ABSTRACT
Left main coronary artery (LMCA) revascularization remains a critical part of coronary artery disease (CAD) management as it improves patients' prognoses by reducing all-cause and cardiac mortality [...].
ABSTRACT
One of the most frequent complications following coronary revascularization is cardiac myonecrosis characterized by an elevation of cardiac biomarkers, particularly with the implementation of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin. In the last decades, various definitions of periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction have been proposed, based on different cardiac biomarkers, various thresholds, and the need for additional ischemic features. In this review, we aim at providing insights on the mechanisms involved in periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction following percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting, the strengths and limitations of the available definitions and their clinical implications. We also provide an updated description of preventive strategies that have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials to avoid these complications as well as patient-level and lesion-level risk factors to better anticipate and rebalance the indication for coronary revascularization and plan adequate post-procedure monitoring.
ABSTRACT
A novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing an international outbreak of respiratory illness described as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 infects human cells by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. Small studies suggest that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers may upregulate the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, affecting susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. This may be of great importance considering the large number of patients worldwide who are treated with RAS blockers, and the well-proven clinical benefit of these treatments in several cardiovascular conditions. In contrast, RAS blockers have also been associated with better outcomes in pneumonia models, and may be beneficial in COVID-19. This review sought to analyse the evidence regarding RAS blockers in the context of COVID-19 and to perform a pooled analysis of the published observational studies to guide clinical decision making. A total of 21 studies were included, comprising 11,539 patients, of whom 3417 (29.6%) were treated with RAS blockers. All-cause mortality occurred in 587/3417 (17.1%) patients with RAS blocker treatment and in 982/8122 (12.1%) patients without RAS blocker treatment (odds ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.69-1.45; P=0.49; I2=84%). As several hypotheses can be drawn from experimental analysis, we also present the ongoing randomized studies assessing the efficacy and safety of RAS blockers in patients with COVID-19. In conclusion, according to the current data and the results of the pooled analysis, there is no evidence supporting any harmful effect of RAS blockers on the course of patients with COVID-19, and it seems reasonable to recommend their continuation.
