The purpose of this study was to assess whether a home blood pressure (HBP) telemonitoring system could improve BP control and overcome the problems of HBP monitoring in a remote location. The authors enrolled 60 subjects and randomized them to either a Telemonitoring group or a Control group. The outcomes were changes in HBP level, adherence to HBP monitoring, and visual analog scale (VAS; score 0–100) as a measure of the motivation to perform HBP measurements. The reductions in morning systolic BP (−5.5±0.9 mm Hg vs 0.7±0.7 mm Hg, P<.001) and evening systolic BP (−4.6±1.0 mm Hg vs 1.0±1.1 mm Hg, P<.001) and the change in VAS (12.8±3.3 vs −1.6±2.2, P=.001) were significantly greater in the Telemonitoring group than in the Control group. The measure of the adherence to HBP monitoring tended to be better (P=.064) in the Telemonitoring group than in the Control group. These results indicate that an HBP telemonitoring system would be a beneficial healthcare measure in remote geographical locations.

Introduction Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is indicated in patients with cardiovascular disease but participation rates remain low. Telerehabilitation (TR) is often proposed as a solution. While many trials have investigated TR, few have studied participation rates in conventional CR non-participants. The aim of this study was to identify the percentage of patients that would be willing to participate in a TR programme to identify the main perceived barriers and facilitators for participating in TR. Methods Two groups of patients were recruited: CR non-participants and CR participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Results Thirty non-participants and 30 participants were interviewed. Of CR non-participants, 33% would participate in TR and 10% would participate in a blended CR programme (combination of centre-based CR and TR). Of CR participants, 60% would participate in TR and 70% would be interested in a blended CR programme. Of those that would participate in TR, 44% would prefer centre-based CR, 33% would prefer a blended CR programme and 11% would prefer a full TR programme. In both groups, the main facilitating aspect about TR was not needing transport and the main barrier was digital literacy. Conclusion For CR non-participants TR will only partly solve the problem of low participation rates and blended programmes might not offer a solution. CR participants are more prepared to participate in TR and blended CR. Digital literacy was in both groups mentioned as an important barrier, emphasizing the challenges for healthcare and local governments to keep educating all types of patients in digital literacy.

HF) re-hospitalization. Available data on the clinical impact of N-LBBB after TAVI remain scarce and controversial; particularly, data related to Japanese patients have not been fully investigated. We, therefore, aimed to examine the incidence and prognostic significance of N-LBBB following TAVI in the Japanese population. Predictive factors for N-LBBB were also explored. Methods Study PopulationThis study included a total of 298 patients with severe AS considered unsuitable for, or at too high-a-risk to undergo Editorial p ????

Weather temperatures affect the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but there is limited information on whether CVD hospitalizations are affected by changes in weather temperatures in a super-aging society. We aimed to examine the association of diurnal weather temperature changes with CVD hospitalizations. We included 1,067,171 consecutive patients who were admitted to acute-care hospitals in Japan between April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2015. The primary outcome was the number of CVD hospitalizations per day. The diurnal weather temperature range (DTR) was defined as the minimum weather temperature subtracted from the maximum weather temperature on the day before hospitalization. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models were used to estimate the association of DTR with cardiovascular hospitalizations after adjusting for weather, hospital, and patient demographics. An increased DTR was associated with a higher number of CVD hospitalizations (coefficient, 4.540 [4.310–4.765]/°C change, p < 0.001), with greater effects in those aged 75–89 (p < 0.001) and ≥ 90 years (p = 0.006) than among those aged ≤ 64 years; however, there were no sex-related differences (p = 0.166). Greater intraday weather temperature changes are associated with an increased number of CVD hospitalizations in the super-aging society of Japan, with a greater effect in older individuals.

A HBP telemonitoring system could be useful in obtaining stable HBP readings over a certain period of time.

Background A high frequency of coronary artery disease (CAD) is reported in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, the optimal management of CAD in these patients remains unknown. Hypothesis We hypothesis that AS patients with TAVI complicated by CAD have poor prognosis. His study evaluates the prognoses of patients with CAD and severe AS after TAVI. Methods We divided 186 patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI into three groups: those with CAD involving the left main coronary (LM) or proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) lesion (the CAD[LADp] group), those with CAD not involving the LM or a LAD proximal lesion (the CAD[non‐LADp] group), and those without CAD (Non‐CAD group). Clinical outcomes were compared among the three groups. Results The CAD[LADp] group showed a higher incidence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) and all‐cause mortality than the other two groups (log‐rank p = .001 and p = .008, respectively). Even after adjustment for STS score and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) before TAVI, CAD[LADp] remained associated with MACCE and all‐cause mortality. However, PCI for an LM or LAD proximal lesion pre‐TAVI did not reduce the risk of these outcomes. Conclusions CAD with an LM or LAD proximal lesion is a strong independent predictor of mid‐term MACCEs and all‐cause mortality in patients with severe AS treated with TAVI. PCI before TAVI did not influence the outcomes.

Background Current guidelines recommend at least 6 months of antithrombotic therapy and antibiotic prophylaxis after septal‐occluding device deployment in transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect. It has been estimated that it takes ≈6 months for complete neo‐endothelialization; however, neo‐endothelialization has not previously been assessed in vivo in humans. Methods and Results The neointimal coverage of septal occluder devices was evaluated 6 months after implantation in 15 patients by angioscopy from the right atrium. Each occluder surface was divided into 9 areas; the levels of endothelialization in each area were semiquantitatively assessed by 4‐point grades. Device neo‐endothelialization was sufficient in two thirds of patients, but insufficient in one third. In the comparison between patients with sufficiently endothelialized devices of average grade score ≥2 (good endothelialization group, n=10) and those with poorly endothelialized devices of average grade score <2 (poor endothelialization group, n=5), those in the poor endothelialization group had larger devices deployed (27.0 mm [25.0–31.5 mm] versus 17.0 mm [15.6–22.5 mm], respectively) and progressive right heart dilatation. The endothelialization was poorer around the central areas. Moreover, the prevalence of thrombus formation on the devices was higher in the poorly endothelialized areas than in the sufficiently endothelialized areas (Grade 0, 94.1%; Grade 1, 63.2%; Grade 2, 0%; Grade 3, 1.6%). Conclusions Neo‐endothelialization on the closure devices varied 6 months after implantation. Notably, poor endothelialization and thrombus attachment were observed around the central areas and on the larger devices.

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a well-known intervention for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. However, in Japan, the outpatient CR participation rate is estimated to be very low. Cardiac telerehabilitation (CTR) can be defined as a remote CR program using digital health technology to support it. Evidence regarding the use of CTR has been accumulated, and the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for CTR. Japan has sufficient potential to benefit from CTR because, nationally, digital literacy is high and the infrastructure for telemedicine is developed. To overcome several barriers, evidence of CTR in Japan, well-educated multidisciplinary CTR teams, a good combination of center-based CR and CTR, and sophisticated systems including social insurance and adequate legislation need to be developed immediately. CTR has the potential to increase the low CR participation rate in Japan. CTR also has many different effects that not only cardiologists, but also paramedics who engage in CTR, have to be aware of.