Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 24, Issue 4, 2018

The progress and development of drug-coated balloons (DCBs) represents an emerging alternative treatment in peripheral and coronary artery diseases, particularly when a non-stent approach is necessary. Several studies and meta-analyses have evaluated the clinical outcomes of DCBs in different lesions and this review aims to compile the progress and updated clinical data of DCB strategy in both peripheral artery diseas Read More

Backgrounds: Drug coated balloons (DCBs) are new on stented-based anti-proliferative drug delivery systems, recently introduced in interventional cardiology. Their primary aim is to transfer an anti-proliferative drug to reduce the subsequent neo-intima hyperplasia and to maintain the normal vessel diameter and function. Methods: A review of the most recent influential studies about DCBs in all the fields of interventional cardi Read More

Background: Coronary stenting has now become a gold standard to prevent or counteract narrowing and obstruction of coronary vessels due to disease or injury. While the use of stents has been successful in this situation, they are not without drawbacks and concerns. Restenosis and stent thrombosis after an interventional procedure are the dreaded side effects resulting from the body's natural response to a foreign object Read More

Thrombolytic therapy kick-started the era of modern cardiology but in the last few decades it has been largely supplanted by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as the go-to treatment for acute myocardial infarction. However, these agents remain important for vast populations without access to primary PCI and acute ischemic stroke. More innovative uses have recently come up for the treatment of a variety of Read More

Background: Diabetic dyslipidemia has specifics that differ from dyslipidemia in patients without diabetes, which contributes to accelerated atherosclerosis equally as dysglycemia. The aim of this study was to deduce the interdependence of diabetic dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), therapeutic strategies and the risk of diabetes development with statin therapy. Method: We conducted a literature revie Read More

Elevated levels of Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are directly associated with increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Statins have been used to control serum LDLC and this has translated into reduction in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. However, despite high dose statin therapy, LDL-C control may remain inadequate in some patients, particularly those with famili Read More

Angiogenesis is described as a sprouting and growth process of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature. The relationship between angiogenesis and coronary artery disease (CAD) is double-sided. On one hand, angiogenesis within plaques is responsible for facilitating the growth and vulnerability of plaques by causing intraplaque hemorrhage and inflammatory cell influx, and overabundance of erythrocytes and in Read More

Background: According to ACC/ AHA guidelines, a minimum of 1 year of dual anti- platelet therapy (DAPT) consisting of aspirin and a platelet ADP-receptor antagonist (P2Y12 inhibitor) is recommended for patients presenting acute coronary syndromes (ACS), regardless of which type of revascularization is performed during the acute event. Methods: The purpose of this presentation was to review the present data either Read More

Antiplatelet is the cornerstone therapy for patient with coronary artery disease. Several comorbidities can influence the efficacy and safety of antiplatelet agent. Diabetes mellitus is characterized by increased platelet reactivity and reduced response to antiplatelet. Elderly patients have both reduced response to antiplatelet and increased risk of bleeding. Patients with renal dysfunction also had decreased efficacy of anti Read More

The optimal strategy of antithrombotic therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention remains to be a question to be answered. The major challenge in such population is the balance between the benefit of reduced stroke and coronary ischemic events, against the risk of increased bleeding complications. Thus, both thrombotic and bleeding risk assessments should be included int Read More

In the diagnosis and management of patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and chronic Left Ventricular (LV) dysfunction or Heart Failure (HF), there are many uncertainties because of the non-specificity of the symptoms and signs of HF. Usually, severe CAD causes LV dysfunction. However, not rarely, LV dysfunction is the cause or aggravation of ischemia to many subsets of patients with or without CAD. In this artic Read More

Myocardial Infarction (MI) with Non-obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) is a syndrome with underlying many causes. MINOCA incidence is estimated to be between 5% and 25% of all MI. The outcome is extremely variable depending on the MINOCA cause. Clinical history, laboratory tests, echocardiography and coronary angiography are the first line diagnostic investigations. Nevertheless, further tests are frequently Read More

Background: Clinical presentation of viral myocarditis can mimic acute coronary syndrome and making diagnosis of viral heart disease (VHD) may be challenging. The presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) does not always exclude VHD and these entities can coexist. However, the incidence of co-occurrence of CAD and VHD is not precisely known. Moreover, inflammatory process caused by viruses may result in atherosclerot Read More