Global Cardiology Science and Practice - Volume 2015, Issue 2

We examine the one-year mortality rates from the STREAM trial, recently published in Circulation.

Genetic variants have been associated with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Mega et al studied the association of a genetic risk score based on 27 genetic variants with incidents of recurrent CHD, adjusting for traditional risk factors using data from a community based study and 4 randomized controlled trials of both primary and secondary prevention with statin therapy. When individuals were divided into low, intermediate and high Read More

Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors have emerged as a novel treatment option in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Evolocumab and alirocumab have achieved consistent and significant (around 60%) reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels when added to statin therapy in short term studies. The Open-Label Study of Long-term Evaluation Against LDL-C (OSLER), and The Long-term Safety and Tol Read More

The introduction of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR in US - TAVI in Europe) has resulted in a paradigm shift in the treatment of patients with severe aortic stenosis. Although three randomized trials and multiple single-center and multicenter registry studies have been published, the profile and longer-term outcome of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis have b Read More

Burundi is one of the world's poorest nations, which is also reflected in its relative lack of cardiac facilities, particularly those catering to young children and adults. The authors discuss current efforts to build “The Burundi Heart Centre” to help address this challenge. In particular, they highlight how the project can act as a case study for a sustainable architecture that involves local people and uses locally available materials in a contemporar Read More

Mass spectrometry is a powerful technique that is used to identify unknown compounds, to quantify known materials, and to elucidate the structure and chemical properties of molecules. Recent advances in the accuracy and speed of the technology have allowed data acquisition for the global analysis of lipids from complex samples such as blood plasma or serum. Here, mass spectrometry as a tool is described, its limitations explained and its Read More

Congenital long QT syndrome, caused by a cardiac channelopathy, is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in the young population. In total, 16 genes have been implicated in this condition, with three genes being the most commonly affected. Long QT syndrome is one of the earliest conditions for which a genotype specific treatment was designed. This genotype-phenotype correlation extends to involve the clinical presentation, electroc Read More

Background: Ventricular-vascular coupling is an important phenomenon in many cardiovascular diseases. The association between aortic mechanical dysfunction and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is well characterized in many disease entities, but no data are available on how these changes are related in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Aim of the work: This study examined whether HCM alone is associated with an impaired aorti Read More

Background: Angina that is refractory to conventional medical therapy and revascularisation, remains challenging to manage and poses significant burden to patients. Elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has emerged as an important independent cardiovascular risk factor and predictor of adverse outcomes in atherosclerotic disease. The prevalence of raised Lp(a) amongst patients with refractory angina has not yet been defined. Objec Read More