What Do We Know About Heart Failure in Latin American Women?

Data about heart failure in Latin America is scarce. Women living in this region of the world are exposed to a mix of traditional risk factors for heart failure, neglected diseases, and social determinants of health. The aim of this review is to present what we know about heart failure in Latin American women and to establish the needs for future research.

Sequencing and titrating approach of therapy in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction following the 2021 European Society of Cardiology guidelines: an international cardiology survey.

AIMS: In symptomatic patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), recent international guidelines recommend initiating four major therapeutic classes rather than sequential initiation. It remains unclear how this change in guidelines is perceived by practicing cardiologists versus heart failure (HF) specialists. METHODS AND RESULTS: An independent academic web-based survey was designed by a group of HF specialists and posted by email and through various social networks to a broad community of cardiologists worldwide 1 year after the publication of the latest European HF guidelines. Overall, 615 cardiologists (38 [32-47] years old, 63% male) completed the survey, of which 58% were working in a university hospital and 26% were HF specialists. The threshold to define HFrEF was ≤40% for 61% of the physicians. Preferred drug prescription for the sequential approach was angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors first (74%), beta-blockers second (55%), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists third (52%), and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (53%) fourth. Eighty-four percent of participants felt that starting all four classes was feasible within the initial hospitalization, and 58% felt that titration is less important than introducing a new class. Age, status in training, and specialization in HF field were the principal characteristics that significantly impacted the answers. CONCLUSION: In a broad international cardiology community, the 'historical approach' to HFrEF therapies remains the preferred sequencing approach. However, accelerated introduction and uptitration are also major treatment goals. Strategy trials in treatment guidance are needed to further change practices.

Disección espontánea de arterias coronarias en una mujer embarazada / Spontaneous coronary artery dissection in a pregnant woman

Resumen La disección espontánea de las arterias coronarias representa entre 0,2 al 4% de las causas de síndrome coronario agudo, y es más común en mujeres jóvenes, especialmente en estado de embarazo, en cuyo caso el riesgo es tres a cuatro veces mayor. Usualmente, afecta la arteria coronaria izquierda pero también puede haber compromiso de múltiples vasos. Los pacientes que la presentan no tienen los factores de riesgo clásicos descritos de la enfermedad coronaria, como diabetes mellitus, hipertensión o dislipidemia. En las gestantes se puede presentar en cualquier trimestre del embarazo y hasta varios meses después del parto, pero es más común en el último trimestre del embarazo y en las primeras seis semanas posparto. El diagnóstico de disección de arteria coronaria es difícil; el estándar de oro es la coronariografía con ecografía intravascular o la tomografía de coherencia óptica; esta última no se encuentra ampliamente disponible. Además, existe controversia en cuanto a la decisión de manejo médico o manejo invasivo.

Abstract Spontaneous coronary artery dissection accounts for between 0.2% and 4% of the causes of acute coronary syndrome. It is more common in young women, particularly during pregnancy, when the risk is three to four times higher. It usually involves the left coronary, but it can also compromise several vessels. The patients that present with one do not have the classic risk factors described for coronary disease, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or dyslipidaemia. Although it can present in any trimester of the pregnancy, and up to several months after delivery, it is more common in the last trimester of pregnancy, and in the first six months post-partum. The diagnosis of coronary artery dissection is difficult. Although the reference method is coronary angiography with intravascular ultrasound or optical coherence computed tomography, these are not widely available, as well as there being controversy as regards the decision of medical management or invasive management.