Management and predictors of clinical events in 75 686 patients with acute myocardial infarction
Background:Although mortality of patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) has decreased substantially over the last few decades in many countries MI remains a major threat to public health. Aims:To assess the number and outcomes of patients hospitalized for acute MI in Poland in 2018 as well as proportions of patients participating in cardiac rehabilitation and undergoing invasive cardiac procedures following discharge. Methods:We used public databases. We included all patients hospitalized for acute MI in Poland in 2018 and assessed event-free survival along with uptake of invasive cardiac procedures and cardiac rehabilitation and consultations with cardiologists. Results: A total of…
Levosimendan in the treatment of patients with acute cardiac conditions: an expert opinion of the Association of Intensive Cardiac Care of the Polish Cardiac Society
Levosimendan is a new inodilator which involves 3 main mechanisms: increases the calcium sensitivity of cardiomyocytes, acts as a vasodilator due to the opening of potassium channels, and has a cardioprotective effect. Levosimendan is mainly used in the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (class IIb recommendation according to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines). However, numerous clinical trials indicate the validity of repeated infusions of levosimendan in patients with stable heart failure as a bridge therapy to heart transplantation, and in patients with accompanying right ventricular heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. Due to the complex mechanism of action,…
A new approach to ticagrelor-based de-escalation of antiplatelet therapy after acute coronary syndrome. A rationale for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, investigator-initiated, multicenter clinical study
The risk of ischemic events gradually decreases after acute coronary syndrome (ACS), reaching a stable level after 1 month, while the risk of bleeding remains steady during the whole period of dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT). Several de-escalation strategies of antiplatelet treatment aiming to enhance safety of DAPT without depriving it of its efficacy have been evaluated so far. We hypothesized that reduction of the ticagrelor maintenance dose 1 month after ACS and its continuation until 12 months after ACS may improve adherence to antiplatelet treatment due to better tolerability compared with the standard dose of ticagrelor. Moreover, improved safety of treatment and preserved anti-is…
Vorapaxar in the secondary prevention of atherothrombotic events
BACKGROUND: Thrombin potently activates platelets through the protease-activated receptor PAR-1. Vorapaxar is a novel antiplatelet agent that selectively inhibits the cellular actions of thrombin through antagonism of PAR-1. METHODS: We randomly assigned 26,449 patients who had a history of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or peripheral arterial disease to receive vorapaxar (2.5 mg daily) or matching placebo and followed them for a median of 30 months. The primary efficacy end point was the composite of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke. After 2 years, the data and safety monitoring board recommended discontinuation of the study treatment in patients …
Antiplatelets in acute coronary syndrome in Poland – from guidelines to clinical practice
Acute coronary syndrome is a factor for poor prognosis and recurrent cardiovascular events. Adequate antiplatelet therapy is crucial in patients with the acute coronary syndrome for risk reduction. Such treatment is well described in four documents issued by the European Society of Cardiology, which precisely illustrate the use of antiplatelets in the settings of ST-elevated and non-ST elevated myocardial infarction. Despite its unquestioned role in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome, recent real-world-data from Polish registries reveal poor adherence to the guidelines-recommended antiplatelet treatment in Poland. Thus, we present here a comprehensive review of the use of antiplatelet…
Effects of alirocumab on types of myocardial infarction : insights from the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial
Gislason, Gunnar H/0000-0002-0548-402X; Malynovsky, Yaroslav V/0000-0002-9118-1104; Bhatt, Deepak L./0000-0002-1278-6245; Nikolaev, Konstantin/0000-0003-4601-6203; Sherwood, Matthew/0000-0002-4305-5883; Chumakova, Galina A/0000-0002-2810-6531; Raffel, Owen C/0000-0001-5470-7050; Leonardi, Sergio/0000-0002-4800-6132; Tse, Hung Fat/0000-0002-9578-7808; Reshetko, Olga/0000-0003-3107-7636; Pereira, Helder/0000-0001-8656-4883; Racca, Vittorio/0000-0002-4465-3789; Podoleanu, Cristian/0000-0001-9987-2519; Ersanli, Murat/0000-0003-1847-3087; Muenzel, Thomas/0000-0001-5503-4150; Sandhu, Manjinder/0000-0003-2538-2079; Taskinen, Marja-Riitta/0000-0002-6229-3588; bastos, jose/0000-0002-9526-3123; Manak…
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on acute heart failure admissions and mortality: a multicentre study (COV-HF-SIRIO 6 study)
Abstract Aims The coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has changed the landscape of medical care delivery worldwide. We aimed to assess the influence of COVID‐19 pandemic on hospital admissions and in‐hospital mortality rate in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) in a retrospective, multicentre study. Methods and results From 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020, a total of 101 433 patients were hospitalized in 24 Cardiology Departments in Poland. The number of patients admitted due to AHF decreased by 23.4% from 9853 in 2019 to 7546 in 2020 (P < 0.001). We noted a significant reduction of self‐referrals in the times of COVID‐19 pandemic accounting 27.8% (P < 0.001), with increase…
Repetitive use of LEvosimendan in Ambulatory Heart Failure patients (LEIA-HF) - The rationale and study design
Abstract Purpose Clinical practice forces the necessity to conduct a clinical trial concerning the group of outpatients with chronically advanced heart failure in III or IV NYHA functional class, frequently requiring hospitalizations due to HF exacerbation, and often left without any additional therapeutic option. The current trial aims to determine the efficacy and safety of repeated levosimendan infusions in the group of severe outpatients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Material and methods LEIA-HF (LEvosimendan In Ambulatory Heart Failure Patients) is a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 4 clinical trial to determine whether the repetitive use of le…