Current Opinion in Cardiology 

About: Current Opinion in Cardiology is an academic journal published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Heart failure & Medicine. It has an ISSN identifier of 0268-4705. Over the lifetime, 2821 publications have been published receiving 68763 citations.

Diagnosis and management of the metabolic syndrome: an American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute scientific statement.

Abstract: The metabolic syndrome has received increased attention in the past few years. This statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is intended to provide up-to-date guidance for professionals on the diagnosis and management of the metabolic syndrome in adults. The metabolic syndrome is a constellation of interrelated risk factors of metabolic origin— metabolic risk factors —that appear to directly promote the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).1 Patients with the metabolic syndrome also are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Another set of conditions, the underlying risk factors , give rise to the metabolic risk factors. In the past few years, several expert groups have attempted to set forth simple diagnostic criteria to be used in clinical practice to identify patients who manifest the multiple components of the metabolic syndrome. These criteria have varied somewhat in specific elements, but in general they include a combination of both underlying and metabolic risk factors. The most widely recognized of the metabolic risk factors are atherogenic dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, and elevated plasma glucose. Individuals with these characteristics commonly manifest a prothrombotic state and a pro-inflammatory state as well. Atherogenic dyslipidemia consists of an aggregation of lipoprotein abnormalities including elevated serum triglyceride and apolipoprotein B (apoB), increased small LDL particles, and a reduced level of HDL cholesterol (HDL-C). The metabolic syndrome is often referred to as if it were a discrete entity with a single cause. Available data suggest that it truly is a syndrome, ie, a grouping of ASCVD risk factors, but one that probably has more than one cause. Regardless of cause, the syndrome identifies individuals at an elevated risk for ASCVD. The magnitude of the increased risk can vary according to which components of the syndrome are …

Health benefits of physical activity: a systematic review of current systematic reviews.

Abstract: Purpose of reviewThe health benefits of physical activity and exercise are clear; virtually everyone can benefit from becoming more physically active. Most international guidelines recommend a goal of 150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity. Many agencies have translated the

The thin-cap fibroatheroma: a type of vulnerable plaque: The major precursor lesion to acute coronary syndromes

Abstract: While the concept of plaque 'vulnerability' implies a propensity towards thrombosis, the term vulnerable was originally intended to provide a morphologic description consistent with plaques that are prone to rupture. It is now known that the etiology of coronary thrombi is diverse and can arise from entities of plaque erosion or calcified nodules. These findings have prompted the search for more definitive terminology to describe precursor lesions associated with rupture, now referred to as thin-cap fibroatheromas. This review focuses on the thin-cap fibroatheroma, as a specific cause of acute coronary syndromes. To put these issues into current perspective, we need to revisit some of the older literature describing plaque morphology in stable and unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction, and sudden coronary death. The morphology, frequency, and precise location of these thin-cap fibroatheromas are further discussed in detail. Potential mechanisms of fibrous cap thinning are also addressed, in particular emerging data, which suggests the role of cell death "apoptosis" in cap atrophy.

Heart rate variability.

Abstract: Heart rate variability is a recognized tool for the estimation of cardiac autonomic modulations. Recently, several studies have advanced the field of heart rate variability in three areas: 1) in technical modes of electrocardiogram processing and heart rate variability assessment, 2) in physiologic understanding and interpretation, and 3) in clinical and practical use. The most recent technical studies concentrate on the analysis of nonlinear aspects of heart period variations and on coherence between electrocardiogram variability and other physiologic factors such as respiration. Principal physiologic investigations studied the components of heart rate variability attributable to the individual limbs of the autonomic nervous system. It is becoming recognized that behavior and responses to the environment, including the psychosocial environment, play an important role in long-term heart rate variability. Established clinical applications of heart rate variability are presently restricted to the assessment of risk after myocardial infarction and to the early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy. Nevertheless, recent studies indicate that heart rate variability might soon become a similarly powerful tool for risk prediction and monitoring of disease progression in congestive heart failure and for monitoring or reinnervation after heart transplantation.

Medication adherence: a key factor in achieving blood pressure control and good clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients.

Abstract: Purpose of reviewPatients’ adherence to antihypertensive drug regimens is a complex but important factor in achieving blood pressure control and reducing adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Approximately one half of patients with hypertension adhere to prescribed medications, and fewer than one in thre