heart disease or coronary artery disease were excluded. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was divided into four categories: normal, ≥ 50%; mild, ≥ 40%; moderate, ≥ 30%; and severe dysfunction, < 30%. Wall motion impairment was categorized into the following patterns: normal, diffuse, ballooning, and focal.RESULTS: There were 141 patients with normal LVEF. Among patients with impaired LV wall motion, the diffuse pattern was the most common (34 patients), followed by the ballooning pattern (26 patients). Finally, 102 patients died, and in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients with severe LV systolic dysfunction (hazard ratio [HR], 1.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–3.75; P = 0.039) and in patients with diffuse pattern of LV wall motion impairment (HR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.19–4.36; P = 0.013) than in those with a normal LV systolic function.CONCLUSION: Severe LV systolic dysfunction and diffuse pattern of LV wall motion impairment significantly affected in-hospital mortality in patients with septic shock. Conventional echocardiographic evaluation provides adequate information on the development of myocardial damage and accurately predicts the prognosis of patients with septic shock.]]>
Adult ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Heart Diseases ; Hemodynamics ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic ; Stroke Volume

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: 2018 ESC/ESH Hypertension guideline recommends 2-drug combination as initial anti-hypertensive therapy. However, real-world evidence for effectiveness of recommended regimens remains limited. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of first-line anti-hypertensive treatment combining 2 out of the following classes: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin-receptor blocker (A), calcium channel blocker (C), and thiazide-type diuretics (D).METHODS: Treatment-naïve hypertensive adults without cardiovascular disease (CVD) who initiated dual anti-hypertensive medications were identified in 5 databases from US and Korea. The patients were matched for each comparison set by large-scale propensity score matching. Primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events as a composite outcome comprised the secondary measure.RESULTS: A total of 987,983 patients met the eligibility criteria. After matching, 222,686, 32,344, and 38,513 patients were allocated to A+C vs. A+D, C+D vs. A+C, and C+D vs. A+D comparison, respectively. There was no significant difference in the mortality during total of 1,806,077 person-years: A+C vs. A+D (hazard ratio [HR], 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97−1.20; p=0.127), C+D vs. A+C (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87−1.01; p=0.067), and C+D vs. A+D (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.95−1.47; p=0.104). A+C was associated with a slightly higher risk of heart failure (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.01−1.18; p=0.040) and stroke (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01−1.17; p=0.040) than A+D.CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in mortality among A+C, A+D, and C+D combination treatment in patients without previous CVD. This finding was consistent across multi-national heterogeneous cohorts in real-world practice.
Adult ; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; Calcium Channels ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cohort Studies ; Diuretics ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Propensity Score ; Stroke

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, is increasing worldwide. Although there have been advances in diabetes treatments that reduce microvascular complications (nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy), many clinical studies have found that conventional oral hypoglycemic agents and glucose control alone failed to reduce cardiovascular disease. Thus, incretin-based therapies including glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2Is) represent a new area of research, and may serve as novel therapeutics for treating hyperglycemia and modifying other cardiovascular risk factors. Recently, it has been confirmed that several drugs in these classes, including canagliflozin, empagliflozin, semaglutide, and liraglutide, are safe and possess cardioprotective effects. We review the most recent cardiovascular outcome trials on GLP-1RAs and SGLT-2Is, and discuss their implications for treating patients with T2DM in terms of protective effects against cardiovascular disease.
Canagliflozin ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 ; Glucose ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Liraglutide ; Mortality ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

Heart failure (HF) is an important cardiovascular disease because of its increasing prevalence, significant morbidity, high mortality, and rapidly expanding health care cost. The number of HF patients is increasing worldwide, and Korea is no exception. There have been marked advances in definition, diagnostic modalities, and treatment of HF over the past four decades. There is continuing effort to improve risk stratification of HF using biomarkers, imaging and genetic testing. Newly developed medications and devices for HF have been widely adopted in clinical practice. Furthermore, definitive treatment for end-stage heart failure including left ventricular assist device and heart transplantation are rapidly evolving as well. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-art management for HF and the emerging diagnostic and therapeutic modalities to improve the outcome of HF patients.
Biomarkers ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Genetic Testing ; Health Care Costs ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Transplantation ; Heart* ; Heart-Assist Devices ; Humans ; Korea ; Mortality ; Prevalence ; Prognosis

Aortic Valve ; surgery ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases ; surgery ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; adverse effects ; mortality ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases of chronic dialysis patients are often undertreated because of their higher surgical risk. This study aimed to assess mortality and morbidity after open heart surgery in chronic dialysis patients compared to those with normal renal function and identify risk factors for postoperative outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 2,432 patients who underwent open heart surgery from 2002 to 2017 and collected data from 116 patients (38 patients on dialysis and 78 age-, sex-, and diabetes mellitus status-matched control patients with normal kidney function). We assessed comorbidities, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, laboratory data, surgical methods, and postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: The dialysis group had more comorbidities, higher NYHA classes, and greater need for urgent surgeries compared to the control group. They exhibited significantly higher postoperative mortality (18.4% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.005) and more overall complications (65.8% vs. 25.6%, P < 0.001). Dialysis itself significantly increased relative risk for in-hospital mortality after adjustment. EuroSCORE II was not as useful as in the general population. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that total (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 10.7; P = 0.029) and in-hospital death risk (AOR, 14.7; P = 0.033), the durations of postoperative hospitalization (AOR, 4.6; P = 0.034), CRRT (AOR 36.8; P = 0.004), and ventilator use (AOR, 7.6; P = 0.022) were significantly increased in the dialysis group. CONCLUSION: The dialysis group exhibited a higher risk for mortality and overcall complications after open heart surgery compared to the patients with normal renal function. Therefore, the benefit of surgical treatment must be balanced against potential risks.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dialysis ; Heart ; Hospital Mortality ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thoracic Surgery ; Ventilators, Mechanical

In the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), intensive blood pressure (BP) lowering was associated with significant reduction in composite cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in hypertension. Subsequently, several meta-analyses have corroborated the findings from SPRINT and these benefits were more prominent in subjects with higher cardiovascular risk at baseline. As such, the recent American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) hypertension guideline and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH)/European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guideline recommended the lowering of target BP to less than 130/80 mmHg in most hypertensive subjects. However, one should keep in mind the potential harm of too much BP lowering. Post hoc analysis of clinical trials have demonstrated increased cardiovascular mortality and events with too much BP lowering. Therefore, although intensive BP lowering may be beneficial in further reducing CV outcomes, too much reduction below 120/70 mmHg may actually harmful. In conclusion, although intensive BP lowering to achieve target BP below 130/80 mmHg is beneficial in reducing CV outcomes, one should do so cautiously as to avoid adverse events. As such, the first target of anti-hypertensive treatment should be to achieve BP lowering below 140/90 mmHg. Once that target is achieved, one could target BP below 130/80 mmHg keeping in mind to avoid signs of organ hypoperfusion such as orthostatic hypotension, orthostatic dizziness, weakness and serum creatinine elevation.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Creatinine ; Dizziness ; Heart ; Hypertension ; Hypotension, Orthostatic ; Mortality

BACKGROUND: Early detection of vascular change may improve prediction of subclinical stage of cardiovascular disease, allowing intervention to prevent overt vascular damage. High heart rate is known to increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rate in the general population and in individuals with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate the association between resting heart rate (RHR) measured using electrocardiogram (ECG) and arterial stiffness measured using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in men. METHODS: Data were collected from 5,629 men aged between 20 and 78 years who visited a single-site health promotion center. RHR was measured in a supine posture after resting for 10 minutes using an ECG. Arterial stiffness was measured using the CAVI. The cutoff value for high CAVI was ≥9.0. RESULTS: RHR was one of the major determinants of high CAVI after adjusting for age, waist circumference, mean arterial pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin level, triglyceride level, white blood cell count, and lifestyle factors. When RHR groups were defined according to the RHR quartiles, the odds ratio of group with RHR ≥70 bpm, for high CAVI was 3.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.21–5.91) after adjusting for age and lifestyle factors. This association was not changed after adjusting for all other covariates (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.36–4.19). CONCLUSIONS: RHR measured using ECG is significantly associated with arterial stiffness in men not taking medications for hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes. These findings suggest that RHR may be useful in assessing cardiovascular risk in men.
Arterial Pressure ; Arteriosclerosis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dyslipidemias ; Electrocardiography ; Health Promotion ; Heart Rate ; Heart ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leukocyte Count ; Life Style ; Male ; Mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Posture ; Risk Assessment ; Triglycerides ; Vascular Stiffness ; Waist Circumference

Hypertension affects the majority of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, end-stage renal disease and mortality. Previously, many hypertension guidelines have suggested blood pressure targets in patients with CKD. Recently, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association 2017 Guideline for Hypertension suggests a new definition for hypertension and therapeutic targets, which were equally applicated to patients with CKD. These changes reflect the results of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) study, but the renal outcome of intensive blood pressure control was not good. Furthermore, the majority of hypertension guidelines including those of the Korean Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Hypertension have retained the traditional definition. Herein, we intend to analyze in detail the effect of intensive blood pressure control on kidney through the post-hoc analyses of the SPRINT study.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Mortality ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic

BACKGROUND: Though clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) are an effective and widely used treatment method worldwide, they are as yet not widely accepted in Korea. Given that cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Korea, it is urgent that CR programs be developed. In 2008, the Government of Korea implemented CR programs at 11 university hospitals as part of its Regional Cardio-Cerebrovascular Center Project, and 3 additional medical facilities will be added in 2019. In addition, owing to the promotion of CR nationwide and the introduction of CR insurance benefits, 40 medical institutions nationwide have begun CR programs even as a growing number of medical institutions are preparing to offer CR. The purpose of this research was to develop evidence-based CPGs to support CR implementation in Korea. METHODS: This study is based on an analysis of CPGs elsewhere in the world, an extensive literature search, a systematic analysis of multiple randomized control trials, and a CPG management, development, and assessment committee comprised of 33 authors—primarily rehabilitation specialists, cardiologists, and thoracic surgeons in 21 university hospitals and 2 general hospitals. Twelve consultants, primarily rehabilitation, sports medicine, and preventive medicine specialists, CPG experts, nurses, physical therapists, clinical nutritionists, and library and information experts participated in the research and development of these CPGs. After the draft guidelines were developed, 3 rounds of public hearings were held with staff members from relevant academic societies and stakeholders, after which the guidelines were further reviewed and modified. RESULTS: CR involves a more cost-effective use of healthcare resources relative to that of general treatments, and the exercise component of CR lowers cardiovascular mortality and readmission rates, regardless of the type of coronary heart disease and type and setting of CR. CONCLUSION: Individualized CR programs should be considered together with various factors, including differences in heart function and lifestyle, and doing so will boost participation and adherence with the CR program, ultimately meeting the final goals of the program, namely reducing the recurrence of myocardial infarction and mortality rates.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Consultants ; Coronary Disease ; Delivery of Health Care ; Heart ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Insurance Benefits ; Korea ; Life Style ; Methods ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Nutritionists ; Physical Therapists ; Preventive Medicine ; Recurrence ; Rehabilitation ; Secondary Prevention ; Specialization ; Sports Medicine ; Surgeons