The supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) can be described as an irregular heart rhythm with an increased heart rate originating above the bundle of His. The heart rate is > 100 bpm. This condition can be particularly distressing for children and their families. The incidence estimate of SVT in children is inaccurate because symptoms are usually nonspecific, such as sweating, pallor, apathy, inappetence, and tachycardia. Furthermore, spontaneous resolution can occur in some cases. Nonetheless, studies estimate that in children without congenital heart […]

The vast majority of cardiovascular research emphasizes the high burden of heart diseases and the preponderance of these diseases in mortality., Efforts to learn how major cardiovascular diseases are managed have been led by the countries with the greatest economic power. However, a large part of the world’s population has been forgotten, because the realities of life in developing countries make it impossible to apply all the recommendations. As a result, adverse cardiovascular outcomes remain common, reducing quality of life […]

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a restrictive cardiomyopathy characterized by the extracellular deposition of proteins in the myocardium. Transthyretin (TTR) protein is predominantly synthesized in the liver and normally transports thyroxine and retinol. When TTR is misfolded, it can form amyloid fibrils deposited in different organs, such as the heart. TTR amyloidosis (ATTR) can be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait caused by variants in the TTR gene (TTRv), or by the deposition of wild-type TTR (TTRwt). […]

Recent years have seen remarkable advances in nuclear cardiology. The introduction of cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) and the development of cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) imaging systems have significantly improved diagnostic accuracy, clinical decision-making, and ultimately outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). In this issue, Giubbini and Milan review key concepts related to myocardial ischemia and explore the emerging importance of quantifying coronary flow reserve (CFR) in patients with known or suspected CAD. PET imaging has become a preeminent modality […]

In this study conducted in Brazil, a group of patients with a history of coronary artery bypass surgery with or without COVID-19 disease was analyzed to determine if their quality of life significantly changed after infection. They observed that patients with a history of COVID-19 infection had a worse quality of life during the four years of follow-up. No significant differences were found in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction, cerebral vascular events or thromboembolism, which is surprising and differs […]

Maternal mortality (MM), defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days postpartum, is a key indicator of maternal health and the quality of care provided by the health care system to prevent and manage complications during this period. In 2020, there were 287,000 maternal deaths worldwide, resulting in a maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 223 deaths per 100,000 live births. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 95% of these deaths will occur in […]

The Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas 2018-2030 represents the highest level of strategic planning and policy framework in the Americas. Approved by the Pan American Sanitary Conference — the top authority of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) — one of its main objectives is to achieve the highest attainable standard of health care. In this context, timely, affordable, and high-quality access to urgent and emergency health care is an essential requirement. The original research by Uchimura et al. […]

Anticoagulant therapy is recommended for several conditions, including atrial fibrillation (AF), venous thromboembolism, and after heart valve replacement. While warfarin is commonly used to prevent ischemic stroke in patients with AF, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and nonpharmacologic therapies may be equally or more effective than traditional warfarin., In addition, warfarin has a narrow therapeutic index and can interact with many drugs and foods, which poses a challenge to using it. A key strategy for reducing the risk of stroke or […]

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common, life-threatening condition requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment., Patients who survive an AMI must receive the best evidence-based care to improve survival and reduce recurrent cardiovascular events. Studies have shown patients with AMI and reduced exercise capacity have a worse prognosis than those with preserved functional capacity. Exercise capacity can be assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) or, alternatively, the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Unlike the CPET, the 6MWT is simple and does not […]

Syncope, a clinical syndrome characterized by transient loss of consciousness (TLOC), is defined by specific elements, namely: sudden onset and rapid recovery, loss of postural tone, full recovery of consciousness, amnesia of the event, nonresponsiveness, and a typical event duration of up to 5 minutes (usually lasting seconds). The pathophysiology of syncope involves global cerebral hypoperfusion, primarily due to a drop in blood pressure (BP), with various factors contributing individually or in combination to syncope (). Even brief periods of […]