Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with a low surgical risk

Michael Želízko

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):124-125  

How to recognize a non-adherent chronic heart failure patient?

Radek Pelouch, Viktor Voříšek, Věra Furmanová, Miroslav Solař

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):127-132 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2019.033  

Objective: To evaluate drug non-adherence (NA) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients based on routine examinations. Methods: Routine examination results, patient questionnaires as well as adherence (A) assessment by both the patient and physician were analyzed. Serum drug levels (SDLs) were used as a reference method. Results: Eighty-one patients were enrolled. Using SDL, non-adherence was shown in 25 %. All patients reported to have taken their drugs properly. Omission of a dose a week was admitted by 18 % of A and 25 % of NA patients (p = 0.53). The physician correctly assumed NA in 40 % of NA patients, but incorrectly in 10 % of A. There was a...

The issue of anticoagulation from a nephrologist’s perspective

Jan Vachek, Adéla Maříková, Vladimír Tesař

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):134-136 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2019.034  

The introduction of novel or direct oral anticoagulants (NOAC or DOAC) into the practice represented a major progress in anticoagulant therapy. It is not only with regard to the different elimination rates of individual anticoagulants by the kidneys that this drug class has been the subject of interest of nephrologists. However, the relationship of the kidneys and anticoagulants cannot be limited to the issue of the effect of renal dysfunction on drug elimination: it turns out that even anticoagulants can directly or indirectly affect renal function. An increased awareness of long-term (not only renal) complications of warfarin treatment has resulted...

How serious problem is poor adherence to treatment in coronary artery disease?

Otto Mayer Jr.

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):138-142 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2019.035  

Adherence to prescribed pharmacotherapy has become a new paradigm in several areas of medicine. Particularly in secondaryprevention of coronary heart disease and other vascular diseases, it represents one of the most important determinants of treatmentsuccess, even in terms of the patient´s fate.

Renal denervation in the treatment of resistant hypertension: a new dawn?

David Richter, Miloš Táborský, Marián Fedorco, David Vindiš, Jan Václavík, Eva Kociánová, Marie Lazárová, Jiří Ostřanský, Martin Sluka, Radomír Nykl, Miloš Špaček, Rostislav Stříbrný

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):143-148 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2019.036  

Hypertension is a serious cardiovascular risk factor, and because of its high incidence in adults (30–40 %), its treatment is also a major medical and economic problem. Sympathicotonia plays a key role in the etiopathogenesis of hypertension. Currently, pharmacotherapy is the mainstay of hypertension treatment. Historically, however, the first truly effective treatment of hypertension, including malignant hypertension, was surgical sympathectomy. Unfortunately, surgical sympathectomy was often complicated by serious or fatal complications, and was abandoned with the advent of modern pharmacotherapy. Catheter-based renal denervation is based on...

Secondary tricuspid regurgitation associated with left-sided valvular disease

Zuzana Hlubocká, Gabriela Dostálová

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):150-156 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2018.028  

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) secondary to left-sided valvular heart disease is the most frequent cause of tricuspid insufficiency. Severe mitral and aortic valve disease is associated with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular pressure overload leading to dilatation of right ventricle (RV), dilatation of tricuspid anulus and development of secondary TR. Echocardiography is the technique of choice to evaluate aetiology of TR, quantify its severity and assess the annular dilatation, leaflet tethering , dilatation and systolic function of RV. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard in the assessment of RV volumes and ventricular...

Optimum treatment strategies for a recent left ventricular thrombus

Tomáš Gistinger, Kamil Zeman, Ivo Pavlas

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):158-161 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2019.006  

Left ventricular thrombus poses a major risk of thromboembolism. It may be diagnosed incidentally, with echocardiography asthe modality of choice. Choosing an optimal treatment strategy is of key importance. In the following text, two case reports arepresented in which aggressive treatment failed to correlate with a desired reduction in the risk of thromboembolism.

Press release from the 2019 Czech Society of Cardiology Meeting Symposium

Petr Peichl

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):173-174  

Using drug-eluting balloons in coronary interventions from the perspective of the BASKET-SMALL 2 trial

Tomáš Kovárník, Karel Kopřiva

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):162-164  

The authors present a review of the current options of using paclitaxel-coated drug-eluting balloons (DEBs). They discuss the optionsof treatment with this instrumentarium in managing in-stent restenosis as well as de novo lesions. Main emphasis is placedon the recently published BASKET-SMALL 2 trial. Also discussed is the role of sirolimus-coated DEBs.

AUGUSTUS: a major step towards proper treatment after PCI in the setting of atrial fibrillation

Ivo Varvařovský

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):166-168  

The AUGUSTUS trial showed superiority of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant (NOAC) over warfarin for PCI treatment of patientswith atrial fibrillation as well as defined the real position of aspirin in the treatment of these patients. Apixaban and clopidogrelhave been shown to be the best choice for most of the patients, with aspirin being considered only for a minority with a veryhigh ischaemic risk.

The COMMANDER-HF trial

Jiří Vítovec

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):170-171  

The COMMANDER-HF trial studied the effect of administering a low dose of rivaroxaban of 2.5 mg twice daily in patients withheart failure who had a sinus rhythm. The study showed that administration of rivaroxaban did not affect the primary compositeendpoint (death from any cause, myocardial infarction, or stroke) compared to placebo. Additionally, no higher rate of majorbleeding was observed. A post-hoc analysis showed a significantly lower incidence of ischaemic stroke with rivaroxaban.

Tomáš Janota, MD, turns sixty

prof. MUDr. Jaromír Hradec, CSc.

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):178  

Karel Dvořák, MD, has passed away

Petr Janský

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2019;18(3):177