Dear Editor, In the edition of Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia, Mengjin Hu et al. evaluated the benefit of early invasive strategy for elderly patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), concluding that this strategy yields positive results in reducing myocardial infarction, major adverse cardiac events, and urgent revascularization outcomes. However, we have concerns regarding the authors’ claim of superiority and the relevance of the chosen outcomes for this specific population. Firstly, these outcomes (ischemia-driven outcomes) are mostly surrogate endpoints based on […]

To the Editor, We read with great interest the article: “Cost-Effectiveness of Using the Coronary Calcium Score to Guide Therapeutic Decisions in Primary Prevention in the Brazilian Population” The study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using the calcium score in therapeutic guidance for primary cardiovascular prevention. The analysis was based on population data from the “ Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA),” a cohort of 6,814 participants from different study centers in the United States. The inferences made by the […]

In China, December 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection rapidly evolved into a pandemic. The S protein from the SARS-CoV-2 virus binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2), which is part of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), to serve as a cell-entry receptor. These receptors are widely expressed in the heart, intestines, kidneys, pancreas and respiratory tract. The RAAS is a signaling pathway that acts as a homeostatic regulator of vascular function, responsible for blood pressure control. ACE 2 is an enzyme […]

The Hypertension Guidelines of the Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia (SBC), Brazilian Society of Hypertension (BSH), and Brazilian Society of Nephrology (BSN) recommend the use of loop diuretics to replace thiazides in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 4 and 5, who have glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≤ 30ml/min/1.73m2. These guidelines are in line with other guidelines, such as the European Hypertension Guideline (ESC/ESH 2018), which states that thiazide and thiazide-like diuretics are less effective in patients with GFR < [...]

Isolated coronary artery ectasia (ICAE) is frequently encountered in clinical practice with increasing invasive imaging methods, and our knowledge about its etiology, prognosis, and treatment approaches is increasing daily., We read with great interest the recent retrospective study of Dindas et al., which deals with the relationship between the Systemic Immune Inflammation Index (SII) and ICAE. It has been suggested that SII neutrophils, platelets, and lymphocytes collected in a single fraction may be a good indicator of inflammation and immune […]

Dear Editor I appreciate the efforts of Alves et al. when they tried to evaluate all-cause in-hospital mortality in patients admitted for STEMI and NSTEMI in hospitals in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2000 onward, concluding that in-hospital mortality in low- and middle-income countries was high in comparison with rates reported in high-income countries and to improve these estimates, higher use of reperfusion therapy must be pursued. […]

Surgical procedures for replacing body structures through prostheses are perhaps the medical interventions that require great expertise and continuous monitoring, prolonging the lives and health of countless people. This was a theme of the research entitled “ Clinical Features and Survival Analysis of Patients after Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement, with an Emphasis on Prosthetic Valve Thrombosis ” by Tagliari et al. published in volume 119, number 5 of this journal. Among the various contributions the study brings us, some findings […]

Dear Editor, We read with great interest the article: Comparison of Novel Martin/Hopkins and Sampson Equations for Calculation of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Diabetic Patients. The study compared the Martin/Hopkins (LDL-Cmh), Sampson (LDL-Cs), and Friedewald (LDL-Cf) equations with directly obtained low-density lipoprotein (LDL-Cd). The aim was to analyze which would have a greater agreement with LDL-Cd in diabetic patients and investigate how these new equations could change clinical decision-making compared to LDL-Cf. […]

Dear Editor, Kalkan et al. assessed the predictive value of the congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes mellitus, prior stroke, vascular disease, age, sex category (CHA2DS2-VASc) score for residual SYNTAX score (rSS) among patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). The study included 688 patients divided into a low rSS group (group 1; scores up to 8) and a high rSS group (group 2; scores above 8). […]

Dear Editor, We would like to share ideas on the publication “Association of Paraoxonase-1 Genotype and Phenotype with Angiogram Positive Coronary Artery Disease”. Soflaei et al. noted that The presence of the G allele of the rs662 single nucleotide polymorphism is independently associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). The effect of polymorphism is investigated in this study. CAD might or might not be impacted by the hereditary component studied in this report. We both concur that […]