Purpose of Review The nitric oxide (NO)-soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC)-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway plays an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular function, and it is disrupted in heart failure (HF), resulting in decreased protection against myocardial injury. Impaired NO-sGC-cGMP signaling in HF is secondary to reduced NO bioavailability and altered redox state of sGC, which becomes less responsive to NO. The sGC activator cinaciguat increases cGMP levels by direct NO-independent activation of sGC and may be particularly effective in conditions of increased oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction, and therefore reduced NO levels, at the expense of a greater risk of hypotension. Conversely, sGC stimulators (riociguat and vericiguat) enhance sGC sensitivity to endogenous NO, thus exerting a more physiological action. Recent Findings Clinical trials have suggested the benefit of vericiguat in patients with high-risk HF; in particular, a lower incidence of death from cardiovascular causes or HF hospitalization. Summary Adding vericiguat may be considered in individual patients with HF, and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF) particularly those at higher risk of HF hospitalization.
Introduction:We hypothesized that an accurate assessment of preoperative venography could be useful in predicting transvenous lead extraction (TLE) difficulty. Methods and Results: A dedicated preoperative venogram was performed in consecutive patients with cardiac implantable electronic device who underwent TLE.The level of stenosis was classified as without significant stenosis, moderate, severe, and occlusion. The presence of extensive lead-venous wall adherence (≥50 mm) was also assessed. A total of 105 patients (median age: 71 years; 72% male) with a median of 2 (1-2) leads to extract were enrolled. Preoperative venography showed moderate to severe stenosis in 31 (30%), complete occlusion in 15 (14%), and extensive lead-venous wall adherence in 50 (48%) patients. Complete TLE success was achieved in 103 (98%) patients. A total of 55 (52%) were advanced extractions as they required a powered mechanical and/or laser sheath. They were more prevalent in the group with extensive lead-venous wall adherence (72% vs. 34%, p < .001), while no differences were found between patients with and without venous occlusion. In multivariate analysis, the presence of adherence was a predictor of advanced extraction (odds ratio: 2.89 [1.14-7.32], p = .025). The fluoroscopy time was also significantly longer (14.
We hereby report a puzzling case of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse presenting as Takotsubo syndrome (TTS). Female, 42-years old, who presented herself to the Emergency Room of University Hospital “ASST Spedali Civili” of Brescia, Italy, for a severe headache and a non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. Coronary angiogram showed no signs of coronary atherosclerosis. Upon further neurological evaluation, a diagnosis of MS relapse, related to TTS, was made, and treatment was started accordingly. The patient was discharged after 12 days after the admission, free of symptoms, and without signs of neurological and cardiological active disease. A hallmark of TTS is its association with a preceding stressful event. It may also be connected to a wide variety of diseases, including neurological ones, such as stroke, intracranial bleeding, head trauma, migraine, and seizures. However, up to our knowledge, only few cases of MS-induced TTS were previously described. Whether it is plausible to consider TTS as an uncommon extra-neurological manifestation of MS is still debated, however all the evidence points in that direction, considering the central role of catecholamines in TTS pathogenesis. With this case report the authors hope to encourage research on this field and on the intricate topic of brain-heart connections.
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