Controlo dos fatores de risco nos doentes hipertensos : uma tarefarit a cumprir

© 2019 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under CC BY-NC-ND license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of death in the Portuguese population, accounting for 29.8% of deaths in 2016, mainly due to stroke (10.6%) and coronary heart disease (CHD) (10.5%). Hypertension is the single most important risk factor for CV disease. In Portugal, its prevalence is high (approximately 42%), as demonstrated in previous studies, increases with age, and is usually associated with other risk factors and comorbidities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lp(a) como um novo alvo terapêutico na prevenção da doença cardiovascular : uma luz ao fundo do túnel?

© 2019 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under CC BY-NC-ND license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)Research on the importance of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] gained new momentum when it became a potential therapeutic target. Our understanding of this mysterious circulating lipoprotein particle has undergone advances and setbacks since its discovery in 1963 by Kåre Berg’s group.1 Lp(a) is composed of liver-derived apolipoprotein A and apolipoprotein B-100, and has a similar structure to both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and plasminogen. Lp(a) thus has a proatherogenic and a prothrombotic component, and is associated with the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Echocardiographic assessment of cardiac anatomy and function in adult rats

Copyright © 2019 Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported LicenseThe use of experimental animal models has become crucial in cardiovascular science. Most studies using rodent models are focused on two-dimensional imaging to study the cardiac anatomy of the left ventricle and M-mode echo to assess its dimensions. However, this could limit a comprehensive study. Herein, we describe a protocol that allows an assessment of the heart chamber size, left ventricular function (systolic and diastolic) and valvular function. A conventional medical ultrasound machine was used in this protocol and different echo views were obtained through left parasternal, apical and suprasternal windows. In the left parasternal window, the long and short axis were acquired to analyze left chamber dimensions, right ventricle and pulmonary artery dimensions, and mitral, pulmonary and aortic valve function. The apical window allows the measurement of heart chamber dimensions and evaluation of systolic and diastolic parameters. It also allows Doppler assessment with detection and quantification of heart valve disturbances (regurgitation or stenosis). Different segments and walls of the left ventricle are visualized throughout all views. Finally, the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta can be imaged through the suprasternal window. A combination of ultrasound imaging, Doppler flow and tissue Doppler assessment have been obtained to study cardiac morphology and function. This represents an important contribution to improve the assessment of cardiac function in adult rats with impact for research using these animal models.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cardiopatia e gravidez : o estado da arte

Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. on behalf of Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/4.0/).The association between heart disease and pregnancy is increasingly prevalent. Although most women with heart disease tolerate the physiological changes of pregnancy, there are heart conditions that manifest for the first time during pregnancy and others that totally contraindicate a pregnancy. It is therefore important to establish multidisciplinary teams dedicated to the management of women with heart disease who intend to become, or who already are, pregnant. The aim of this article is to systematically review current knowledge on the approach to women with high-risk cardiovascular disease during pregnancy.A associação entre cardiopatia e gravidez é cada vez mais frequente. Ainda que a grande maioria das mulheres com doenças cardíacas tolere as alterações fisiológicas da gravidez, existem patologias cardíacas que se manifestam pela primeira vez durante o estado gravídico e outras que contraindicam totalmente uma gravidez pelo risco materno que lhe está associado. Desta forma, torna-se premente a criação de equipas multidisciplinares dedicadas à abordagem de mulheres com doença cardíaca que pretendem engravidar ou que já estão grávidas. O objetivo deste artigo é sistematizar, com base no conhecimento atual, a abordagem de mulheres com doença cardiovascular de alto risco durante a gravidez.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Experiência de uma consulta de cardio-oncologia num hospital universitário terciário em Portugal: estudo observacional

© 2022 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier Espa ̃na, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)Introduction: Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Advances in cancer screening and management have led to longer survival and better quality of life. Despite this progress, many cancer patients experience cardiovascular complications during and after cancer treatment. This study describes the experience of a cardio-oncology program at tertiary academic hospital. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, cancer patients referred to the CHULN cardio-oncology consultation (COC) between January 2016 and December of 2019 were included. Data collected included: patient demographics, cancer type, reason for referral, cardiovascular risk factors, cardiac and oncologic treatments and clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 520 patients (mean age: 65 ± 14 years; 65% women) were referred to the COC. The main reasons for referral were suspected heart failure (26%), pre-high risk chemotherapy assessment (20%) and decreased LVEF (15%). Pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors were common (79%) and 309 (59%) were taking cardiac medications. The most common type of malignancy was breast cancer (216, 41%) followed by gastrointestinal (139, 27%). More than half received anthracycline-based regimens (303, 58%). Most patients (401; 77%) successfully completed cancer therapy. At the time of last data collection, the majority of patients were alive (430, 83%). Cardiac-related mortality was observed in 16%. Conclusions: The close collaboration between cardiology and oncology teams and timely cardiac monitoring was the key to the majority of patients to completing their prescribed cancer therapy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cost and burden of hypercholesterolemia In Portugal

Copyright © 2014 Published by Elsevier Inc.Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for ciculatory diseases. This study estimates the impact of hypercholesterolemia on populations’ health levels and its economic impact in Portugal.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Subclinical Left Ventricular Dysfunction Detected by Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography in Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Radiation Therapy:A Six-Month Follow-Up Analysis (MEDIRAD EARLY‐HEART study)

Copyright © 2022 Locquet, Spoor, Crijns, van der Harst, Eraso, Guedea, Fiuza, Santos, Combs, Borm, Mousseaux, Gencer, Frija, Cardis, Langendijk and Jacob. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Background: In the case of breast cancer (BC), radiotherapy (RT) helps reduce locoregional recurrence and BC-related deaths but can lead to cardiotoxicity, resulting in an increased risk of long-term major cardiovascular events. It is therefore of primary importance to early detect subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in BC patients after RT and to determine the dose-response relationships between cardiac doses and these events. Methods: Within the frame of the MEDIRAD European project (2017-2022), the prospective multicenter EARLY-HEART study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03297346) included chemotherapy naïve BC women aged 40-75 years and treated with lumpectomy and adjuvant RT. Myocardial strain analysis was provided using speckle-tracking echocardiography performed at baseline and 6 months following RT. A global longitudinal strain (GLS) reduction >15% between baseline and follow-up was defined as a GLS-based subclinical LV dysfunction. Individual patient dose distributions were obtained using multi-atlas-based auto-segmentation of the heart. Dose-volume parameters were studied for the whole heart (WH) and left ventricle (LV). Results: The sample included 186 BC women (57.5 ± 7.9 years, 64% left-sided BC). GLS-based subclinical LV dysfunction was observed in 22 patients (14.4%). These patients had significantly higher cardiac exposure regarding WH and LV doses compared to patients without LV dysfunction (for mean WH dose: 2.66 ± 1.75 Gy versus 1.64 ± 0.96 Gy, p = 0.01). A significantly increased risk of subclinical LV dysfunction was observed with the increase in the dose received to the WH [ORs from 1.13 (V5) to 1.74 (Dmean); p <0.01] and to the LV [ORs from 1.10 (V5) to 1.46 (Dmean); p <0.01]. Based on ROC analysis, the LV-V5 parameter may be the best predictor of the short-term onset of subclinical LV dysfunction. Conclusion: These results highlighted that all cardiac doses were strongly associated with the occurrence of subclinical LV dysfunction arising 6 months after BC RT. Whether measurements of GLS at baseline and 6 months after RT combined with cardiac doses can early predict efficiently subclinical events occurring 24 months after RT remains to be investigated.The European Community’s Horizon 2020 Programme supported the EARLY-HEART study conducted in the frame of the MEDIRAD - Implications of Medical Low Dose Radiation Exposure - project spanning from 2017 to 2021 granted by the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2014-2014 under agreement No. 755523.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Early detection of cardiovascular changes after radiotherapy for breast cancer: protocol for a European multicenter prospective cohort study (MEDIRAD EARLY HEART Study)

Background: breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and radiotherapy plays a major role in its treatment. However, breast cancer radiotherapy can lead to incidental irradiation of the heart, resulting in an increased risk for a variety of heart diseases arising many years after radiotherapy. Therefore, identifying breast cancer patients at the highest risk for radiation-induced cardiac complications is crucial for developing strategies for primary and secondary prevention, which may contribute to healthy aging. There is still a need for precise knowledge on the relationship between radiation dose to specific cardiac structures and early subclinical cardiac changes and their occurrence over time that could finally lead to cardiac complications. Objective: the MEDIRAD EARLY HEART study aims to identify and validate new cardiac imaging and circulating biomarkers of radiation-induced cardiovascular changes arising within first 2 years of breast cancer radiotherapy and to develop risk models integrating these biomarkers combined with precise dose metrics of cardiac structures based on three-dimensional dosimetry. Methods: the EARLY HEART study is a multicenter, prospective cohort study in which 250 women treated for breast cancer and followed for 2 years after radiotherapy will be included. Women treated with radiotherapy without chemotherapy for a unilateral breast cancer and aged 40-75 years meet the inclusion criteria. Baseline and follow-up data include cardiac measurements based on two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography, computed tomography coronary angiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and a wide panel of circulating biomarkers of cardiac injury. The absorbed dose will be evaluated globally for the heart and different substructures. Furthermore, the dose-response relationship will allow modeling the radiation-induced occurrence and evolution of subclinical cardiac lesions and biomarkers to develop prediction models. Results: this study details the protocol of the MEDIRAD EARLY HEART study and presents the main limits and advantages of this international project. The inclusion of patients began in 2017. Preliminary results are expected to be published in 2019, and complete analysis should be published in 2021. Conclusions: the MEDIRAD EARLY HEART study will allow identifying the main cardiac imaging and blood-based determinants of radiation-induced cardiac injuries to better propose primary and secondary preventive measures in order to contribute to enhanced patient care and quality of life

um documento de posição da Associação Portuguesa de Intervenção Cardiovascular e do Grupo de Estudo de Cardio-Oncologia da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia

The field of Cardio-Oncology has grown significantly, especially during the last decade. While awareness of cardiotoxicity due to cancer disease and/or therapies has greatly increased, much of the attention has focused on myocardial systolic disfunction and heart failure. However, coronary and structural heart disease are also a common issue in cancer patients and encompass the full spectrum of cardiotoxicity. While invasive percutaneous or surgical intervention, either is often needed or considered in cancer patients, limited evidence or guidelines are available for dealing with coronary or structural heart disease. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions consensus document published in 2016 is the most comprehensive document regarding this particular issue, but relevant evidence has emerged since, which render some of its considerations outdated. In addition to that, the recent 2022 ESC Guidelines on Cardio-Oncology only briefly discuss this topic. As a result, the Portuguese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention and the Cardio-Oncology Study Group of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology have partnered to produce a position paper to address the issue of cardiac intervention in cancer patients, focusing on percutaneous techniques. A brief review of available evidence is provided, followed by practical considerations. These are based both on the literature as well as accumulated experience with these types of patients, as the authors are either interventional cardiologists, cardiologists with experience in the field of Cardio-Oncology, or both.proofepub_ahead_of_prin

Managing ischemic and bleeding risk in cancer patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes: a challenge accepted?

© 2022 Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. on behalf of Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are the leading causes of death in developed countries. Improvements in early detection and major advances in cancer treatments have led to a growing number of survivors. However, cancer patients, including survivors, have a high risk for CVD that can be explained by multiple factors, including toxicity of cancer treatments (old and new drugs, chest radiotherapy), shared cardiovascular risk factors like age, genetics, obesity, smoking and lifestyle, and older age with higher burden of pre-existing CVD. Coronary artery disease is a frequent comorbidity in patients being treated for cancer and in survivors.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio