[Antihypertensive prescription in type 2 diabetes patients in Andalusia and SEH-LELHA 2022 guidelines: An economic cost evaluation]. / Prescripción de antihipertensivos en personas con diabetes tipo 2 en Andalucía y recomendaciones SEH-LELHA 2022: evaluación del coste y uso.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the prescription of antihypertensive drugs in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Andalusia, comparing it with the SEH-LELHA 2022 guidelines, and to assess the direct cost of these treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicentric, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was conducted with 385 T2D patients. Participants were randomly selected from the patient lists of 120 primary care physicians from Andalusia. Inclusion criteria included a diagnosis of T2D and complete clinical records for the year 2022. Demographic data and drug prescription information were collected, with the average cost per patient being calculated. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 70.72 years, with 53.51% being male. A total of 70.9% of the patients were taking antihypertensive drugs, the most common being ACE inhibitors/ARBs (70.9%), diuretics (70.1%), beta-blockers (40.0%), and calcium channel blockers (20.0%). Each patient took an average of 2.46±1.06 antihypertendsive, and fixed association of 2 or more antihypertensive drugs were used by 40.9% of the studied patients. The annual cost per patient was 141.45€/year. CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals strong adherence to the SEH-LELHA 2022 guidelines among physicians in Andalusia regarding the of antihypertensives for T2D patients, with a significant preference for Renin-Angiotensin System blockers, diuretics, and beta-blockers. However, a notable deviation in prescription practices was observed with the frequent choice of doxazosin over spironolactone, despite the latter being the recommended option for resistant hypertension. Although the overall expenditure on antihypertensives is moderate, their cost-effectiveness is enhanced by the efficacy of these treatments in preventing cardiovascular complications.

Prevalence of secondary arterial hypertension in patients with acute renal failure in a secondary-level pediatric hospital in Northwestern Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The worldwide prevalence of arterial hypertension in pediatric patients is 3.5%, and it has repercussions at renal, cardiovascular, neurological, and lifestyle levels. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of arterial hypertension, mortality, and follow-up in patients with acute renal failure in the nephrology outpatient clinic at a second-level hospital in Northwestern Mexico. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive, retrospective, and observational study. Men and women aged 1-18 years diagnosed with acute kidney injury were analyzed from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2021. The medical and electronic records of the candidate patients were analyzed, and nutritional data, laboratory analysis, most frequent etiology, and follow-up in the pediatric nephrology clinic were collected. Those with exacerbated chronic kidney disease and previous diagnosis of high blood pressure were excluded. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-four patients were evaluated, and only 40 were eligible for the study (22.98%), predominantly males with a mean age of 9.9 years. The degree of arterial hypertension was 50% for grade I and 50% for grade II (p = 0.007); the mortality rate was 32%. One hundred percent of hypertension cases were controlled at 6 months after discharge (p = 0.000080). CONCLUSIONS: Our results were similar to those reported in other studies. Follow-up and early detection of arterial hypertension in children need to be strengthened.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La prevalencia de hipertensión arterial a nivel mundial es 3.5% en los pacientes pediátricos y tiene repercusiones tanto a nivel renal, cardiovascular, neurológico y estilo de vida. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la prevalencia de hipertensión arterial en pacientes con insuficiencia renal aguda, estimar la mortalidad y el seguimiento de los pacientes en la consulta externa de nefrología en un hospital de segundo nivel en el Noroeste de México. MÉTODOS: Estudio observacional descriptivo, retrospectivo. Se analizaron hombres y mujeres entre 1 a 18 años de edad con el diagnóstico de lesión renal aguda, entre 1 de enero del 2012 hasta 31 de diciembre del 2021. Se analizaron las historias clínicas y el expediente electrónico de los pacientes candidatos, se recolectaron datos nutricionales, análisis de laboratorio, etiología más frecuente y el seguimiento en la consulta de nefrología pediátrica. Se excluyeron aquellos con enfermedad renal crónica agudizada y diagnóstico previo de hipertensión arterial. RESULTADOS: 174 pacientes fueron evaluados y solamente 40 fueron candidatos al estudio (22.98%), de los cuales predominaron masculinos con una edad media de 9.9 años. El grado de hipertensión arterial fue 50% para grado I y 50% para grado II (p = 0.007); tasa de mortalidad 32%. El 100% del control de la hipertensión se logró en el seguimiento del egreso de los pacientes en 6 meses (p = 0.000080). CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados fueron similares a los reportados en otros estudios. Se debe reforzar el seguimiento y detección oportuna de hipertensión arterial en los niños.

[Prevalence, knowledge and control of arterial hypertension in vulnerable neighborhoods of Argentina: A Cross-sectional Study]. / Estudio de prevalencia, conocimiento y control de la hipertensión arterial en barrios vulnerables de Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: Hypertension (HTN) represents the primary individual risk factor, contributing significantly to the global burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In our country, epidemiological research has highlighted substantial variations in the prevalence of these risk factors across different populations. However, there is a lack of epidemiological studies assessing exclusive cardiovascular risk factors within vulnerable neighborhoods characterized by extremely limited economic resources, sociocultural challenges, and inadequate healthcare access. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional observational study was conducted among individuals residing in economically deprived and marginalized communities, including informal settlements and underprivileged neighborhoods. Simple random sampling of households was employed. Blood pressure measurements, anthropometric assessments, and epidemiological, economic, and sociocultural questionnaires were administered. Results encompass prevalence rates, awareness levels, and blood pressure control across diverse regions. Logistic regression was utilized to identify independent variables influencing primary outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 989 participants were analyzed. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 48.2%. About 82% had a body mass index (BMI) >25. Approximately 45.3% had less than 6 years of formal education. Independent association was established between education levels below 6 years and higher hypertension prevalence. Among hypertensive individuals, 44% were unaware of their condition, with only 17.2% achieving control, correlated with having health insurance and a higher educational background. Merely 24% were receiving combined therapy. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hypertension within vulnerable neighborhoods is alarmingly high, surpassing rates in other social strata. Knowledge, treatment, and control levels of hypertension are suboptimal, comparable to other populations. Inadequate use of combination therapy was observed. This study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions addressing cardiovascular risk factors in poor areas to mitigate the burden of CVD.

SEA 2024 Standards for Global Control of Vascular Risk. / Estándares de la Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis 2024 para el control global del riesgo vascular.

One of the objectives of the Spanish Society of Arteriosclerosis is to contribute to the knowledge, prevention and treatment of vascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in Spain and entail a high degree of disability and health expenditure. Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial disease and its prevention requires a global approach that takes into account the associated risk factors. This document summarises the current evidence and includes recommendations for patients with established vascular disease or at high vascular risk: it reviews the symptoms and signs to evaluate, the laboratory and imaging procedures to request routinely or in special situations, and includes the estimation of vascular risk, diagnostic criteria for entities that are vascular risk factors, and general and specific recommendations for their treatment. Finally, it presents aspects that are not usually referenced in the literature, such as the organisation of a vascular risk consultation.

Pheochromocytoma. Preoperative approach. / Feocromocitoma y su abordaje preoperatorio.

Pheochromocytomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors that derive from the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla and secrete catecholamines. The measurement of plasma or fractionated urine metanephrines is the hormonal determination of choice for the biochemical diagnosis. Once the biochemical diagnosis is confirmed, the next step is the localization study. It is recommended to request a genetic study in all patients with pheochromocytomas since 40% of cases are hereditary. Once the diagnostic study is completed, preoperative treatment with alpha blockers should be instituted at least 7-14 days before adrenalectomy. However, in low-risk patients, the omission of presurgical treatment could be considered if the surgery is performed in centers with experience and a strict monitoring of the patient is carried out during the perioperative period. This document offers a practical guide on the diagnosis and perioperative approach in patients with pheochromocytomas.

Importance of blood pressure monitoring in the acute phase of stroke. An update.

INTRODUCTION: The evaluation of blood pressure (BP) is essential in the acute phase of stroke. Although ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a validated method for BP control, there are few studies assessing the usefulness of ABPM in the acute phase of stroke. DEVELOPMENT: A systematic review was carried out according to the PRISMA criteria in the PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases. Those articles that analysed the use of ABPM in the first days after suffering a stroke from 1992 to 2022 were selected. Those articles focused on the post-acute or sequelae phase of the stroke, with a sample size of less than 20 and those where the primary objective was different from the defined one. A total of 28 articles were included. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ABPM in patients with recent stroke demonstrates that the normal circadian profile of BP is altered in more than two-thirds of patients and that this will be fundamentally conditioned by the haemodynamic changes that occur on autoregulation of cerebral blood flow, the type of stroke or the response to treatment. Furthermore, these changes in BP have prognostic implications and are correlated with functional status, stroke recurrence and mortality, among others. However, although they continue to be a growing area of research, new studies are needed to clarify the real role of this technique in patients with acute stroke.

Numerical values and impact of hypertension in Spain.

In Spain, 33% of adults aged 30 to 79 years (10 million) were hypertensive in 2019. Among them, 68% were diagnosed, 57% received drug therapy, and effective therapeutic coverage (control) reached 33%. Both diagnosis and control show geographical and social disparities. Approximately 46 000 cardiovascular deaths per year are attributable to hypertension. In recent decades, the control of hypertension has increased, due to improvements in lifestyle measures and increased use of polytherapy, coinciding with a reduction in stroke mortality. There are several modifiable determinants of the lack of hypertension control: a) white-coat phenomenon affects 22% to 33% of treated individuals, partly due to the limited availability of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) (49%) and self-measured BP (SMBP) (78%); b) inadequate patient adherence to medication and healthy lifestyles (weight loss, the most effective measure, is the least used, ≈40%); and c) insufficient use of polytherapy (≈55%). The remaining challenges include: a) technological aspects, such as measuring BP with more accurate techniques (ABPM, SMBP) and using cardiovascular-risk estimation tools (eg, SCORE); b) clinical challenges, such as reducing therapeutic inertia (≈59%), involving patients in their own management (medication adherence, ≈62%) and effectively implementing clinical guidelines); and c) public health challenges, such as reducing the burden of obesity (≈24%), monitoring progress with updated surveys, and setting national BP control targets.

[Inter-arm blood pressure difference: Consecutive versus simultaneous measurements in treated and controlled hypertense patients]. / Diferencia de presión arterial entre brazos: mediciones consecutivas versus simultáneas en pacientes hipertensos tratados y controlados.

The inter-arm difference (IAD) of systolic blood pressure (SBP) is associated with higher cardiovascular risk. We compared simultaneous and consecutive recordings in measuring IAD of SBP, and evaluated reproducibility between visits. 143 hypertensive patients (63.8±9.5 years, 51.7% women) treated and controlled with stable antihypertensive medication for a period of ≥3 months were included. Blood pressure (BP) in both arms was measured simultaneously and consecutively with an automatic oscillometric device, in two visits. The IAD of the simultaneous SBP was significantly lower compared to the consecutive one, both in the first (3.51±4.1 vs. 4.40±3.7mmHg; P<.01) and in the second visit (3.62±3.5 vs. 5.69±5.1mmHg; P<.001). When the IAD of SBP was categorized as ≥10 or <10mmHg, the reproducibility between visits was insignificant in both simultaneous measurements and consecutive measurements. The frequency of initial dominance was similar between the left and right arm in simultaneous ones (46.2 vs. 43.3%), and greater in the right arm in consecutive ones (55.2 vs. 38.5). The persistence of dominance between both visits was significantly higher when SBP was measured simultaneously (54.4% vs. 45.5%; P<.01). Our study shows that to define the arm with the highest BP, simultaneous measurements are preferable. In treated and controlled hypertensive patients, the poor persistence of initial dominance between visits requires us to review the recommendation of recording, during follow-up, the BP in the arm where it was highest on the first visit.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers effect in chronic kidney disease progression in hypertensive elderly patients without proteinuria: PROERCAN trial.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence about nefroprotective effect with RAAS blockers in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) without proteinuria is lacking. The primary outcome of our study is to evaluate the impact of RAAS blockers in CKD progression in elderly patients without proteinuria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multicenter open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial including patients over 65 year-old with hypertension and CKD stages 3-4 without proteinuria. Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either receive RAAS blockers or other antihypertensive drugs and were followed up for three years. Primary outcome is estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline at 3 years. Secondary outcome measures include BP control, renal and cardiovascular events and mortality. RESULTS: 88 patients were included with a mean age of 77.9±6.1 years and a follow up period of 3 years: 40 were randomized to RAAS group and 48 to standard treatment. Ethiology of CKD was: 53 vascular, 16 interstitial and 19 of unknown ethiology. In the RAAS group eGFR slope during follow up was -4.3±1.1ml/min, whereas in the standard treatment group an increase on eGFR was observed after 3 years (+4.6±0.4ml/min), p=0.024. We found no differences in blood pressure control, number of antihypertensive drugs, albuminuria, potassium serum levels, incidence of cardiovascular events nor mortality during the follow up period. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly patients without diabetes nor cardiopathy and with non proteinuric CKD the use of RAAS blockers does not show a reduction in CKD progression. The PROERCAN (PROgresión de Enfermedad Renal Crónica en ANcianos) trial (trial registration: NCT03195023).

New therapeutic targets in hypertension. / Nuevas dianas terapéuticas en hipertensión.

Even though a large number of antihypertensive drugs are suitable for hypertension treatment, some new therapeutic targets are recently under development. Most are focused in the treatment of resistant hypertension, added to the drugs currently available for treating such condition. Others have specific particularities in their duration of action, which allows their use once per month or every six months and could become alternatives to the current antihypertensive treatment. Most interesting therapeutic targets are the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, through interference with the RNA of the angiotensinogen, the inhibition of brain aminopeptidase III, the inhibition of aldosterone synthase, and new non-steroidal aldosterone receptor antagonists. In addition, dual endothelin receptor antagonists or agonists of the NPR1 receptor, the main effector of natriuretic peptides are other new interesting therapeutic possibilities. In this paper, we review clinical data on the development of the most interesting molecules acting through these new therapeutic targets.

The importance of data in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: from international registries to Machine Learning. / La importancia de los datos en la hipertensión arterial pulmonar: de los registros internacionales al machine learning.

Real-world registries have been critical to building the scientific knowledge of rare diseases, including Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). In the past 4 decades, a considerable number of registries on this condition have allowed to improve the pathology and its subgroups definition, to advance in the understanding of its pathophysiology, to elaborate prognostic scales and to check the transferability of the results from clinical trials to clinical practice. However, in a moment where a huge amount of data from multiple sources is available, they are not always taken into account by the registries. For that reason, Machine Learning (ML) offer a unique opportunity to manage all these data and, finally, to obtain tools that may help to get an earlier diagnose, to help to deduce the prognosis and, in the end, to advance in Personalized Medicine. Thus, we present a narrative revision with the aims of, in one hand, summing up the aspects in which data extraction is important in rare diseases -focusing on the knowledge gained from PAH real-world registries- and, on the other hand, describing some of the achievements and the potential use of the ML techniques on PAH.

Can catheter-based renal denervation reduce frequency of hospitalization in patients who have resistant hypertension and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction?

Hypertension is one of the most powerful and modifiable risk factors for the development, progression and even decompensation of heart failure. Uncontrolled hypertension increases to frequency of heart failure hospitalizations by increase sympathetic tone. Catheter-based renal denervation has been shown to reduce blood pressure in the treatment of multidrug-resistant hypertension. We report the improvement in clinical status after renal denervation in a 47-year-old male patient with a history of hypertension, chronic ischemic heart failure, and recurrent hospitalizations for acute hypertensive pulmonary edema despite optimal medical therapy.

Prognostic value of anti-IFI16 autoantibodies in pulmonary arterial hypertension and mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic value of anti-interferon gamma inducible protein 16 (IFI16) autoantibodies in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients negative for all tested SSc-specific autoantibodies (SSc-seronegative patients) and to evaluate the clinical significance of these autoantibodies, whether isolated or in the presence of anti-centromere autoantibodies (ACA). METHODS: Overall, 58 SSc-seronegative and 66 ACA-positive patients were included in the study. All patients were tested for anti-IFI16 autoantibodies by an in-house direct ELISA. Associations between clinical parameters and anti-IFI16 autoantibodies were analysed. RESULTS: Overall, 17.2% of SSc-seronegative and 39.4% of ACA-positive patients were positive for anti-IFI16 autoantibodies. Anti-IFI16 autoantibodies were found only in patients within the limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) subset. A positive association between anti-IFI16 positivity and isolated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was found (odds ratio [OR]=5.07; p=0.014) even after adjusting for ACA status (OR=4.99; p=0.019). Anti-IFI16-positive patients were found to have poorer overall survival than negative patients (p=0.032). Cumulative survival rates at 10, 20 and 30 years were 96.9%, 92.5% and 68.7% for anti-IFI16-positive patients vs. 98.8%, 97.0% and 90.3% for anti-IFI16-negative-patients, respectively. Anti-IFI16-positive patients also had worse overall survival than anti-IFI16-negative patients after adjusting for ACA status in the multivariate Cox analysis (hazard ratio [HR]=3.21; p=0.043). CONCLUSION: Anti-IFI16 autoantibodies were associated with isolated PAH and poorer overall survival. Anti-IFI16 autoantibodies could be used as a supplementary marker of lcSSc in SSc-seronegative patients and for identifying ACA-positive patients with worse clinical outcome.

Six weeks of a concurrent training therapy improves endothelial function and arterial stiffness in hypertensive adults with minimum non-responders.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the effects of a six-week of concurrent training using high-intensity interval plus resistance training on flow-mediated dilation and pulse wave velocity in hypertensive, elevated blood pressure, or normotensive. A secondary goal was to analyze the inter-individual variability. METHODS: A randomized controlled clinical trial was executed with 60 adult participants distributed across six groups: three control groups of hypertensive, elevated blood pressure, or normotensive and other three experimental hypertensive, elevated blood pressure, and normotensive groups, each comprising n=10 individuals. Participants underwent a six-week intervention of concurrent exercise using high-intensity interval plus resistance training three-weekly. Flow mediated dilation and pulse wave velocity and secondary vascular assessments were conducted before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The hypertensive exercise group exhibited a significant increase in flow mediated dilation (Δ+7.7%; p=0.003) and a reduction in pulse wave velocity (Δ-1.2ms-1; p<0.0001). The normotensive exercise group also showed a significant increase in flow mediated dilation (Δ+8.4%, p=0.002). CONCLUSION: The six-week concurrent exercise using high-intensity interval plus resistance training protocol, characterized by its clinical time-efficiency, was effective in improving endothelial function, as demonstrated by increased flow mediated dilation, and in reducing arterial stiffness, indicated by decreased pulse wave velocity.

Effect of antihypertensive treatment on the quality of life of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

AIM: Nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) shares type 2 inflammation biomarkers with asthma, allergy or arterial hypertension (AH), including periostin, a predictive marker of severity and post-surgical recurrence of polyposis. Antihypertensives have been shown to decrease periostin expression. We set out to evaluate the effect of antihypertensives on the quality of life of patients with CRSwNP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 43 patients with CRSwNP and ah with at least 1year of follow-up and antihypertensive treatment prescribed after the diagnosis of CRSwNP. Phenotypes were analyzed (F1: isolated CRSwNP; F2: CRSwNP with asthma and/or NERD) and aspects related to quality of life (SNOT-22), clinical severity (VAS), polypoid size (NPS), exacerbations and surgical needs after the initiation of antihypertensive treatment. RESULTS: The predominant phenotype was F1 (62.8%). The number of exacerbations was 19.2% for F1, compared to 31.3% for F2. 34.8% underwent surgery after the start of antihypertensive treatment (F1=27.9% and F2=6.97%). A significant reduction in polypoid size, SNOT22 (16.4±19.6 points), and VAS scales (p<.05) was obtained. CONCLUSIONS: polypoid size, and reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence.

Prevalence, impact and management of hypertension-mediated organ damage in type 2 diabetes patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, impact and management of hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD) according to the presence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). METHODS: IBERICAN is an ongoing multicenter, observational and prospective study, including outpatients aged 18-85 years who attended the Primary Care setting in Spain. In this study, the prevalence, impact and management of HMOD according to the presence of T2DM at baseline were analyzed. RESULTS: At baseline, 8066 patients (20.2% T2DM, 28.6% HMOD) were analyzed. Among patients with T2DM, 31.7% had hypertension, 29.8% dyslipidemia and 29.4% obesity and 49.3% had ≥1 HMOD, mainly high pulse pressure (29.6%), albuminuria (16.2%) and moderate renal impairment (13.6%). The presence of T2DM significantly increased the risk of having CV risk factors and HMOD. Among T2DM population, patients with HMOD had more dyslipidemia (78.2% vs 70.5%; P=0.001), hypertension (75.4% vs 66.4%; P=0.001), any CV disease (39.6% vs 16.1%; P=0.001) and received more drugs. Despite the majority of types of glucose-lowering agents were more frequently taken by those patients with HMOD, compared to the total T2DM population, the use of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists was marginal. CONCLUSIONS: In patients daily attended in primary care setting in Spain, one in five patients had T2DM and nearly half of these patients had HMOD. In patients with T2DM, the presence of HMOD was associated with a higher risk of CV risk factors and CV disease. Despite the very high CV risk, the use of glucose-lowering agents with proven CV benefit was markedly low.

[Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, adult and pediatric population. A narrative review]. / Monitorización ambulatoria de la presión arterial en adultos y población pediátrica. Una revisión narrativa.

Hypertension has become a central risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, underscoring the importance of its accurate diagnosis. Numerous studies have established a close relationship between elevated systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular event (CVE). Traditionally, blood pressure (BP) measurements performed in clinical settings have been the main method for diagnosing and assessing hypertension. However, in recent years, it has been recognized that BP measurements obtained outside the clinical setting, using self-monitoring blood pressure (SMBP) and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), offer a more realistic perspective of patients' daily lives and therefore provide more reliable results. Given the evolution of medical devices, diagnostic criteria, and the increasing relevance of certain components of ABPM in the prediction of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, a comprehensive update that is practical for daily clinical practice is required. The main objective of this article is to provide an updated review of ABPM, focusing on its importance in the evaluation of hypertension and its impact on public health in Colombia. In addition, it will discuss the implications of changes in diagnostic thresholds and provide concrete recommendations for the effective implementation of ABPM in clinical practice, allowing health professionals to make informed decisions and improve the care of their patients.

Factors related to non-adherence to cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure.

INTRODUCTION: In heart failure, cardiac rehabilitation has been recommended as an intervention strategy that improves functional capacity, health-related quality of life and survival. However, adherence to these programs is low. The objective was to determine the factors related to non-adherence to cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure in Colombia. METHOD: Observational and retrospective study. Patients with heart failure were linked in a clinic in Colombia, adherence to cardiac rehabilitation was measured with ≥80% of scheduled sessions. Sociodemographic and clinical variables, functional aerobic capacity (Sit to Stand and 6-minute walk test), Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), quality of life Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLFHQ) and depression Patient health questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) were taken into account. RESULTS: 300 patients were linked with heart failure with age 63.16 ± 12.87 men 194 (64.7%). adherence to cardiac rehabilitation was 66.67%, there were statistically significant differences between the groups in arterial hypertension, LVEF, cholesterol, LDL, Triglycerides, SBP, DBP, distance traveled, VO2e, METs, DASI and PHQ-9 p-value =<0.05. The logistic regression model adjusted for sex and age showed OR for non-adherence to CR arterial hypertension 2.23[1.22-4.07], LDL outside of goals 2.15[1.20-3.88], triglycerides outside goals 2.34[1.35-4.07], DASI<4METs 2.38 [1.04-5.45] and PHQ-9 1.06[1.00-1.12]. CONCLUSION: High blood pressure, LDL, triglycerides, DASI and depression with the PHQ-9 questionnaire are related factors for not having adherence to cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure.

Treatment patterns and factors associated with adherence in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Improving understanding of actual pulmonary hypertension (PH) treatment adherence patterns is crucial to properly treating these patients. We aimed to primarily assess adherence to treatments used for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) specific therapies, identify potential factors related to it and secondly describe its treatment patterns. METHODS: A 6-month observational cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital was conducted. Patients with PH-targeted therapy who picked it up in the ambulatory hospital pharmacy and who had been on treatment with the same drug for at least 1 year were included. Adherence was assessed as: 1) Proportion of days covered (PDC); and 2) Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ). PDC ≥80% was considered adherent. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the study outcomes. Logistic regressions were estimated to identify the association between baseline characteristics and factors associated with adherence. P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients with 127 different treatments were included, 71.4% were females with a mean age (SD) of 59 (15) years. PAH was the most common diagnosis (74.6%). Double therapy was used in 39.7% of patients, being the combination of Macitentan + Tadalafil and Ambrisentan + Tadalafil the most prescribed. Endothelin receptor antagonists were the most used treatment (40.2%). Adherence according to PDC was 93.7%, showing no great differences depending on the targeted drug used, and according to SMAQ 61.9%. The agreement degree of both methods was slight (65.1%; Kappa 0.12). Only female sex (OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.06-0.90; p = 0.035) was associated with worse adherence in the SMAQ method but not in the PDC. Adverse events were reported by a 55.6% of participants and the perception of effective treatment was high (95.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to PH therapy differs depending on the assessment method; PDC showed greater adherence rate than SMAQ. According to SMAQ, female sex may have a negative impact on adherence in this cohort, but PDC revealed no factors influencing it. No notable differences in adherence between treatment types were found and generally patients felt the treatments were effective in controlling their disease.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Current status and future perspectives. / Monitorización ambulatoria de la presión arterial. Situación actual y perspectivas futuras.

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) is considered the best method for obtaining a reliable estimation of the true blood pressure. Average values obtained during the whole 24-hour period, or during daytime and nighttime periods are better correlated with the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease compared to clinic or office blood pressure. Indeed, nighttime blood pressure, a measure only obtained through ABPM, is the most powerful risk predictor. ABPM is complementary to clinic blood pressure measurement and allows the definition of blood pressure phenotypes, such as "white-coat or masked hypertension, when clinic and ABPM measurements show discrepancy in normal values. Additional potentially relevant features include blood pressure variability, such as nocturnal blood pressure decline, morning surge or short-term variability, as determined by standard deviation or the coefficient of variation.