Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) constitutes >50% of all heart failure (HF) cases, with few effective treatments.¹It is known that elevation in left heart filling pressures at rest and during exercise are the pathophysiologic features of HFpEF, andthat sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), such as dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, have been shown to reduce therisk of HF and cardiovascular (CV) death, while improving the quality of life (QoL) in patients with HFpEF.1 However, the mechanismsbehind this are still unclear.¹

Over the past 60 years, there has not been any specific medication for hypertrophic myopathy targeting the pathologic mechanism that causes its symptoms.¹ One of its major mechanisms is the increased hypercontractility with impairment in relaxation and compliance.¹ Mavacamten, a selective cardiac myosin inhibitor, has been shown to improve hypercontractility and compliance.¹ EXPLORER-HCM, a phase 3 pivotal trial of mavacamten, included patients with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) (n=251) and were randomized to mavacamten or placebo.¹ This trial demonstrated a significantly reduced left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient and improved symptoms, functional capacity on cardiopulmonary stress testing, and health status in the mavacamten group compared with placebo over 30 weeks, and no safety concerns were detected.¹

In the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2022 Scientific Session, Professor Mark Loeb from McMaster University, Canada, discussed his randomized controlled trial of influenza vaccines in heart failure (HF) patients to reduce adverse vascular events.1 The risk of cardiovascular (CV) events and de

Globally, approximately 26 million people suffer from heart failure, and an estimated 50% of those cases are heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).^1,2 HFrEF patients have seen improvement in the mortality rate, in light of the evolving pharmacological treatment options.³ The utilization of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers (BBs), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) have readily been employed.^1,3-5 Despite the advancements and the availability of a variety of treatments, the mortality rate of individuals with HFrEF remains high.^3,6 Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain optimal pharmacological therapy combinations supported by up-to-date global data, with the aim of further reducing HFrEF cases.² Recent findings by Tromp J and colleagues published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Heart Failure estimated and compared which treatment options are the most advantageous for HFrEF.⁴

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) therapy is believed to improve symptoms, LV function and survival in symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS).¹ However, the indication for AVR in this group of patients remains a debate.¹ And it is hypothesized that the strategy of early valve replacement in patients with severe AS in the absence of symptoms can be more beneficial than watchful waiting in carefully selected patients.¹ Therefore, the Aortic Valve replAcemenT versus conservative treatment in Asymptomatic seveRe aortic stenosis (AVATAR) trial was conducted, by Professor Marko Banovic, Associate Professor of Cardiology at University Clinical Centre of Serbia and University of Belgrade Medical School, and his team to evaluate the safety and efficacy of early surgical AVR in asymptomatic patients with severe AS and normal LV function.¹ This is a physician-initiated, prospective, multicentre, randomized, open-label, parallel group trial performed in 9 medical centres in 7 European Union (EU) countries to reach minimum of 35 prespecified events.¹ The primary composite endpoints included all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke or unplanned hospitalization for heart failure.

Despite being associated with significant cardiorenal outcomes, many diabetic patients remain undiagnosed of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) or heart failure (HF) even when their diseases are at an advanced stage.^1-3 In the recent Advances in Medicine 2021 held by the Department of Medicine and Therap

During COVID-19, digital health has become increasingly more prevalent over the world. Composed of information and communications technology, computer sciences, genomics, artificial intelligence (AI) and more, digital health helps collect patients’ information and analyze a large amount of data to s

Despite the widespread clinical use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug for long-term rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, only a limited data set consisting of case reports and case series is available to confirm the risk of HCQ cardiotoxicity, a rare but potentially life-threatening side effect.1