Invasive Strategy in Octogenarians with Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction.

With population aging and the subsequent accumulation of cardiovascular risk factors, a growing proportion of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are octogenarian (aged between 80 and 89). The marked heterogeneity of this population is due to several factors like age, comorbidities, frailty, and other geriatric conditions. All these variables have a strong impact on outcomes. In addition, a high prevalence of multivessel disease, complex coronary anatomies, and peripheral arterial disease, increases the risk of invasive procedures in these patients. In advanced age, the type and duration of antithrombotic therapy need to be individualized according to bleeding risk. Although an invasive strategy for non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is recommended for the general population, its need is not so clear in octogenarians. For instance, although frail patients could benefit from revascularization, their higher risk of complications might change the risk/benefit ratio. Age alone should not be the main factor to consider when deciding the type of strategy. The risk of futility needs to be taken into account and identification of risk factors for adverse outcomes, such as renal impairment, could help in the decision-making process. Finally, an initially selected conservative strategy should be open to a change to invasive management depending on the clinical course (recurrent angina, ventricular arrhythmias, heart failure). Further evidence, ideally from prospective randomized clinical trials is urgent, as the population keeps growing.

Impact of Sex and Diabetes in Patients with Heart Failure.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome with a growing global health burden. This review explores the intersection of HF, diabetes mellitus, and sex, highlighting epidemiological patterns, pathophysiological mechanisms, and treatment implications. RECENT FINDINGS: Despite similar HF prevalence in men and women, diabetes mellitus (DM) appears to exert a more pronounced impact on HF outcomes in women. Pathophysiological differences involve cardiovascular risk factors, severe left ventricular dysfunction, and coronary artery disease, as well as hormonal influences and inflammatory markers. Diabetic cardiomyopathy introduces a sex-specific challenge, with women experiencing common adverse outcomes related to increased fibrosis and myocardial remodeling. Treatment strategies, particularly sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, exhibit cardiovascular benefits, but their response may differ in women. The link between HF and DM is bidirectional, with diabetes significantly increasing the risk of HF, and vice versa. Additionally, the impact of diabetes on mortality appears more pronounced in women than in men, leading to a modification of the traditional gender gap observed in HF outcomes. A personalized approach is crucial, and further research to improve outcomes in the complex interplay of HF, diabetes, and sex is needed.

Management strategy of non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndromes in octogenarians: a call for a personalized approach.

The rate of octogenarians among patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) will continue to increase in the coming years due to population aging. Routine invasive management of NSTEACS has shown long-term benefit in general population but evidence-based recommendations in this subset of patients remain scarce. The decision-making process in elderly patients should take into account several geriatric factors including frailty, comorbidities, dependency, cognitive impairment, malnutrition, and polymedication. Chronological age is a poor marker of the biological situation in octogenarians and heterogeneity is common. Recent studies support an invasive strategy in most octogenarians. However, observational data suggest that significant comorbidities seem to be related to futility of an invasive approach whereas the risk-benefit balance in frail patients might favor revascularization. Further studies are needed to define a tailored approach in each octogenarian with NSTEACS through a better assessment and quantification of frailty, comorbidities and ischemic risk.

Prevalence and prognostic impact of stroke in a national cohort of infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a common complication of infective endocarditis (IE). Our aim was to describe the prevalence and prognostic impact of stroke in a national cohort of IE. METHODS: Consecutive inclusion at 46 Spanish hospitals between 2008 and 2021. RESULTS: Out of 5667 IE cases, 1125 had acute stroke (19.8%): 818 ischemic strokes (811 cardioembolic strokes (193 with hemorrhagic transformation), 4 transient ischemic attacks, 3 lacunar infarctions), 127 intracranial hemorrhages, and 27 other neurological complications (cerebral abscesses, encephalitis, and meningitis). Compared to patients without stroke, those with stroke had a similar mean age (69 years) but were more frequently female (68.2% vs 63.7%, p = 0.04) and had a higher incidence of intracardiac complications (35% vs 30%, p = 0.01), surgical indication (69.9% vs 65.9%, p = 0.001), in-hospital mortality (40.9% vs 22.0%, p < 0.001), and 1-year mortality (46.2% vs 27.9%, p < 0.001). The following variables were independently associated with stroke: mitral location (odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.34-1.8, p < 0.001), vascular phenomenon (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 2.4-3.6, p = 0.0001), acute renal failure (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0-1.4, p = 0.021), septic shock (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6, p = 0.007), sepsis (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6, p = 0.005), surgery indicated but not performed (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.2-1.7, p < 0.001), community-acquired IE (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1-1.4, p = 0.017), and peripheral embolization (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.4-1.9, p < 0.001). Stroke was an independent predictor of in-hospital (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.78-2.51, p < 0.001) and 1-year mortality (hazard ratio = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.6-2.5). CONCLUSION: One-fifth of patients with IE have concomitant stroke. Stroke is associated with mortality.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Heart Failure.

Pharmacotherapy is the cornerstone treatment for patients with heart failure (HF) that uses drugs targeting the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and the angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) sacubitril/valsartan. This article reviews the pathophysiology of the RAAS and the neurohormonal changes seen in patients with HF as well as the targets and the mode of action of these drugs. We also assess the role of ACE in ventricular remodeling and summarize the main evidence for the use of ACE-related drugs in HF patients.

Feasibility of using KardiaMobile-L6 for QT interval monitoring during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in critical care patients.

The electrocardiogram (ECG) represents an essential tool to determine cardiac electrical abnormalities in COVID-19 patients, the effects of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs, and potential drug interactions. Smartphone-based heart monitors have increased the spectrum of ECG monitoring however, we are not aware of its reliability in critically ill COVID-19 patients. We aim to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of nurse-performed smartphone electrocardiography for QT interval monitoring in critically ill COVID-19 patients using KardiaMobile-6L compared with the standard 12-lead ECG. An observational comparative study was conducted comparing consecutive KardiaMobile-6L and 12-lead ECG recordings obtained from 20 patients admitted to the intensive care unit with SARS-CoV-2 infection and on invasive mechanical ventilation. The heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) intervals measured by KardiaMobile-6L and 12-lead ECG were compared. In 60 percent of the recordings, QTc intervals measured by KardiaMobile-6L matched those by 12-lead ECG. The QTc intervals measured by KardiaMobile-6 and 12-lead ECG were 428 ± 45 ms and 425 ± 35 ms (p = 0.82), respectively. The former demonstrated good agreement (bias = 2.9 ms; standard deviation of bias = 29.6 ms) with the latter, using the Bland-Altman method of measurement agreement. In all but one recording, KardiaMobile-6L demonstrated QTc prolongation. QTc interval monitoring with KardiaMobile-6L in critically ill COVID-19 patients was feasible and demonstrated reliability comparable to the standard 12-lead ECG.

Multivalvular Endocarditis: A Rare Condition with Poor Prognosis.

Background. Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe condition. Our aim was to describe the profile and prognosis of patients with multivalvular infective endocarditis (MIE) and compare them to single-valve IE (SIE). Methods. We used a retrospective analysis of the Spanish IE Registry (2008−2020). Results. From 4064 definite cases of valvular IE, 577 (14.2%) had MIE. In patients with MIE, the most common locations were mitral (552, 95.7%) and aortic (550, 95.3%), with mitral-aortic involvement present in 507 patients (87.9%). The most common etiologies were S. viridans (192, 33.3%) and S. aureus (113, 19.6%). MIE involved only native valves in 450 patients (78.0%). Compared with patients with SIE, patients with MIE had a similar age (69 vs. 67 years, respectively, p = 0.27) and similar baseline characteristics, but were more frequently men (67.1% vs. 72.9%, p = 0.005) and had a higher incidence of intracardiac complications (36.2% vs. 50.4%, p < 0.001), heart failure (42.7% vs. 52.9%, p < 0.001), surgical indication (67.7 vs. 85.1%, p < 0.001), surgery (46.3% vs. 56.3%), and in-hospital mortality (26.9% vs. 34.3%, p < 0.001). MIE was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1−1.7, p = 0.004) but did not have an independent association with 1-year mortality (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.9−1.4, p = 0.43). Conclusions. About one-seventh of the valvular IE patients had MIE, mainly due to mitral-aortic involvement. MIE is associated with a poor in-hospital prognosis. An early diagnosis and treatment of IE might avoid its spread to a second valve.