ABI
: ankle–brachial index
ACCORD
: Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes
ADVANCE
: Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron Modified Release Controlled Evaluation
AGREE
: Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation
AHA
: American Heart Association
apoA1
: apolipoprotein A1
apoB
: apolipoprotein B
CABG
: coronary artery bypass graft surgery
CARDS
: Collaborative AtoRvastatin Diabetes Study
CCNAP
: Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions
CHARISMA
: Clopidogrel for High Athero-thrombotic Risk and Ischemic Stabilisation, Management, and Avoidance
CHD
: coronary heart disease
CKD
: chronic kidney disease
COMMIT
: Clopidogrel and Metoprolol in Myocardial Infarction Trial
CRP
: C-reactive protein
CURE
: Clopidogrel in Unstable Angina to Prevent Recurrent Events
CVD
: cardiovascular disease
DALYs
: disability-adjusted life years
DBP
: diastolic blood pressure
DCCT
: Diabetes Control and Complications Trial
ED
: erectile dysfunction
eGFR
: estimated glomerular filtration rate
EHN
: European Heart Network
EPIC
: European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
EUROASPIRE
: European Action on Secondary and Primary Prevention through Intervention to Reduce Events
GFR
: glomerular filtration rate
GOSPEL
: Global Secondary Prevention Strategies to Limit Event Recurrence After MI
GRADE
: Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation
HbA1c
: glycated haemoglobin
HDL
: high-density lipoprotein
HF-ACTION
: Heart Failure and A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise TraiNing
HOT
: Hypertension Optimal Treatment Study
HPS
: Heart Protection Study
HR
: hazard ratio
hsCRP
: high-sensitivity C-reactive protein
HYVET
: Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial
ICD
: International Classification of Diseases
IMT
: intima-media thickness
INVEST
: International Verapamil SR/Trandolapril
JTF
: Joint Task Force
LDL
: low-density lipoprotein
Lp(a)
: lipoprotein(a)
LpPLA2
: lipoprotein-associated phospholipase 2
LVH
: left ventricular hypertrophy
MATCH
: Management of Atherothrombosis with Clopidogrel in High-risk Patients with Recent Transient Ischaemic Attack or Ischaemic Stroke
MDRD
: Modification of Diet in Renal Disease
MET
: metabolic equivalent
MONICA
: Multinational MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease
NICE
: National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence
NRT
: nicotine replacement therapy
NSTEMI
: non-ST elevation myocardial infarction
ONTARGET
: Ongoing Telmisartan Alone and in combination with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial
OSA
: obstructive sleep apnoea
PAD
: peripheral artery disease
PCI
: percutaneous coronary intervention
PROactive
: Prospective Pioglitazone Clinical Trial in Macrovascular Events
PWV
: pulse wave velocity
QOF
: Quality and Outcomes Framework
RCT
: randomized clinical trial
RR
: relative risk
SBP
: systolic blood pressure
SCORE
: Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation Project
SEARCH
: Study of the Effectiveness of Additional Reductions in Cholesterol and
SHEP
: Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program
STEMI
: ST-elevation myocardial infarction
SU.FOL.OM3
: SUpplementation with FOlate, vitamin B6 and B12 and/or OMega-3 fatty acids
Syst-Eur
: Systolic Hypertension in Europe
TNT
: Treating to New Targets
UKPDS
: United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study
VADT
: Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial
VALUE
: Valsartan Antihypertensive Long-term Use
VITATOPS
: VITAmins TO Prevent Stroke
VLDL
: very low-density lipoprotein
WHO
: World Health Organization

### 1.1 Introduction

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic disorder developing insidiously throughout life and usually progressing to an advanced stage by the time symptoms occur. It remains the major cause of premature death in Europe, even though CVD mortality has …

/pdf/european-guidelines-on-cardiovascular-disease-prevention-in-4z4nw4311i.pdf

European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice (Version 2012)

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(05)71141-7.pdf

Long-term cardiovascular outcomes in men with obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea with or without treatment with continuous positive airway pressure: an observational study

Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents summarize and evaluate all currently available evidence on a particular issue with the aim to assist physicians in selecting the best management strategies for a typical patient, suffering from a given condition, taking into account the impact on outcome, as well as the risk–benefit ratio of particular diagnostic or therapeutic means. Guidelines are not substitutes for textbooks. The legal implications of medical guidelines have been discussed previously.

A great number of Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents have been issued in recent years by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) as well as by other societies and organizations. Because of the impact on clinical practice, quality criteria for development of guidelines have been established in order to make all decisions transparent to the user. The recommendations for formulating and issuing ESC Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents can be found on the ESC web site (http://www.escardio.org/knowledge/guidelines/rules).

In brief, experts in the field are selected and undertake a comprehensive review of the published evidence for management and/or prevention of a given condition. A critical evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures is performed, including assessment of the risk–benefit ratio. Estimates of expected health outcomes for larger societies are included, where data exist. The level of evidence and the strength of recommendation of particular treatment options are weighed and graded according to predefined scales, as outlined in the tables below.

The experts of the writing panels have provided disclosure statements of all relationships they may have which might be perceived as real or potential sources of conflicts of interest. These disclosure forms are kept on file at the European Heart House, headquarters of the ESC. Any changes in conflict of interest that arise during the writing period must be notified to the ESC. The Task Force report was entirely …

/pdf/european-guidelines-on-cardiovascular-disease-prevention-in-17acj3uib4.pdf

European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice (version 2012) : the fifth joint task force of the European society of cardiology and other societies on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice (constituted by representatives of nine societies and by invited experts).

2D\n: two-dimensional\n99mTc-DPD\n: 99mTechnetium-3,3-diphosphono- 1,2-propanodi-carboxylic acid\nACE\n: angiotensin-converting enzyme\nAF\n: atrial fibrillation\nAL\n: amyloid light chain\nAR\n: aortic regurgitation\nARB\n: angiotensin receptor blocker\nATTR\n: amyloidosis-transthyretin type\nAV\n: atrioventricular\nBiVAD\n: biventricular assist device\nBNP\n: brain natriuretic peptide\nBPM\n: Beats per minute\nCCS\n: Canadian Cardiovascular Society\nCFC\n: cardiofacialcutaneous\nCHA2DS2-VASc\n: Congestive Heart failure, hypertension, Age ≥75 (doubled), Diabetes, Stroke (doubled), Vascular disease, Age 65–74, and Sex (female)\nCMR\n: cardiac magnetic resonance\nCRT\n: cardiac resynchronization therapy\nCRT-D\n: cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator\nCRT-P\n: Cardiac resynchronization therapy with a pacemaker\nCT\n: computed tomography\nDC\n: direct current\nDNA\n: deoxyribonucleic acid\nE/A\n: ratio of mitral peak velocity of early filling (E) to mitral peak velocity of late filling (A)\nE/e’\n: ratio of early transmitral flow velocity (E) to early mitral annulus velocity (e’)\nEACTS\n: European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery\nECG\n: electrocardiogram\nEF\n: ejection fraction\nEPS\n: electrophysiological study\nESC\n: European Society of Cardiology\nFDA\n: (US) Food and Drug Administration\nFHL1\n: four and a half LIM domains 1\nHAS-BLED\n: hypertension, abnormal renal/liver function, stroke, bleeding history or predisposition, labile INR, elderly (>65 years), drugs/alcohol concomitantly\nHCM\n: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy\nhs-cTnT\n: high sensitivity cardiac troponin T\nHTS\n: high throughput sequencing\nICD\n: implantable cardioverter defibrillator\nILR\n: implantable loop recorder\nINR\n: international normalized ratio\nIUD\n: intrauterine device\nLA\n: left atrium\nLAMP-2\n: lysosome-associated membrane protein 2\nLBBB\n: left bundle branch block\nLEOPARD\n: Lentigines, ECG abnormalities, Ocular hypertelorism, Pulmonary stenosis, Abnormal genitalia, Retardation of growth, and sensory-neural Deafness\nLGE\n: late gadolinium enhancement\nLV\n: left ventricular\nLVAD\n: left ventricular assist device\nLVH\n: left ventricular hypertrophy\nLVOTO\n: left ventricular outlow tract obstruction\nMADIT-RIT\n: Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial—Reduce Inappropriate Therapy\nMAPK\n: mitogen activated protein kinase\nMELAS\n: mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes\nMERFF\n: myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibres\nMRA\n: mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist\nMYBPC3\n: myosin-binding protein C, cardiac-type\nMYH7\n: myosin-7 (s-myosin heavy chain)\nMYL3\n: myosin light chain 3\nNOAC\n: new oral anticoagulants\nNSVT\n: non-sustained ventricular tachycardia\nNT-proBNP\n: N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide\nNYHA\n: New York Heart Association\nOAC\n: oral anticoagulants\no.d.\n: omni die (every day)\nPC-CMR\n: phase contrast cardiac magnetic resonance\nPDE5\n: phosphodiesterase type 5\nPET\n: positron emission tomography\nPRKAG2\n: gamma-2 sub-unit of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase\nRAAS\n: renin angiotensin aldosterone system\nRV\n: right ventricular\nSAM\n: systolic anterior motion\nSCD\n: sudden cardiac death\nSAA\n: septal alcohol ablation\nS-ICD™\n: Subcutaneous lead implantable cardioverter defibrillator\nSPECT\n: single photon emission computed tomography\nSSFP\n: steady-state free precession\nSVT\n: supraventricular tachycardia\nTOE\n: transoesophageal echocardiography\nTNNI3\n: troponin I, cardiac muscle\nTNNT2\n: troponin T, cardiac muscle\nTPM1\n: tropomyosin alpha-1 chain\nTTE\n: transthoracic echocardiography\nTTR\n: transthyretin\nVF\n: ventricular fibrillation\nVKA\n: vitamin K antagonist\nVT\n: ventricular tachycardia\nWHO\n: World Health Organization\n\nGuidelines summarize and evaluate all available evidence at the time of the writing process, on a particular issue with the aim of assisting health professionals in selecting the best management strategies for an individual patient, with a given condition, taking into account the impact on outcome, as well as the risk-benefit-ratio of particular diagnostic or therapeutic means. Guidelines and recommendations should help the health professionals to make decisions in their daily practice. However, the final decisions concerning an individual patient must be made by the responsible health professional(s) in consultation with the patient and caregiver as appropriate.\n\nA great number of Guidelines have been issued in recent years by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) as well as by other societies and organisations. Because of the impact on clinical practice, quality criteria for the development of guidelines have been established in order to make all decisions transparent to the user. The recommendations for formulating and issuing ESC Guidelines can be found on the ESC website (http://www.escardio.org/guidelines-surveys/esc-guidelines/about/Pages/rules-writing.aspx). ESC Guidelines represent the official position of the ESC on a given topic and are regularly updated.\n\nMembers of this Task Force were selected by the ESC to represent professionals involved with the medical care of patients with this pathology. Selected experts in the field undertook a comprehensive review of the published evidence for management (including diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation) of a given condition according to ESC Committee for Practice Guidelines (CPG) policy. A critical evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was performed including assessment of the risk-benefit-ratio. Estimates of expected health outcomes for larger populations were included, where data exist. The level of evidence and the strength of recommendation of particular management options were weighed and graded according to predefined scales, as outlined in Tables 1 and 2 .\n\nThe experts of …

2014 ESC Guidelines on diagnosis and management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy The Task Force for the Diagnosis and Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

Other experts who contributed to parts of the guidelines: Edmond Walma, Schoonhoven (The Netherlands), Tony Fitzgerald, Dublin (Ireland), Marie Therese Cooney, Dublin (Ireland), Alexandra Dudina, Dublin (Ireland) European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Committee for Practice Guidelines (CPG):, Alec Vahanian (Chairperson) (France), John Camm (UK), Raffaele De Caterina (Italy), Veronica Dean (France), Kenneth Dickstein (Norway), Christian Funck-Brentano (France), Gerasimos Filippatos (Greece), Irene Hellemans (The Netherlands), Steen Dalby Kristensen (Denmark), Keith McGregor (France), Udo Sechtem (Germany), Sigmund Silber (Germany), Michal Tendera (Poland), Petr Widimsky (Czech Republic), Jose Luis Zamorano (Spain)Document reviewers: Irene Hellemans (CPG Review Coordinator) (The Netherlands), Attila Altiner (Germany), Enzo Bonora (Italy), Paul N. Durrington (UK), Robert Fagard (Belgium), Simona Giampaoli(Italy), Harry Hemingway (UK), Jan Hakansson (Sweden), Sverre Erik Kjeldsen (Norway), Mogens Lytken Larsen ...

/pdf/european-guidelines-on-cardiovascular-disease-prevention-in-4vlgh0a6w5.pdf

European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: full text. Fourth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and other societies on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice (constituted by representatives of nine societies and by invited experts).

Aim The aim of this long-term prospective study was to evaluate the effect of treating obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) on the rate of cardiovascular events in coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods and results We prospectively studied 54 patients (mean age 57.3±10.1 years) with both CAD (⩾70% coronary artery stenosis) and OSA (apnoea–hypopnoea index ⩾15). In 25 patients, OSA was treated with continuous positive airway pressure \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \((n=21)\) \end{document} or upper airway surgery \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \((n=4)\) \end{document}; the remaining 29 patients declined treatment for their OSA. The median follow-up was 86.5±39 months. The two groups were similar at baseline in age, body mass index, smoking history, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus, number of diseased vessels, left ventricular ejection fraction, and CAD therapy. Treatment of risk factors other than OSA was similar in the two groups. The endpoint (a composite of cardiovascular death, acute coronary syndrome, hospitalisation for heart failure, or need for coronary revascularisation) was reached in 6 (6/25, 24%) and 17 (17/29, 58%) patients with and without OSA treatment, respectively \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \((P{<}0.01)\) \end{document}. OSA treatment significantly reduced the risk of occurrence of the composite endpoint (hazard ratio 0.24; 95% confidence interval, 0.09–0.62; \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(p{<}0.01\) \end{document}) and of each of its components.

Conclusions Our data indicate that the treatment of OSA in CAD patients is associated with a decrease in the occurrence of new cardiovascular events, and an increase in the time to such events.

/pdf/benefits-of-obstructive-sleep-apnoea-treatment-in-coronary-3hzohq8k2y.pdf

Benefits of obstructive sleep apnoea treatment in coronary artery disease: a long-term follow-up study

Prevalence and characteristics of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in Tako-Tsubo syndrome.

Among 4,551 patients referred to the investigators' catheterization laboratory, 1,613 presented with acute coronary syndrome, and 12 had confirmed Tako-Tsubo syndrome (prevalence 0.7%). In conclusion, the present study emphasizes the underestimation of this new heart disease.

Prevalence of Tako-Tsubo Syndrome in a Large Urban Agglomeration

The aim of this study was to characterize left ventricular (LV) systolic function using 2-dimensional strain in Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC). Forty-two women were prospectively studied using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography, divided into 3 groups: 14 patients with TTC (group 1), 14 patients with coronary artery disease (group 2), and 14 healthy patients (group 3). In patients with TTC, mean values of systolic peak velocity, strain, and strain rate were significantly lower than those in group 3 (p <0.04), but these values were similar between the basal septum and lateral wall, between the middle septum and lateral wall, and between the apical septum and lateral wall. LV ejection fractions were significantly improved during follow-up (p <0.0001). All values of velocities were significantly increased at day 7 compared with the acute phase (p < or =0.01). This improvement differed between the middle septum and lateral wall (p <0.0001), and values for the middle septum and lateral wall in patients with TTC were not significantly different from those observed in patients with coronary artery disease (p = NS). At 1-month follow-up, no significant difference was noted between patients in groups 1 and 3. In conclusion, 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography is a reliable tool for assessing circular dysfunction in patients with TTC. Once the acute phase has passed, TTC may mimic the LV systematized dysfunction observed in patients with coronary artery disease and so lead to misdiagnosis. This novel echocardiographic technique can also be used in the follow-up of LV functional recovery.

Usefulness of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography for assessment of Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy.

Fifty consecutive patients referred to a coronary care unit for acute anterior myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation underwent coronary arteriography, left ventricular (LV) angiography, and revascularization. Transthoracic echocardiography was systematically performed using fundamental imaging, second harmonic imaging, and contrast agents to assess the LV chamber. Six patients (12%) presented with a confirmed LV mural thrombus. Thirty-five percent of patients with time to revascularization >3 hours presented with an LV mural thrombus versus 0 patients with time to revascularization ≤3 hours (p = 0.003). The most accurate method of detecting LV mural thrombus was contrast echocardiography regardless of physician experience. No patient with a misdiagnosis of thrombus had an optimal acoustic window using fundamental imaging or second harmonic imaging. In conclusion, patients presenting with acute anterior myocardial infarction could benefit from contrast echocardiography for assessment of LV mural thrombus when acoustic windows are suboptimal and time to revascularization is >3 hours.

Rémy Pillière

Papers

Benefits of obstructive sleep apnoea treatment in coronary artery disease: a long-term follow-up study

Prevalence and characteristics of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in Tako-Tsubo syndrome.

Prevalence of Tako-Tsubo Syndrome in a Large Urban Agglomeration

Usefulness of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography for assessment of Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy.

Usefulness of Contrast Echocardiography for Assessment of Left Ventricular Thrombus After Acute Myocardial Infarction