Burden of cardiovascular disease in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1990-2019: An analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study.

INTRODUCTION: The rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) reflects a major shift from communicable to noncommunicable diseases as primary health challenges. Consequently, this study aims to explore the burden of CVD and associated risk factors in SSA using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. METHODS: This study utilized data from the GBD 1990 to 2019 to examine CVD prevalence in 46 SSA countries. We employed Bayesian regression models, demographic techniques, and mortality-to-incidence ratios to analyze both prevalence and mortality rates. Additionally, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were computed, and various risk factors were examined using the GBD's comparative risk assessment framework. RESULTS: Between 1990 and 2019, CVD raw counts in SSA rose by 131.7 %, with a 2.1 % increase in age-standardized prevalence rates. The most prevalent conditions were ischemic heart disease, stroke, and rheumatic heart disease. During the same period, the age-standardized CVD deaths per 100,000 individuals decreased from 314 (1990) to 269 (2019), reflecting a -14.4 % decline. Age-standardized CVD DALY rates also showed a decrease from 6,755 in 1990 to 5,476 in 2019, with translates to 18.9 % reduction. By 2019, the Central African Republic, Madagascar, and Lesotho were the countries with the highest age-standardized DALY rates for all CVDs. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights a contrasting trend in SSA's CVD landscape: a decrease in age-standardized mortality and DALYs contrasts with increasing CVD prevalence, emphasizing the need for targeted public health strategies that balance treatment advancements with intensified prevention and control measures.

The Cost of Breaking Even: a Perspective on the Net Clinical Impact of Adding Aspirin to Antithrombotic Therapies in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

PURPOSE: Outcomes from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) inform the latest recommendations on percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) management of a short period of oral anticoagulation (OAC), a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor, and aspirin for 1 week or until hospital discharge in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing PCI, and up to 4 weeks in individuals considered to be at high-risk for ischemic events, followed by discontinuation of aspirin and continuation of OAC and a P2Y12 inhibitor for up to 12 months. METHODS: We examined and summarized the outcomes of bleeding and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) from RCTs and meta-analyses, published between 2013 and 2022, comparing therapy with OAC and a P2Y12 inhibitor with and without aspirin in AF patients undergoing PCI with stenting. RESULTS: Data comparing dual therapy with OAC and a P2Y12 inhibitor alone to triple therapy with OAC, a P2Y12 inhibitor, and aspirin with respect to the risks of MACEs, including stent thrombosis within the first 30 days, are underpowered and inconclusive. The addition of aspirin does not appear to be associated with a decreased risk of ischemic events, even in patients with high-risk CHA2DS2-VASc scores, but does significantly increase bleeding hazards. The increased safety of newer generation drug-eluting stents may have further minimized any theoretical anti-ischemic benefits of aspirin. The possible attenuation of the pleiotropic effects of concomitant cardiovascular medications by aspirin may also have been a contributing factor. CONCLUSION: The addition of aspirin to OAC and a P2Y12 inhibitor is likely associated with a net clinical harm in patients with AF who undergo PCI with stenting, even within the first 1-4 weeks after PCI. Revisiting the guideline recommendations to administer aspirin in this timeframe may be warranted.

Disparities in the Prescription of Statins in the Primary Care Setting: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Despite the high disease burden of atherosclerosis, evidence exists for the disparity in the prescription of guideline-indicated medications between genders, racial groups, socioeconomic groups, and ages. We aim to perform a retrospective study looking at the disparity in statin prescription for primary and secondary prevention in these groups. Data were collected from a single center and included patients with an LDL level >190 mg/dL, diagnosis of diabetes mellitus with LDL level >70 mg/dL, and diagnosis of cardiovascular disease regardless of LDL level. Patients older than 75 or younger than 21 were excluded from the study. Complex samples multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to calculate the adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. The total study population was n = 56,995. Of those, 57.89% (n = 32,992) were female. Only 59.56 % of these patients for whom statin therapy was indicated received it. Most patients were White (53.21%) followed by African Americans (35.98%), Asians (2.43%), American Indian/Native Alaskans (0.40%), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.18%). There is a clear disparity in statin prescription favoring males, the elderly, and people of white ethnicity. Interestingly, Asians were more likely to be prescribed statins as opposed to whites. Self-pay patients were more likely to receive statins than patients on Medicare.Despite being indicated, Statins are under prescribed. Disparities based on race, gender, and insurance type mirror previous trends in the literature. Some results have shown a reversal in trends such as the higher prescription for Asian-Americans. Multiple patient-specific, provider-related, institutional factors might explain these disparities and must be investigated.

Gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences in access to catheter ablation therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Female patients, patients from racial minorities, and patient with low socioeconomic status have been noted to have less access to catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, retrospective study using a large population database (Explorys) to evaluate the gender, racial and socioeconomic differences in access of catheter ablation therapy in patient with atrial fibrillation. Results: A total of 2.2 million patients were identified as having atrial fibrillation and 62,760 underwent ablation. Females had ablation in 2.1% of cases while males received ablation in 3.4% of cases. Caucasians had ablation in 3.3% of cases, African Americans in 1.5% of cases and other minorities in 1.2% of cases. Individuals on medicaid underwent ablation in 1.6% of cases, individuals on medicare and private insurance had higher rates (2.8 and 2.9%, respectively). Logistic regression showed that female patients (OR 0.608, CI 0.597-0.618, p < 0.0001), patients who are African American (OR 0.483, CI 0.465-0.502, p < 0.0001), or from other racial minorities (OR 0.343, CI 0.332-0.355, p < 0.0001) were less likely to undergo ablation. Patient with medicare (OR 1.444, CI 1.37-1.522, p < 0.0001) and private insurance (OR 1.572, CI 1.491-1.658, p < 0.0001) were more likely to undergo ablation. Conclusion: Female gender, racial minorities, low socioeconomic status are all associated with lower rates of catheter ablation in management of atrial fibrillation.