HEART + score: integrating carotid ultrasound to chest pain assessment in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVES: The HEART score is a clinical decision tool that stratifies patients into categories of low, moderate, and high-risk of major adverse cardiac events in the emergency department (ED) but cannot identify underlying cardiovascular disease in patients without prior history. The presence of atherosclerosis can easily be detected at the bedside using carotid ultrasound. Plaque quantification is well established, and plaque composition can be assessed using ultrasound grayscale pixel distribution analysis. This study aimed to determine whether carotid plaque burden and/or composition correlated with risk of events and could improve the sensitivity of the HEART score in risk stratifying ED patients with chest pain. METHODS: The HEART score was calculated based on history, electrocardiogram, age, risk factors, and initial troponin in patients presenting to the ED with chest pain (n = 321). Focused carotid ultrasound was performed, and maximum plaque height and total plaque area were used to determine plaque burden (quantity). Plaque composition (% blood, fat, muscle, fibrous, calcium-like tissue) was assessed by pixel distribution analysis. RESULTS: Carotid plaque height and area increased with HEART score (p < 0.0001). Carotid plaque % fibrous and % calcium also increased with HEART score. The HEART score had a higher area under the curve (AUC = 0.84) in predicting 30-day events compared to the plaque variables alone (AUCs < 0.70). Integrating plaque quantity into the HEART score slightly increased test sensitivity (62-69%) for 30-day events and reclassified 11 moderate-risk participants to high-risk (score 7-10). CONCLUSION: Plaque burden with advanced composition features (fibrous and calcium) was associated with increased HEART score. Integrating plaque assessment into the HEART score identified subclinical atherosclerosis in moderate-risk patients.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Le score HEART est un outil de décision clinique qui stratifie les patients en catégories de risque faible, modéré et élevé d'événements cardiaques indésirables majeurs à l'urgence (ED), mais ne peut pas identifier les maladies cardiovasculaires sous-jacentes chez les patients sans antécédents. La présence d'athérosclérose peut facilement être détectée au chevet du patient à l'aide de l'échographie carotide. La quantification de la plaque est bien établie et la composition de la plaque peut être évaluée à l'aide d'une analyse échographique de la distribution des pixels en niveaux de gris. Cette étude visait à déterminer si la charge et/ou la composition de la plaque carotidienne étaient corrélées avec le risque d'événements et pouvaient améliorer la sensibilité du score HEART chez les patients souffrant de douleurs thoraciques stratifiés. MéTHODES: Le score HEART a été calculé sur la base des antécédents, de l'électrocardiogramme, de l'âge, des facteurs de risque et de la troponine initiale chez les patients présentant une douleur thoracique à l'urgence (n = 321). L'échographie carotidienne focalisée a été effectuée, et la hauteur maximale de la plaque et la surface totale de la plaque ont été utilisées pour déterminer la charge de plaque (quantité). La composition de la plaque (% de sang, de graisse, de muscle, de tissu fibreux, de type calcique) a été évaluée par analyse de la distribution des pixels. RéSULTATS: La hauteur et la surface de la plaque carotide ont augmenté avec le score HEART (p<0,0001). Le pourcentage de plaque carotide fibreuse et le pourcentage de calcium ont également augmenté avec le score HEART. Le score HEART avait une zone plus élevée sous la courbe (ASC = 0,84) pour prédire les événements de 30 jours par rapport aux seules variables de la plaque (CCU < 0,70). L'intégration de la quantité de plaque dans le score HEART a légèrement augmenté la sensibilité au test (62 % à 69 %) pour les événements de 30 jours et a reclassé 11 participants à risque modéré à risque élevé (score de 7 à 10). CONCLUSION: La charge de plaque avec des caractéristiques de composition avancées (fibreuse et calcique) était associée à une augmentation du score HEART. Intégrer l'évaluation de la plaque dans le score HEART a identifié l'athérosclérose subclinique chez les patients à risque modéré.

Patient Involvement in Care, Psychosocial Outcomes, and Quality of Life in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Pilot Study.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the impact of patient involvement in care (PIC) on psychosocial outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) (n = 34). Patients with low-to-moderate PIC were older than those with high PIC (66.8 years vs 57.3 years; P = 0.04). PIC was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = -0.39; P = 0.02) and positively correlated with heart-focused attention (r = 0.39; P = 0.02). No significant correlations were observed between PIC and HRQoL. Greater PIC was associated with reduced depressive symptoms but increased cardiac anxiety. Future studies should investigate the relationship between PIC and HRQoL in a larger cohort.

Cette étude transversale visait à évaluer l'effet de la participation du patient à ses soins sur les issues psychosociales et la qualité de vie liée à la santé chez les patients atteints de cardiomyopathie hypertrophique (CMH) (n = 34). Les patients qui participaient peu ou modérément à leurs soins étaient plus âgés que ceux qui y participaient activement (66,8 ans vs 57,3 ans; p = 0,04). Il y a une corrélation négative entre la participation du patient aux soins et les symptômes dépressifs (r = -0,39; p = 0,02) et une corrélation positive entre la participation aux soins et l'attention portée au cœur (r = 0,39; p = 0,02). Aucune corrélation notable n'a été observée entre la participation du patient à ses soins et la qualité de vie liée à la santé. Une grande participation du patient à ses soins a été associée à une réduction des symptômes dépressifs, mais à une anxiété cardiaque accrue. D'autres études sont nécessaires pour examiner la relation entre la participation du patient à ses soins et la qualité de vie liée à la santé au sein d'une cohorte plus importante.

The Canadian Women's Heart Health Alliance ATLAS on the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Women - Chapter 9: Summary of Current Status, Challenges, Opportunities, and Recommendations.

This final chapter of the Canadian Women's Heart Health Alliance "ATLAS on the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Women" presents ATLAS highlights from the perspective of current status, challenges, and opportunities in cardiovascular care for women. We conclude with 12 specific recommendations for actionable next steps to further the existing progress that has been made in addressing these knowledge gaps by tackling the remaining outstanding disparities in women's cardiovascular care, with the goal to improve outcomes for women in Canada.

Dans ce chapitre final de l'ATLAS sur l'épidémiologie, le diagnostic et la prise en charge de la maladie cardiovasculaire chez les femmes de l'Alliance canadienne de santé cardiaque pour les femmes, nous présentons les points saillants de l'ATLAS au sujet de l'état actuel des soins cardiovasculaires offerts aux femmes, ainsi que des défis et des occasions dans ce domaine. Nous concluons par 12 recommandations concrètes sur les prochaines étapes à entreprendre pour donner suite aux progrès déjà réalisés afin de combler les lacunes dans les connaissances, en s'attaquant aux disparités qui subsistent dans les soins cardiovasculaires prodigués aux femmes, dans le but d'améliorer les résultats de santé des femmes au Canada.

Mediators of the Association Between Socioeconomic Status and Survival After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Systematic Review.

Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with poor outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Patient characteristics, care processes, and other contextual factors may mediate the association between SES and survival after OHCA. Interventions that target these mediating factors may reduce disparities in OHCA outcomes across the socioeconomic spectrum. This systematic review identified and quantified mediators of the SES-survival after OHCA association. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science) and grey literature sources were searched from inception to July or August 2023. Observational studies of OHCA patients that conducted mediation analyses to evaluate potential mediators of the association between SES (defined by income, education, occupation, or a composite index) and survival outcomes were included. A total of 10 studies were included in this review. Income (n = 9), education (n = 4), occupation (n = 1), and composite indices (n = 1) were used to define SES. The proportion of OHCA cases that had bystander involvement, presented with an initial shockable rhythm, and survived to hospital discharge or 30 days increased with higher SES. Common mediators of the SES-survival association that were evaluated included initial rhythm (n = 6), emergency medical services response time (n = 5), and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (n = 4). Initial rhythm was the most important mediator of this association, with a median percent excess risk explained of 37.4% (range 28.6%-40.0%; n = 5; 1 study reported no mediation) and mediation proportion of 41.8% (n = 1). To mitigate socioeconomic disparities in outcomes after OHCA, interventions should target potentially modifiable mediators, such as initial rhythm, which may involve improving bystander awareness of OHCA and the need for prompt resuscitation.

Community Interventions for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Resource-Limited Settings: A Scoping Review Across Low, Middle, and High-Income Countries.

BACKGROUND: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major global health challenge, characterized by poor survival outcomes worldwide. Resource-limited settings are burdened with suboptimal emergency response and worse outcomes than high-resource areas. Engaging the community in the response to OHCA has the potential to improve outcomes, although an overview of community interventions in resource-limited settings has not been provided. OBJECTIVE: This review evaluated the scope of community-based OHCA interventions in resource-limited settings. METHODS: Literature searches in electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials) and grey literature sources were performed. Abstract screening, full-text review, and data extraction of eligible studies were conducted independently by two reviewers. The PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) framework was used to assess study eligibility. Studies that evaluated community-based interventions for laypeople (Population), targeting emergency response activation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), or automated external defibrillator (AED) use (Concept) in resource-limited settings (Context) were included. Resource-limited settings were identified by financial pressures (low-income or lower-middle-income country, according to World Bank data on year of publication) or geographical factors (setting described using keywords indicative of geographical remoteness in upper-middle-income or high-income country). RESULTS: Among 14,810 records identified from literature searches, 60 studies from 28 unique countries were included in this review. Studies were conducted in high-income (n = 35), upper-middle-income (n = 2), lower-middle-income (n = 22), and low-income countries (n = 1). Community interventions included bystander CPR and/or AED training (n = 34), community responder programs (n = 8), drone-delivered AED networks (n = 6), dispatcher-assisted CPR programs (n = 4), regional resuscitation campaigns (n = 3), public access defibrillation programs (n = 3), and crowdsourcing technologies (n = 2). CPR and/or AED training were the only interventions evaluated in low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions aimed at improving the community response to OHCA in resource-limited settings differ globally. There is a lack of reported studies from low-income countries and certain continental regions, including South America, Africa, and Oceania. Evaluation of interventions other than CPR and/or AED training in low- and middle-income countries is needed to guide community emergency planning and health policies.

The Evolution of Cardiovascular Ultrasound: A Review of Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Across Specialties.

The use of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is now widespread in clinics, emergency departments, and all areas of the hospital. Users include medical trainees, advanced practice practitioners, and attending physicians in many specialties and sub-specialties. Opportunities to learn cardiac POCUS and requirements for training vary across specialties, as does the scope of the cardiac POCUS examination. In this review, we describe both a brief history of how cardiac POCUS emerged from echocardiography and the state of the art across a variety of medical fields.

Focused carotid ultrasound to predict major adverse cardiac events among emergency department patients with chest pain.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Point-of-care focused vascular ultrasound (FOVUS), an assessment of carotid artery plaque, predicts coronary artery disease in outpatients referred for coronary angiography. Our primary objective was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of sonographer-performed FOVUS to predict major adverse cardiac events (MACE) within 30 days among patients with suspected cardiac ischemia in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients with chest pain presenting to a tertiary care ED who had an electrocardiogram and cardiac troponin testing. The primary outcome was a composite of death, acute myocardial infarction, or re-vascularization at 30 days. A sonographer performed FOVUS scans in consenting eligible subjects. Emergency physicians, blinded to the sonographer FOVUS result, performed a second FOVUS on some subjects. RESULTS: We recruited 326 subjects (age 62.1 ± 13.5 years; 166 (52%) men), 319 of whom completed an FOVUS scan by the sonographer. Of these, 198 (62%) had a positive FOVUS scan and 41 (13%) had a 30-day MACE. The sensitivity was 83% (95% CI 71-94%), specificity 41% (95% CI 36-47%), positive-likelihood ratio 1.41 (95% CI 1.19-1.68), and negative-likelihood ratio 0.41 (95% CI 0.23-0.75). Among 71 subjects also scanned by an emergency physician, the Kappa was 0.50 (95% CI 0.31-0.70), suggesting moderate agreement between sonographer and emergency physician on the determination of significant carotid plaque. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of carotid plaque on sonographer-performed FOVUS is associated with 30-day MACE in ED patients presenting with chest pain. The prognostic performance of FOVUS is not sufficient to support its use as a stand-alone risk stratification tool in the ED. Future work should investigate FOVUS in conjunction with validated clinical decision rules for chest pain and the impact of enhanced training and quality improvement in the conduct of FOVUS by emergency physicians. REGISTRATION: This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02947360).

RéSUMé: CONTEXTE ET OBJECTIF: L'échographie vasculaire focalisée au point de service (FOVUS), une évaluation de la plaque de l'artère carotide, prédit la maladie coronarienne chez les patients externes référés pour une coronarographie. Notre objectif principal était de déterminer la précision diagnostique du FOVUS réalisé par un échographiste pour prédire les événements cardiaques indésirables majeurs (MACE) dans les 30 jours chez les patients présentant une suspicion d'ischémie cardiaque aux urgences. MéTHODES: Nous avons mené une étude de cohorte prospective de patients souffrant de douleurs thoraciques se présentant à un service d'urgence de soins tertiaires et ayant subi un électrocardiogramme et un test de troponine cardiaque. L'issue primaire était un critère composite de décès, d'infarctus aigu du myocarde ou de revascularisation à 30 jours. Un échographiste a effectué des scans FOVUS chez les sujets éligibles consentants. Les médecins urgentistes, aveuglés par le résultat FOVUS de l'échographiste, ont effectué un deuxième FOVUS sur certains sujets. RéSULTATS: Nous avons recruté 326 sujets (âge 62,1 ± 13,5 ans; 166 (52%) hommes), dont 319 ont effectué un examen FOVUS par l'échographiste. Parmi ceux-ci, 198 (62%) avaient un scan FOVUS positif et 41 (13%) avaient un MACE de 30 jours. La sensibilité était de 83% (IC à 95% 71%-94%), la spécificité de 41% (IC à 95% 36%-47%), le rapport de vraisemblance positif de 1,41 (IC à 95% 1,19­1,68) et le rapport de vraisemblance négatif de 0,41 (IC à 95% 0,23­0,75). Parmi les 71 sujets également examinés par un médecin urgentiste, le Kappa était de 0,50 (IC à 95%: 0,31­0,70), ce qui suggère une concordance modérée entre l'échographiste et le médecin urgentiste pour la détermination de la plaque carotide significative. CONCLUSIONS: La présence d'une plaque carotidienne sur un FOVUS effectué par un échographiste est associée à la MACE à 30 jours chez les patients des urgences présentant des douleurs thoraciques. La performance pronostique du FOVUS n'est pas suffisante pour justifier son utilisation comme outil autonome de stratification du risque dans les urgences. Des travaux futurs devraient étudier le FOVUS en conjonction avec des règles de décision clinique validées pour la douleur thoracique et l'impact d'une formation renforcée et d'une amélioration de la qualité dans la conduite du FOVUS par les médecins urgentistes. ENREGISTREMENT: Cette étude a été enregistrée sur clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02947360).

Does cardiovascular preparticipation screening cause psychological distress in athletes? A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the psychological implications of cardiovascular preparticipation screening (PPS) in athletes. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, APA PsycInfo, Cochrane Library and grey literature sources. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Observational and experimental studies assessing a population of athletes who participated in a cardiovascular PPS protocol, where psychological outcomes before, during and/or after PPS were reported. METHODS: Results of included studies were synthesised by consolidating similar study-reported measures for key psychological outcomes before, during and/or after screening. Summary measures (medians, ranges) were computed across studies for each psychological outcome. RESULTS: A total of eight studies were included in this review (median sample size: 479). Study cohorts consisted of high school, collegiate, professional and recreational athletes (medians: 59% male, 20.5 years). Most athletes reported positive reactions to screening and would recommend it to others (range 88%-100%, five studies). Increased psychological distress was mainly reported among athletes detected with pathological cardiac conditions and true-positive screening results. In comparison, athletes with false-positive screening results still reported an increased feeling of safety while participating in sport and were satisfied with PPS. A universal conclusion across all studies was that most athletes did not experience psychological distress before, during or after PPS, regardless of the screening modality used or accuracy of results. CONCLUSION: Psychological distress associated with PPS in athletes is rare and limited to athletes with true-positive findings. To mitigate downstream consequences in athletes who experience psychological distress, appropriate interventions and resources should be accessible prior to the screening procedure. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021272887.

Bystander interventions and survival after exercise-related sudden cardiac arrest: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the provision of bystander interventions and rates of survival after exercise-related sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Library and grey literature sources were searched from inception to November/December 2020. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Observational studies assessing a population of exercise-related SCA (out-of-hospital cardiac arrests that occurred during exercise or within 1 hour of cessation of activity), where bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and/or automated external defibrillator (AED) use were reported, and survival outcomes were ascertained. METHODS: Among all included studies, the median (IQR) proportions of bystander CPR and bystander AED use, as well as median (IQR) rate of survival to hospital discharge, were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 29 studies were included in this review, with a median study duration of 78.7 months and a median sample size of 91. Most exercise-related SCA patients were male (median: 92%, IQR: 86%-96%), middle-aged (median: 51, IQR: 39-56 years), and presented with a shockable arrest rhythm (median: 78%, IQR: 62%-86%). Bystander CPR was initiated in a median of 71% (IQR: 59%-87%) of arrests, whereas bystander AED use occurred in a median of 31% (IQR: 19%-42%) of arrests. Among the 19 studies that reported survival to hospital discharge, the median rate of survival was 32% (IQR: 24%-49%). Studies which evaluated the relationship between bystander interventions and survival outcomes reported that both bystander CPR and AED use were associated with survival after exercise-related SCA. CONCLUSION: Exercise-related SCA occurs predominantly in males and presents with a shockable ventricular arrhythmia in most cases, emphasising the importance of rapid access to defibrillation. Further efforts are needed to promote early recognition and a rapid bystander response to exercise-related SCA.