Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Cardiac Electronic Device Management and Role of Remote Monitoring.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide pandemic, patients with cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) refused scheduled follow-up visits because of the risk of infection. In this scenario, different telemedicine strategies have been implemented to ensure continuity of care to CIED patients. Patients can be monitored through dedicated applications, telephone calls, or virtual visits providing easy access to valuable information, such as arrhythmic events, acute decompensation manifestations, and device-related issues, without the need for in-person visits. This review provides a comprehensive description of the many possible applications of telemedicine for CIED patients during the COVID-19 period.

Greater cardiovascular risk reduction with once-daily fixed combination of three antihypertensive agents and statin versus free-drug combination: The ALL-IN-ONE trial.

BACKGROUND: The ultimate goal of antihypertensive therapy is cardiovascular risk (CVR) reduction. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of once-daily fixed combination (ODFC) versus free-drug combination (FDC) of 3antihypertensive agents and statin. METHODS: The ALL-IN-ONE trial was a 12-week randomized, prospective, multicenter trial. A total of 305 hypertensive patients were randomized 1:1. The "fixed group" was given an ODFC of perindropil 10mg plus indapamide 2.5mg plus amlodipine 5 or 10mg plus atorvastatin 20mg. The "free group" was given a FDC of the 3antihypertensive agents plus atorvastatin 20mg. Primary end-points were the differences in clinic BP, cholesterol levels and CVR risk between the 2 groups after treatments. Secondary end-points included intragroup differences in clinic BP. Safety and compliance were also assessed. RESULTS: At 12-weeks, the fixed group had lower systolic BP and similar diastolic BP compared to the free group. BP targets at week 12 were more commonly reached with fixed than free combination (89% and 80% respectively, p=0.048). For cholesterol serum in both groups there was a significant reduction of values. Also CVR reduction was greater in those taking ODF. Safety was not significantly different between the 2 groups. Conversely, compliance was significantly greater in the fixed-group vs. the free-group. CONCLUSION: This randomized trial shows that ODF combination of perindropil, indapamide and amlodipine is as safe as free combination of the 3 drugs, but is associated with a greater efficacy in BP control, compliance and, associated with statin, in cholesterol reduction. A better cardiovascular risk control is achieved with ODF combination than with a free administration. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02710539.

Does cirrhotic cardiomyopathy exist? 50 years of uncertainty.

Subtle abnormalities of cardiac structure or function are often identified in patients with liver cirrhosis and have been termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. However, in the absence of a precise definition, its diagnosis remains a challenge. Cardiac dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis can often be attributed to concomitant diseases such as hypertension, ischaemic heart disease or excess alcohol consumption in many patients. Further research is required to identify the existence, origin and importance of abnormal cardiac function due specifically to liver disease. Cardiac dysfunction may be masked by treatments given to cirrhotic patients, such as mineral-corticoid receptor antagonists, or by co-existing conditions, such as anaemia. New imaging tests or plasma biomarkers might be able to detect abnormal cardiac function at an early stage of its development.