Global Cardiology Science and Practice - Volume 2014, Issue 3

The NAIMI trial has recently been published. It assessed one of the most contemporary and challenging issues in the management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), namely prevention of reperfusion injury (RPI) after primary PCI for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It investigated the effect of the intravenous administration of Na nitrite given immediately prior to primary PCI for STEMI in 229 patients (118 in the treatment group, and 111 in placebo). The myocardial infarction (MI) size did not differ between the two groups as observed by cardiac MRI (CMR) with gadolinium enhancement at 6–8 days or plasma Troponin-I and creatine kinase (CK), or by left ventricular (LV) volume and ejection fraction (EF) as measured by echocardiography at 6–8 days and again at 6 months. They concluded that IV nitrites did not reduce the infarct size. There was, however, a trend towards benefit in diabetic patients in the post-hoc analysis. The small number of these subjects has probably lead to inconclusive outcome in this subset.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death, worldwide, with disproportionate representation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Registro Nacional de los Síndromes Coronarios Agudos II (RENASICA II) investigators reported smoking, hypertension and diabetes were the main risk factors among Mexican patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Fibrinolytic therapy was administered to 37%. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) was performed in only 15% of patients. 30-day mortality was 10%. This study highlights the importance of conducting regional registries for quality improvement.

The role of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients presenting with mild manifestations of heart failure (HF), depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF), and wide QRS complex, has been addressed in four previous trials: MIRACLE ICD II,¹ MADIT-CRT,² RAFT,³ and REVERSE.⁴ The consistent observed benefits in reverse cardiac remodelling and reduction of heart failure adverse events have resulted in guideline recommendations for CRT in NYHA Class II patients. The guidelines also recommend further studies to determine whether survival is increased by CRT in patients with mild symptoms. The 5-year analysis of the REsynchronization reVErses Remodeling Systolic left vEntricular (REVERSE) trial, which was designed prospectively for 5-year follow-up to specifically assess the long term benefits of CRT, were recently published in the European Heart Journal.⁵

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDE) can be used as therapeutic agents for various diseases such as dementia, depression, schizophrenia and erectile dysfunction in men, as well as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis, other inflammatory diseases, diabetes and various other conditions. In this review we will concentrate on one type of PDE, mainly PDE5 and its role in pulmonary vascular diseases.

Treatment of cardiovascular diseases remains challenging considering the limited regeneration capacity of the heart muscle. Developments of reprogramming strategies to create in vitro and in vivo cardiomyocytes have been the focus point of a considerable amount of research in the past decades. The choice of cells to employ, the state-of-the-art methods for different reprogramming strategies, and their promises and future challenges before clinical entry, are all discussed here.

Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital anomaly that usually presents in childhood. It results in left ventricular (LV) ischemia with resulting LV dysfunction. This ischemia results from retrograde flow into the pulmonary artery which can act as a coronary steal. We here report antegrade flow detected in ALCAPA caused by severe pulmonary hypertension. Anatomic correction of ALCAPA is the preferred surgical option and should be performed as early as possible.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Thrombosis, the formation of blood clot (thrombus) in the circulatory system obstructing the blood flow, is one of the main causes behind various ischemic arterial syndromes such as ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction, as well as vein syndromes such as deep vein thrombosis, and consequently, pulmonary emboli. Several thrombolytic agents have been developed for treating thrombosis, the most common being tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), administrated systemically or locally via IV infusion directly proximal to the thrombus, with the aim of restoring and improving the blood flow. TPA triggers the dissolution of thrombi by inducing the conversion of plasminogen to protease plasmin followed by fibrin digestion that eventually leads to clot lysis. Although tPA provides powerful thrombolytic activity, it has many shortcomings, including poor pharmacokinetic profiles, impairment of the reestablishment of normal coronary flow, and impairment of hemostasis, leading to life-threatening bleeding consequences. The bleeding consequence is ascribed to the ability of tPA to circulate throughout the body and therefore can lysis all blood clots in the circulation system, even the good ones that prevent the bleeding and promote injury repair. This review provides an overview of the different delivery approaches for tPA including: liposomes, ultrasound-triggered thrombolysis, anti-fibrin antibody-targeted tPA, camouflaged-tPA, tpA-loaded microcarriers, and nano-modulated delivery approaches.