Sławomir Surowiec

Age, sex, and secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease in everyday practice

BACKGROUND Many researchers have studied age- and sex-related differences in the management of patients with coronary artery disease. However, the results are inconsistent. AIM To assess sex- and age-related bias in the secondary prevention in patients hospitalised due to ischaemic heart disease. METHODS Five hospitals with departments of cardiology serving a city and surrounding districts in southern Poland participated in the study. Consecutive patients hospitalised from 1 April 2005 to 31 July 2006 due to acute coronary syndrome or for a myocardial revascularisation procedure and aged ≤ 80 years were recruited and interviewed 6-18 months after hospitalisation. RESULTS The hospital records of 640 patients were reviewed and 513 (80.2%) patients participated in the follow-up interview. Women were older and less educated than their male counterparts. Sex was not independently associated with the control of major risk factors in the post-discharge period, whereas age was related to a higher probability of having high blood pressure and a lower chance of smoking. Multivariate analysis showed that females were prescribed calcium antagonists (odds ratio [OR] 2.13; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.34-3.39) and diuretics (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.00-2.31) more often than males. Age was independently related to the prescription rate of diuretics (≥ 70 years vs. < 60 years; OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.19-2.20). The prescription rate of antiplatelets, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme-inhibitors/sartans, lipid-lowering drugs, and anticoagulants was not related to age or sex. CONCLUSIONS We found no major sex-related difference in the frequency of achieving recommended goals in secondary prevention, whereas age was related to a lower prevalence of smoking and a higher probability of having high blood pressure in subjects after hospitalisation for coronary artery disease.

Half of coronary patients are not instructed how to respond to symptoms of a heart attack

BACKGROUND The delayed treatment of acute coronary syndrome has a significant impact on survival. Due to improved organization and the use of reperfusion therapies, inhospital delay has been shortened in recent years. However, the time between the onset of chest pain and the call for medical help is still too long. The aim of this study was to assess the proportion of coronary patients instructed how to behave in case of chest pain and to find what factors relate to a lower probability of being counselled. METHODS Patients aged < 80 years, hospitalized due to coronary artery disease (CAD) were identified retrospectively on the basis of a medical records review and were invited for a follow-up examination. Two hundred and nineteen patients agreed to participate in the study. Data on the prehospital delay was obtained using a standard questionnaire. RESULTS The study group consisted of 149 men and 70 women. The mean time between discharge and the follow-up examination was 1.1 ± 0.4 years. Of 219 study participants, 106 (48.4%) declared they had been instructed about the symptoms of a heart attack and how to respond to it. Men, smokers, non-diabetics, and those with previously diagnosed CAD had been instructed more frequently. The independent predictors of being instructed were: percutaneous coronary intervention during the index hospitalization, diabetes, smoking, male sex and previously diagnosed CAD. CONCLUSIONS About half of patients after hospitalization due to CAD are not instructed how to respond to heart attack symptoms. This has not changed over the last decade and may contribute to the lack of shortening of prehospital delay.

Secondary prevention in patients after hospitalisation due to coronary artery disease: what has changed since 2006?

BACKGROUND The evidence concerning the quality of secondary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD) in Poland in recent years is scarce. AIM To compare the implementation of secondary prevention guidelines into everyday clinical practice between 2006-2007 and 2011-2012 in patients after hospitalisation due to CAD. METHODS Five hospitals with departments of cardiology serving a city and its surrounding districts in the southern part of Poland participated in the study. Consecutive patients aged ≤ 80 years, hospitalised from April 1, 2005 to July 31, 2006 (first survey) and from April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 (second survey) due to acute coronary syndrome or for a myocardial revascularisation procedure were recruited and interviewed 6-18 months after hospitalisation. RESULTS Medical records of 640 patients were reviewed and included in the first survey and 466 in the second survey. The proportion of medical records with available information on smoking did not differ between the surveys, whereas the proportion of medical records with available information on blood pressure and total cholesterol was lower in patients hospitalised in 2010-2011. The prescription rate of β-blockers at discharge decreased from 90% to 84% (p < 0.05), whereas the prescription rates at discharge of other drug classes did not change significantly. The proportion of patients with high blood pressure (≥ 140/90 mm Hg) one year after hospitalisation decreased in 2011-2012 compared to 2006-2007 (from 48% to 35%, p < 0.05), whereas the proportion of subjects with high LDL cholesterol, high fasting glucose, and obesity did not change significantly. We did not note a significant difference in the smoking rate. The proportions of patients taking an antiplatelet agent (90% vs. 91%), a β-blocker (87% vs. 79%), an ACE inhibitor or a sartan (79% vs. 76%), a calcium antagonist (22% vs. 25%), a diuretic (35%vs. 45%), and a lipid-lowering drug (86% vs. 87%) one year after discharge did not change significantly (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS We noted a modest improvement in the implementation of CAD secondary prevention guidelines in everyday clinical practice: blood pressure was better controlled, although the control of all other main risk factors did not change significantly. Our data provides evidence that there is a considerable potential for further reduction of cardiovascular risk in CAD patients.

Dedicated devices and techniques - a cornerstone in recanalisation of chronic total occlusions of coronary arteries.

Recanalisation of chronic total occlusion (CTO) is still a challenge in invasive cardiology, requiring operator experience, equipment, and techniques dedicated to CTO. Due to difficulties in crossing the lesion by wire and by balloon (both responsible for 98% of the procedures failures), many helpful techniques have been described. We report the case of both Tornus system and anchor technique in successful recanalisation of a right coronary artery.

Recanalisation of coronary chronic total occlusion by retrograde approach: the first experience in Poland

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of revascularisation procedures of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) has been improved by the introduction of retrograde approach. AIM This study compared the outcomes of CTO revascularisation in a single centre in Krakow, Poland using antegrade and retrograde approach. METHODS From January 2011 to September 2013, 150 patients underwent 159 procedures for percutaneous revascularisation of CTO of 153 vessels. Of the 159 procedures, 124 (78%) were performed using an antegrade approach and 35 (22%) using a retrograde approach. RESULTS All patients were symptomatic, with mean CCS class (2.3 ± 0.6 vs. 2.1 ± 0.7, p = 0.9), mean age (59.2 ± 8.3 vs. 62.6 ± 9.9 years, p = 0.067), and mean number of males (81.3% vs. 81.8%, p = 0.9) similar in the retrograde and antegrade groups, respectively. Most patients in both groups had ejection fraction (EF) ≥ 50% (84.4% vs. 74.4%, respectively). Occlusions assessed according to the J-CTO score showed that 82.9% and 56.4%, respectively, were rated as difficult or very difficult (p < 0.01). Overall procedural success rate was 88.2%, 87.9% in the antegrade, and 74.3% in the retrograde group. Complication rates were low and similar in two groups. However, the retrograde approach was associated with a longer mean fluoroscopy time (47.8 ± 19.6 vs. 19.3 ± 10.0 min, p < 0.00001) and higher volume of contrast fluid (494.6 ± 142.4 vs. 291.9 ± 118.1 mL, p < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS Using novel equipment with adequate experience allowed high rates of successful revascularisation. The retrograde technique for CTO revascularisation showed good overall success and was safe.

Knowledge of chronic total occlusion among Polish interventional cardiologists

Introduction Chronic total occlusion (CTO) recanalization is indicated in patients with symptoms and evidence of ischemia, but in most cases those types of lesions are still treated medically. In the last few years CTO angioplasty technique has changed dramatically due to considerable advances in techniques and dedicated equipment. Aim An attempt to assess the state of knowledge of technical aspects of CTO angioplasty of coronary arteries among Polish interventional cardiologists. Material and methods Questionnaire survey performed during two major Polish invasive cardiology workshops. Results In the study there participated 113 physicians with an average length of work experience of 13 years, most of them cardiologists certified as independent primary operators. The majority of respondents recognized the need of prevention of thrombotic complications through control of activated coagulation time during the CTO procedures. Prevention of renal complications and X-ray protection are also recognized as a significant part of the procedures. The benefits from the use of over-the-wire microcatheters and balloons, the proper choice of dedicated guidewires, contralateral injections and retrograde technique are underestimated. Conclusions Despite satisfactory knowledge about indications and qualification for the CTO procedure, the awareness of procedural aspects (particularly the retrograde technique) as well as the dedicated CTO equipment among Polish interventional cardiologists is still insufficient.

Rescue percutaneous coronary recanalization of right coronary artery by retrograde approach.

We describe the case of a 62-year-old female patient in whom there was an occlusion of collaterals and acute inferior wall ischemia during the opening procedure of right coronary artery (RCA) chronic total occlusion. Rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of RCA by the retrograde approach was performed preventing heart muscle damage. In this article we discuss the issue of PCI by the retrograde technique.

Chronic total occlusion in ostium of right coronary artery - retrograde approach as the first-choice method of revascularization?

Recanalization of chronic total occlusion (CTO) located in the ostium may require the operators ability to use the retrograde approach. We present a case of opening a chronically occluded right coronary artery (RCA) by the retrograde approach after an unsuccessful attempt of recanalization by classic antegrade technique.

Myocardial infarction caused by pharmacological substances - case description and literature review

Myocardial infarction (MI) is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis and/or inflammatory processes of coronary artery walls. The consequence of those phenomena is instability of the atherosclerotic plaque, activation of the coagulation cascade and thrombus formation which occludes the lumen of the vessel. Vasospasm and microembolisation may participate in MI pathogenesis. In young individuals with diagnosis of MI, coronarography often reveals no pathologies. Is reported that MIs without significant changes of the coronary arteries occur in 1% to 12% of patients. In this article we focus on chemical substances, medicines among them, which can be a cause of MI.

Does the effectiveness of recanalization of chronic occlusion depend on the location of the obstruction

Introduction In past studies, it has been questioned whether success of recanalization of chronic total occlusion (CTO) depends on the location of the occlusion – the circumflex artery (Cx) was considered as the most difficult to open. Aim To determine whether the effectiveness of recanalization of CTO depends on the location of the obstruction. Material and methods From January 2011 to January 2016, a single operator dedicated to chronic total occlusions performed in our center 357 procedures on 337 patients. Results Among 337 patients included in the study, 83.4% were male. Mean age was 62.8 ±9.3 years. Most of the patients had hypertension (86.4%) and hyperlipidemia (99.4%), and 28.8% of them had diabetes. The most frequently opened artery was the right coronary artery (RCA; 52.4%), followed by the left anterior descending artery (LAD; 29.4%), and last the Cx (18.2%). The mean J-CTO score was comparable between the three groups. The success rate of recanalization of CTO was similar for all arteries: 84.5% in the RCA, 81.9% in the LAD and 89.2% in the Cx (overall p = 0.437). Neither procedural complications nor adverse events depended on the location of the CTO. Conclusions Our study shows the same efficacy of CTO procedures of all epicardial arteries. We did not observe that effectiveness of recanalization of CTO depends on the location of the obstruction.