Current Issue : July-September Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 5 Articles
AIM: The aim of our study was primarily to analyze hospital outcomes for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) admissions with a comorbid diagnosis of chronic liver disease (CLD). METHODS: The NIS was used to select ADHF admissions. The population characteristics of general ADHF admissions were compared with ADHF admissions with a comorbid diagnosis of CLD. Multivariate probit logistic regression was used to analyze the association between a documented diagnosis of CLD/alcoholic liver disease and all-cause mortality in ADHF admissions. Confounders were accounted for. Propensity scoring and nearest neighbor matching were conducted to select a matched cohort with and without CLD from ADHF admissions to further look at mortality outcomes. RESULTS: ADHF admissions with a comorbid diagnosis of CLD had a significantly higher proportion of all-cause mortality, 0.054 (0.053–0.057), a higher length of hospital stay, 6.95 days (6.84–7.06), and a higher mean of total hospital charges, USD 88,068.1, when compared to ADHF admissions without a comorbid diagnosis of CLD: all-cause mortality, 0.045 (0.044–0.046); length of hospital stay, 6.18 days (6.13–6.23); and mean total hospital charges, USD 79,946.21. A comorbid diagnosis of CLD had a significant association with all-cause mortality in ADHF admissions: OR 1.23 (1.17–1.29) after accounting for confounders. In the propensitymatched cohorts, the cohort with a diagnosis of CLD from the ADHF admissions had a higher proportion of all-cause mortality, 0.042 (0.036–0.049), when compared to the cohort without a diagnosis of chronic liver disease, 0.027 (0.022–0.033). CONCLUSIONS: In analyzing the mortality and healthcare utilization outcomes for ADHF admissions, the comorbid diagnosis of CLD is shown to have significantly higher all-cause mortality, higher length of hospital stay, and higher mean total charges when compared to ADHF admissions without a diagnosis of CLD. A documented diagnosis of CLD had a statistically significant association with all-cause mortality in ADHF admissions after accounting for confounding factors....
Cardiovascular risk is a clinical factor that represents the probability of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This risk is shaped by non-modifiable and modifiable factors, including dietary patterns, which are the main lifestyle factor influencing CVD. Dietary polysaccharides, integral to nutrition, have varying effects on cardiovascular health depending on their type and source. They include starches, non-starch polysaccharides, and prebiotic fibers, categorized further into soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fibers, found in oats, legumes, and fruits, dissolve in water, forming gels that help lower serum cholesterol and modulate blood glucose levels. Insoluble fibers, present in whole grains and vegetables, aid in bowel regularity. The cardiovascular benefits of polysaccharides are linked to their ability to bind bile acids, reducing cholesterol levels, and the production of short-chain fatty acids by gut microbiota, which have anti-inflammatory properties. However, not all polysaccharides are beneficial; refined starches can lead to adverse metabolic effects, and chitosan to mixed effects on gut microbiota. This review examines the dualistic nature of polysaccharides, highlighting their beneficial roles in reducing cardiovascular risk factors and the potential adverse effects of specific types....
Background and Objectives: Cardiac tamponade is managed through echo- or fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous pericardiocentesis. The European Society of Cardiology’s Working Group on Myocardial and Pericardial Diseases proposed a triage strategy for these patients. This study evaluated the triage score and compared the safety and efficacy of fluoroscopy- versus echo-guided procedures without additional visualization control. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study included 71 patients with cardiac tamponade from February 2021 to June 2022. Pericardiocentesis was performed using fluoroscopy or echo guidance based on clinical assessment and catheterization laboratory availability, without the additional control of needle/guidewire position or ECG monitoring. Patients were followed for three months. Results: The study included 71 patients (52.1% female, mean age 59.7 ± 15.7 years). Malignancy was the most common comorbidity (59.2%). Echo criteria led to urgent procedures in 47.9%, with subcostal access used most often (60.6%), particularly in fluoroscopy-guided procedures (93.8%, p = 0.003). The success rate was 97.1%, with minor complications in 14% of patients. Diabetes and malignancy predicted complications regardless of access site or guiding method. The triage score did not affect complication rates or short-term mortality. Conclusions: Fluoroscopyand echo-guided pericardiocentesis without additional visualization control showed no difference in safety or efficacy. Delaying the procedure for patients with a triage score ≥6, or performing it early for those with a low score, did not impact complication rates or mortality, which were more influenced by the progression of the underlying disease....
The incidence and mortality rates of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are constantly increasing. Among the main risk factors, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia, which are equally widespread pathological conditions, stand out. Current preventive strategies are based on physical activity and a healthy, balanced diet. Primary therapies, on the other hand, are based on the administration of hypoglycaemic and cholesterol-lowering drugs. Given the increasing consumer demand for food products with healthy properties, functional beverages may represent a breakthrough in this field. Through a careful analysis of studies conducted over the past seven years, it has emerged that herbal teas, fruit and vegetable drinks, as well as milk- and plant-based beverages, can mitigate these two critical CVD risk factors, often linked to the presence of specific polyphenols or fermentation processes. The selection of in vivo, in vitro and clinical trials revealed the ability of such drinks to reduce the enzymatic activity of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, as well as to decrease circulating lipid levels, properties that were surprisingly also exhibited by beverages derived from food waste. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the possibility of employing these drinks as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia in order to reduce two potential CVD risk factors....
Background and Objectives: Systolic blood pressure (SBP) variability has been increasingly associated with cardiovascular outcomes, including stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the association between visit-to-visit SBP variability and the risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on a set of 208 hypertensive patients over a period of three years, from August 2021 to September 2024, at the County Emergency Hospital “Pius Brinzeu”, Timis, oara. Patients included in the study were stroke-free. SBP variability was quantified as the standard deviation of SBP measurements obtained quarterly. Results: This study demonstrated that systolic blood pressure (SBP) variability serves as a robust predictor of stroke incidence, underscoring its important role in cerebrovascular risk. The study cohort had an average age of 65.3 ± 9.1 years, with 53.4% males and 46.6% females. Patients in the highest SBP variability group had a 1.21-fold increased risk (21%, p = 0.031) of ischemic stroke and a 1.73-fold increased risk (73%, p = 0.005) of hemorrhagic stroke compared to those in the lowest variability group, revealing that higher SBP variability is strongly associated with an increased risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, with the relationship being particularly pronounced for hemorrhagic stroke. Patients exhibiting greater fluctuations in SBP experienced significantly earlier stroke events and reduced stroke-free survival. Moreover, mortality rates were notably higher among individuals with very high SBP variability, indicating its profound impact on long-term outcomes. Conclusions: Visitto- visit SBP variability is a significant and independent predictor of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, emphasizing the clinical importance of monitoring and managing blood pressure stability. Further research should explore interventions to mitigate SBP variability and its impact on cerebrovascular outcomes....
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