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Objective: The main objective of this study is to determine the incidence and predictors of clinical outcomes in patients with AF treated with factor Xa inhibitors in a real-world setting., Methods: The present study was a multicentre and observational study that included patients with AF who were treated with factor Xa inhibitors. The primary outcome was the composite of ischemic stroke, TIA, systemic embolism, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality., Results: A total of 1162 patients from 26 cardiology centers were included in this study, with a median age of 72 years. During the median 12-month follow-up period, the primary outcome occurred in 195 patients (16.8%). Treatment with rivaroxaban compared with apixaban and edoxaban showed a lower rate of ischemic stroke, TIA, and/or systemic embolism (2.2% vs. 4.7% vs. 6.5%, respectively, p = 0.014). The major bleeding rate was similar between all three factor Xa inhibitors. The all-cause mortality rate in the rivaroxaban group was lower compared with the apixaban and edoxaban groups (9.8% vs. 15.1% vs. 12.4%, respectively, p = 0.042). Overall, the frequency of primary outcome was 13.8%, 19.6%, and 20.6% for patients treated with rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban, respectively (p = 0.019). Older age, male sex, low body weight, high bleeding risk, heart failure, hypertension, liver failure, and treatment with apixaban 2.5 mg b.i.d. were independently associated with the development of primary outcome., Conclusion: The follow-up data from the ANATOLIA-AF study provides detailed data about the incidence and independent predictors of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with AF treated with factor Xa inhibitor treatment., (© 2025 The Author(s). Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC.)

Objective: Integrating heart failure (HF) guideline recommendations into clinical practice takes time and is often suboptimal in real-life settings. Physician-related factors may be significant barriers to the adoption of these guidelines. This survey aims to assess the current opinions of cardiologists practicing in Türkiye regarding the management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)., Methods: The survey comprised 22 questions and was published on the SurveyMonkey platform., Results: A total of 177 cardiologists (mean age: 39.5 years; 73.3% male) participated in the survey. Of these, 38.7% worked in a training and research hospital, and 10.2% were specialists in HF. The threshold EF value to define HFrEF was ≤ 40% for 80.1% of the cardiologists. While 52.6% of physicians considered angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi) treatment the most effective medication for HF, 62.7% would initiate HF treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) instead of ARNi due to reimbursement and cost issues. More than half of the cardiologists (52.3%) stated that adding another class of HF medication is more important than up-titrating those already prescribed. Although 69.5% of the study participants indicated prescribing all four classes of HF medications during the initial hospitalization is feasible, most cardiologists preferred a sequential approach starting with ACEi/ARNi, followed by beta-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i)., Conclusion: This survey highlights significant discrepancies between guideline recommendations and the real-life clinical practice of cardiologists in Türkiye. These results suggest that there is a need for organized action by healthcare providers to improve the implementation of guideline recommendations.

Objective: Heart failure is a leading cause of death and the most common diagnosis leading to hospitalization. Its awareness is lower than that of other cardiovascular diseases, both in the general population and among patients with heart failure (HF). This study aimed to establish the current level of knowledge about HF in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) in Türkiye., Methods: This questionnaire-based survey study is multicenter, conducted across 34 centers from December 2021 to July 2022. We performed a survey consisting of two sets of questions focusing on individual characteristics of the patients and HF-related knowledge., Results: The study included a total of 2,307 outpatient HF patients, comprising 70.5% males and 29.5% females with a mean age of 64.58 ± 13 (56-74) years and a mean body mass index value of 32.5 ± 10 kg/m2. HFrEF and HFmrEF were determined in 74.7% and 25.3% of patients, respectively. Thirty percent of the patients were unaware that they had HF. While 28.7% of the patients thought that they had sufficient information about HF, 71.3% believed they lacked adequate knowledge. In the study, 25.2% of the participants identified dyspnea, 22% identified tiredness, and 25.4% identified leg edema as the most common symptoms of HF. Only 27.4% of patients recognized all three typical symptoms of HF., Conclusion: We found that the study population's knowledge about HF symptoms and the nature of the disease was poor. Educational and awareness activities are necessary to optimize outcomes and benefits.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the adherence to the current European Society of Cardiology dyslipidemia guidelines, the ratio of reaching target values according to risk groups, and the reasons for not reaching LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) goals in patients on already statin therapy in a cardiology outpatient population., Methods: The AIZANOI study is a multi-center, cross-sectional observational study including conducted in 9 cardiology centers between August 1, 2021, and November 1, 2021., Results: A total of 1225 patients (mean age 62 ± 11 years, 366 female) who were already on statin therapy for at least 3 months were included. More than half (58.2%) of the patients were using high-intensity statin regimens. Only 26.2% of patients had target LDL-C level according to their risk score. Despite 58.4% of very high-risk patients and 44.4% of high-risk patients have been using a high-intensity statin regimen, only 24.5% of very-high-risk patients and only 34.9% of high-risk patients have reached guideline-recommended LDL-C levels. Most prevalent reason for not using target dose statin was physician preference (physician inertia) (40.3%)., Conclusion: The AIZANOI study showed that we achieved a target LDL-C level in only 26.2% of patients using statin therapy. Although 58.4% of patients with a very high SCORE risk and 44.4% of patients with a high SCORE risk were using a target dose statin regimen, we were only able to achieve guideline-recommended LDL-C levels in 24.5% and 34.9% of them, respectively, in cardiology outpatients clinics. Physician inertia is one of the major factors in non-adherence to guidelines. These findings highlight that combination therapy is needed in most of the patients.

Aims: The use of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) among patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) remains suboptimal. The SMYRNA study aims to identify the clinical factors for the non-use of GDMT and to determine the prognostic significance of GDMT in patients with HFrEF in a real-life setting., Methods and Results: The SMYRNA study is a prospective, multicentre, and observational study that included outpatients with HFrEF. Patients were divided into three groups according to the status of GDMT at the time of enrolment: (i) patients receiving all classes of HF medications including renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, beta-blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs); (ii) patients receiving any two classes of HF medications (RAS inhibitors and beta-blockers, or RAS inhibitors and MRAs, or beta-blockers and MRAs); and (iii) either patients receiving class of HF medications (only one therapy) or patients not receiving any class of HF medications. The primary outcome was a composite of hospitalization for HF or cardiovascular death. The study population consisted of 1062 patients with HFrEF, predominantly men (69.1%), with a median age of 68 (range: 20-96) years. RAS inhibitors, beta-blockers, and MRAs were prescribed in 76.0%, 89.4%, and 55.1% of the patients, respectively. The proportions of patients receiving target doses of guideline-directed medications were 24.4% for RAS inhibitors, 11.0% for beta-blockers, and 11.1% for MRAs. Overall, 491 patients (46.2%) were treated with triple therapy, 353 patients (33.2%) were treated with any two classes of HF medications, and 218 patients (20.6%) were receiving only one class of HF medication or not receiving any HF medication. Patient-related factors comprising older age, New York Heart Association functional class, rural living, presence of hypertension, and history of myocardial infarction were independently associated with the use or non-use of GDMT. During the median 24-month period, the primary composite endpoint occurred in 362 patients (34.1%), and 177 of 1062 (16.7%) patients died. Patients treated with two or three classes of HF medications had a decreased risk of hospitalization for HF or cardiovascular death compared with those patients receiving ≤1 class of HF medication [hazard ratio (HR): 0.65; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.49-0.85; P = 0.002, and HR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.47-0.79; P < 0.001, respectively]., Conclusions: The real-life SMYRNA study provided comprehensive data about the clinical factors associated with the non-use of GDMT and showed that suboptimal GDMT is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for HF or cardiovascular death in patients with HFrEF., (© 2023 The Authors. ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of aortic valve opening patterns on endothelial functions in patients undergoing continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation. This study included 43 patients who underwent CF-LVAD implantation and 35 patients with heart failure reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; control group). The CF-LVAD group was divided into three subgroups based on aortic valve opening patterns: open with each beat, intermittently opening, and not opening groups. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and pulsatility index (PI) were compared before and 3 months after CF-LVAD implantation. Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and 6 minute walk test (6-MWT) scores were measured at baseline and follow-up in the CF-LVAD group. The mean FMD and PI of patients in the CF-LVAD group reduced 3 months after implantation. Patients with intermittently opening and not opening aortic valves had worse endothelial function at follow-up. Before and 3 months after implantation FMD% did not significantly differ in patients whose aortic valves were open with each beat (4.72 ± 1.06% vs. 4.67 ± 1.16%, p = 0.135). Pulsatility index changes paralleled FMD changes. Cardiopulmonary exercise test and 6-MWT scores improved after implantation but without significant differences between subgroups. Maintaining normal aortic valve function after CF-LVAD implantation may reduce endothelial dysfunction; however, larger studies are needed for long-term clinical effects., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright © ASAIO 2023.)

Objective: Oral anticoagulant therapy is the cornerstone of atrial fibrillation management to prevent stroke and systemic embolism. However, there is limited real-world information regarding stroke and systemic embolism prevention strategies in patients with atrial fibrillation. The aim of the ROTA study is to obtain the real-world data of anticoagulant treatment patterns in patients with atrial fibrillation., Methods: The ROTA study is a prospective, multicenter, and observational study that included 2597 patients with atrial fibrillation. The study population was recruited from 41 cardiology outpatient clinics between January 2021 and May 2021., Results: The median age of the study population was 72 years (range: 22-98 years) and 57.4% were female. The median CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were 4 (range: 0-9) and 1 (range: 0-6), respectively. Vitamin K antagonists and direct oral anticoagulants were used in 15.9% and 79.4% of patients, respectively. The mean time in therapeutic range was 52.9% for patients receiving vitamin K antagonists, and 76% of those patients had an inadequate time in therapeutic range with <70%. The most common prescribed direct oral anticoagulants were rivaroxaban (38.1%), apixaban (25.5%), and edoxaban (11.2%). The rate of overuse of vitamin K antagonists and direct oral anticoagulants was high (76.1%) in patients with low stroke risk, and more than one-fourth of patients on direct oral anticoagulant therapy were receiving a reduced dose of direct oral anticoagulants. Among patients who were on direct oral anticoagulant treatment, patients with apixaban treatment were older, had higher CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores, and had lower creatinine clearance than the patients receiving other direct oral anticoagulants., Conclusions: The ROTA study provides important real-world information about anticoagulant treatment patterns in patients with atrial fibrillation.time in therapeutic range with <70%.

Background: Despite advances in therapeutic management of patients with heart failure, there is still an increasing morbidity and mortality all over the world. In this study, we aimed to present the 3-year follow-up outcomes of patients included in the Journey HF-TR study in 2016 that has evaluated the clinical characteristics and management of patients with acute heart failure admitted to the hospital and present a national registry data., Methods: The study was designed retrospectively between November 2016 and December 2019. Patient data included in the previously published Journey HF-TR study were used. Among 1606 patients, 1484 patients were included due to dropout of 122 patients due to inhospital death and due to exclusion of 173 due to incomplete data. The study included 1311 patients. Age, gender, concomitant chronic conditions, precipitating factors, New York Heart Association, and left ventricular ejection fraction factors were adjusted in the Cox regression analysis., Results: During the 3-year follow-up period, the ratio of hospitalization and mortality was 70.5% and 52.1%, respectively. Common causes of mortality were acute decompensation of heart failure and acute coronary syndrome. Angiotensin receptor blockers, betablockers, statin, and sacubitril/valsartan were found to reduce mortality. Hospitalization due to acute decompensated heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, lung diseases, oncological diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases was associated with the increased risk of mortality. Implantation of cardiac devices also reduced the mortality., Conclusions: Despite advances in therapeutic management of patients with heart failure, our study demonstrated that the long-term mortality still is high. Much more efforts are needed to improve the inhospital and long-term survival of patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: This study aimed to assess the safety and tolerability of nebivolol in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 40% in a Turkish cohort., Methods: A total of 1015 hypertensive patients and coronary artery disease with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 40% were analyzed from 29 different centers in Turkey. Primary outcomes were the mean change in blood pressure and heart rate. Secondary outcomes were to assess the rate of reaching targeted blood pressure (<130/80 mmHg) and heart rate (<60 bpm) and the changes in the clinical symptoms (angina and dyspnea). Adverse clinical events and clinical outcomes including cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular hospital admissions, or acute cardiac event were recorded., Results: The mean age of the study population was 60.3 ± 11.5 years (male: 54.2%). During a mean follow-up of 6 months, the mean change in blood pressure was -11.2 ± 23.5/-5.1 ± 13.5 mmHg, and the resting heart rate was -12.1 ± 3.5 bpm. Target blood pressure and heart rate were achieved in 76.5% and 37.7% of patients. Angina and functional classifications were improved by at least 1 or more categories in 31% and 23.2% of patients. No serious adverse events related to nebivolol were reported. The most common cardiovascular side effect was symptomatic hypotension (4.2%). The discontinuation rate was 1.7%. Cardiovascular hospital admission rate was 5% and hospitalization due to heart failure was 1.9% during 6 months' follow-up. Cardiovascular mortality rate was 0.1%., Conclusion: Nebivolol was well tolerated and safe for achieving blood pressure and heart rate control in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease and heart failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction.

Objective: The D-SPIRIT registry is designed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of dabigatran etexilate in patients with atrial fibrillation in routine clinical practice., Methods: D-SPIRIT is the first national, multicenter, prospective, observational, postmarketing registry that investigates the usage of dabigatran in real life. A total of 326 noveloral anticoagulant-eligible patients with atrial fibrillation who have been taking dabigatran etexilate therapy for stroke prevention at least 6 months from 9 different centers were enrolled into the registry. Patients were followed up for 2 years to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the treatment. All adverse clinical events including bleeding, thromboembolic events, stroke, systemic embolism, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, and all-cause death were recorded., Results: The mean age was 71.1±9.6 years, and 57.4% of the study participants were female. The mean CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke or transient ischemic attack [TIA], vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category) score was 3.4±1.6. The cumulative adverse clinical events rate was 6.30% per year. The rate for embolic events including TIA, ischemic stroke, and peripheral embolism was 1.26% per year. The rate for major bleeding was 2.20% per year, and the mortality rate was 0.94% per year., Conclusion: This registry obtained an important overview of the current safety and effectiveness of the dabigatran etexilate in Turkey. Our results indicate similar rates of thromboembolic and bleeding events with pivotal phase 3 trial and other real-life registries. However, rate of undertreatment usage of dabigatran etexilate in real life was found to be considerable.

Purpose: The time interval between the onset of the P-wave on electrocardiogram (ECG) and peak A' velocity of the lateral left atrial wall assessed by tissue Doppler imaging (PA-TDI interval) determine total atrial conduction time (TACT) which reflects atrial remodeling and arrhythmic substrate. In this retrospective study, we aimed to assess TACT in patients with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) with and without drug-induced type 1 Brugada electrocardiogram ECG pattern (DI-Type 1 BrP) and control subjects., Methods: Study population consisted of 62 consecutive patients (46 women; mean age 44 ± 12 years) undergoing electrophysiological study and ablation for symptomatic, drug-resistant AVNRT, and 42 age-matched and sex-matched control subjects. All patients and control subjects underwent ajmaline challenge test and tissue Doppler imaging., Results: A DI-Type 1 BrP was uncovered in 24 of 62 patients with AVNRT (38.7%). PA-TDI interval was similar among AVNRT patients with and without DI-Type 1 BrP (124 ± 12 ms vs 119 ± 14 ms, respectively, P = .32), but significantly longer in patients with AVNRT with as well as without DI-Type 1 BrP than in control subjects (124 ± 12 ms and 119 ± 14 ms vs 105 ± 11 ms, respectively, P < .001)., Conclusion: The TACT assessed by PA-TDI interval is longer in patients with AVNRT with and without DI-Type 1 BrP than in age-matched and sex-matched healthy control subjects., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Aim: Gender-related differences have been described in the clinical characteristics and management of patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, published data are conflictive in this regard., Methods: We investigated differences in clinical and management variables between male and female patients from the ATA study, a prospective, multicentre, observational study that included 1462 outpatients with chronic HFrEF between January and June 2019., Results: Study population was predominantly male (70.1%). In comparison to men, women with chronic HFrEF were older (66 ± 11 years vs 69 ± 12 years, P < .001), suffered more hospitalisations and presented more frequently with NYHA class III or IV symptoms. Ischaemic heart disease was more frequent in men, whereas anaemia, thyroid disease and depression were more frequent in women. No difference was seen between genders in the use rate of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, beta-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, or ivabradine, or in the proportion of patients achieving target doses of these drugs. Regarding device therapies, men were more often treated with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and women received more cardiac resynchronisation therapy., Conclusion: In summary, although management seemed to be equivalent between genders, women tended to present with more symptoms, require hospitalisation more frequently and have different comorbidities than men. These results highlight the importance of gender-related differences in HFrEF and call for further research to clarify the causes of these disparities. Gender-specific recommendations should be included in future guidelines in HFrEF., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThere is no conflict of interest or financial support in this case image report.

Objective: Despite recommendations from heart failure guidelines on the use of pharmacologic and device therapy in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), important inconsistencies in guideline adherence persist in practice. The aim of this study was to assess adherence to guideline-directed medical and device therapy for the treatment of patients with chronic HFrEF (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40%)., Methods: The Adherence to guideline-directed medical and device Therapy in outpAtients with HFrEF (ATA) study is a prospective, multicenter, observational study conducted in 24 centers from January 2019 to June 2019., Results: The study included 1462 outpatients (male: 70.1%, mean age: 67±11 years, mean LVEF: 30%±6%) with chronic HFrEF. Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, beta-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and ivabradin were used in 78.2%, 90.2%, 55.4%, and 12.1% of patients, respectively. The proportion of patients receiving target doses of medical treatments was 24.6% for RAS inhibitors, 9.9% for beta-blockers, and 10.5% for MRAs. Among patients who met the criteria for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), only 16.9% of patients received an ICD (167 of 983) and 34% (95 of 279) of patients underwent CRT (95 of 279)., Conclusion: The ATA study shows that most HFrEF outpatients receive RAS inhibitors and beta-blockers but not MRAs or ivabradin when the medical reasons for nonuse, such as drug intolerance or contraindications, are taken into account. In addition, most eligible patients with HFrEF do not receive target doses of pharmacological treatments or guideline-recommended device therapy.

In December 2019, in the city of Wuhan, in the Hubei province of China, treatment-resistant cases of pneumonia emerged and spread rapidly for reasons unknown. A new strain of coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 [SARS-CoV-2]) was identified and caused the first pandemic of the 21st century. The virus was officially detected in our country on March 11, 2020, and the number of cases increased rapidly; the virus was isolated in 670 patients within 10 days. The rapid increase in the number of patients has required our physicians to learn to protect both the public and themselves when treating patients with this highly infectious disease. The group most affected by the outbreak and with the highest mortality rate is elderly patients with known cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is necessary for cardiology specialists to take an active role in combating the epidemic. The aim of this article is to make a brief assessment of current information regarding the management of cardiovascular patients affected by COVID-19 and to provide practical suggestions to cardiology specialists about problems and questions they have frequently encountered.

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) are common cardiovascular diseases. The impact of AF on in-hospital outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is controversial. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of AF among hospitalized patients with ADHF and describe the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of these patients with and without AF., Methods: We examined the multicenter, observational data from the real-life data of hospitalized patients with HF: Journey HF-TR study in Turkey that studied the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of hospitalized patients with ADHF between September 2015 and September 2016., Results: Of the 1,606 patients hospitalized with ADHF, 626 (39%) had a history of AF or developed new-onset AF during hospitalization. The patients with AF were older (71±12 vs. 65±13 years; p<0.001) and more likely to have a history of hypertension, valvular heart disease, and stroke. The AF patients were less likely to have coronary artery disease and diabetes. In-hospital adverse event rates and length of in-hospital stay were similar in ADHF patients, both with and without AF. In-hospital all-cause mortality rate was higher in patients with AF than in patients without AF, although the difference was not statistically significant (8.9% vs. 6.8%; p=0.121)., Conclusion: AF has been found in more than one-third of the patients hospitalized with ADHF, and it has varied clinical features and comorbidities. The presence of AF is not associated with increased adverse events or all-cause mortality during the hospitalization time.

In December 2019, in the city of Wuhan, in the Hubei province of China, treatment-resistant cases of pneumonia emerged and spread rapidly for reasons unknown. A new strain of coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 [SARS-CoV-2]) was identified and caused the first pandemic of the 21st century. The virus was officially detected in our country on March 11, 2020, and the number of cases increased rapidly; the virus was isolated in 670 patients within 10 days. The rapid increase in the number of patients has required our physicians to learn to protect both the public and themselves when treating patients with this highly infectious disease. The group most affected by the outbreak and with the highest mortality rate is elderly patients with known cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is necessary for cardiology specialists to take an active role in combating the epidemic. The aim of this article is to make a brief assessment of current information regarding the management of cardiovascular patients affected by COVID-19 and to provide practical suggestions to cardiology specialists about problems and questions they have frequently encountered.

Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

A 77-year-old man with a past medical history of myelodysplastic syndrome, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and chronic atrial fibrillation presented at the hematology outpatient clinic with progressive shortness of breath, weakness, and chest and back pain. Echocardiography was performed and the patient was diagnosed with severe pericardial effusion near the right ventricle. Pericardial drainage was performed. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated from the pericardial fluid. Complications of respiratory and renal failure developed during follow-up. The clinical and laboratory findings of vegetation on the tricuspid valve, pericardial effusion, and atrial fibrillation with a low heart rate suggested possible pancarditis. A multidisciplinary treatment approach with the cardiology and infectious disease departments was critical to successful management of this case.

Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC) is defined as a ventricular diastolic and/or systolic dysfunction, which is directly related to diabetes mellitus (DM) in the absence of coronary artery disease, valvular, congenital or hypertensive heart disease, and alcoholism. In this report, we present an unusual case of a patient with DC and reversible, acute left ventricular systolic dysfunction due to cardiotoxicity of hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS)., Case Summary: A 20-year-old male patient presented with weakness and polyuria. Physical examination and electrocardiogram were normal. Laboratory results and arterial blood gas analysis were consistent with HHS. Baseline echocardiography showed global left ventricular hypokinesis with an ejection fraction (EF) of 36%. The patient's clinical condition improved after blood glucose level normalization and echocardiography revealed progressive improvement in the left ventricular systolic function with an EF of 54% at the 5-day follow-up and an EF of 69% at the 15-day follow-up., Discussion: Uncontrolled DM and hyperglycaemic crisis may result in cardiotoxicity, acute left ventricular systolic dysfunction, and DC. The pathophysiological mechanism of this phenomenon is still unclear. Blood glucose control is the most important strategy for the prevention of DC., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Background: Although cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation is considered to be minor surgery, almost 60% of the patients suffer from shoulder-related problems a short time after the procedure. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible effects of the preference of the dominant side for CIED implantation on the ipsilateral superior extremity functions., Methods: The study included a total of 107 patients who had been living with a CIED for >6 months. Patients were separated into two groups according to the dominant hand and side of the CIED. The ipsilateral dominant-hand group comprised those with a CIED on the same side as the dominant hand and the contralateral dominant-hand group included patients with the CIED placed on the contralateral side to the dominant hand. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, quick disability of the arm shoulder and hand questionnaire (QuickDASH) and maximum isometric grip strength tests were used to evaluate the upper extremity disabilities., Results: No significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of VAS pain scores ( P  = 0.10), QuickDASH scores ( P  = 0.21), and limitations of the shoulder joint range of motion ( P  = 0.192). The maximum isometric grip strength was significantly different in the right hands between two groups (34 [16-95]-40 [24-85]) ( P  = 0.02)., Conclusion: The present study shows that the joint range of motion limitation, pain, and disability of the upper extremity were no different in the affected arm compared to the healthy contralateral side with respect to the placement of the CIED on the dominant or non-dominant side., Competing Interests: Authors declare no conflict of interests for this article.

Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Objective: Acute heart failure (AHF) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome characterized by rapid onset of heart failure (HF) symptoms and signs and requires urgent therapy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the overall clinical characteristics, management, and in-hospital outcomes of hospitalized patients with AHF in a large sample of Turkish population., Methods: The Journey HF-TR study is a cross-sectional, multicenter, non-invasive and observational trial. Patients who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of AHF in the intensive care unit (ICU)/coronary care unit and cardiology wards between September 2015 and September 2016 were included in our study., Results: A total of 1606 (male: 57.2%, mean age: 67.8±13 years) patients who were diagnosed with AHF were enrolled in the study. Seventeen percent of the patients were admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of new onset AHF. Hypertension (67%) and coronary artery disease (CAD) (59.6%) were the most frequent underlying diseases. Acute coronary syndrome accompanying HF (14.7%), infection (29.3%), arrhythmia (25.1%), renal dysfunction (23%), and non-compliance with medication (23.8%) were the precipitating factors. The median length of stay in the ICU was 3 days (interquartile range, IQR 1-72) and 7 days (IQR 1-72) for in-hospital journey. The guideline recommended medications were less likely used in our patient population (<73%) before admission and were similar to European and US registers at discharge. The in-hospital mortality rate was 7.6%. Hypertension and CAD were the most frequent underlying diseases in our population similar to other European surveys. Although our study population was younger than other registers, in-hospital mortality was high., Conclusion: Analyses of such real-world data will help to prepare a national database and distinctive diagnosis and treatment algorithms and to provide observing compliance with the current European Society of Cardiology guidelines for more effective management of HF.

Prosthetic valve thrombosis is a serious complication of heart valve surgery. According to the recent studies, thrombolytic therapy is an important alternative therapy to the open heart surgery with successful outcomes. We present a case of a prosthetic mitral valve thrombosis who was successfully treated with modified ultra-slow thrombolytic therapy., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Cardioinhibitory syncope is related with excessive bradycardia or asystole due to parasympathetic response., Aim: We investigated whether patients with cardioinhibitory syncope have higher heart rate recovery index (HRRi) considered as a parasympathetic system activation in exercise stress testing (EST) than in those with other neurogenic syncope forms., Methods: A total of 262 patients who had neurogenic syncope documented by head-up tilt test (HUTT) and 199 healthy control individuals were examined. A maximal EST was applied to all patients after the HUTT. The HRRi was obtained by subtracting the heart rate that was measured at the first (HRRi-1), second (HRRi-2), and third minute (HRRi-3) of the recovery period from the maximal heart rate that was measured during the test., Results: Eighty patients had cardioinhibitory syncope, 118 patients had vasodepressor syncope, and 64 patients had mixed-type syncope. The HRRi-1 was higher in patients with syncope (43.3 ± 7.7) compared to the control group (34.5 ± 4.8; p < 0.001). Post hoc analysis showed that among the syncope groups, there was no difference between patients with vasodepressor syncope (42.2 ± 7.6) and those with mixed type syncope (40.7 ± 4.1) in terms of HRRi-1 (p = 0.420). However, patients with cardioinhibitory syncope (47 ± 8.7) had a higher HRRi-1 than vasodepressor and mixed-type syncope groups (p < 0.05). The threshold value of the HRRi-1, which can be used for the prediction of cardioinhibitory syncope development, was determined to be 41 with 75% sensitivity and 72% specificity., Conclusions: The HRRi-1 was higher in patients with cardioinhibitory syncope compared to the controls. The HRRi-1 has the predictive feature of differentiating cardioinhibitory syncope from other syncope types.

Objective: We investigated the frequency of different bicuspid aortic valve disease (BAV) phenotypes,the associated valvular pathologies, and the aortopathy phenotypes, using 2-dimensional (2D) transthoracic, 2D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and 3-dimensional (3D) TEE., Methods: A total of 154 patients with BAV were included. Five BAV phenotypes were detected. To better define valvular pathologies, binary classifications of BAV were used: BAV with antero-posterior commisural line (BAV-AP) and right-left commissural line (BAV-RL). Aortopathy phenotype was classified according to the involved tract(s)., Results: Of the patients, 53.2% had type 1, 16.2% type 2, 15.6% type 3, 1.3% type 4, and 13.6% had type 5 BAV. The prevalence of BAV-AP and BAV-RL was 68.2% and 31.8%, respectively. No difference was detected with respect to aortic regurgitation between BAV-AP and BAV-RL (p=0.9), but the BAVRL group had an increased propensity to have a stenotic aortic valve (p=0.003). The indexed aortic diameter was larger in BAV-AP cases than BAV-RL at the sinus of Valsalva (p=0.008). In patients with dilatation of the root and tubular portion, a predominance of BAV-AP versus BAV-RL was observed (85% vs 15%). A markedly low prevalence of the root phenotype (3.2%) was observed. In 90.1% of the patients, 2D TEE was sufficient to classify BAV phenotypes; further 3D imaging was needed in 9.9% of the cases., Conclusion: There may be racial differences in the frequency of valvular and aortopathy phenotypes in patients with BAV. BAV phenotypes differ with respect to aortic stenosis and aortopathy phenotypes. TEE may have good diagnostic utility in differentiating BAV phenotypes.

Objective: It is aimed to determine the prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and its correlations with arrhythmia in patients with palpitations., Material and Methods: Sixty-two patients who underwent electrophysiological study (EPS) due to palpitation complaints in Cardiology department and 40 healthy controls were included in the study. The precise diagnosis of arrhythmia was established using EPS. All participants were screened for FMS using American College of Rheumatology 2010 Fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria. Clinical assessments included measurement of severity of pain, fatigue and morning fatigue with visual analog scale (VAS), functional status with Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and anxiety/depression with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD)., Results: FMS was diagnosed in 22 of the 62 patients (36%), and 4 of the 40 healthy controls (10%) (p 0.05). EPS+ patients with FMS had higher fatigue levels, HAD and FIQ scores than EPS- patients, although statistically insignificant. HV durations were statistically longer in the EPS- subgroup (p < 0.05) but other EPS data were similar., Conclusion: FMS frequency and HAD anxiety scores were found to be higher in patients with palpitation complaints. However, we found no association between arrhythmia, EPS parameters and FMS. In our clinical practice we should keep in mind to carry out assessments in terms of FMS in patients with palpitation.

Objective: The quality of life (QoL) is impaired in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the data on the perceived QoL of patients with different types of AF is limited. In this study, we investigated the QoL of patients with intermittent and chronic AF., Methods: The study was designed as an observational cross-sectional study, and 135 consecutive patients with documented AF admitted to the cardiology outpatient clinic in a tertiary hospital were recruited. The pattern of AF was classified as intermittent or chronic AF. The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) classification and symptom severity score were used to quantify the symptoms related to AF. The QoL was assessed by the Short Form-36 and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Severity in Atrial Fibrillation (SAF) scale., Results: Thirty-nine percent of the patients (n=52) had intermittent AF and 61% (n=83) had chronic AF. In the overall patient population, 92% reported having at least one of the symptoms that can be attributable to AF. Although the prevalence of symptoms were similar in patients with intermittent or chronic AF, the patients with intermittent AF perceived more severe palpitations (symptom severity score 2.4±1.7 vs. 1.5±1.5, p=0.003). Patients with intermittent AF had higher EHRA and SAF scores than the patients with chronic AF (2.6±0.9 vs. 1.9±0.8, p<0.001; 2.5±1.3 vs. 1.7±1.2, p<0.001, respectively)., Conclusion: Outpatients with AF have a high prevalence of symptoms and impaired QoL. The impairment of subjective health-related QoL is worse in patients with intermittent AF.

Objective: In recent years there has been an increase in clinical situations requiring lead extraction procedures of implanted cardiac devices. In our clinic, extraction procedures are performed with Evolution® mechanical lead extraction system. In this manuscript we aimed to evaluate our lead extraction procedures., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated lead extraction procedures carried out on 41 patients [30 male, 11 female patient; mean age 61.5 ± 18.5 median 67 (23-85)] between 2008 and 2015 using Evolution® system. Procedural success, major and minor complications are determined according to previously published guidelines., Results: Mean duration of the lead implantation was 88.4 ± 62.5 months (6-240). Implanted device was a pacemaker in 27 (65.8 %) and ICD in 14 (34.2 %) of patients. Total 67 leads were extracted from the patients, 22 (32.8 %) were atrial, 30 (44.2 %) were ventricular, 14 (21.5 %) were dual coil defibrillator and 1 (1.5 %) was coronary sinus lead. Indications for lead removal were pacemaker decubitis and infection in 29 (70.8 %), lead dysfunction in 11 (26.8 %) and subclavian vein thrombosis in 1 (2.4 %) patient. Success rate with Evolution® system without using snare was 85.3 %. Clinical success rate was 97.5 % procedural success rate was 95.1 % and failure occured in one patient. Major complications occured in 2 (4.8 %) patients, 1 (2.4 %) was procedure related mortality. Minor complications were seen in 5 (12.2 %) of patients., Conclusions: In our single center study it is shown that extraction of pacemaker and defibrillator leads of relatively long implantation duration and in an older age patient group may be successfully carried out using the Evolution® system. However due to potentially serious complications it is adviced to be done by experienced operators in centers with cardiovascular surgery backup.

Background: The HATCH score predicts the development of persistent and permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) one year after spontaneous or pharmacological conversion to sinus rhythm in patients with AF. However, it remains unknown whether HATCH score predicts short-term success of the procedure at early stages for patients who have undergone electrical cardioversion (EC) for AF., Aim: The present study evaluated whether HATCH score predicts short-term success of EC in patients with AF., Methods: The study included patients aged 18 years and over, who had undergone EC due to AF lasting less than 12 months, between December 2011 and October 2013. HATCH score was calculated for all patients. The acronym HATCH stands for Hypertension, Age (above 75 years), Transient ischaemic attack or stroke, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and Heart failure. This scoring system awards two points for heart failure and transient ischaemic attack or stroke and one point for the remaining items., Results: The study included 227 patients and short-term EC was successful in 163 of the cases. The mean HATCH scores of the patients who had undergone successful or unsuccessful EC were 1.3 ± 1.4 and 2.9 ± 1.4, respectively (p < 0.001). The area of the HATCH score under the curve in receiver operating characteristics analysis was (AUC) 0.792 (95% CI 0.727-0.857, p < 0.001). A HATCH score of two and above yielded 77% sensitivity, 62% specificity, 56% positive predictive value, and 87% negative predictive value in predicting unsuccessful cardioversion., Conclusions: HATCH score is useful in predicting short-term success of EC at early stages for patients with AF, for whom the use of a rhythm-control strategy is planned.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The HATCH score was originally devised to predict the progression of paroxysmal AF to persistent AF., Aim: To determine whether the HATCH score predicts the development of AF after CABG surgery., Methods: The medical records of 284 consecutive patients, who underwent CABG surgery between January 2013 and December 2014, were retrospectively reviewed for the development of AF in the postoperative (POAF) period. The HATCH score, and clinical and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated for all patients., Results: Seventy (25%) patients developed POAF. The HATCH scores were higher in the POAF group (2.8 ± 1.8 vs. 1.1 ± 1.2, p < 0.001). The area of the HATCH score under the curve in the receiver operating characteristics analysis was 773 (95% CI 706-841, p < 0.001). When the HATCH score was 2 or more as a threshold, there was for POAF 72% sensitivity and 75% specificity., Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that the HATCH score can be used to predict the development of POAF.

Objective: Percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSD) has become an accepted alternative to surgical closure in selected cases. However, closure of pmVSDs associated with septal aneurysm is more challenging. We report our experience of device closure of pmVSDs associated with septal aneurysm., Methods: Between 2008 and 2012, percutaneous closure of pmVSD associated with septal aneurysm was attempted in 11 adult patients in our institution. The patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure., Results: Mean age of the patients (64% male, 36% female) was 36.2±1.3 years. Diameter of the left and right ventricular openings of the aneurysm measured by ventriculography was 13.5±5.6 mm and 5.9±2.2 mm, respectively. The defect was occluded with Amplatzer pmVSD Occluder in 4 patients, Amplatzer Muscular Ventricular Septal Defect Occluder in 4 patients, Amplatzer Duct Occluder I in 1 patient, and Amplatzer Duct Occluder II in 2 patients (AGA Medical Corp., Plymouth, MN, USA). The procedure was succesfull in all patients. Mean follow-up time was 22±1.9 months. There was no device- or procedure-related complications at the acute setting or mid-term follow-up., Conclusion: Percutaneous closure of pmVSDs associated with aneurysm is more challenging than that of simple defects. The selection of the device type and size should be made according to the configuration and size of the aneurysm and defect.

Objective: Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) attacks is one of the common arrhythmias adversely affecting quality of life. The Umea 22 (U22) is a questionnaire developed for the assessment of symptoms associated with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), and it is found to be effective in evaluation of quality of life after radiofrequency ablation. Using this questionnaire, the study aimed to assess quality of life among Turkish patients with ANRT before and after the successful RFA., Methods: The study was conducted between January 2011 and September 2013, and included 57 patients who had undergone RFA due to AVNRT. The U22 questionnaire was administered pre-procedure and at 6 months post-procedure. The participants were asked to report on their general well-being, arrhythmia effects on their wellbeing, and intensity of discomfort associated with episodes. They were asked to provide a score from 1 to 10 in order to determine to severity of discomfort, and the quantity of symptoms was then assessed according to the visual analogue scale (VAS)., Results: Patients' general wellbeing (7.5±2.3 vs. 8.7±1.8, p<0.001), the effects of arrhythmia episodes on general well-being (8.1±1.7 vs. 1.0±2.1, p<0.001), frequency of symptoms (2.8±0.8 vs. 0.4±0.9, p<0.001) and duration of symptoms were reduced significantly after RFA. The rate of drug use among patients also decreased after RFA (70% vs. 23%, p=0.017)., Conclusion: Treatment success was high in patients undergoing RFA due to AVNRT according to the U22 quality of life questionnaire. General and arrhythmia-associated quality of life had improved significantly by the 6th month post-procedure.

Objective: In recent years, there has been an increase in clinical situations requiring extraction of leads of implanted cardiac devices. This study aimed to evaluate the Evolution Mechanical Dilator Sheath system, presently in use in our clinic for lead extraction procedures., Methods: Lead extraction procedures carried out on 20 patients (14 men, 6 women; mean age 61±19; range 23 to 85 years) between 2008 and 2013 using the Evolution system were retrospectively evaluated. Procedural success, and major and minor complications were determined by previously published guidelines., Results: Mean implantation duration of the leads was 97±65 months (8-204). Fifteen (75%) patients had undergone pacemaker implantation and 5 (25%) had been implanted with a defibrillator. A total of 35 leads were removed from the patients. Seventeen (49%) were ventricular and 12 (34%) were atrial. Five (14%) were defibrillator coils and 1 a coronary sinus lead. Indications for lead extraction were device infection in 18 (90%) patients and lead dysfunction in 2 (10%). Complete procedural success was 95%. Failure occurred in 1 patient. The major complication rate was 5% and minor complications were seen in 25% of patients. No case of mortality was present., Conclusion: In this single centre study, it was shown that extraction of pacemaker and defibrillator leads of longer implant duration may be successfully carried out using the Evolution system. However, due to potentially serious complications it is advised that extraction be done by an experienced operator in centres with cardiovascular surgery facilities.

Introduction: Quality of life has become an important outcome measure in addition to mortality and morbidity in patients with congenital heart disease. Atrial septal defect is a common congenital heart disease, and transcatheter atrial septal defect closure has become an accepted treatment modality. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life of patients with atrial septal defect who underwent percutaneous closure., Materials and Methods: We examined the quality of life of 69 patients with atrial septal defect and 69 healthy controls matched according to age, sex, educational level, and economic, marital, and employment status. Quality of life was investigated using the Turkish version of Short Form-36., Results: The mean age of the patients was 39.7 ± 14.2 and 26% were male. The quality of life assessment was performed at a mean follow-up time of 18.0 ± 13.8 months after the intervention. The mean scores of the domains of the Short Form-36, namely, physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, mental health, vitality, pain, and general health, were similar in patients with atrial septal defect who underwent percutaneous closure and the control group., Conclusion: Adult patients who underwent percutaneous atrial septal defect closure perceive their quality of life to be as good as their healthy counterparts.