Abstract Background The H2FPEF and HFA-PEFF scores were developed to support the diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and may also help predict cardiovascular outcomes. Objective To assess the prognostic value of these scores in a cohort of individuals with HFpEF. Methods This prospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Brazil between March 2019 and December 2021. After clinical evaluation, echocardiography, and exercise testing, the H2FPEF and HFA-PEFF scores were calculated. Patients were classified into […]

Abstract Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) represents a frequent observation in clinical practice. Nonetheless, the hypertrophic phenotype emerges as a common manifestation of diverse conditions, thereby presenting a diagnostic conundrum for clinicians. Differentiation among the etiologies of LVH is imperative for therapy decision-making, as different approaches must be implemented for distinct conditions, such as LVH secondary to loading changes, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), or HCM mimics. In some instances, an erroneous or late diagnosis may lead to a progression of the underlying […]

Abstract After fourteen decades of medical and technological evolution, infective endocarditis continues to challenge physicians in its daily diagnosis and management. Its increasing incidence, demographic shifts (affecting older patients), microbiology with higher rates of Staphylococcus infection, still frequent serious complications and substantial mortality make endocarditis a very complex disease. Despite this, innovations in the diagnosis, involving microbiology and imaging, and improvements in intensive care and cardiac surgical techniques, materials and timing can impact the prognosis of this disease. Ongoing challenges […]

Abstract Background Amyloidosis is defined as a disorder characterized by the deposition of extracellular protein material of amyloid in tissues. Objectives N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is used to predict the cardiac amyloidosis (CA), but its diagnostic effect on CA involvement remains unclear, especially in terms of specificity and sensitivity. Methods A search for literature was conducted in the Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases, and QUADAS 2 was used for quality assessment. Midas command in Stata 12.0 was used […]

Abstract In the last decades, important advances have been made in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a severe, progressive, incurable, and potentially fatal disease. For an adequate therapy, correct hemodynamic diagnosis and etiology classification are fundamental. Many etiologies – rheumatic disease, portal hypertension, congenital heart diseases, schistosomiasis – require specific measures, in addition to drug therapy for PAH. The specific therapy for PAH is based on medications that act on three pathophysiological pathways – prostacyclin, endothelin, and nitric […]

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