Vericiguat in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: hope or solid reality?

In recent years, thanks to the advent of new classes of drugs (ARNI and SGLT2-i), the prognosis of patients suffering from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has gradually improved. Nonetheless, there is a residual risk that is not targeted by these therapies. Currently, it is recognized that vericiguat, an oral stimulator of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), can restore the NO-sGC-cGMP pathway, through stimulation and activation of sGC, aiming to increase cGMP levels with a reduction in heart failure-related oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Even though the Victoria trial demonstrated that HFrEF patients in treatment with vericiguat showed a 10% reduction in the composite of cardiovascular mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure, statistically significantly reducing heart failure hospitalization, the international guidelines limit its use as a second-line drug for patients with worsening symptomatology despite optimized medical therapy. Furthermore, vericiguat has proved to be a valid therapeutic ally especially in those patients with comorbidities such that they cannot receive the classic four-pillar therapy of HF (in particular renal failure). In this review, the authors report on randomized clinical trials, substudies, and meta-analysis about vericiguat in HFrEF, emphasizing the strengths that would suggest the possible role of vericiguat as the fifth pillar of the HFrEF treatment, acknowledging that there are still gaps in the evidence that need to be clarified.

Pericardial agenesis: a case report of a rare congenital heart disease.

Background: Pericardial agenesis is a rare congenital heart disease characterized by a variable clinical presentation. Case summary: A 32-year-old man was sent by an occupational health physician to our health care centre because of pathological electrocardiogram (ECG). On transthoracic echocardiogram, we had some difficulty to obtain a good quality of four-chamber apical view that was shifted upper and laterally towards the left anterior axillary line. Nonetheless, an abnormal diastolic expansion of the apex of the left ventricle (LV) that had an otherwise normal systolic function was detected. A chest X-ray confirmed the leftward shift of the heart, with the elongation of the left border of cardiac silhouette and cardiac MRI, finally revealed the absence of left-sided pericardium associated with a leftward dislocation of the heart and a dysmorphism of the LV apex that appeared rounded and curved. The non-invasive work-up was completed with 48 h long Holter ECG that was unremarkable. The exercise test was also negative for both inducible myocardial ischaemia and arrhythmias. Patient was scheduled for loop-recorder implantation, and a 6-month clinical follow-up was advised. Discussion: Pericardial agenesis is a rare congenital heart disease associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias and type A aortic dissection, however its clinical course could be also completely unremarkable. The diagnosis is challenging, and cardiac MRI remains the gold standard imaging modality. In complete left-sided and asymptomatic forms, no treatment is needed. Prognosis is not well established due to both the rarity of disease and extreme variability of clinical presentation.

A Look at Primary and Secondary Prevention in the Elderly: The Two Sides of the Same Coin.

The global population is experiencing an aging trend; however, this increased longevity is not necessarily accompanied by improved health in older age. A significant consequence of this demographic shift is the rising prevalence of multiple chronic illnesses, posing challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. Aging is a major risk factor for multimorbidity, which marks a progressive decline in resilience and a dysregulation of multisystem homeostasis. Cardiovascular risk factors, along with aging and comorbidities, play a critical role in the development of heart disease. Among comorbidities, age itself stands out as one of the most significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease, with its prevalence and incidence notably increasing in the elderly population. However, elderly individuals, especially those who are frail and have multiple comorbidities, are under-represented in primary and secondary prevention trials aimed at addressing traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. There are concerns regarding the optimal intensity of treatment, taking into account tolerability and the risk of drug interactions. Additionally, uncertainty persists regarding therapeutic targets across different age groups. This article provides an overview of the relationship between aging and cardiovascular disease, highlighting various cardiovascular prevention issues in the elderly population.

Acute Coronary Syndrome in Elderly Patients: How to Tackle Them?

Elderly patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) represent a growing demographic population. These patients typically present more comorbidities and experience poorer outcomes compared to younger patients. Furthermore, they are less frequently subjected to revascularization procedures and are less likely to receive evidence-based medications in both the short and long-term periods. Assessing frailty is crucial in elderly patients with ACS because it can influence management decisions, as well as risk stratification and prognosis. Indeed, treatment decisions should consider geriatric syndromes, frailty, polypharmacy, sarcopenia, nutritional deficits, prevalence of comorbidities, thrombotic risk, and, at the same time, an increased risk of bleeding. Rigorous clinical assessments, clear revascularization criteria, and tailored approaches to antithrombotic therapy are essential for guiding personalized treatment decisions in these individuals. Assessing frailty helps healthcare providers identify patients who may benefit from targeted interventions to improve their outcomes and quality of life. Elderly individuals who experience ACS remain significantly underrepresented and understudied in randomized controlled trials. For this reason, the occurrence of ACS in the elderly continues to be a particularly complex issue in clinical practice, and one that clinicians increasingly have to address, given the general ageing of populations. This review aims to address the complex aspects of elderly patients with ACS to help clinicians make therapeutic decisions when faced with such situations.