Cardiovascular Effects and Tolerability of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 99,592 patients.

Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have demonstrated significant cardiovascular (CV) benefits particularly in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), but the safety and efficacy of different GLP-1 RAs across diverse populations remain insufficiently defined.

Objectives: Previous meta-analyses of GLP-1 RAs have been limited by restricted populations, omission of recent trials, or incomplete safety synthesis; this study integrates the latest evidence across 21 RCTs and diverse populations using advanced meta-analytic methods.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials comparing GLP-1 RAs vs controls or placebo were included.

Coronary flow reserve increase after 4-year dapagliflozin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes: the DAPAHEART follow-up study.

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) outcome trials have shown that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) reduce CV mortality in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We previously found that 4 weeks of SGLT2i treatment increased coronary flow reserve (CFR) by 30% and reduced epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness by 19% in T2DM patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). However, long-term effects remain unclear.

Strain-derived myocardial work indices in adult cancer survivors: results from an observational study and comparison with available reference ranges.

Aims: Adult survivors of haematological malignancies are at increased risk of long-term cardiovascular sequelae. Several echocardiographic metrics have been tested to detect subclinical myocardial dysfunction before it progresses toward cardiac events. Myocardial work (MW) is a load-independent echocardiographic index that conjugates non-invasive arterial blood pressure and global longitudinal strain (GLS).

Pharmacotherapy of cardiovascular diseases from herbs and pills to nucleic acids.

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases continue to cause substantial morbidity and mortality. Risk factors are inadequately controlled, compliance with medication remains suboptimal, and treatments are not sufficient to fully prevent the progression of atherosclerotic CV disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and valvular heart diseases. An increased understanding of the genetic basis of CV diseases and advances in the technology of therapeutics have led to the development of nucleic acid-based therapies (NATs) for prevention and treatment of CV risk factors and diseases.

Uncovering Plaque Erosion: A Distinct Pathway in Acute Coronary Syndromes and a Gateway to Personalized Therapy.

Plaque erosion (PE) is now recognized as a common and clinically significant cause of acute coronary syndromes (ACSs), accounting for up to 40% of cases. Unlike plaque rupture (PR), PE involves superficial endothelial loss over an intact fibrous cap and occurs in a low-inflammatory setting, typically affecting younger patients, women, and smokers with fewer traditional risk factors. The growing recognition of PE has been driven by high-resolution intracoronary imaging, particularly optical coherence tomography (OCT), which enables in vivo differentiation from PR.

From Vision to Illumination: The Promethean Journey of Optical Coherence Tomography in Cardiology.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has evolved from a breakthrough ophthalmologic imaging tool into a cornerstone technology in interventional cardiology. After its initial applications in retinal imaging in the early 1990s, OCT was subsequently envisioned for cardiovascular use. In 1995, its ability to visualize atherosclerotic plaques was demonstrated in an in vitro study, and the following year marked the acquisition of the first in vivo OCT image of a human coronary artery.

Unveiling the Causes of Acute and Non-Acute Myocardial Ischemic Syndromes: The Role of Optical Coherence Tomography.

Despite significant advances in understanding and management, cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Historically, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies have typically targeted obstructive coronary arteries. However, growing evidence supports the pivotal role of non-obstructive mechanisms in myocardial ischemia, prompting a new classification that distinguishes Acute Myocardial Ischemic Syndromes from Non-Acute Myocardial Ischemic Syndromes.

Study design and rationale of the AZIMUTH trial: a smartphone, app-based, E-health-integrated model of care for heart failure patients.

Aims: Despite advancements in disease-modifying therapies, the rate of hospitalizations in patients with heart failure (HF) remains high, with an increased risk of future adverse events and healthcare costs. In this context, the AZIMUTH study aims to evaluate the large-scale applicability of a smartphone app-based model of care to improve the quality of care and clinical outcomes of HF patients.

Methods And Results: The AZIMUTH trial is a multicentre, prospective, pragmatic, interventional, single-cohort study enrolling HF patients.

Antiplatelet Therapy in Myocardial Bridge: Insights From the RIALTO Registry.

Background: Myocardial bridge (MB) is a frequent coronary artery anomaly. The aims of this study are to describe the use of antiplatelet therapy (APT) in a cohort of patients with MB and assess its impact on ischemic and bleeding events.

Methods: The RIALTO (Myocardial Bridge Evaluation Towards Personalized Medicine) registry (ID: NCT05111418) is an ambispective multicenter observational registry, enrolling patients with a clinical indication to coronary angiography and evidence of MB.

Right atrial strain in atrial fibrillation: the hidden side of the moon.

Introduction: Left atrial (LA) remodeling in atrial fibrillation (AF) is well studied, whereas right atrial (RA) alterations remain poorly characterized. This study evaluates bi-atrial strain dynamics in patients with AF undergoing catheter ablation (CA).

Methods: A total of 56 consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation were prospectively evaluated using speckle-tracking echocardiography and electrophysiological study before and after CA (median follow-up: 7 ± 3 months).