Blood Coagulation Disorders in Heart Failure: From Basic Science to Clinical Perspectives.

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome that is divided into 3 subtypes based on the left ventricular ejection fraction. Every subtype has specific clinical characteristics and concomitant diseases, substantially increasing risk of thromboembolic complications, such as stroke, peripheral embolism and pulmonary embolism. Despite the annual prevalence of 1% and devastating clinical consequences, thromboembolic complications are not typically recognized as the leading problem in patients with HF, representing an underappreciated clinical challenge. Although the currently available data do not support routine anticoagulation in patients with HF and sinus rhythm, initial reports suggest that such strategy might be beneficial in a subset of patients at especially high thromboembolic risk. Considering the existing evidence gap, we aimed to review the currently available data regarding coagulation disorders in acute and chronic HF based on the insight from preclinical and clinical studies, to summarize the evidence regarding anticoagulation in HF in special-case scenarios and to outline future research directions so as to establish the optimal patient-tailored strategies for antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in HF. In summary, we highlight the top 10 pearls in the management of patients with HF and no other specific indications for oral anticoagulation therapy. Further studies are urgently needed to shed light on the pathophysiological role of platelet activation in HF and to evaluate whether antiplatelet or antithrombotic therapy could be beneficial in patients with HF. LAY SUMMARY: Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome divided into 3 subtypes on the basis of the left ventricular systolic function. Every subtype has specific clinical characteristics and concomitant diseases, substantially increasing the risk of thromboembolic complications, such as stroke, peripheral embolism and pulmonary embolism. Despite the annual prevalence of 1% and devastating clinical consequences, thromboembolic complications are not typically recognized as the leading problem in patients with HF, representing an underappreciated clinical challenge. Although the currently available data do not support routine anticoagulation in patients with HF and no atrial arrhythmia, initial reports suggest that such a strategy might be beneficial in a subset of patients at especially high risk of thrombotic complications. Considering the existing evidence gap, we aimed to review the currently available data regarding coagulation problems in stable and unstable patients with HF based on the insight from preclinical and clinical studies, to summarize the evidence regarding anticoagulation in HF in specific patient groups and to outline future research directions to establish the optimal strategies for antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in HF, tailored to the needs of an individual patient. In summary, we highlight the top 10 pearls in the management of patients with HF and no other specific indications for oral anticoagulation therapy.

Optimizing Anticoagulation Management in Atrial Fibrillation: Beyond the Guidelines. How and for Whom?

ABSTRACT: Anticoagulation therapy (AT) is the cornerstone of atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment for thromboembolic event prevention. The AF burden, however, is of predictive relevance and may be used as a foundation for therapeutic decisions in individuals with paroxysmal or persistent AF. Remote rhythm monitoring devices can provide early detection of the arrhythmia, long-term rhythm monitoring, and the development of anticoagulation strategies based on AF recurrence profile and the total burden of the arrhythmia. Although the exact thromboembolic cut-off value for the AF burden has not yet been established, targeted anticoagulation treatments in the new oral anticoagulants era have shown encouraging outcomes. The combined evaluation of AF burden and patient thromboembolic risk reported in some studies supports the concept of tailored anticoagulation management, at least in a subset of patients with low AF burden and intermediate thromboembolic risk, for whom the guidelines recommend that AT should be individualized based on net clinical benefit and patient values and preferences. Although it is still premature to derive firm conclusions or algorithms diverging from the current guidelines, the combination of a patient's AF burden, thromboembolic risk, and bleeding risk can lead in the future to an individualized management of patients with a congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke, vascular disease, age 65-74 years sex category (female) (CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc) score of 1 (2 for female patients), in whom the guidelines do not strictly recommend long-term AT. In this study, we provide an algorithm regarding the individualized implementation of anticoagulation strategies in AF in different patients' thromboembolic risk profiles, based on the available data on the so far tailored anticoagulation strategies in AF.

Anticoagulation Status and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Indications in Hospitalized Cardiology Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Hellenic Cardiorenal Morbidity Snapshot (HECMOS) Sub-Study.

Background and Objectives: The proper use of oral anticoagulants is crucial in the management of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) may be considered for stroke prevention in patients with AF and contraindications for long-term anticoagulant treatment. We aimed to assess anticoagulation status and LAAC indications in patients with AF from the HECMOS (Hellenic Cardiorenal Morbidity Snapshot) survey. Materials and Methods: The HECMOS was a nationwide snapshot survey of cardiorenal morbidity in hospitalized cardiology patients. HECMOS used an electronic platform to collect demographic and clinically relevant information from all patients hospitalized on 3 March 2022 in 55 different cardiology departments. In this substudy, we included patients with known AF without mechanical prosthetic valves or moderate-to-severe mitral valve stenosis. Patients with prior stroke, previous major bleeding, poor adherence to anticoagulants, and end-stage renal disease were considered candidates for LAAC. Results: Two hundred fifty-six patients (mean age 76.6 ± 11.7, 148 males) were included in our analysis. Most of them (n = 159; 62%) suffered from persistent AF. The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4.28 ± 1.7, while the mean HAS-BLED score was 1.47 ± 0.9. Three out of three patients with a a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0 or 1 (female) were inappropriately anticoagulated. Sixteen out of eighteen patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc score 1 or 2 (if female) received anticoagulants. Thirty-one out of two hundred thirty-five patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc score > 1 or 2 (if female) were inappropriately not anticoagulated. Relative indications for LAAC were present in 68 patients with NVAF (63 had only one risk factor and 5 had two concurrent risk factors). In detail, 36 had a prior stroke, 17 patients had a history of major bleeding, 15 patients reported poor or no adherence to the anticoagulant therapy and 5 had an eGFR value < 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 for a total of 73 risk factors. Moreover, 33 had a HAS-BLED score ≥ 3. No LAAC treatment was recorded. Conclusions: Anticoagulation status was nearly optimal in a high-thromboembolic-risk population of cardiology patients who were mainly treated using NOACs. One out of four AF patients should be screened for LAAC.

Impact of Sustained Cardiac Tachyarrhythmias Recorded in Coronary Intensive Care Unit on Short- and Long-Term Mortality and Duration of Hospitalization.

BACKGROUND: Studies conducted in coronary intensive care units (CICUs) have demonstrated that tachyarrhythmias are associated with increased mortality after acute coronary syndromes (ACSs). However, the data for tachyarrhythmias occurred in CICUs due to a variety of cardiovascular disorders are limited. METHODS: We conducted a single-center prospective observational study, which included consecutive CICU patients (January 1, 2014 to May 31, 2018). We recorded the ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs), and days of CICU hospitalization. The patients were followed up for 6 months after CICU discharge. RESULTS: A total of 943 patients (age: 66.37 ±15.4 years; 673 males [71.4%]) were included. Patients with tachyarrhythmias had higher in-CICU mortality (8.0% vs 4.1%, P = .029, odds ratio [OR]: 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-3.86) and higher 6-month all-cause mortality (12.8% vs 6.1%, P = .002, OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.35-3.83) than those who did not develop tachyarrhythmias. Ventricular arrhythmias was significantly associated with higher all-cause mortality than no tachyarrhythmia (15.4% vs 6.1%; P = .001) or SVTs (15.4% vs 7.0%; P = .001). The mean duration of hospitalization for the patients with tachyarrhythmias was 3.89 ± 4.90 days, while for the patients without was 2.79 ± 3.31 days (P < .001). Patients without ACS had higher short- and long-term mortality compared to patients with ACS (9.2% vs 2.9%, P < .001 and 12.9% vs 4.9%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Tachyarrhythmias were associated with prolonged CICU hospitalization, while non-ACS cardiovascular disorders and the occurrence of VAs were associated with increased short- and long-term mortality.

Massive pericardial effusion without cardiac tamponade due to subclinical hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's disease).

CONTEXT: Hypothyroidism is a significant cause of pericardial effusion. However, large pericardial effusions due to hypothyroidism are extremely rare. Hormone replacement therapy is the cornerstone of treatment for hypothyroidism and regular follow-up of patients after initiation of the therapy is indicated. Herein, the case of a 70-year-old woman with a massive pericardial effusion due to Hashimoto's disease is presented. ISSUES: A 70-year-old female from a rural village on the island of Crete, Greece, was admitted to our hospital due to a urinary tract infection. She was under hormone replacement therapy with levothyroxine 100 µg once a day for Hashimoto's disease. Two years previously, the patient had had an episode of pericarditis due to hypothyroidism and had undergone a computed tomography-guided pericardiocentesis. The patient did not have regular follow-up and did not take the hormone replacement therapy properly. On admission, the patient's chest X-ray incidentally showed a possible pericardial effusion. The patient was referred for echocardiography, which revealed a massive pericardial effusion. Beck's triad was absent. Thyroid hormones were consistent with subclinical hypothyroidism: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) 30.25 mIU/mL (normal limits: 0.25-3.43); free thyroxin 4 0.81 ng/dL (normal limits: 0.7-1.94). The patient had a score of 5 on the scale outlined by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) position statement on triage strategy for cardiac tamponade and, despite the absence of cardiac tamponade, a pericardiocentesis was performed after 48 hours. The patient was treated with 125 µg levothyroxine orally once daily. LESSONS LEARNED: This was a rare case of an elderly female patient from a rural village with chronic massive pericardial effusion due to subclinical hypothyroidism without cardiac tamponade. Hypothyroidism should be included in the differential diagnosis of pericardial effusion, especially in a case of unexplained pericardial fluid. Initiation of hormone replacement therapy should be personalised in elderly patients. TSH levels >10 mU/L usually require therapy with levothyroxine in order to prevent adverse events. Rural patients usually do not have regular follow-up after the initiation of hormone replacement therapy. Pericardial effusions due to hypothyroidism grow slowly and subclinical hypothyroidism rarely shows signs and symptoms and can be underdiagnosed. The ESC position statement on triage strategy for pericardial diseases is a valuable clinical tool to estimate the necessity for pericardial drainage in such cases.

Recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis due to duodenal gangliocytic paraganglioma: report of a case.

CONTEXT: Gangliocytic paraganglioma is a rare tumor, almost always located in the second portion of the duodenum, and manifested with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and abdominal pain. To date, only one case of duodenal gangliocytic paraganglioma presented with recurrent acute pancreatitis has been reported in the literature. CASE REPORT: We present a 72-year-old woman admitted to the hospital due to recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis. Paraclinical examinations showed a polypoid mass in the second portion of duodenum which was removed surgically by local excision. The preoperative differential diagnosis was suggestive with gastrointestinal stromal tumor or adenoma. The histopathology examination revealed a duodenal gangliocytic paraganglioma. After a follow up period of seventeen months the patient remained without clinical evidence of tumor recurrence. CONCLUSION: Our case report draws attention to the need for including in our differential diagnosis of recurrent acute pancreatitis the mechanical obstruction of the pancreatic duct due to this tumor.

Exploring the link between blood pressure variability and atrial fibrillation: current insights and future directions.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder, especially in people over the age of 50, which affects more than 40 million people worldwide. Many studies have highlighted the association between hypertension with the development of AF. Blood pressure variability (BPV) is a dynamic size obtained by recording blood pressure oscillations using specific readings and at specific time intervals. A multitude of internal and external factors shape BPV while at the same time constituting a common pathogenetic pathway with the development of AF. Until recently, BPV has been applied exclusively in preclinical and clinical studies, without significant implications in clinical practice. Indeed, even from the research side, the determination of BPV is limited to patients without AF due to doubts about the accuracy of its measurement methods in patients with AF. In this review, we present the current evidence on common pathogenic pathways between BPV and AF, the reliability of quantification of BPV in patients with AF, the prognostic role of BPV in these patients, and discuss the future clinical implications of BPV in patients with AF.

When anticoagulation management in atrial fibrillation becomes difficult: Focus on chronic kidney disease, coagulation disorders, and cancer.

Anticoagulation therapy (AT) is fundamental in atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment but poses challenges in implementation, especially in AF populations with elevated thromboembolic and bleeding risks. Current guidelines emphasize the need to estimate and balance thrombosis and bleeding risks for all potential candidates of antithrombotic therapy. However, administering oral AT raises concerns in specific populations, such as those with chronic kidney disease (CKD), coagulation disorders, and cancer due to lack of robust data. These groups, excluded from large direct oral anticoagulants trials, rely on observational studies, prompting physicians to adopt individualized management strategies based on case-specific evaluations. The scarcity of evidence and specific guidelines underline the need for a tailored approach, emphasizing regular reassessment of risk factors and anticoagulation drug doses. This narrative review aims to summarize evidence and recommendations for challenging AF clinical scenarios, particularly in the long-term management of AT for patients with CKD, coagulation disorders, and cancer.

Coagulation Disorders and Thrombotic Complications in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is associated with multiple cardiovascular and noncardiovascular comorbidities and risk factors which increase the risk of thrombotic complications, such as atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Subsequently, thromboembolic risk stratification in this population poses a great challenge. Since date from the large randomized clinical trials mostly include both patients with truly preserved EF, and those with heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction, there is an unmet need to characterize the patients with truly preserved EF. Considering the significant evidence gap in this area, we sought to describe the coagulation disorders and thrombotic complications in patients with HFpEF and discuss the specific thromboembolic risk factors in patients with HFpEF, with the goal to tailor risk stratification to an individual patient.

Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator-Related Culture-Negative Infection: A Case of Coxiella burnetii Infection.

Coxiella burnetii is one of the most common causes of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis (IE). However, only a few cases of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) infection have been reported in the literature. Herein, we present a case of CIED-related blood culture-negative infection attributed to C. burnetii. A 54-year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to prolonged fatigue, a low-grade fever lasting more than a month, and weight loss. Three years ago, he received an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) as a primary prevention measure against sudden cardiac death. An initial transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography showed a dilated left ventricle with severely impaired systolic function, while the ventricular pacing wire was inside the right ventricle with a large echogenic mass (2.2 × 2.5 cm) adherent to it. Repeated blood cultures were negative. The patient underwent transvenous lead extraction. A transesophageal echocardiography after the extraction revealed multiple vegetations on the tricuspid valve with moderate to severe valve regurgitation. A surgical replacement of the tricuspid valve was determined after a multidisciplinary heart team approach. Serology tests showed increased IgG antibodies in phase I (1:16,394) and phase II (1:8192), and a definite diagnosis of CIED infection was made based on the serological tests.

Hyperacute synchronous cardiocerebral infarction in a patient with new-onset atrial fibrillation: a case of myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries.

Hyperacute synchronous cardiocerebral infarction (CCI) is an extremely rare condition with an incidence of 0.009%. In the acute stage of ischemic stroke, there is a high prevalence of ECG abnormalities. Prolonged QTc, atrial fibrillation (AF) and ECG changes indicative of ischemic heart disease, such as Q waves, ST depression, and T wave inversion, were the most prevalent changes. There are three types of simultaneous CCI: cardiac conditions that cause cerebral infarction, cerebral infarction caused by cardiac conditions, and (c) dysregulation of the brain-heart axis or cerebral infarction causing myocardial infarction. Herein, we present a case of hyperacute synchronous CCI in an elderly patient with new-onset AF and myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA).

Sex-related cardiovascular prognosis in patients with hypertensive emergencies: a 12-month study.

Current evidence on the prognosis of patients with a hypertensive crisis and predisposing factors is limited. We registered the clinical phenotype of patients with HC admitted to the emergency department, while those with a hypertensive emergency (HE) were hospitalized. One-year outcomes, i.e., composite of death or cardiovascular hospitalizations, were determined in patients with HE after hospital discharge. Out of 38,589 patients assessed in the emergency department, 256 hypertensive urgencies and 97 HE was registered. After stratification of the HE by sex, 48 men and 46 women completed the one-year follow-up. Men had more events than women (27 vs. 13, Ηazard Ratio 2.2, 95% Confidence Interval 1.03-4.7, p = 0.042) after adjustment for age, cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease, and diabetes mellitus. Our study raises the hypothesis that the male sex is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular outcomes in HE patients. CV Cardiovascular, BP blood pressure. The diagram presents the groups of comparison, men versus women in hypertensive emergencies that completed the 1-year follow-up for outcomes, in terms of hospitalizations or deaths.

Chronic Thoracic Aortic Dissection: How to Treat, When to Intervene.

Thoracic aortic dissection (AD) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Acute aortic syndrome is the first presentation of the disease in most cases. While acute AD management follows concrete guidelines because of its urgent and life-threatening nature, chronic AD is usually overlooked, although it concerns a wide spectrum of patients surviving an acute event. Acute AD survivors ultimately enter a chronic aortic disease course. Patients with chronic thoracic AD (CTAD) require lifelong surveillance and a proportion of them may present with symptoms and late complications demanding further surgical or endovascular treatment. However, the available data concerning the management of CTAD is sparse in the literature. The management of patients with CTAD is challenging as far as determining the best medical therapy and deciding on intervention are concerned. Until recently, there were no guidelines or recommendations for imaging surveillance in patients with chronic AD. The diagnostic methods for imaging aortic diseases have been improved, while the data on new endovascular and surgical approaches has increased significantly. In this review, we summarize the current evidence in the diagnosis and management of CTAD and the latest recommendations for the surgical/endovascular aortic repair of CTAD.

Coagulopathy and sepsis: Pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and treatment.

Sepsis is a complex syndrome with a high incidence, increasing by 8.7% annually over the last 20 years. Coagulopathy is a leading factor associated with mortality in patients with sepsis and range from slight thrombocytopenia to fatal disorders, such as disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Platelet reactivity increases during sepsis but prospective trials of antiplatelet therapy during sepsis have been disappointing. Thrombocytopenia is a known predictor of worse prognosis during sepsis. The mechanisms underlying thrombocytopenia in sepsis have yet to be fully understood but likely involves decreased platelet production, platelet sequestration and increased consumption. DIC is an acquired thrombohemorrhagic syndrome, resulting in intravascular fibrin formation, microangiopathic thrombosis, and subsequent depletion of coagulation factors and platelets. DIC can be resolved with treatment of the underlying disorder, which is considered the cornerstone in the management of this syndrome. This review presents the current knowledge on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of sepsis-associated coagulopathies.

Anticoagulation in Deep Venous Thrombosis: Current Trends in the Era of Non- Vitamin K Antagonists Oral Anticoagulants.

Anticoagulation therapy is the cornerstone of treatment in acute vein thrombosis (DVT) and it aims to reduce symptoms, thrombus extension, DVT recurrences, and mortality. The treatment for DVT depends on its anatomical extent, among other factors. Anticoagulation therapy for proximal DVT is clearly recommended (at least for 3 months), while AT for isolated distal DVT should be considered, especially in the presence of high thromboembolic risk factors. The optimal anticoagulant and duration of therapy are determined by the clinical assessment, taking into account the thromboembolic and bleeding risk in each patient in a case-by-case decision making. Non-Vitamin K antagonists oral anticoagulants (NOACs) were a revolution in the anticoagulation management of DVT. Nowadays, NOACs are considered as first-line therapy in the anticoagulation therapy for DVT and are recommended as the preferred anticoagulant agents by most scientific societies. NOACs offer a simple route of administration (oral agents), a rapid onset-offset of their action along with a good efficacy and safety profile in comparison with Vitamin K Antagonists (VKAs). However, there are issues about their efficacy and safety profile in specific populations with high thromboembolic and bleeding risks, such as renal failure patients, active-cancer patients, and pregnant women, in which VKAs and heparins were the standard care of treatment. Since the available data are promising for the use of NOACs in end-stage chronic kidney disease and cancer patients, several ongoing randomized trials are currently trying to solve that issues and give evidence about the safety and efficacy of NOACs in these populations.

The Consumption of Fast Food Favors Weight Increase in Young Hellenic Navy Personnel: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study.

Introduction: Dietary habits and physical exercise have independently been recognized as important contributors to weight loss. However, the relative effect of diet and exercise on body weight is still unclear and warrants further investigation. We investigated the causes related to changes in body mass index (BMI) in a sample of young adult Greek Navy recruits over 10 years. Materials and Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective observational study, including consecutive healthy young adult officers and sailors (>18 years) at the Salamis Naval Base, Salamis, Attiki, Greece. BMI was calculated at the baseline visit. A questionnaire was selected to gather data regarding daily food consumption and daily physical exercise. The participants were followed up for 10 years (2005-2014). Results: Two hundred eighty-four young adults [mean age 31.1 ± 3.1 years; 25 (8.8%) females and 259 (91.2%) males] were included. Baseline median BMI was 24.1 kg/m2, while 10 years later, median BMI was 24.8 kg/m2 (P < 0.001). Physical activity was not significantly related to BMI change (P = 0.153). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant correlation between BMI increase and frequent fast food consumption (P = 0.044). Conclusions: Frequent fast food consumption is linked with a significant BMI increase, irrespective of physical activity. This has obvious dietary implications and needs to be examined in the general population.

Long-term rhythm monitoring with an implantable loop recorder in patients after the first clinical atrial fibrillation episode. Towards an individualized management.

Although atrial fibrillation (AF) is an arrhythmia with a variable clinical profile (symptomatic and asymptomatic episodes), the first symptomatic episode leads to its initial diagnosis in most cases. Nowadays, continuous and remote long-term cardiac rhythm monitoring is feasible by the use of implantable loop recorders. The data concerning the AF recurrences and progression after the first electrocardiographic-documented clinical AF episode demonstrates that a high percentage of patients may not suffer any other AF recurrence, or may present a low recurrence rate of the arrhythmia in the future. The AF burden may play a key role in the management of the arrhythmia as far as the decision-making for anticoagulation, rate and/or rhythm control therapy is concerned. There is evidence that a higher AF burden is associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke. Non-vitamin K antagonists (NOACs) anticoagulants are increasingly used in the management of AF, providing a more predictable effect with rapid onset and offset of their action. The use of these agents in combination with devices that provide a continuous remote rhythm monitoring capability has encouraged anticoagulation strategies based on the AF burden. Data from tailored anticoagulation studies in AF are in favor of the long-term rhythm monitoring, ensuring a patient-centered approach with a better evaluation and more individualized management of AF, especially in patients with intermediate thromboembolic risk and high bleeding risk. Further large randomized trials are needed, not only to evaluate such strategies but also to elucidate the long-term cardiac rhythm monitoring in the AF management.

Noninvasive estimation of Fraction Flow Reserve (FFR): The first real-time FFRangio™ application in Greece.

We report the first case of real-time FFRangio™ application in Greece applied in a patient with tandem lesions in the proximal segment of the left anterior descendent artery.