Dietary supplement consumption among cardiac patients admitted to internal medicine and cardiac wards

Background: Dietary supplements may have adverse effects and potentially interact with conventional medications. They are perceived as “natural” products, free of side effects with no need for medical consultation. Little is known about consumption of dietary supplements by patients with cardiac diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate dietary supplement consumption among cardiac patients admitted to internal and cardiology wards. Potential drug-dietary supplement interactions were also assessed. Methods: During a period of 6 months, patients with cardiac disease hospitalized in the Internal Medicine and Cardiology Wards at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center were evaluated regarding their dietary supplement consumption. A literature survey examining possible drug-supplement interaction was performed. Results: Out of 149 cardiac patients, 45% were dietary supplement consumers. Patients ad­mitted to the Internal Medicine Wards consumed more dietary supplements than those admit­ted to the Cardiology Division. Dietary supplement consumption was associated with older age (OR = 1.05, p = 0.022), female gender (OR = 2.94, p = 0.014) and routine physical activity (OR = 3.15, p = 0.007). Diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.68, p = 0.020), hematological diseases (OR = 13.29, p = 0.022), and the use of anti-diabetic medications (OR = 4.28, p = 0.001) were independently associated with dietary supplement intake. Sixteen potential moderate interactions between prescribed medications and dietary supplements were found. Conclusions: Consumption of dietary supplements is common among cardiac patients. It is more common in those admitted to Internal Medicine Departments than in those admitted to the Cardiology Wards. Due to the risk of various drug-supplement interactions consumed by patients with cardiac diseases, there is a need to increase awareness and knowledge among medical staff regarding the intake of dietary supplements

Adjunctive mild hypothermia therapy to primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction complicated with cardiogenic shock: A pilot feasibility study

Background: Despite successful primary reperfusion therapy, patients may develop large myocardial infarction related in part to reperfusion injury. Induction of mild therapeutic hy­pothermia (TH) applied in patients has demonstrated beneficial effect in reducing reperfusion injury. The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of adjunctive mild TH to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) complicated with cardiogenic shock (CS). Methods: We conducted a prospective single center, open label, historical control study. Pa­tients presenting with STEMI and CS despite maximal support therapy scheduled for PPCI were included. Death was defined as primary endpoint. Secondary outcomes included: TH adverse effect — such as fever, refractory hypotension and arrhythmias, infarct size measured by area under the curve of biomarkers. Results: Eight consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled (TH group). Thirteen clinically similar patients identified from our database, admitted over 2 years, comprised the historical control group (control group). In the hypothermia group, the mortality was 50% compared with 46% in the control group. There was no difference in the secondary outcomes. Conclusions: TH as adjunctive therapy in STEMI patients complicated with CS is feasible and safe. Based on these preliminary observations there appears to be no significant clinical advantage to this form of therapy

Impact of Short-Acting Disopyramide on Left Ventricular Mechanics Evaluated by Strain Analysis in Patients with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Background: Disopyramide is a class Ia antiarrhythmic drug that has been used for the second-line treatment of symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The aim of the study was to assess the impact of short-acting disopyramide in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) using two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. Methods: This prospective study included patients with HOCM on chronic treatment with short-acting disopyramide. Two sequential comprehensive echocardiographic examinations were performed: after temporary disopyramide suspension and 2.5 h after disopyramide intake. Results: 19 patients were included in the study. The effect of disopyramide on the left ventricle was not uniform. After the intake of disopyramide, the mean global strain peak was −17 ± 2% before disopyramide intake and −14 ± 2% after (p < 0.0001). There was a significant reduction in strain in the basal septal (p = 0.015), basal inferior (p = 0.019), basal posterior (p = 0.05), apical anterior (p = 0.0001), and apical lateral segments (p = 0.021). In all other segments, there was no significant change. Disopyramide also caused a significant accentuation of the base-apex strain gradients (p = 0.036). No change was noted in circumferential and left atrial strain. While the left ventricular ejection fraction and outflow gradients did not change, the significant reduction in global and segmental longitudinal strain demonstrated the acute negative inotropic effect of disopyramide on the myocardium in patients with HOCM. Conclusion: A strain analysis may be a useful tool to assess the negative inotropic effect of cardiovascular medication on the left ventricle in patients with HOCM

Heart Failure Therapies following Acute Coronary Syndromes with Reduced Ejection Fraction: Data from the ACSIS Survey

Background: Guideline-directed medical therapies for heart failure (HF) may benefit patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) following acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Few real-world data are available regarding the early implementation of HF therapies in patients with ACS and reduced LVEF. Methods: Data collected from the 2021 nationwide, prospective ACS Israeli Survey (ACSIS). Drug classes included: (a) angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) or angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI); (b) beta-blockers; (c) mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) and (d) sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2I). The utilization of HF therapies at discharge or 90 days following ACS was analyzed in relation to LVEF [reduced ≤40% (n = 406) or mildly-reduced 41–49% (n = 255)] and short-term adverse outcomes. Results: History of HF, anterior wall myocardial infarction and Killip class II-IV (32% vs. 14% p p = 0.084. No association was observed between the number of HF drug classes or the use of ARNI and/or SGLT2I with adverse clinical outcomes. Conclusions: In current clinical practice, the majority of patients with reduced and mildly-reduced LVEF are treated by ACEI/ARB and beta-blockers early following ACS, whereas MRA is underutilized and the adoption of SGLT2I and ARNI is low. A greater number of therapeutic classes was not associated with reduced short-term rehospitalizations or mortality

Outcomes of Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Who Presented with Cardiogenic Shock versus Patients Who Developed Cardiogenic Shock during Hospitalization

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) continues to be a severe and fatal complication of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). CS patients have a high mortality rate despite significant progress in primary reperfusion, the management of heart failure and the expansion of mechanical circulatory support strategies. The present study addressed the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of ACS patients complicated with CS. Methods: We performed an observational study, using the 2000–2013 Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Surveys (ACSIS) database and identified hospitalizations of ACS patients complicated with CS. Patients’ demographics and clinical characteristics, complications and outcomes were evaluated. We assessed the outcomes of ACS patients with CS at arrival (on the day of admission) compared with ACS patients who arrived without CS and developed CS during hospitalization. Results: The cohort included 13,434 patients with ACS diagnoses during the study period. Of these, 4.2% were complicated with CS; 224 patients were admitted with both ACS and CS; while 341 ACS patients developed CS only during the hospitalization period. The latter patients had significantly higher rates of MACEs compared with the group of ACS patients who presented with CS at arrival (73% vs. 51%; p p p = 0.0013) and 1-year mortality (73% vs. 59%; p = 0.0016) were higher in ACS patients who developed CS during hospitalization vs. ACS patients with CS at admission. There was a significant decrease in 1-year mortality trends during the 13 years of this study presented in ACS patients from both groups. Conclusions: Patients who developed CS during hospitalization had higher mortality and MACE rates compared with those who presented with CS at arrival. Further studies should focus on this subgroup of high-risk patients

The Obesity Paradox in Real-World Nation-Wide Cohort of Patients Admitted for a Stroke in the U.S.

Background: Obesity has been associated with increased incidence and severity of various cardiovascular risk factors and increased risk for stroke. However, the evidence of its effect on outcomes in stroke victims have been equivocal. We aimed to investigate the distribution of BMI in a nation-wide cohort of individuals, admitted for a stroke, and the relationship between BMI and in-hospital mortality. Methods: Data from the U.S. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was collected, to identify hospitalizations for stroke, between October 2015 and December 2016. The patients were sub-divided into six groups based on their BMI: underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese I, obese II and extremely obese groups. Various sociodemographic and clinical parameters were gathered, and incidence of mortality and the length of hospital stay were analyzed. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Results: A weighted total of 84,185 hospitalizations for stroke were included in the analysis. The approximate mean patients aged was 65.5 ± 31 years, the majority being female (55.3%) and white (63.1%). The overall in-hospital mortality during the study period was 3.6%. A reverse J-shaped relationship between the body mass index and in-hospital mortality was documented, while patients with elevated BMI showed significantly lower in-hospital mortality compared to the underweight and normal weight study participants, 2.8% vs. 7.4%, respectively, p < 0.001. Age and several comorbidities, as well as the Deyo Comorbidity Index, were found to predict mortality in a multivariable analysis. Conclusion: A reverse J-shaped relationship between body mass index and in-hospital mortality was documented in patients admitted for a stroke in the U.S. during the study period. The above findings support the existence of an “obesity paradox” in patients hospitalized following a stroke, similar to that described in other cardiovascular conditions