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The current definition of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is based on resting mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg; however, analysis of long-term follow-up data now reveals increased mortality even with mPAP ≥19 mmHg. Do we need to modify the definition of PH, and what are the implications for clinical practice?
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can be differentiated into many cardiovascular cell types, including cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. hiPSC-derived cardiovascular cells can recapitulate patient-specific and disease-specific phenotypes. In this Review, Chen et al. discuss how hiPSCs can be used as a platform for cardiovascular drug development and disease modelling, and can facilitate individualized therapy in the era of precision medicine.
Big data analytics have tremendous potential to improve cardiovascular quality of care and patient outcomes. In this Review, Rumsfeld and colleagues provide an overview of the data sources and methods that comprise big data analytics, describe the potential applications of these analyses in cardiovascular care and research, and delineate the principal challenges to implementing big data applications in cardiovascular practice.
The latest findings from the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial show a 34% reduction in hospitalization for heart failure or cardiovascular death in patients receiving empagliflozin, a sodium/glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, compared with placebo. These outstanding results call for discussion of the clinical implications, and in-depth studies of the mechanisms of action of SGLT2 inhibitors.
The long-term outcomes of operated and nonoperated patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension were reported in a large, prospective, multicentre, European and Canadian registry. The long-term prognosis of operated patients was superior to that of nonoperated patients, indicating that surgery should be the first-choice treatment in this patient cohort.
Distal embolization of thrombus resulting in microvascular obstruction can result in incomplete myocardial reperfusion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. In this Review, Mahmoud and Zijlstra discuss the use of thrombus aspiration to enhance myocardial reperfusion, and how this technique has improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction.
A major goal of precision medicine is to improve disease prevention and therapy by using big data provided by genomic technology and electronic health records. In a new study, assessment of a patient population without a history of cardiac disease revealed that genetic variants putatively associated with a risk of sudden death were not linked with arrhythmia phenotypes.
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) key opinion leaders, health ministers, clinicians, and industry representatives gathered in Ethiopia in February 2015. The question: how to eradicate RHD in Africa. The response: the Addis Ababa communiqué, a practical document outlining seven major barriers to RHD control in Africa and seven strategies to address them.
Heart failure (HF) is a global epidemic affecting >37.7 million individuals globally. HF is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and confers a substantial burden on the health-care system. In this Review, Ziaeian and Fonarow summarize the latest epidemiological data on HF in both developed and developing countries, and provide an overview of associated risk factors and aetiologies contributing to the disease burden.
