Prevalence of Heart Failure in Patients With Ischemic Stroke: A Descriptive Study

Background: Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) is the second cause of death and disability in the world. Heart failure can co-occur with CVA and increases the risk of death and disability in patients. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of heart failure in patients with ischemic stroke. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the information of patients with ischemic stroke was collected in 2016 from their files. They were referred to the Emergency Department of Poursina Hospital. Statistical analysis of data was performed by using descriptive statistical methods. Estimation of mean and frequency was done by SPSS v. 22. Results: A total of 291 patients were recruited in the study. Also, 157 patients (54%) were male, and 134 (46%) were female. The Mean±SD age of patients was 61.68 (12.98) years. Systolic heart failure prevalence was 59.8%, and diastolic heart failure was 65.7%. Conclusion: Based on the findings, more than half of the patients with ischemic stroke also develop heart failure. Therefore, it is recommended that the patient be evaluated and treated for heart failure when faced with ischemic stroke.

In Experimental Dilated Cardiomyopathy Heart Failure and Survival Are Adversely Affected by a Lack of Sexual Interactions

Nearly one in three people in the U.S. will develop heart failure (HF), characterized by fluid retention (edema) in the lungs and elsewhere. This leads to difficult breathing, deterioration of physical capacity, restriction of normal activities and death. There is little data about the safety and effects of sexual interactions in patients with HF. We tested whether a lack of sexual interactions affected pathophysiological outcomes in a pre-clinical mouse model of dilated cardiomyopathy that recapitulates the progressive stages of human HF. Male mice were randomly given access to, or deprived from, sexual interactions with female mice, which were confirmed by videography and generation of offspring. Cohousing with access to sexual interactions markedly prolonged survival, while cohousing without access to sexual activity did not. Sexual interactions improved systolic function, reduced HF-associated edema, altered transcription of heart contractile protein genes and decreased plasma testosterone levels. To determine whether testosterone levels contributed to survival, testosterone levels were experimentally reduced. Reduction of testosterone levels significantly prolonged survival. Taken together, in mice with dilated cardiomyopathy, sexual activity altered cardiac contractile gene transcription, improved systolic function, reduced edema and prolonged survival which may be in part due to lower testosterone levels.

How Abnormal Sympatho-Activation Can Potentially Develop Heart Failure: A Mini Review

Cardiac sympathetic afferent that signal the sensation of cardiac pain, ostensibly, has more underlying mechanisms than what scientists have ever been led to believe. Cardiac sympathetic afferent reflex, also known as (CSAR), has been shown to be responsive to a variety of stimuli. Many of which scientists observed in increased levels during ischemia hydrogen ion, oxygen radicals, potassium, lactate, ATP, prostaglandins bradykinin, substance p and, finally and most importantly, endogenous substances (neurohormones) such as norepinephrine (NE). In the outset of chronic heart failure (HF), it has been known for a long time, that there are abnormalities in arterial baroreceptor input which depress its sensitivity, and arterial chemoreceptors seem augmented. Therefore, they tend to not only initiate sympathetic outflow but also to sensitise cardiac afferents which are appearing to do the same thing where there are abnormalities in vagus mechano-reflexes as well. Some of these receptors are in the spinal reticulate tract and interestingly these a third pathways give off neurons to the brainstem some in the hypothalamus and trance translate through the thalamus and then ultimately up into the cortex where we have sensation of pain. Here in this essay, we aim to discuss important aspects of cardiac failure in relation to abnormal sympatho-activators through evaluation of different available studies and animal models.

Heart Failure in the Era of Precision Medicine: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

One of 5 people will develop heart failure over his or her lifetime. Early diagnosis and better understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease are critical to optimal treatment. The “omics”—genomics, pharmacogenomics, epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics— of heart failure represent rapidly expanding fields of science that have, to date, not been integrated into a single body of work. The goals of this statement are to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of these omics as they relate to the development and progression of heart failure and to consider the current and potential future applications of these data for precision medicine with respect to prevention, diagnosis, and therapy.