José Merino, ESC 2020 – New ESC Guidelines for Atrial Fibrillation

We caught up with Dr José Merino (Arrhythmia and Robotic Electrophysiology Unit, La Paz University Hospital, and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain) on the new ESC guidelines for atrial fibrillation. Questions What are the limitations of current ablation treatments for patients with atrial fibrillation? (0.22) What are the major changes in the latest ESC […]

Peter Clemmensen, ESC 2020 – the New ESC Guidelines for N-STEMI

We caught up with Professor Peter Clemmensen (University Heart Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany) to discuss the recent ESC Guidelines update for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (N-STEMI) and how these may affect outcomes and clinical practice. Questions What are the major unmet needs in the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting without ST-segment elevation? […]

Trudie Lobban – Arrhythmia Alliance – Plans for 2021

Trudie Lobban (Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Arrhythmia Alliance, AF Association and Syncope Trust and Reflex anoxic Seizures) gave us her thoughts and plans for 2021, along with news of some of the upcoming meetings and highlights of the year to come. Commissioned, edited and funded by Touch Medical Media. Filmed during a remote video […]

Luigi Di Biase, AF Symposium 2021: Current and Emerging Strategies for the Treatment of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

We spoke to Dr Luigi Di Biase (Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, USA) on the current and new, emerging treatment strategies for the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation, including the limitations of current pulmonary vein isolation, the concept of “beyond PVI” and clinical evidence supporting new ablation targets. Questions: […]

Ratio of Serum Aspartate to Alanine Aminotransferase as a Marker of Isolated Coronary Artery Ectasia and its Severity

Heart International. 2020;14(1):43–8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/HI.2020.14.1.43

The exact aetiology of coronary artery ectasia (CAE) has yet to be fully elucidated; however, some underlying aetiologies such as atherosclerosis and microvascular abnormalities in coronary arteries have been proposed.1,2 Over the past few years, several inflammatory markers have been introduced as indicators of CAE and its severity. There is an association between the development of […]

Cardiovascular Effects of COVID-19 – What Do We Know and Where Should We Go?

Heart International. 2020;14(1):16–9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/HI.2020.14.1.16

The current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an unprecedented public health emergency, with worldwide health, social and economic implications. In contrast to other modern epidemics, little prior knowledge of the pathogen existed. Whilst this initially hampered both patient management and the public health response, we have observed a remarkable worldwide attempt to provide […]

Is There Still a Place for Revascularisation in the Management of Stable Coronary Artery Disease Following the ISCHEMIA Trial?

Heart International. 2020;14(1):13-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/HI.2020.14.1.13

Optimal medical therapy (OMT) is the cornerstone of management in patients with coronary atheroma, given the substantial evidence that it can delay disease progression and damp down both chronic and acute vascular inflammation, thereby leading to a reduction in cardiovascular events and mortality.1,2 In this context, revascularisation, with either percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary […]

Pulmonary Regurgitation – Results from the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Trial

Heart International. 2020;14(2):Online ahead of journal publication

Moderate-to-severe congenital heart disease, which requires specialist cardiology care, is present in around 6/1,000 live births.1 Patients born with congenital heart defects often require surgery in early life and a consequence of this initial surgical repair is pulmonary regurgitation. The severity of pulmonary regurgitation can worsen over time and present more frequent symptoms, and may […]