From Cushion to Culprit: The Role of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Cardiovascular Disease.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the layer of fat located between the visceral pericardium and the myocardium. Emerging research has signified its role in the development of various cardiovascular diseases. The pathogenesis is complex, involving various bioactive compounds that have been implicated in the development of coronary artery disease, heart failure, and arrhythmogenesis.

Combined Mammographic Breast Density and Breast Arterial Calcification as an Incremental Predictor of Coronary Artery Disease.

Contemporary risk calculators underestimate coronary artery disease (CAD) risk in women. Breast arterial calcification (BAC) associates with CAD. Low breast density (BD) (greater breast adipose tissue) associates with cardiometabolic disease.

Effects of Combining Coronary Calcium Score With Treatment on Plaque Progression in Familial Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring provides prognostic information, especially in patients at intermediate risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the benefit of combining CAC score with a primary prevention strategy has not been tested in a randomized trial.

Objective: To assess whether combining the CAC score with a prevention strategy can be used to limit plaque progression in intermediate-risk patients with a family history of premature CAD.

Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography Is Feasible and Reliable for Proximal Coronary Segment Interpretation in Patients with Elevated Body Mass Index.

Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) is under-utilised in detecting coronary artery disease (CAD) in obese patients due to concerns about non-evaluable testing. We hypothesise that these concerns are predominantly related to smaller and branch coronary vessels, and CTCA remains adequate for proximal segment stenosis interpretation, which has significant clinical implications. This retrospective cohort study, on consecutive patients referred for CTCA for suspected CAD, grouped patients by body mass index.

Ivabradine in the Prevention, and Reduction in Size, of Perioperative Myocardial Injury in Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery for Acute Fracture.

Background: Perioperative myocardial injury is common after major noncardiac surgery and is associated with adverse outcomes. This study investigated the use of ivabradine in patients undergoing urgent surgery for fracture.

Methods And Results: This was a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

Association of hypertension with mortality in patients hospitalised with COVID-19.

Objective: To assess whether hypertension is an independent risk factor for mortality among patients hospitalised with COVID-19, and to evaluate the impact of ACE inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) use on mortality in patients with a background of hypertension.

Method: This observational cohort study included all index hospitalisations with laboratory-proven COVID-19 aged ≥18 years across 21 Australian hospitals. Patients with suspected, but not laboratory-proven COVID-19, were excluded.

Cardiac Complications in Patients Hospitalised With COVID-19 in Australia.

Objectives: Describe the incidence of cardiac complications in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 in Australia.

Design: Observational cohort study.

Setting: Twenty-one (21) Australian hospitals.

Acute Coronary Syndrome in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reduced Cases and Increased Ischaemic Time.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented stress on health care systems, and has affected acute coronary syndrome treatment at every step. This study aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19 on patient presentations with acute coronary syndromes during the first and second pandemic wave in Melbourne, Victoria.

Method: A retrospective cohort study of adults presenting with cute coronary syndrome during the first pandemic wave from 1 March 2020 to 31 April 2020 and the second pandemic wave from 1 July 2020 to 31 August 2020 was compared to a control period from 1 March to 31 April 2019 at a single sub-tertiary referral centre in Melbourne, Victoria servicing a catchment area with a relatively high incidence of COVID-19 cases.

Permanent pacing and conduction recovery in patients undergoing cardiac surgery for active infective endocarditis in an Australian Tertiary Center.

Background: Postoperative heart block is common among patients undergoing surgery for infective endocarditis (IE). Limited data exists allowing cardiologists to predict who will require permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation postoperatively. We aimed to determine the rate of postoperative PPM insertion, predictors for postoperative PPM, and describe PPM utilization and rates of device-related infection during follow-up.

Plasma endothelin-1 and adrenomedullin are associated with coronary artery function and cardiovascular outcomes in humans.

Background: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a vasoconstrictor associated with cardiovascular disease, whereas adrenomedullin (ADM) is a vasorelaxant with cardioprotective properties. We sought to determine the relationship between plasma ET-1 and ADM with coronary circulatory function and long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods: Thirty-two patients undergoing coronary angiography for chest pain were recruited.

Feasibility of exercise stress echocardiography for cardiac risk assessment in chronic kidney disease patients prior to renal transplantation.

Background: Pharmacologic stress testing is utilized in preference to exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) for cardiac risk evaluation in potential renal transplant recipients due to the perceived lower feasibility of ESE for achieving adequate workload and target heart rate (THR) in this population.

Methods: Consecutive patients referred for cardiac risk evaluation prior to potential kidney transplantation were evaluated. All patients attempted ESE before pharmacologic testing was considered.