Established and Emerging Therapies for Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome: Harnessing the Benefits of SGLT-2 Inhibitors, GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, and Beyond.

Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is a term that is increasingly used to describe interconnected conditions that lead to poor health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Historically, there have been very few targeted pharmacotherapies available that have changed cardiovascular outcomes for people with CKM syndromes; however, over the past decade, new pharmacologic options have rapidly expanded, with strong evidence for cardiovascular and kidney protective benefits in CKM conditions. Of note, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have emerged as key therapeutic options and are now widely guideline-endorsed.

The relationship between depressive symptoms and glycemic control is stronger in women with type 2 diabetes in South Asians: Results from a cross-sectional multicenter study.

Introduction: While the bidirectional relationship between depression and diabetes is well recognized, the outcome of studies evaluating the potential for sex disparity, especially in low-to-middle-income (LMIC) South Asian countries, is unexplored. We evaluated sex differences in the relationship between depressive symptoms and glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes in Bangladesh.

Methods: 1,485 unselected individuals with, and 228 without, type 2 diabetes completed the PHQ-9 (depression screening questionnaire), and sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained.

Functional Coronary Angiography for the Diagnosis of Coronary Vasomotor Disorders.

Microvascular and/or vasospastic angina are two common forms of coronary vasomotor disorders that may occur in patients with ischaemia and non-obstructed coronary arteries (INOCA) or myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). Functional coronary angiography involves invasive guidewire-based assessment of the coronary circulation using pharmacological vasoactive agents to assess small and large vasomotor dysfunction. Typically, responses to adenosine (microvascular vasodilator) and acetylcholine (large and small vessel vasospastic agent) are sequentially assessed.

Evaluating the severity of tandem coronary stenoses: Insights from simulated FFR and iFR techniques.

The presence of coronary tandem lesions poses a significant challenge for the accurate diagnosis and management of coronary artery diseases. This study set out to provide a deeper understanding of the haemodynamic interactions between tandem obstructive coronary lesions and their impact on different haemodynamic diagnostic parameters. Using a computational fluid dynamic model, validated against in vitro laboratory experiments, we investigated the various combinations of moderate and severe stenoses interchangeably located in the proximal and distal segments of the artery.

The Australian-New Zealand spontaneous coronary artery dissection cohort study: predictors of major adverse cardiovascular events and recurrence.

Background And Aims: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an increasingly recognized cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Recent data suggest a harmful association of dual antiplatelet therapy compared with single antiplatelet therapy following SCAD. This study investigated independent predictors of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and recurrence in patients with SCAD.

Should the Right Coronary Artery Be Routinely Assessed During Provocative Spasm Testing?

: The diagnosis of coronary artery spasm (CAS) frequently requires invasive provocation testing, typically utilising acetylcholine (ACh). Although the left coronary artery (LCA) is routinely assessed as a part of the testing protocol, assessment of the right coronary artery (RCA) is often avoided since it requires the insertion of a temporary pacing wire. We sought to compare the prevalence of inducible CAS in the LCA and RCA, among patients with CAS undergoing multivessel spasm provocation testing with ACh.

Cardiovascular Protective Properties of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: More than Just Diabetic and Weight Loss Drugs.

Owing to their potent glucose-lowering efficacy and substantial weight loss effects, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are now considered part of the frontline therapeutic options to treat both type 2 diabetes mellitus and nondiabetic overweight/obesity. Stemming from successful demonstration of their cardiometabolic modulation and reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events in clinical outcome trials, GLP-1 RAs have since been validated as agents with compelling cardiovascular protective properties. Studies spanning from the bench to preclinical and large-scale randomised controlled trials have consistently corroborated the cardiovascular benefits of this pharmacological class.

Optical coherence tomography assessment of the impact of colchicine on non-culprit coronary plaque composition after myocardial infarction.

Aims: Low-dose colchicine reduces the risk of cardiovascular events after myocardial infarction (MI). The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of colchicine post-MI on coronary plaque morphology in non-culprit segments by optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods And Results: COCOMO-ACS was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that randomized 64 patients (median age 61.

Incretin-based therapies for the management of cardiometabolic disease in the clinic: Past, present, and future.

Among newer classes of drugs for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are incretin-based agents that lower both blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. They do so by activating pancreatic GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1R) to promote glucose-dependent insulin release and inhibit glucagon secretion. They also act on receptors in the brain and gastrointestinal tract to suppress appetite, slow gastric emptying, and delay glucose absorption.

Tandem lesions associate with angiographic progression of coronary artery stenoses.

Background: Although the clinical factors associated with progression of coronary artery disease have been well studied, the angiographic predictors are less defined.

Objectives: Our objective was to study the clinical and angiographic factors that associate with progression of coronary artery stenoses.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing multiple, clinically indicated invasive coronary angiograms with an interval greater than 6 months, between January 2013 and December 2016.

Ursodeoxycholic acid in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: Ursodeoxycholic acid is commonly used to treat intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, yet its largest trial detected minimal benefit for a composite outcome (stillbirth, preterm birth, and neonatal unit admission). We aimed to examine whether ursodeoxycholic acid affects specific adverse perinatal outcomes.

Methods: In this systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Global Health, MIDIRS, and Cochrane without language restrictions for relevant articles published between database inception, and Jan 1, 2020, using search terms referencing intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, ursodeoxycholic acid, and perinatal outcomes.

The relationship between plasma GIP and GLP-1 levels in individuals with normal and impaired glucose tolerance.

Aims: Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is released primarily from the proximal small intestine and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) from the more distal small intestine and colon. Their relative importance to the incretin effect in health has been contentious in the past, although it now appears that GIP has the dominant role. It is uncertain whether there is a relationship between GIP and GLP-1 secretion.

Hypoglycaemia and gastric emptying.

Hypoglycaemia is arguably the most important complication of insulin therapy in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Counter-regulation of hypoglycaemia is dependent on autonomic function and frequent hypoglycaemia may lead to reductions in both autonomic warning signals and the catecholamine response, the so-called "impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia". It is now appreciated that gastric emptying is a major determinant of the glycaemic response to carbohydrate-containing meals in both health and diabetes, that disordered (especially delayed) gastric emptying occurs frequently in diabetes, and that acute hypoglycaemia accelerates gastric emptying substantially.

A retrospective cohort review of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in a South Australian population.

Objective: To review the management and outcomes of Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) in South Australia (SA) over the past decade.

Design: Retrospective cohort review.

Setting: Public clinics at two teaching hospitals in SA.

A Long Term Follow-up Study of Carriers of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Mutations.

Background: Adults who test positive for a mutation associated with the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) but who have not manifested left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) at the time of that diagnosis are now commonly identified in the era of genetic testing. There are little published data, however, on the long-term outlook for these phenotypically normal gene carriers.

Methods: Fifteen genotype positive/LVH negative patients with HCM were identified, seven of which were children when first diagnosed as gene carriers.

General Practitioners' knowledge and use of genetic counselling in managing patients with genetic cardiac disease in non-specialised settings.

There have been over 40 cardiac diseases with a genetic cause identified to date. The management of most genetic cardiac diseases (GCDs) now necessitates multidisciplinary care, including the provision of genetic counselling. This study investigated the knowledge and management of GCDs by General Practitioners (GPs).