Ischemic stroke risk after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) dropped significantly, from 4.7% in 1998-2000 to 3.8% in 2007-2008, due to improved AMI care. Reperfusion therapy, blood clot dissolving therapy, and statins were found to be independent predictors of reduced stroke risk.
Patients who resume smoking after a stroke are at three times the risk of dying within a year, with early relapse increasing mortality. The study highlights the importance of comprehensive smoking cessation interventions for post-stroke patients.
A study at ESC Congress 2012 found that renal denervation improved contractile function of the left side of the heart by more than 10% in patients with advanced heart failure. In contrast, standard drug treatment showed no change in contractile function.
A 15-year study of French registries shows a 68% decrease in STEMI mortality rate, with key factors including younger patients, increased use of reperfusion therapy, and improved early management. The results highlight the importance of addressing population characteristics and behavior to further reduce mortality rates.
A study by Dr Denise Fischer found that renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) reduces local and whole-body sympathetic activity and blood pressure. Patients experienced improvements in physical state, mental state, quality of life, anxiety and depression scores after RDN.
Research by the European Society of Cardiology found that energy drinks improve left and right ventricular function in healthy subjects. Energy drink consumption increases diastolic blood pressure but also shows benefits for heart rate and overall cardiac performance.
A large prospective study found that healthy lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption, physical activity, and vegetable intake significantly reduced the risk of hypertension. The study showed that even one or two healthy lifestyle factors could reduce the risk of hypertension by nearly 50% in men and more than 30% in women.
Patients with psoriasis are at higher risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus due to chronic inflammation. The study found that the risk increases with severity of psoriasis, with patients having severe psoriasis being more than twice as likely to develop diabetes.
Research at ESC Congress 2012 found that renal denervation regenerates blood vessels, reducing cardiovascular events. The procedure improves central hemodynamics and arterial stiffness in patients with resistant hypertension, suggesting a potential 'fountain of youth' for blood vessels.
The PROTECT study found that zotarolimus-eluting and sirolimus-eluting stents have comparable rates of stent thrombosis at three years. The study also showed that dual antiplatelet therapy use can affect the long-term clinical relevance of stent type.
Renal denervation significantly and sustainably lowers blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension, reducing risk of kidney disease and cardiovascular events. The Symplicity HTN-2 trial demonstrates the procedure's effectiveness in achieving substantial blood pressure reductions for up to 18 months.
The IABP-SHOCK II trial randomized 600 patients to receive either an intraaortic balloon pump or conventional optimal medical treatment, but found no reduction in 30-day mortality rates. The study also showed that the IABP did not improve blood pressure, organ perfusion, or reduce treatment time in the intensive care unit.
The ASTRID study found that patients with high and very high risk benefited from transfemoral TAVI, with mortality rates of 4.7% and 7.7%, respectively. The registry also showed differences in vascular complications and residual aortic regurgitation between valve types.
Research from the European Society of Cardiology reveals that normal-weight individuals with belly fat have a higher death risk than obese individuals. The study found that those with central obesity, even at a normal weight, had the highest cardiovascular death risk and death risk from all causes.
The ORIGIN-GRACE study found that insulin glargine significantly reduced secondary outcomes of atherosclerosis progression, but had no effect on primary outcomes. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements also showed no significant effect on either outcome.
The ACCESS-EU study found significant clinical improvements in patients treated with MitraClip therapy, including reduced death rates, mitral regurgitation, and need for surgery. The study's results confirmed the effectiveness of the device in a real-world setting.
A study presented at ESC Congress 2012 found that renal denervation successfully treats patients with resistant hypertension, significantly lowering blood pressure. The procedure resulted in no adverse events or deterioration in renal function, making it a safe and effective treatment option for real-world patient populations.
A study found sharp increases in heart failure and pneumonia following the Japanese earthquake, while stroke and cardio-pulmonary arrest rates followed seismic peaks. Blood pressure was also elevated, but medication disruptions may have contributed to cardiovascular events.
A large nationwide cohort study found that female gender increases the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation aged over 75 years by 20%. The findings suggest that female sex should not be included as an independent risk factor in guidelines or risk stratification schemes.
A country-wide German registry found that women received a lower percentage of drug eluting stents (DES) compared to men for the same condition. DES are known to decrease repeat target vessel revascularization procedures and provide favorable long-term results, especially in women with smaller epicardial vessels.
A nationwide Danish cohort study found that obese women are at a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation than healthy weight women. The risk is more pronounced in very obese women, with a hazard ratio of over 3 times the normal risk.
Researchers found that spinal cord stimulation improves left ventricular contractile function in pigs with ischemic heart failure. Continuous spinal cord stimulation was associated with significant reduction of serum norepinephrine and brain natriuretic peptide compared to medical therapy alone.
Increased copeptin levels are associated with increased frequencies of comorbidities, severity of heart failure, and risk of all-cause death. Copeptin measurements link to the strength of cardiac contractility and predict poorer kidney function. The risk of mortality from all causes increases with rising copeptin levels.
The Aldo-DHF study found that spironolactone significantly improved diastolic function and reduced blood pressure in patients with symptomatic diastolic heart failure. However, it did not improve exercise capacity or quality of life. The treatment also induced reverse cardiac remodelling and reduced left ventricular hypertrophy.
A novel blood test can predict which heart failure patients are at risk of sudden death and may benefit from implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). The test measures changes in the SCN5A gene, which is involved in electrical activity in the heart.
A large meta-analysis found that electrical storms are a strong risk factor for death, with nearly 4 times higher mortality rates compared to those without. Effective treatment involves catheter ablation, which can terminate ES in nearly 83% of cases, preventing relapses.
A global registry study found that women with acute heart failure have similar in-hospital mortality rates as men, but receive fewer treatments. The study revealed differences in clinical presentation, co-morbidities, and treatment patterns between genders.
Research presented at the ESC Congress 2012 found that patients who experience a cardiac arrest during or shortly after exercise are three times more likely to survive than those who experience an exercise-unrelated cardiac arrest. The study also showed that exercise-related cardiac arrests tend to occur in younger, male individuals an...
A study published by the European Society of Cardiology found that passive smoking increases platelet activation and carbon monoxide levels in healthy individuals. The researchers investigated three parameters: mean platelet volume (MPV), carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), and lactate.
A new study confirms ECG as a cost-effective method for detecting cardiac abnormalities in young athletes, preventing fatal events. The program's mean cost per athlete is €115, with most subsequent examinations being low-cost echocardiograms.
Research from Bremen, Germany found that non-smokers experienced a 26% decrease in ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMIs) following the introduction of a smoking ban. In contrast, active smokers showed little change in STEMI rates, highlighting the benefits of anti-smoking legislation.
Research presented at ESC Congress found that adolescent smokers have thicker artery walls, indicating early development of atherosclerosis. Early exposure to tobacco smoke is associated with various adverse health outcomes in children and adolescents.
A clinical study found that electronic cigarettes do not cause significant defects in cardiac function, unlike smoking tobacco cigarettes. The study compared the effects of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes on 20 young daily smokers and 22 electronic cigarette users, showing no acute adverse effects from e-cigarette use.
A study found that spouses of people who suffer a sudden heart attack are at an increased risk of depression, anxiety, or suicide. Men were more susceptible to depression and suicide after their wife's survival or death from an acute myocardial infarction.
A population-level approach to preventing cardiovascular disease could reduce deaths by up to 50%, according to the European Society of Cardiology. The organization recommends changes in agricultural policies, taxation, and advertising to support healthy diets, physical activity, and reduced alcohol consumption.
A large pregnancy follow-up study found that adolescent boys with higher alcohol consumption, girls using oral contraceptives, and both sexes with high salt intake and BMI had higher blood pressure levels. The study warns that these lifestyle behaviors can lead to adverse health consequences in adulthood.
The EVINCI study found that non-invasive imaging tests, such as multi-slice CT and radionuclide imaging, can accurately diagnose coronary artery disease in most patients. This approach could safely avoid invasive procedures in 75% of cases, reducing unnecessary treatments.
A new survey found that only 36.5% of coronary heart disease patients in Europe participate in cardiac rehabilitation, despite the American Heart Association's recommendation. The study suggests that smoking, older age, and lower educational attainment are associated with lower attendance rates.
A new trial shows that a short-term antiarrhythmic drug treatment can prevent recurrences of atrial fibrillation as effectively as long-term treatment. The Flec-SL trial found that patients treated with flecainide for four weeks had fewer AF relapses than those receiving long-term treatment.
The CHA2DS2-VASc score has been validated in different populations, identifying very low risk patients who do not need antithrombotic therapy. New oral anticoagulants have a greater net clinical benefit compared to warfarin when both bleeding and stroke risks are high.
The European Society of Cardiology and the European Heart Rhythm Association will hold a joint Congress annually from 2014 to 2017, featuring four main topics: electrophysiology, devices, non-invasive EP, and basic science. The agreement aims to improve scientific collaboration and quality among cardiac electrophysiology communities.
A recent study published in the European Heart Journal found that factors predicting publication success in scientific research differed from those predicting later scientific impact. Accepted abstracts were more likely to be based on basic research, have a large patient number, and be prospective study designs, while full-text publica...
Researchers have successfully reprogrammed skin cells from elderly heart failure patients into healthy, beating heart muscle cells that can integrate with existing heart tissue. The study uses human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to repair damaged hearts, offering a potential new treatment option for heart failure patients.
New research reveals that obese adolescents, even those without symptoms of heart disease, already have structural and functional changes to their hearts. The study found that measures of heart size and function were increased in parallel to BMI, indicating damaged hearts with thicker walls and impaired systolic and diastolic function.
Researchers found Nordic walking with poles increased oxygen consumption and peak heart rate in both healthy adults and patients with heart failure compared to walking without poles. This low-cost, accessible form of exercise may be a more effective training method than traditional walking for these groups.
A study presented at Heart Failure Congress 2012 found that statin therapy prevents cancer and reduces death from all causes in heart transplant recipients. Cancer is the leading cause of death late after heart transplantation, with skin cancer being particularly common.
The European Society of Cardiology has released new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure, emphasizing the importance of new device recommendations and increased use of left ventricular assist devices. The guidelines also highlight the benefits of cardiac resynchronisation therapy in patients with mild symptoms.
At EuroPCR 2012, expert panel discussions highlighted the potential for interventional cardiologists to support stroke patients with mechanical thrombectomy. Keynote speakers emphasized the need for education and training in interventional neuroradiology to ensure timely care for these patients.
The FAME II trial demonstrates that targeting treatment to patients with ischemia significantly reduces the need for revascularisation. Patients without ischemia can be successfully managed using optimal medical treatment alone.
The Stent for Life Initiative is driving equal access to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in Europe, reducing mortality and morbidity among acute coronary syndrome patients. PPCI rates are increasing across participating countries, with a focus on improving patient awareness and streamlining healthcare systems.