Chagas Cardiomyopathy in Latin America Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chagas cardiomyopathy is a major public health disease in Latin America and, due to migration, is becoming a worldwide health and economic burden. This review sought to present the clinical and epidemiological aspects of Chagas cardiomyopathy, as well as some specific features and principles of treatment. We also retrospectively assessed our institutional experience with mechanical circulatory support in refractory heart failure due to Chagas cardiomyopathy over a 10-year period. RECENT FINDINGS: The role of antiparasitic treatment in patients with heart failure due to Chagas cardiomyopathy is controversial. Heart transplantation, although formerly contraindicated, is currently established as an important therapeutic option. Also, the favorable characteristics of Chagas patients, such as younger age, little comorbidity, and no reoperations or severe pulmonary hypertension, could be an advantage for a mechanical circulatory support indication in advanced heart failure due to Chagas cardiomyopathy. Despite the absence of large evidence-based data, much has been accomplished since Carlos Chagas' discovery one century ago. Our institutional experience shows that mechanical circulatory support in Chagas patients is associated with more successful bridging to heart transplantation when compared to non-Chagas patients.

Efeito da hipóxia aguda e intermitente sobre a função endotelial: implicações mecanísticas para a vasculopatia associada à Síndrome da Apnéia do Sono / Effect of acute intermittent hypoxia on endothelial function: mechanistic implications forsleep apnea associated vasculopathy

O escopo dete trabalho é verificar a influência de episódios agudos de hipoxemia e subsequente reoxigenação sobre marcadores inflamatórios e sobre sinalizadores de integridade da função endotelial...

The aim of this study is to verify the effect of acute hipoxemia and subsequente reoxigenation over inflammatory markers and indicators of integrity of the endothelial function...