Current Cardiology Reports[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Women's Cardiovascular Disease Care.
Chung J, Thangathurai J, Andrade-Bucknor S … +4 more , Parashar S, Carta KG, Epp M, Ma C
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40540063 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review current artificial intelligence (AI) applications impacting cardiovascular disease care in women. RECENT FINDINGS: Women differ from men in cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, presentation, a...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review current artificial intelligence (AI) applications impacting cardiovascular disease care in women. RECENT FINDINGS: Women differ from men in cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, presentation, and treatment response, yet face disparities due to underrepresentation in trials and referral bias. AI applications offer promising tools to close these gaps by enhancing screening, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. This review explores female representation, outcomes, and future directions in AI-driven advancements in coronary artery disease, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, valvular heart disease, ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathies, including peripartum cardiovascular disease. AI holds the potential to transform cardiovascular disease care in women by leveraging multidimensional datasets for sex-specific screening, risk prediction, prognostic phenomapping and therapeutic decision support. Expanding female representation and integrating sex-specific factors in AI research are essential to minimize bias, ensure robust external validation and enable equitable, scalable implementation.
Macrophage Containing Cardiac Organoids for Studying Inflammatory Programmes Driving Cardiovascular Disease.
Hunter CR, Hudson JE
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40537701 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: There are specialised heart populations of macrophages that arise from diverse origins in vivo. Incorporating these into human pluripotent derived cardiac organoids (hCOs) provides a new method to stud...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: There are specialised heart populations of macrophages that arise from diverse origins in vivo. Incorporating these into human pluripotent derived cardiac organoids (hCOs) provides a new method to study their role in cardiac function and disease. Herein, we review this topic and propose future directions. RECENT FINDINGS: Macrophages are particularly important and exert positive and negative influences during the pathogenesis of disease, and resolution after injury. The heart microenvironment imprints specific functions into cardiac macrophages including efferocytosis of mitochrondria, control of electrical conduction and control of stromal and parenchymal homeostasis in the heart. Initial studies using hCOs has shown that incorporating macrophages improves maturation and disease modelling. We highlight key in vivo functions have been shown by macrophages in hCOs. However, outstanding questions remain and represent exciting research avenues in the future. An important avenue being incorporation of the macrophage phenotypic diversity recently shown in vivo.
In-Stent Restenosis: Incidence, Mechanisms, and Treatment Options.
Sola M, Tugaoen Z, Willis J … +1 more , Stouffer GA
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40536538 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of up-to-date treatment practices for in-stent restenosis (ISR). RECENT FINDINGS: ISR is treated with similar effectiveness by paclitaxel drug coated balloons and second-generati...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of up-to-date treatment practices for in-stent restenosis (ISR). RECENT FINDINGS: ISR is treated with similar effectiveness by paclitaxel drug coated balloons and second-generation drug eluting stents. Sirolimus coated balloons are an emerging technology that requires further investigation. The management of ISR remains challenging even with the newest generation of drug-eluting stents. The use of intravascular imaging is highly recommended to identify the mechanisms of stent failure and to tailor the method of treatment, whether it is plain old balloon angioplasty, plaque/calcium modifying tools such as intravascular lithotripsy or rotational atherectomy, additional drug eluting stents, or drug coated balloons. Paclitaxel drug coated balloons are the most recent technological advancement which has provided an option to treat ISR that doesn't require further layers of metal. Currently, other drug coatings are being studied but it is unclear whether these balloons are as effective as paclitaxel coated balloons, with ongoing trials designed to answer this question.
Current Status of Cardiovascular Disease in Asian Americans: One Size Does Not Fit All.
Mei P, Levitzky YS, Parashar S … +3 more , Rao RA, Kondapalli L, Le DE
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40528042 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an updated summary of knowledge about cardiovascular disease in Asian Americans living in the United States. RECENT FINDINGS: Asian Americans living in the United States are a heterogenous a...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an updated summary of knowledge about cardiovascular disease in Asian Americans living in the United States. RECENT FINDINGS: Asian Americans living in the United States are a heterogenous and diverse group of individuals with variable coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke prevalence and risks and mortality rates. Compared to other Asian American subgroups, East Asians tend to have lower coronary artery disease risks, South Asians have high prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risks, particularly diabetes, and Southeast Asians have high rates of hypertension and age-adjusted stroke mortality death rate. Multiple studies have demonstrated disparities among various Asian Americans subgroups in cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and stroke risk. Valvular heart disease, arrhythmia, pharmacotherapy treatment, and procedural outcome data are limited. It is important to report disaggregated and sex-specific data in future clinical trials not only for racial groups but also for Asian American ethnic subgroups.
Cardiac Regeneration and Repair in Zebrafish and Mammalian Models.
Travisano SI, Lien CL
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40527972 · Full text
AIM: In this review, we discuss the regenerative processes in the heart, focusing on non-cardiomyocyte cell populations (fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cells) in zebrafish and mammals. We highlight the role o...
AIM: In this review, we discuss the regenerative processes in the heart, focusing on non-cardiomyocyte cell populations (fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cells) in zebrafish and mammals. We highlight the role of signaling pathways in heart repair and the potential for therapeutic strategies based on these mechanisms. PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The review examines key molecular and cellular mechanisms in cardiac regeneration, with a focus on fibroblasts, immune modulation, and endothelial function, to identify strategies for enhancing heart repair. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent advancements in characterization of different cell types at the single cell level, along with the discovery of regeneration enhancer elements, have opened new avenues for cardiac regeneration. Targeting the epicardium, along with fibroblast activation, immune modulation, and endothelial signaling, may offer therapeutic strategies to enhance heart regeneration by supporting cardiomyocytes in mice and humans. While non-cardiomyocytes in zebrafish contribute to heart regeneration, in mice and humans, these cells often drive fibrosis instead. Understanding these species-specific differences is crucial for optimizing therapeutic approaches to treat cardiac injury and prevent fibrosis.
Cardiovascular Care in Women Veterans: An Updated Profile.
Mei P, Cotiga D, Mahana I … +4 more , Gilani N, Dew ML, Parashar S, Le DE
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40504328 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an updated summary of the burden and care of cardiovascular disease in women veterans. RECENT FINDINGS: Women veterans can develop atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at a much earlier ag...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an updated summary of the burden and care of cardiovascular disease in women veterans. RECENT FINDINGS: Women veterans can develop atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at a much earlier age of 30 years compared to non-veteran women. Those who experienced chronic stress and environmental exposures were more likely to develop early menopause and premature coronary artery disease. Despite major improvements in therapeutic options for cardiovascular disease, the mortality rate of women veterans continues to rise while that of their counterparts has steadily decreased. Women veterans is the fastest growing group of the veteran population. This is a unique and diverse population with a complex intersection of traditional, sex-specific, and military service-related risks for cardiovascular disease. They have a higher prevalence of both traditional and non-traditional risk factors compared to non-veteran women and are especially impacted by depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, military sexual trauma, and housing instability.
Psychological Aspects of Wearable Health Technologies in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: A Literature Review and Call to Action.
Gaffey AE, Hooker SA, Lampert R … +2 more , Gehi AK, Rosman L
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40478308 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review summarizes the psychological effects of consumer wearables in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) and helps to identify remaining challenges that must be resolved to supp...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review summarizes the psychological effects of consumer wearables in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) and helps to identify remaining challenges that must be resolved to support the appropriate implementation of wearables. RECENT FINDINGS: Consumer wearables (e.g., smartwatches, portable rhythm devices, rings, fitness bands, skin-surface patches) are increasingly used "off label" by patients and healthcare providers for ambulatory CVD monitoring and lifestyle modification. Emerging research suggests that while these technologies can motivate some patients to engage in healthy behaviors, they can also provoke adverse psychological reactions in others. Additionally, there are unintended, downstream consequences for clinicians and healthcare systems. Wearables show great promise for enhancing CVD management by providing patients and clinicians with continuous data on key health metrics that can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Yet, the potential risks associated with their use must be acknowledged, rigorously investigated, and appropriately managed. Findings from this review emphasize the need for large, well-designed prospective studies and randomized trials to evaluate a broad range of wearable technologies and their influence on patients' mental health, quality of life, and CVD self-management over longer time periods and in high-risk groups (e.g., women, minorities, and children), and to determine their impact on patient outcomes, provider burden, healthcare utilization and costs. Addressing these challenges is crucial for fully integrating wearable health technologies into clinical practice.
Multilevel Racism and Discrimination and Cardiovascular Disease and Related Biopsychosocial Mechanisms: An Integrated Scoping and Literature Review and Future Research Agenda.
Moody DLB, Pantesco EJ, Novruz A … +7 more , Tchangalova N, Sadler RC, White Whilby K, Ashe J, Gee GC, Hill LK, Waldstein SR
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40465036 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In the last two decades, empirical research has significantly advanced our understanding of the link between discrimination and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This integrated scoping and narrative liter...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In the last two decades, empirical research has significantly advanced our understanding of the link between discrimination and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This integrated scoping and narrative literature review delineates the extant peer-reviewed research on discrimination and clinical and subclinical CVD in samples that include Black adults, using a multilevel conceptualization of race-related discrimination and racism. We also identify potential intermediary mechanisms in the racism-CVD relationship and propose a comprehensive future research agenda. RECENT FINDINGS: Using the Population, Exposure and Outcome framework and PRISMA guidelines, we identified 37 empirical reports for inclusion drawn from 1900 to 2024. The bulk of the literature has focused on discrimination and racism that occurs at the interpersonal level (28 studies), while a smaller but growing body of work has examined cultural (5 studies) or institutional and structural-level racism and discrimination (4 studies) in relation to CVD risk. The majority of these studies show that greater exposure to discrimination or racism is associated with increased clinical or subclinical CVD risk. Potential pathways include societal, environmental, psychological, and biological factors; however, few studies have conducted formal tests of mediation. The literature suggests robust relations of multilevel racism and discrimination to manifestations of CVD across diverse exposure and outcome measures in Black adults. Our recommendations to eliminate cardiovascular health inequities in Black communities include enhancing academic scholarship training, securing targeted and protected funding, and adopting more robust methodological approaches.
Interventional Management of Intracoronary Dissection/Hematoma: A Comprehensive Review.
Giannino F, Carciotto G, Pallante F … +12 more , Monciino G, Mancuso M, Raspanti D, Iuvara G, Ajello M, Lo Giudice S, Marchetta M, La Cola S, Cusmà Piccione M, Virga V, Micari A, Vizzari G
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Jun · PMID 40459672 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Intracoronary dissection and hematoma are rare but significant causes of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), often leading to myocardial ischemia and infarction. Given their heterogeneous clinical presenta...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Intracoronary dissection and hematoma are rare but significant causes of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), often leading to myocardial ischemia and infarction. Given their heterogeneous clinical presentation and the limited evidence on optimal management strategies, this review aims to evaluate current treatment approaches, including conservative, percutaneous, and surgical options, while highlighting emerging innovations and future research directions. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies emphasize the role of advanced intracoronary imaging techniques, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), in improving diagnostic accuracy and guiding therapeutic decisions. Conservative management is increasingly recognized as a viable option for stable patients, offering favorable long-term outcomes. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is indicated in cases with ongoing ischemia, hemodynamic instability, or high-risk anatomical features, though it carries risks such as dissection propagation and coronary rupture. Surgical intervention remains essential in cases of failed PCI or left main stem involvement, demonstrating high survival rates despite procedural challenges. Tailored therapeutic strategies, informed by patient-specific factors and intracoronary imaging, are crucial for optimizing outcomes in intracoronary dissection and hematoma. While conservative management is effective in selected cases, PCI and surgical interventions remain vital for high-risk patients. Future research should focus on refining risk stratification tools, improving imaging modalities, and developing standardized treatment algorithms to enhance patient care and clinical outcomes.
The Impact of Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Profile in Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
Akbari T, Hammersley DJ, May CY … +2 more , Halliday BP, Prasad SK
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 May · PMID 40410614 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Dilated cardiomyopathy is an important contributor to heart failure burden worldwide. With an aging population and rising multimorbidity, in this review, we describe the prevalence of metabolic syndrom...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Dilated cardiomyopathy is an important contributor to heart failure burden worldwide. With an aging population and rising multimorbidity, in this review, we describe the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and renal failure in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and focus on common underlying mechanisms, evaluate outcomes in these patients and highlight newer therapeutic strategies. RECENT FINDINGS: A significant proportion of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy has concomitant metabolic syndrome and renal disease. This combination of multimorbidity portends worse prognosis and often presents unique challenges in treatment given the complex interplay and shared pathophysiological pathways. Optimization of the cardio-renal-metabolic profile should be a key consideration in the management of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Therapeutic strategies targeting common pathophysiological pathways are needed in order to improve overall outcomes.
Reproducibility of F-Sodium Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography for Assessing Microcalcification in Coronary Arterial and Thoracic Aortic Atherosclerosis: Is the Signal below the Resolution of PET?
Fanta O, Patil S, Werner T … +2 more , Torigian DA, Alavi A
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 May · PMID 40369378 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The rising prevalence of atherosclerosis has prompted the development of novel diagnostic methods capable of identifying early-stage disease when therapeutic interventions may be most effective. F-sodi...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The rising prevalence of atherosclerosis has prompted the development of novel diagnostic methods capable of identifying early-stage disease when therapeutic interventions may be most effective. F-sodium fluoride (NaF) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is a molecular imaging technique that can quantify subclinical microcalcification in arterial plaque. The focus of this review article is to discuss the utility of F-NaF PET/CT in assessing atherosclerotic disease of major susceptible blood vessels, particularly the coronary arteries and thoracic aorta. RECENT FINDINGS: F-NaF uptake observed on PET imaging demonstrates promising potential as a marker of atherosclerotic burden in individual coronary arteries, whole heart segmentations, and the thoracic aorta. Global versus focal assessment of F-NaF uptake in small arteries is a significant source of methodological heterogeneity among studies. The accuracy and reproducibility of F-NaF PET/CT may be improved by standardized quantification methods in light of the limited spatial resolution of PET, particularly through the use of techniques to evaluate global atherosclerotic burden.
Polygenic Risk Scores in Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Towards the Future.
Kramarenko DR, Jurgens SJ, Pinto YM … +2 more , Bezzina CR, Amin AS
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 May · PMID 40369171 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have recently shown that common genetic variations significantly affect the risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This has enabled the development of...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have recently shown that common genetic variations significantly affect the risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This has enabled the development of polygenic scores (PGSs), which aim to aggregate the impact of multiple common genetic variants across the genome to provide an overall genetic risk score for disease manifestation and disease severity. In this review, we discuss the latest findings pertaining to GWASs and PGSs for DCM and various ways in which PGSs could improve the management of patients with DCM or risk of developing DCM. RECENT FINDINGS: In 2024 the two largest GWAS meta-analyses for DCM were published. Notably, both studies produced PGSs that were able to discriminate healthy subjects from DCM patients which brings promise for potential clinical application of the scores. Large-scale GWAS have identified common genetic variants associated with DCM, leading to the development of PGS, which show strong associations with disease risk and hold potential for clinical applications. However, before clinical implementation, further research is needed to explore their utility in real-world settings and across diverse populations.
Mutual Regulation of Cardiovascular and Hematopoietic Development.
Liu N, Nakano H, Nakano A
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Apr · PMID 40261519 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems share molecular mechanisms and regulatory interactions across species. Endocardial hematopoiesis, a debated topic in mice, is actually an evolutionarily con...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems share molecular mechanisms and regulatory interactions across species. Endocardial hematopoiesis, a debated topic in mice, is actually an evolutionarily conserved process from Drosophila. This review explores the origins and significance of endocardial hematopoiesis, highlighting its role in cardiac development and macrophage formation. RECENT FINDINGS: Despite extensive lineage-tracing and transcriptome studies, it remained unclear until single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) identified that endocardial cells possess an intrinsic hematopoietic program independent of known hematopoietic organs. These endocardial-derived macrophages contribute uniquely to cardiac morphogenesis, supporting valve maturation and tissue remodeling. Endocardial hematopoiesis is an evolutionarily conserved phenomenon that is essential for developmental process. The heterogeneity of tissue-resident macrophages and their specialized functions in cardiac development have been further unraveled by single-cell analysis. This review provides an evolutionary perspective on endocardial hematopoiesis and highlights its critical contributions of hematopoietic cells to heart formation and homeostasis.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Guidance for the Pathogenetic Definition of Cardiomyopathies.
Paudel B, Pan J, Singulane CC … +5 more , Wang S, Thomas M, Ayers M, Philips S, Patel AR
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Apr · PMID 40238040 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pathogenetics is the study of genetics in disease pathogenesis. Many abnormal gene alleles have been identified in cardiomyopathies, but their clinical utility remains limited. This review aims to exam...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pathogenetics is the study of genetics in disease pathogenesis. Many abnormal gene alleles have been identified in cardiomyopathies, but their clinical utility remains limited. This review aims to examine the integration of cardiac MRI (CMR) with genetic data to enhance early detection, prognostication, and treatment strategies for cardiomyopathies. RECENT FINDINGS: CMR is the gold standard imaging modality for cardiomyopathy evaluation, capable of detecting subtle structural and functional changes throughout the disease course. When applied to patients with genetic mutations, with or without phenotypic expression, CMR aids in early diagnosis and risk stratification. Cardiomyopathies can be categorized into at least seven clinical groups based on morphology, function, and genetic associations: (1) Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), (2) Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), (3) Restrictive cardiomyopathy, including transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR-CM), iron overload, and Anderson-Fabry disease, (4) Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), (5) Non-dilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy (NDLVC), (6) Peripartum cardiomyopathy, and (7) Muscular dystrophy-related cardiomyopathy. We have described left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) as a morphological trait rather than a distinct cardiomyopathy. Emerging CMR and genetic data suggest an inflammatory component in DCM and ACM, with potential therapeutic implications for immunotherapy. Advanced CMR techniques, such as quantitative perfusion, can distinguish cardiomyopathies from ischemic heart disease and detect early microvascular dysfunction, particularly in ATTR-CM and HCM. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and parametric mapping (T1 and extracellular volume [ECV]) further enhance early diagnosis, prognostication and treatment response by assessing fibrosis and myocardial composition. The integration of CMR and genetic insights improves our understanding of cardiomyopathy pathogenesis, aiding in early diagnosis and prognostic assessment. Future research should leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze genetic and radiomic CMR features, including perfusion data, to establish a comprehensive pathogenetic framework. This approach could refine disease classification, identify novel therapeutic targets, and advance precision medicine in cardiomyopathy management.
Cardiovascular Outcomes After Acute Coronary Syndrome in Persons Living with HIV: A Scoping Review.
Iskhakov D, Deleger JN, Plutzky J … +2 more , Triant VA, Hyle EP
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Apr · PMID 40227544 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Over the past twenty-five years, a growing body of research has investigated outcomes after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event in persons with HIV (PWH). In this scoping review, we assessed the pub...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Over the past twenty-five years, a growing body of research has investigated outcomes after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event in persons with HIV (PWH). In this scoping review, we assessed the published literature on outcomes after a prior ACS event in PWH compared to persons without HIV (PWoH) in the US and Europe. RECENT FINDINGS: Of 27 studies of secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, 15 studies found a greater incidence of recurrent ACS, heart failure, in-stent thrombosis, revascularization, restenosis, and mortality in PWH after a prior ACS event compared to PWoH. PWH were more likely to present with STEMI, less likely to receive percutaneous coronary intervention, and more likely to exhibit an active inflammatory state. The remaining 12 studies found no significant difference in outcomes after a prior ACS event. PWH may face an increased risk of adverse outcomes after ACS that differ in presentation and management compared with PWoH. Larger observational studies are needed to assess outcomes after a prior ACS event in PWH compared to PWoH and improve clinical management.
Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT for the Assessment of Light-Chain Cardiac Amyloidosis: A Promising Risk- Stratification Imaging Modality.
Zheng Y, Wang Y, Zhang X
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Apr · PMID 40214930 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The diagnosis of light-chain cardiac amyloidosis (AL-CA) is often delayed owing to nonspecific clinical symptoms and comorbidities, making early detection and risk stratification essential for early in...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The diagnosis of light-chain cardiac amyloidosis (AL-CA) is often delayed owing to nonspecific clinical symptoms and comorbidities, making early detection and risk stratification essential for early intervention. Activated cardiac fibroblasts play a vital role in cardiac remodeling and cardiac damage progression, leading to heart failure. Emerging imaging modalities visualize fibroblast activation protein (FAP) as a marker of activated fibroblasts, enabling non-invasive and accurate measurement of cardiac remodeling for risk stratification. This review summarizes the status of diagnosis and treatment, pathogenic basis of AL-CA, and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to assess the potential of gallium 68 (Ga)-labeled FAP inhibitor 04 (Ga-FAPI-04) for AL-CA diagnosis and treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: Ga-FAPI-04 PET/computed tomography (CT) can detect myocardial fibroblast activation in patients with AL-CA, with significant uptake observed in most patients. The degree of activation correlates with cardiac function, morphology, and serum markers, suggesting its utility in prognostic assessments. Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT may enable more robust risk stratification and prognostic assessment than that via F-florbetapir PET/CT, underscoring the significance of cardiac fibroblast activation in predicting the outcomes of patients with AL-CA. Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT has emerged as a promising tool for diagnosing AL-CA, offering insights into the molecular characteristics of the disease and aiding in clinical decision-making. Existing findings suggest the potential of Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT for enhancing myocardial fibrosis management in AL-CA. Future multicenter trials are warranted to validate these findings and explore the integration of Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT with other imaging modalities to improve the diagnosis and prognostic prediction of patients with AL-CA.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cardio-Oncology Care.
Bolaji O, Johnson MN
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Apr · PMID 40198461 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review examines racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in cardio-oncology care, evaluating current evidence and proposing evidence-based strategies to address inequities in cardiovascular c...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review examines racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in cardio-oncology care, evaluating current evidence and proposing evidence-based strategies to address inequities in cardiovascular care for cancer patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Significant disparities exist in cardio-oncology outcomes and access across populations. Racial and ethnic minoritized groups face higher cardiovascular mortality and increased cardiotoxicity risks during cancer treatment. These populations also preset with more advanced-stage cancer diagnoses and increased burden of cardiovascular risk factors. Social vulnerability indices strongly correlate with worse outcomes, while geographic location and environmental factors create additional risks. Rural populations particularly struggle with access to specialized care and clinical trials. Multiple factors contribute to disparities in cardio-oncology, including social determinants of health, disproportionate burden of cardiovascular risk factors, barriers to access, and environmental exposures. Key solutions include expanding access to subspecialty care, creation of collaborations between academic centers and community hospitals, particularly those in underserved communities, enhancing community engagement and public health education, improving clinical trial representation, increasing workforce diversity, and enhancing cultural competency. These findings emphasize the need for systematic healthcare delivery changes and resource allocation to achieve equitable cardio-oncology care for all populations.
Assessment of Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction in Patients with Systemic Vasculitis.
Sarwar S, Ahmed F, Kadoya Y … +2 more , Hakimjavadi R, Boczar KE
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Apr · PMID 40198429 · Publisher ↗
INTRODUCTION: Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is characterized by impaired coronary blood flow in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. CMD primarily involves the microvasculature, leading to myoca...
INTRODUCTION: Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is characterized by impaired coronary blood flow in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. CMD primarily involves the microvasculature, leading to myocardial ischemia, angina, and increased cardiovascular risk. Systemic vasculitides (e.g., giant cell arteritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, and Takayasu arteritis) are a group of autoimmune conditions known to affect the vasculature through inflammation of the blood vessels that have been associated with more prevalent and severe CMD. Although systemic inflammation likely plays a role in the increased risk of cardiovascular events, the underlying pathogenesis is not well understood. PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Invasive and non-invasive techniques for assessing coronary microvascular function have been developed to assess for blood flow and coronary flow reserve (CFR), defined as the ratio of the maximum achievable blood flow during stress to the resting blood flow. The purpose of this review is to further explore the relationship between vasculitis and CMD as well as the techniques available for assessing this association. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies have shown that CMD is significantly more prevalent in patients with systemic vasculitis compared to the general population. Moreover, in the absence of significant atherosclerotic burden, patients with vasculitis have a lower CFR than controls, indicating more severely impaired coronary vasomotor function. This suggests that systemic inflammation itself is a factor in driving coronary vasomotor abnormalities and CMD development. CMD contributes to cardiovascular morbidity in patients with systemic vasculitis, underscoring the need for early recognition and management. Further studies are needed to determine whether therapies targeting the reduction of systemic inflammation can lead to improved coronary microvascular function and cardiovascular outcomes.
Cardiovascular Risk Associated with the Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults.
Kothari A, Aparece JP, Del Toro Mijares R
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Apr · PMID 40192901 · Publisher ↗
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The increasing prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) makes it important to study the cardiovascular implications of this disease and the drugs used to treat it. As more patients...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The increasing prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) makes it important to study the cardiovascular implications of this disease and the drugs used to treat it. As more patients are diagnosed with ADHD across the world and these medications are prescribed more, it is imperative to understand the cardiovascular risk profile associated with these medications. This narrative review will highlight the importance of considering cardiovascular risk factors inherent to ADHD and the medications currently used to treat it. RECENT FINDINGS: Chronic sympathetic activation as caused by ADHD therapies has numerous effects on the cardiovascular system including an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. These changes could potentially lead to heart failure, arrythmias or even sudden cardiac death. While a few studies that have shown no correlation between ADHD medications and cardiovascular effects, current guidelines recommend a thorough assessment prior to initiating treatment and periodic monitoring during treatment.
Nutrition Optimization Among Critically Ill Patients in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
Allaparthi S, Bode A, Bury C … +1 more , Vest AR
Curr Cardiol Rep · 2025 Apr · PMID 40184002 · Full text
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Many critical care clinicians are unfamiliar with management principals or recent studies that guide nutritional optimization of patients in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). The goal of this rev...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Many critical care clinicians are unfamiliar with management principals or recent studies that guide nutritional optimization of patients in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). The goal of this review is to describe the prevalence of malnutrition in the CICU, the frameworks for malnutrition diagnosis and assessment of skeletal muscle wasting, and the potential clinical consequences of improper feeding practices. RECENT FINDINGS: Malnutrition is common and has been linked to poor outcomes across various CICU patient populations. Several nutritional randomized controlled trials have refined best practices around the timing of enteral nutrition and the selection of protein intake targets in the intensive care setting. A hypocaloric, rather than normocaloric, feeding regimen usually preferred during the early phase of critical illness, and it is important to await adequate gut perfusion before uptitrating enteral feeds. There is an evolving evidence base that defines current practice in CICU nutritional management, albeit with multiple knowledge gaps warranting further study.
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