Effect of transitioning from conventional cardiac troponin to high-sensitivity cardiac troponin on resource utilization- a single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Compared to conventional cardiac troponin (cTn), the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assay is associated with improved detection of myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: We performed a descriptive retrospective analysis of resource utilization at Rush University Medical Center over the transition period (July 1, 2021) from a cTn to a hs-cTn assay. Inclusion criteria included emergency department (ED) encounters between January 1 to December 31, 2021, with chief complaints of "chest pain" or "dyspnea" with associated troponin orders. The primary endpoint was the percentage of ED discharges. Secondary endpoints included the number of cardiac studies ordered. Univariable comparisons of these endpoints were performed using Student's t-test for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for binary/categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 5113 encounters were analyzed. Hs-cTn was associated with an overall increase in ED patient discharges with negative troponin tests (44.1% vs. 29.9%, P < 0.01). In terms of cardiac testing per encounter, hs-cTn was associated with significant increases in the number of troponin tests (1.9 vs. 1.6, P < 0.01), electrocardiograms (3.0 vs. 2.9, P = 0.01), and echocardiograms (0.5 vs. 0.4, P < 0.01). There was a significant decrease in the utilization of stress testing (0.21 vs. 0.26, P < 0.01). There was a significant increase in total coronary angiography use during the hs-cTn period compared to cTn (227/2471 (9.2%) vs. 195/2642 (7.4%), P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Transitioning from cTn to hs-cTn was associated with significantly increased ED discharges and an increase in troponin tests, ECG, echocardiograms, and coronary angiograms. There was a decrease in the number of stress tests.

Sex differences in trends and in-hospital outcomes of acute myocardial infarction in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: insights from a large national database.

BACKGROUND: Sex differences in clinical outcomes following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are well known. However, data on sex differences among patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are limited. We aimed to explore sex differences in outcomes of AMI among patients with FH from a national administrative dataset. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We utilized the National Inpatient Sample to identify admissions with a primary diagnosis of AMI and a secondary diagnosis of FH. Our primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality; secondary outcomes were performance of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), respiratory complications, use of inotropes, use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), bleeding complications, transfusion and facility discharge. We adjusted for demographics (model A), comorbidities (model B), and intervention (model C). RESULTS: Between October 2016 and December 2020, 5,714,993 admissions with a primary diagnosis of AMI were identified, of which 3,035 (0.05%) had a secondary diagnosis of FH. In-hospital mortality did not differ between men and women (Model C, adjusted OR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.28-2.60, p = 0.773). There was no sex difference in the secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: Despite generally being older and having more comorbidities, women with FH fair equally with men with FH in terms of mortality during AMI admission.

An Overview of Arrhythmias in Pregnancy.

Cardiovascular disease significantly jeopardizes pregnancies in the United States, impacting 1% to 4% of pregnancies annually. Among complications, cardiac arrhythmias are prevalent, posing concerns for maternal and fetal health. The incidence of arrhythmias during pregnancy is rising, partly due to advances in congenital heart surgery and a growing population of women with structural heart disease. While most arrhythmias are benign, the increasing prevalence of more serious arrhythmias warrants a proactive approach. Guidance and reassurance suffice in many cases, but persistent symptoms require cautious use of antiarrhythmic drugs or other therapies for a safe outcome. Managing more serious arrhythmias requires a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach involving specialists, including maternal-fetal medicine physicians, cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and anesthesiologists.

Sex differences in trends and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction with mechanical complications in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical complications (MC) are rare but significant sequelae of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Current data on sex differences in AMI with MC is limited. METHODS: We queried the National Inpatient Sample database to identify adult patients with the primary diagnosis of AMI and MC. The main outcome of interest was sex difference in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were sex differences in the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), major bleeding, use of inotropes, permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI), performance of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), surgery (VSD repair and MV surgery), pericardiocentesis, use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), ischemic stroke, and mechanical ventilation. RESULTS: Among AMI-MC cohort, in-hospital mortality was higher among females compared to males (41.24% vs 28.13%: aOR 1.39. 95% CI 1.079-1.798; p = 0.01). Among those who had VSD, females also had higher in-hospital mortality compared to males (56.7% vs 43.1%: aOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.12-2.69; p = 0.01). Females were less likely to receive CABG compared to males (12.03% vs 20%: aOR 0.49 95% CI 0.345-0.690; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Despite the decreasing trend in AMI admission, females had higher risk of MC and associated mortality. Significant sex disparities still exist in AMI treatment.

End-Of-Life Care for Patients With End-Stage Heart Failure, Comparisons of International Guidelines.

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, debilitating condition associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic burden. Patients with end-stage HF (ESHF) who are not a candidate for advanced therapies will continue to progress despite standard medical therapy. Thus, the focus of care shifts from prolonging life to controlling symptoms and improving quality of life through palliative care (PC). Because the condition and prognosis of HF patients evolve and can rapidly deteriorate, it is imperative to begin the discussion on end-of-life (EOL) issues early during HF management. These include the completion of an advance directive, do-not-resuscitate orders, and policies on device therapy and discontinuation as part of advance care planning (ACP). ESHF patients who do not have indications for advanced therapies or those who wish not to have a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or heart transplant (HT) often experience high symptom burden despite adequate medical management. The proper identification and assessment of symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, nausea, depression, and anxiety are essential to the management of ESHF and may be underdiagnosed and undertreated. Psychological support and spiritual care are also crucial to improving the quality of life during EOL. Caregivers of ESHF patients must also be provided supportive care to prevent compassion fatigue and improve resilience in patient care. In this narrative review, we compare the international guidelines and provide an overview of end-of-life and palliative care for patients with ESHF.

Sex differences in permanent pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence on the effect of sex on permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The primary objective of this meta-analysis was to determine the role of sex among patients requiring PPMI post-TAVR. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using the SCOPUS, MEDLINE, and CINAHL databases for studies published until October 2022. Eligible studies included published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and Observational Cohort Studies (OCS) articles that reported PPMI as an outcome of pacemaker status following TAVR. This study was performed per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines. Publication bias was estimated using a Funnel plot and Egger's test. Data were pooled using a random-effects model. The primary endpoint was the sex difference in PPMI after TAVR, with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) extracted. RESULTS: Data was obtained from 63 studies, and a total of 79,655 patients were included. The cumulative PPMI rate was 15.5% (95% CI, 13.6%-17.7%). The pooled analysis revealed that while there were more females than males undergoing TAVR (51.6%, 95% CI 50.4%-52.8%), males have a 14.5% higher risk for post-TAVR PPMI than females (OR 1.145, 95% CI 1.047-1.253, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Males are more likely to experience PPMI after TAVR than females. Further research needs to be done to better explain these observed differences in outcomes.

Causes of Death Among Health Care Professionals in the United States.

Specific causes of mortality among various types of health care professionals (HCPs), including those characterized by age, gender, and race, have not been well described. The National Occupational Mortality Surveillance data for deaths in 26 US states in 1999, 2003-2004, and 2007-2014 were queried to address this question. Proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) were calculated to compare specific causes of mortality among HCPs compared with those among the general population. HCPs were less likely to die from heart disease (PMR 93, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 92-94), alcoholism (PMR 62, 95% CI 57-68), drugs (PMR 80, 95% CI 70-90), and more likely to die from cerebrovascular disease (PMR 105, 95% CI 104-107) and diabetes (PMR 107, 95% CI 105-109). HCPs aged 18-64 years were more likely to die by suicide (PMR 104, 95% CI 101-107), whereas those aged 65-90 years were less likely to die by suicide (PMR 84, 95% CI 77-91), with physicians (PMR 251, 95% CI 229-275) and other HCPs having high PMR for suicide. Among all HCPs, suicide PMR was similarly increased, whereas heart disease PMRs are similarly decreased among Black compared with those among White HCPs and those among male compared with those among female HCPs. HCPs as a group and specific types of HCPs demonstrate causes of mortality that differ in important ways from the general population. Race and gender-based trends in PMRs for key causes of mortality among HCPs suggest that employment in a health care field may not alter race and gender disparities noted among the general population.

Cardiovascular disease in Filipino American men and women: A 2023 update.

With more than 4.2 million people, Filipino Americans are the third largest Asian group in the US and the largest Southeast Asian group in the country. Despite relatively favorable average socioeconomic indicators compared to the general US population, Filipino Americans face a significant burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, particularly among men. Moreover, Filipino Americans have high rates of cardiovascular death, often occurring at a younger age compared to other minority groups and Non-Hispanic White adults. In view of these trends, in 2010 the American Heart Association designated Filipino Americans as a high cardiovascular risk group. Despite this, in 2023, Filipino Americans remain underrepresented in landmark cardiovascular cohort studies and are often over looked as a group at increased cardiovascular risk. In this updated narrative review, we summarize the current state of knowledge about the burden of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases experienced by the Filipino American population. Our aim is to inform enhanced clinical, population, and policy-level prevention interventions and boost research in this space.

Vascular Cognitive Impairment: A Little Bit of Good News for Women or Bad News for Men?

In a recent issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Zinman et al. investigated the role of sex in the risk of cognitive impairment in 5,969 patients with a stroke or transient ischemic attacks. Using a short validated clinical screening tool, they noted that men had a 34% higher risk of screening positive for post-stroke cognitive impairment after adjusting for age, education, and stroke severity compared to women. This study highlights that more large, prospective, and multicenter studies are needed to evaluate sex-specific changes after a stroke since sex differences exist in many aspects of stroke presentation and management.

Socioeconomic disparities in the management and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Patients from lower socioeconomic status areas have poorer outcomes following acute myocardial infarction (AMI); however, how ethnicity modifies such socioeconomic disparities is unclear. METHODS: Using the UK Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project (MINAP) registry, we divided 370 064 patients with AMI into quintiles based on Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) score, comprising seven domains including income, health, employment and education. We compared white and 'ethnic-minority' patients, comprising Black, Asian and mixed ethnicity patients (as recorded in MINAP); further analyses compared the constituents of the ethnic-minority group. Logistic regression models examined the role of the IMD, ethnicity and their interaction on the odds of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: More patients from the most deprived quintile (Q5) were from ethnic-minority backgrounds (Q5; 15% vs Q1; 4%). In-hospital mortality (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.19, p=0.025) and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.15, p=0.048) were more likely in Q5, and MACE was more likely in ethnic-minority patients (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.95, p=0.048) versus white (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.13, p=0.027) in Q5. In subgroup analyses, Black patients had the highest in-hospital mortality within the most affluent quintile (Q1) (Black: 0.079, 95% CI 0.046 to 0.112, p<0.001; White: 0.062, 95% CI 0.059 to 0.066, p<0.001), but not in Q5 (Black: 0.065, 95% CI 0.054 to 0.077, p<0.001; White: 0.065, 95% CI 0.061 to 0.069, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with a higher deprivation score were more often from an ethnic-minority background, more likely to suffer in-hospital mortality or MACE when compared with the most affluent quintile, and this relationship was stronger in ethnic minorities compared with White patients.

Adding Pharmacist-Led Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring to Usual Care for Blood Pressure Control: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Health systems have been quickly adopting telemedicine throughout the United States, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are limited data on whether adding pharmacist-led home blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring to office-based usual care improves BP. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase for randomized controlled trials from January 2000 until April 2022, comparing studies on pharmacist-led home BP telemonitoring with usual care. Six randomized controlled trials, including 1,550 participants, satisfied the inclusion criteria. There were 774 participants in the pharmacist-led telemonitoring group and 776 in the usual care group. The addition of pharmacist-led telemonitoring to usual care was associated with a significant decrease in systolic BP (mean difference -8.09, 95% confidence interval -11.15 to -5.04, p <0.001, I2 = 72%) and diastolic BP (mean difference -4.19, 95% confidence interval -5.58 to -2.81, p <0.001, I2 = 42%) compared with usual care. In conclusion, this meta-analysis showed that adding pharmacist-led home BP telemonitoring to usual care achieves better BP control than usual care alone.

Person-Centered Models for Cardiovascular Care: A Review of the Evidence: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and globally. Disease burden continues to escalate despite technological advances associated with improved life expectancy and quality of life. As a result, longer life is associated with multiple chronic cardiovascular conditions. Clinical guidelines provide recommendations without considering prevalent scenarios of multimorbidity and health system complexities that affect practical adoption. The diversity of personal preferences, cultures, and lifestyles that make up one's social and environmental context is often overlooked in ongoing care planning for symptom management and health behavior support, hindering adoption and compromising patient outcomes, particularly in groups at high risk. The purpose of this scientific statement was to describe the characteristics and reported outcomes in existing person-centered care delivery models for selected cardiovascular conditions. We conducted a scoping review using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase.com, Web of Science, CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through Ovid, and ClinicalTrials.gov from 2010 to 2022. A range of study designs with a defined aim to systematically evaluate care delivery models for selected cardiovascular conditions were included. Models were selected on the basis of their stated use of evidence-based guidelines, clinical decision support tools, systematic evaluation processes, and inclusion of the patient's perspective in defining the plan of care. Findings reflected variation in methodological approach, outcome measures, and care processes used across models. Evidence to support optimal care delivery models remains limited by inconsistencies in approach, variation in reimbursement, and inability of health systems to meet the needs of patients with chronic, complex cardiovascular conditions.

Sex differences in cardiovascular outcomes of SGLT-2 inhibitors in heart failure randomized controlled trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: In patients with heart failure (HF), randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of sodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) have proven to be effective in decreasing the primary composite outcome of cardiovascular death and hospitalizations for HF. A recently published meta-analysis showed that the use of SGLT-2is among women with diabetes resulted in less reduction in primary composite outcomes compared with men. This study aims to explore potential sex differences in primary composite outcomes among patients with HF treated with SGLT-2is. Methods: We systematically searched the medical database from 2017 to 2022 and retrieved all the RCTs using SGLT-2is with specified cardiovascular outcomes. We used the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for a Review and Meta-analysis) method to screen for eligibility. We evaluated the quality of studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. We pooled the hazard ratio (HR) of the primary composite outcomes in both sexes, performed a meta-analysis, and calculated the odds ratio (OR) of the primary composite outcomes based on sex. Results: We included 5 RCTs with a total number of 21,947 patients. Of these, 7837 (35.7 %) were females. Primary composite outcomes were significantly lower in males and females taking SGLT-2is compared to placebo (males - HR 0.77; 95 % CI 0.72 to 0.84; p = 0.00001; females - HR 0.75; 95 % CI 0.67 to 0.84; p = 0.00001). Pooled data from four of the RCTs (n = 20,725) revealed a greater occurrence of the primary composite outcomes in females compared with males (OR 1.32; 95 % CI 1.17 to 1.48; p = 0.0002). Conclusion: SGLT-2is reduce the risk of primary composite outcomes in patients with HF, regardless of sex; however, the benefits were less pronounced in women. Further research needs to be done to better explain these observed differences in outcomes.

Overcoming Pandemic-Related Challenges in Recruitment and Screening: Strategies and Representation of Older Women With Cardiovascular Disease for a Multidomain Lifestyle Trial to Prevent Cognitive Decline.

BACKGROUND: Recruiting participants with cardiovascular disease into research during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging, particularly those at risk of health disparities. OBJECTIVE: During the pandemic, 12 cohorts of older women with cardiovascular disease were recruited from cardiology clinics into a lifestyle intervention trial to prevent cognitive decline. Objectives were to (a) describe the results of modified recruitment/screening strategies to overcome pandemic-related challenges and (b) evaluate differences in age, race, and ethnicity between patients recruited/randomized, recruited/not randomized (entered recruitment but not randomized because of being ineligible or not interested), and not recruited (clinic patients who met preliminary criteria but did not enter recruitment). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive analysis. In-person study strategies proposed before the COVID-19 pandemic were modified before study onset (September 2020). Women 65 years or older with cardiovascular disease were recruited from cardiology clinics by clinicians, posted flyers, and letters mailed to patients randomly selected from electronic health record data extractions. Patients were classified as recruited/randomized, recruited/not randomized, and not recruited. RESULTS: Of 5719 patients potentially eligible, 1689 patients entered recruitment via referral (49.1%), posted flyers (0.5%), or mailed letters (50.3%), and 253 patients were successfully recruited/randomized. Recruited/randomized participants were, on average, 72.4 years old (range, 65-90 years old), non-Hispanic White (54.2%), non-Hispanic Black (38.3%), Hispanic/Latinx (1.6%), and other/not reported (5.1%). The recruited/randomized group was significantly younger with fewer patients of Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity compared with those not recruited. CONCLUSIONS: During the pandemic, all recruitment/screening goals were met using modified strategies. Differences in sociodemographic representation indicate a need for tailored strategies.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: An Update.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a relatively novel minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis. Although it has been proven effective in improving mortality and quality of life, TAVR is associated with serious complications, such as acute kidney injury (AKI). SUMMARY: TAVR-associated AKI is likely due to several factors such as sustained hypotension, transapical approach, volume of contrast use, and baseline low GFR. This narrative review aims to present an overview of the latest literature and evidence regarding the definition of TAVR-associated AKI, its risk factors, and its impact on morbidity and mortality. The review used a systematic search strategy with multiple health-focused databases (Medline, EMBASE) and identified 8 clinical trials and 27 observational studies concerning TAVR-associated AKI. Results showed that TAVR-associated AKI is linked to several modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors and is associated with higher mortality. A variety of diagnostic imaging modalities have the potential to identify patients at high risk for development of TAVR-AKI; however, there are no existing consensus recommendations regarding their use as of this time. The implications of these findings highlight the importance of identifying high-risk patients for which preventive measures may play a crucial role, and should be maximized. KEY MESSAGE: This study reviews the current understanding of TAVR-associated AKI including its pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnostic modalities, and preventative management for patients.

Sex Differences in Periprocedural and Long-Term Outcomes Following Transcatheter Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is among the most common arrhythmias associated with an increased risk of cardioembolic phenomena, including stroke. Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) has proven beneficial in reducing stroke and mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation who have contraindications to anticoagulation. However, the sex differences in outcomes following LAAO have not been studied systematically. METHODS: Electronic databases PUBMED, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched until March 2022 for studies evaluating patient outcomes following LAAO for AF. The primary outcomes of interest were the risks of periprocedural stroke, major bleeding, pericardial complications, and all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included stroke risks, major bleeding, device-related thrombus, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality on long-term follow-up. A random-effects model meta-analysis was conducted, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I-squared test. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included in the final analysis encompassing 111,775 patients, out of which 45,441 (40.7 %) were women. Women had a significantly higher risk of peri-procedural complications including all-cause mortality [relative risk (RR), 95 % confidence intervals (CI); RR 1.94, 95 % CI 1.40-2.69], stroke [RR 1.85, 95 % CI 1.29-2.67], major bleeding [RR 1.63, 95 % CI 1.08-2.44], and pericardial events [RR 1.80, 95 % CI 1.58-2.05]. However, there were no statistically significant differences between sexes in terms of risk of stroke, major bleeding, device-related thrombus, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality on long-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: Among patients undergoing LAAO implantation, women were at higher risk of periprocedural complications than men. This risk was not significant on long-term follow-up.