Risk factors for prolonged hospitalization in acute decompensated heart failure from the HEROES study.

This study, part of the HEROES project (HEart failure Risk factOrs and patiEnt Stratification), aimed to identify clinical, laboratory, functional, and treatment-related factors associated with hospitalization duration (above and below 8 days) in patients admitted for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). We analyzed 562 Caucasian patients hospitalized due to acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), divided into two groups based on length of stay (LOS): ≤ 8 days (n = 287; 51.07%) and > 8 days (n = 275; 48.

The Impact of COVID-19 and the Practical Importance of Vaccinations and Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir for Patients with Cardiovascular Disease.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a huge challenge to global health systems. In addition to searching for effective methods of treating and preventing infection with a new pathogen, we could once again observe that severe respiratory infection and its complications can be become a challenging problem for cardiac patients. Empirical observations are fully confirmed by the results of clinical trials.

Mortality analysis of patients with acute coronary syndrome receiving comprehensive cardiac care (KOS-Zawal) during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Introduction: Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there have been fundamental changes to the delivery and operation of healthcare facilities across the world, significantly impacting how patients with a variety of diseases are treated. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient management outcomes among patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and explore the differences in patients who were treated within and outside the coordinated care programme for patients after ACS (KOS-Zawal).

Material And Methods: We analysed 472,996 medical records of patients after ACS from 2017 to 2022.

Interdisciplinary expert team statement on the treatment of multi-bed atherosclerotic disease - endorsed by Polish Cardiac Society, Polish Lipid Association, Polish Society of Diabetology, Polish Neurological Society, Polish Society of Nephrology.

Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease which involves not only the coronary vessels but also occurs in other vascular beds (e.g., cervical, cerebral, and peripheral vessels), increasing cardiovascular risk.

Diagnosis and treatment of Fabry disease. Expert Opinion of the Polish Cardiac Society and the Polish Forum for Fabry Disease.

Fabry disease (FD) belongs to the group of lysosomal storage diseases (LSD), characterized by insufficient enzyme activity responsible for the intra-lysosomal breakdown of various substrates. The result is an uncontrolled accumulation of by-products of cellular metabolism. Lysosomal storage diseases are inherited and transmitted mainly in an autosomal recessive fashion.

Smartphone App-Based Remote Monitoring Challenges in Patients with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillators-A Multicenter Study.

: Remote monitoring (RM) cardiac implantable electronic devices for adults delivers improved patient outcomes. However, previously used bedside transmitters are not optimal due to deficient patient adherence. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of RM regarding the connectivity of smartphone app-based solutions, adherence to scheduled automatic follow-ups, and prevalence of alert-based events.

Position statement of Polish Cardiac Society experts on cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathies (CMs) are a very broad group of diseases, including genetically determined and acquired, and their classification is based on phenotypic characteristics. There is always a need to search for the etiology (often also to try to identify the genetic cause), which may determine the appropriate choice of clinical management. The geographical distribution of genetic variants varies as does the prevalence across populations, ethnic groups, regions, and countries.

Extraction of a 6-year-old leadless pacemaker (MICRA transcatheter pacing system) using commercially available removal tools: A case report.

Introduction: Leadless pacemakers are associated with a low risk of infection, so indications for their removal are rare. One can expect that the dwell time of the device correlates with a more difficult removal, but it has not been proved so far.

Methods And Results: We present a case of a patient in whom MICRA transcatheter pacing system was successfully removed with nondedicated commercially available tools, 70 months after implantation.

Detailed One-Year Follow-Up in Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing: Echocardiography, Natriuretic Peptide, Electrical Parameters and Complications.

: LBBAP is a promising method of cardiac pacing. Data on some follow-up details are still limited. We aimed to evaluate LBBAP over a one-year follow-up period.

Expert opinion of the Heart Rhythm Association of the Polish Cardiac Society and the Polish Neurological Society on evidence-driven implementation of implantable loop recorders in Poland.

Implantable loop recorders (ILR) are considered increasingly helpful in diagnosing cardio-neurological conditions, especially if arrhythmic events are of high clinical importance but are unlikely to be captured by standard methods of electrocardiogram recording due to the low frequency of events and short duration of a single event. The compelling evidence from randomized trials and observational studies strongly supports ILR utilization in patients after cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack and in patients with recurrent transient loss of consciousness of unknown origin. These two groups of patients are expected to gain the most from initiating ILR-driven clinically effective management strategies.

Recommendations of the Experts of the Polish Cardiac Society (PCS) and the Polish Lipid Association (PoLA) on the diagnosis and management of elevated lipoprotein(a) levels.

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is made up of a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle and a specific apolipoprotein(a). The blood concentration of Lp(a) is approximately 90% genetically determined, and the main genetic factor determining Lp(a) levels is the size of the apo(a) isoform, which is determined by the number of KIV2 domain repeats. The size of the apo(a) isoform is inversely proportional to the blood concentration of Lp(a).

Position paper of the Polish Expert Group on the use of pitavastatin in the treatment of lipid disorders in Poland endorsed by the Polish Lipid Association.

Lipid disorders, primarily hypercholesterolemia, are the most common cardiovascular (CV) risk factor in Poland (this applies even 3/4 of people). The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) serum level is the basic lipid parameter that should be measured to determine CV risk and determines the aim and target of lipid-lowering treatment (LLT). Lipid-lowering treatment improves cardiovascular prognosis and prolongs life in both primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention.

Magnetic resonance imaging in patients with implanted cardiac electrotherapy devices: a statement from experts of the Polish Medical Society of Radiology, the Polish Society of Cardiology, and the Polish Society of Electroradiology.

The year 2023 marks 60 years since the first pacemaker was implanted in Poland. The number of implantable cardiac electrotherapy devices (CIEDs), including pacemakers, cardioverter-defibrillators, and resynchronization therapy systems, has been systematically increasing in the subsequent decades. It is estimated that nearly 500,000 Poles have an implanted cardiac electrotherapy device, making optimal diagnostic imaging with the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) a clinically and epidemiologically important issue.