Soluble ST2: a valuable prognostic marker in heart failure.

Natriuretic peptides have been at the forefront of biomarker use in heart disease and have been universally recommended as the ideal biomarker in the setting of heart failure. Soluble ST2 is one such biomarker which has found value as a prognostic marker and can be used individually or along with natriuretic peptides in order to prognosticate patients with heart failure. Leading cardiovascular organisations have recognised this biomarker, though its role as a diagnostic marker is yet to be determined. We aim to investigate the role of sST2 in heart failure in the existing literature.

Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator: Can it overtake its transvenous counterpart.

Over the past decade, the emergence of the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD) has provided cardiologists with an option to provide both primary or secondary prevention treatment of sudden cardiac death (SCD) without the associated risks that come with the use of intracardiac leads. S-ICD may prove to be a useful option in those who are young, have thromboembolic risk, immunodeficiency states, unfavorable anatomy due to adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). This article reviews the existing literature to determine whether S-ICD can prove to be a safe alternative in comparison to Transvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (TV-ICD) and in which patient population should S-ICD be considered over TV-ICD.

The need to manage the risk of thromboembolism in COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19 first appeared in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. Thought to be of zoonotic origin, it has been named SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and has spread rapidly. As of April 20, 2020, there have been >2.4 million cases recorded worldwide. The inflammatory process, cytokine storm, and lung injury that are associated with COVID-19 can put patients at an increased risk of thrombosis. The total incidence of thrombotic events in COVID-19 patients is currently uncertain. Those with more severe disease and with other risk factors, including increasing age, male sex, obesity, cancer, comorbidities, and intensive care unit admission, are at higher risk of these events. However, there is little international guidance on managing these risks in COVID-19 patients. In this paper, we explore the current evidence and theories surrounding thrombosis in these unique patients and reflect on experience from our center.

Alcohol septal ablation: A useful tool in our arsenal against hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE: Affecting 1 in 500 individuals; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an autosomal dominant cardiovascular disorder which is prevalent throughout the world. Surgical myectomy (SM) and alcohol septal ablation (ASA) are two methods currently used for the management of drug refractory hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). ASA may prove to be a useful, less invasive treatment in patients with HOCM METHODS: Electronic literature search was conducted to identify articles that discussed methods to treat drug refractory HOCM. No limits were placed on timing of the publication or the type of article. Keywords and MeSH terms were used and the results were summarized in the relevant section. RESULTS: Current evidence suggests that alcohol septal ablation is a safe and effective procedure in treating patients with HOCM with similar short- and long-term outcomes when compared with SM. CONCLUSION: ASA has been shown to be a safe and reliable procedure; imaging techniques and dedicated multi-disciplinary teams can be used to select patients with HOCM. Though SM is recommended as gold standard treatment for drug refractory HOCM, ASA may play an increasing role in the near future due an ageing population; both ASA and SM can have a beneficial role in treating those who are affected by HOCM when the appropriate group of patients are selected for each intervention.

The role of ECMO in COVID-19: Can it provide rescue therapy in those who are critically ill?

Arising from the city of Wuhan, Hubei province in China, a novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has been rapidly spreading since its first presentation in late 2019. The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on the 11th March 2020, and as of 29th of April 2020 more than 3 million cases have been reported worldwide with over 225 000 confirmed deaths. Where mechanical ventilation may not be enough, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) could play a role as a form of rescue therapy and may provide beneficial results in the hands of skilled clinicians in centers with experience of using ECMO appropriately in selected patients. Our understanding of COVID-19 is ever-changing and the need for intensive care beds is rising, which means that ECMO will surely play a key role in the near future.

The role of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 protein inhibitors in heart failure: more than an antidiabetic drug?

INTRODUCTION: Heart failure (HF) places a great burden on both the patient and on medical facilities worldwide, with admission due to worsening HF being one of the leading causes of hospitalization. Optimizing HF in the community remains a challenge, but with appropriate medications, specialist review, and community support, the number of hospital admissions could be reduced. Sodium glucose co-transporter protein 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been shown to play a role in patients with heart failure and reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This article seeks to investigate the existing medical literature to understand the role of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). AREAS COVERED: An electronic search was undertaken looking at recent literature studying the outcomes of SGLT2 inhibitors on patients with heart failure. No limits were placed on the timing of the publications or the type of article. Keywords and MeSH terms were used, and the results were summarized in the relevant section. EXPERT OPINION: This study shows that SGLT2 inhibitors are a safe and effective medication in the setting of HFrEF and has been shown to reduce symptoms of heart failure thus improving quality of life and reducing admissions due to heart failure and cardiovascular mortality.

Coronary Sinus Reducer: A Solution for Patients With Refractory Angina.

Refractory Angina (RA) places a great burden on patients and the healthcare system, with reduced quality of life (QOL), increased hospital admissions, polypharmacy, and psychological effects. Patients with RA are limited in options for management and with the introduction of the coronary sinus reducer (CSR), a safe, and effective option may be available for this group of patients. This review article seeks to understand the efficacy of coronary sinus implantation in the current literature.

Left Atrial or Transeptal Approach for Mitral Valve Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

To compare outcomes of mitral valve surgery through conventional left atriotomy and transeptal approach (TS). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Primary outcomes were operative mortality and permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation; secondary outcomes were new onset of atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke and operative times. Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria with 4537 patients. Cardiopulmonary bypass was longer with TS (weighted mean differences - 16.44 minutes [-29.53, -3.36], P = 0.01). Rates of PPM implantation (risk ratio 0.65 [0.47, 0.89], P = 0.007) and new onset AF (risk ratio 0.87 [0.78, 0.97], P = 0.02) were higher with TS. Subgroup analysis of isolated mitral valve surgery cohort showed no difference in operative times, mortality, new onset of AF, stroke, and PPM implantation. There is equal outcomes between both approaches during isolated mitral valve surgery; however, TS was associated with longer operative times and higher postoperative AF and PPM rates when pooling combined procedures. A large randomized controlled trial is required to confirm those findings.