the ADAPTABLE (Aspirin Dosing: A Patient-Centric Trial Assessing Benefits and Long-Term Effectiveness) randomized clinical trial. However, it is unknown whether differences by sex exist in the safety and effectiveness of the different aspirin doses., Objective: To evaluate sex-specific differences in the safety and effectiveness of 2 aspirin doses in the ADAPTAPLE trial., Design, Setting, and Participants: The ADAPTABLE study was an open-label, pragmatic, randomized clinical trial that randomly assigned participants with chronic, stable ASCVD to 81 mg vs 325 mg of aspirin daily. Using Cox proportional-hazard models, male and female participants were compared for outcomes. In addition, it was assessed whether sex was an effect modifier in the association between aspirin dose and outcomes. The ADAPTABLE trial was conducted at 40 medical centers and 1 health plan. Eligible patients were 18 years and older and had established ASCVD. Study data were analyzed from December 2021 to March 2024., Interventions: Patients received 81 mg or 325 mg of aspirin daily for the secondary prevention of ASCVD., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary effectiveness outcomes included all-cause death and hospitalization for myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. The primary safety outcome was hospitalization for major bleeding requiring transfusion., Results: A total of 15 076 patients (median [IQR] age, 67.6 [60.7-73.6] years; 10 352 male [68.7%]) were followed up for a median (IQR) of 26.2 (19.0-34.9) months. Overall, 4724 (31.3%) were female, and 2307 of the female participants (48.8%) received aspirin 81 mg. Compared with males, female participants were younger (median [IQR] age, 66.3 [59.4-72.6] years vs 68.2 (61.4-73.9) years, less likely to self-report White race (3426 [72.5%] vs 8564 [82.7%]), more likely to smoke (564 [12.9%] vs 818 [8.4%]), and more likely to have a history of peripheral arterial disease (1179 [25.7%] vs 2314 [23.0%]). The primary effectiveness outcome of all-cause death and hospitalization for MI or stroke occurred in 379 female participants (8.1%) and 780 male participants (7.1%). There was no significant interaction by sex for the primary effectiveness end point between the 2 aspirin doses (female adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.01; 95% CI, 0.82-1.26 and male aHR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.91-1.23; P interaction term for sex = .74). During the trial, female participants had fewer revascularization procedures (237 [5.0%] vs 680 [6.6%]; aHR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.68-0.92; P = .002) but had a higher risk of hospitalization for stroke (aHR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.27-2.33; P < .001). Among female participants, there was a slightly higher rate of bleeding in the 81-mg aspirin cohort compared with the 325-mg cohort (20 [0.83%] vs 13 [0.52%]; aHR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.04-4.70; P interaction term for sex = .07). There were no significant differences between female and male participants regarding aspirin dose adherence., Conclusions and Relevance: In this secondary analysis of the ADAPTABLE trial, there were no significant sex-specific differences in the effectiveness and safety of 2 aspirin doses for secondary prevention of ASCVD events., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02697916.

Objectives: To evaluate whether the effectiveness and safety of low (81 mg daily) versus high-dose (325 mg daily) aspirin is consistent across races among patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)., Design: A secondary analysis of the randomised controlled trial ADAPTABLE was performed., Setting: The study was conducted in 40 centres and one health plan participating in the National Patient-Centred Clinical Research Network (PCORnet) in the USA., Participants: Among 15 076 participants with established ASCVD, 14 096 had self-reported race available and were included in the analysis. Participants were divided according to self-reported race as Black (n=1311, 9.3%), White (n=11 990, 85.1%) or other race (n=795, 5.6%)., Interventions: Participants were randomised to open-label daily aspirin doses of 81 mg versus 325 mg in a 1:1 ratio for a median of 26.2 months., Primary and Secondary Outcomes Measures: The primary effectiveness endpoint was a composite of death from any cause, hospitalisation for myocardial infarction or hospitalisation for stroke. The primary safety endpoint was hospitalisation for bleeding requiring blood product transfusion., Results: Estimated cumulative incidence of the primary effectiveness endpoint at median follow-up with the 81 mg and the 325 mg daily doses were 6.70% and 7.12% in White participants (adjusted HR: 1.00 [95% CI: 0.88 to 1.15]); 12.27% and 10.69% in Black participants (adjusted HR: 1.40 [95% CI: 1.02 to 1.93]); and 6.88% and 7.69% in other participants (adjusted HR: 0.86 [95% CI: 0.54 to 1.39]) (p-interaction=0.12), respectively. There was no significant interaction between self-reported race and assigned aspirin dose regarding the secondary effectiveness and the primary safety endpoints., Conclusion: Race is not an effect modifier on the impact of aspirin dosing on effectiveness and safety in patients with established ASCVD. In clinical practice, treatment decisions regarding aspirin dose in secondary prevention of ASCVD should not be influenced by race., Trial Registration Number: NCT02697916., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

This article examines the care gaps in lipid-lowering therapy for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), primarily focusing on discrepancies between recommended practices and actual clinical implementation. It provides an overview of the different challenges in lipid management following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Studies reveal gaps in lipid testing and treatment adequacy post-PCI and ACS, as well as knowledge and practice gaps among primary care practitioners, particularly in adhering to the latest lipid guidelines. Initiatives such as the Guidelines Oriented Approach to Lipid-Lowering (GOAL) Canada program and the North American ACS Reflective III Pilot demonstrate improvements in the uptake of nonstatin therapies and achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets through targeted educational and feedback interventions. Nonetheless, systemic challenges in the drug approval and reimbursement process persist and affect the accessibility of newer lipid-lowering agents. The most notable contribution of the reviewed studies is the demonstration of improved lipid management outcomes in high-risk ASCVD populations through targeted educational interventions, highlighting their potential value to change clinical practice., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Large outcome trials have demonstrated cardiovascular benefits of selected glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. We examined coronary disease outcomes in the Harmony Outcomes trial of the GLP-1 receptor agonist albiglutide., Methods and Results: Harmony Outcomes was an event-driven, multicenter, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial involving 9463 patients >40 years of age with type-2 diabetes and established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. It tested the effects of albiglutide on the occurrence of a composite primary endpoint, consisting of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke. Within this post-hoc analysis, the effects of albiglutide on MI subtypes and other ischaemic endpoints were analysed.During the median-follow up of 1.6 years, a total of 421 patients (4.5%) experienced at least one MI, with 72 patients having more than one event. Treatment with albiglutide reduced both first events [hazard ratio (HR) 0.75 (0.62-0.91)] and overall events [HR 0.75 (0.61-0.91)] as well as first type 1 [HR 0.73 (0.57-0.92)] and type 2 myocardial infarctions [HR 0.65 (0.46-0.92)]. The effect of albiglutide treatment was consistent for ST-segment elevation [HR 0.69 (0.38-1.26)] and non-ST elevation (HR 0.86 (0.66-1.2) MI., Conclusion: Treatment with the GLP-1 receptor agonist albiglutide resulted in a 25% relative risk reduction in MI that was consistent for type of infarction and presence or absence of ST elevation. Our findings add novel information about the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on ischaemic events in patients with type 2 diabetes., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

As a result of the widespread use of reperfusion therapies and secondary prevention over the last 30 years, there has been a dramatic reduction in the risk of mortality and development of heart failure (HF) following acute myocardial infarction (MI). Despite this, the development of chronic HF remains a common occurrence in the days, months, and years following MI. Neurohormonal inhibition remains the mainstay of pharmacologic prevention of HF following MI, with recent trials showing an additive benefit of a neprilysin inhibitor or a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor in reducing the risk of development of HF but no significant effect on mortality. Novel imaging tools may help refine risk stratification in high-risk patients and allow greater targeting of preventative therapies in patients most likely to benefit. Research is ongoing into novel therapies aiming to minimize the degree of myocardial damage and prevention of progressive adverse remodeling following MI., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures Dr Carberry’s employer, the University of Glasgow, has received research funding from Boehringer Ingelheim. Dr Marquis-Gravel’s institution has received research funding for his participation in EMPACT-MI (Empagliflozin in Patients Post Myocardial Infarction) or Advisory Boards or has received speaker fees from Novartis, JAMP Pharma, Servier, KYE, Pharmascience, Boston Scientific, Bayer, KYE, and HLS Therapeutics and has received research funding from Bayer. Dr Docherty’s employer, the University of Glasgow, has been remunerated by AstraZeneca for his work on clinical trials, and he has received speaker fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pharmacosmos, and Radcliffe Cardiology; has served on Advisory Boards for Us2.ai and Bayer AG; has served on a Clinical Endpoint Committee for Bayer AG; and has received research grant support (paid to his institution) from AstraZeneca, Roche, Novartis, and Boehringer Ingelheim. Dr O’Meara has reported that she has no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The incidence of coronary artery aneurysm is between 1.4% and 4.9% based on autopsy or angiographic series. Mycotic coronary arteries aneurysms are very rare and represent less than 3% of all coronary aneurysms. We report the case of a patient who presented with multiple coronary mycotic aneurysms., Competing Interests: Vincent Chauvette is a Vanier Scholarship recipient. Guillaume Marquis-Gravel is a Junior Clinical Research Scholar of the Fonds de Recherche du Québec–Santé. André Denault is supported by the Richard I. Kaufman Endowment Fund in Anesthesia and Critical Care. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Given the limited access to invasive vasospastic reactivity testing in Western Countries, there is a need to further develop alternative non-invasive diagnostic methods for vasospastic angina (VSA). Hyperventilation testing (HVT) is defined as a class IIa recommendation to diagnose VSA by the Japanese Society of Cardiology., Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis reported according to the PRISMA statement, we review the mechanisms, methods, modalities and diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive HVT for the diagnostic of VSA., Results: A total of 106 articles published between 1980 and 2022 about VSA and HVT were included in the systematic review, among which 16 were included in the meta-analysis for diagnostic accuracy. Twelve electrocardiogram-HVT studies including 804 patients showed a pooled sensitivity of 54% (95% confidence intervals [CI]; 30%-76%) and a pooled specificity of 99% (95% CI; 88%-100%). Four transthoracic echocardiography-HVT studies including 197 patients revealed a pooled sensitivity of 90% (95% CI; 82%-94%) and a pooled specificity of 98% (95% CI; 86%-100%). Six myocardial perfusion imaging-HVT studies including 112 patients yielded a pooled sensitivity of 95% (95% CI; 63%-100%) and a pooled specificity of 78% (95% CI; 19%-98%). Non-invasive HVT resulted in a low rate of adverse events, ventricular arrhythmias being the most frequently reported, and were resolved with the administration of nitroglycerin., Conclusions: Non-invasive HVT offers a safe alternative with high diagnostic accuracy to diagnose VSA in patients with otherwise undiagnosed causes of chest pain., (© 2024 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)