Which Microbes Like My Diet and What Does It Mean for My Heart?

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of hospitalization, death and disability in Europe. Despite our knowledge of nonmodifiable and modifiable cardiovascular classical risk factors, the morbidity and mortality in this group of diseases remains high, leading to high social and economic costs. Therefore, it is necessary to explore new factors, such as the gut microbiome, that may play a role in many crucial pathological processes related to cardiovascular diseases. Diet is a potentially modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are nutrients that are essential to the proper function of the human body. The style and composition of the human diet has changed over time, evolving from a hunter–gatherer diet to an industrialized and Westernized modern diet that includes processed products. The relationship between the gut microbiome, diet and cardiovascular diseases is complex and still not fully understood. In this review, we discuss, in the context of diet, why particular microbes occur in individuals and how they can influence the host’s cardiovascular system in health and disease. We investigate the role of particular microorganisms and changes in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio.

Pathogenetic influence of liver steatosis in patients with hemorrhagic vasculitis: correlation analysis

According to own data, 74% of patients with hemorrhagic vasculitis have sonographic signs of liver steatosis, but its influence on clinical and laboratory parameters of vasculitis is not established yet. The aim – to reveal the pathogenetic links of liver steatosis influence using correlation analysis, which could help in the planning of management strategy. Matherial and methods. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 50 inpatients with the help of Pearson’s correlation analysis. Results. In patients with hemorrhagic vasculitis, liver steatosis was more prominent in older ones and in higher body weight patients. Liver steatosis was accompanied by more significant changes in the right ventricle, left atrium, and aorta. It was also associated with systemic inflammation activity, serum proteolytic and thrombotic activity. In patients with liver steatosis, their age – a non-modifiable cardiovascular risk factor – was strongly associated with the deterioration of heart condition and changes of serum proteolytic and thrombotic activity, which, in turn, creates the background for adverse cardiovascular events. Liver steatosis was accompanied by the activation of systemic inflammation, which led to the transformation into steatohepatitis. Conclusion. The influence onto the liver steatosis is the only way of prevention of cardiovascular events and steatohepatitis in patients with hemorrhagic vasculitis.

Telemonitoring and remote counseling in hypertensive patients. Looking for new ways to do old jobs

XXI century emphasized humanity to embrace the digital era after a reality of Third and Fourth Industrial Revolutions, nowadays dictating new terms of social networking. It is expected that information and communication technologies integrated with value-based medicine will significantly impact healthcare delivery to tremendous number of patients with socially important noncommunicable diseases. Cardiovascular illnesses comprise the greatest part of such pathologies. Hypertension (HTN) being the most prevalent cardiovascular disease is also the key modifiable cardiovascular risk factor yet seems to be an attractive target for both value-based concept and telehealth interventions. Present review addresses up-to-date science on telehealth, sets out the main well-known, but yet unsolved challenges in management of HTN along with the new approaches involving telemedicine programs, digital health outlooks. The main barriers of telehealth implementation are also considered along with the possible solutions.

Effects of statins on the c-reactive protein of dyslipidemic patients in the university of Port-Harcourt teaching hospital

Background: Dyslipidemia is a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor associated with systemic inflammation and can be assessed with a recognized bio-marker known as C-reactive protein.Methods: This was a cohort study carried out over a period of 9 months, where subjects who had abnormality in any of the fasting lipid parameters were recruited into the study, all the subjects had their C-reactive protein assessed, the test subjects were commenced on statins while the control subjects were not on statins and they were all followed up for a period of 3 months after which C-reactive protein was re-assessed.Results: Total 320 subjects were recruited, comprising of 160 test subjects and 160 control subjects. The mean age± SD of the test subjects was 57.02±12.45, while the control subjects had 51.86±13.27 as their mean age± SD. Statins had a significant effect on the reduction of C-reactive protein (p=0.001). Although, there was no correlation between the dosages of statins and its effect on C-reactive protein.Conclusions: Statins were found to have anti-inflammatory effects, although there was no significant correlation between the dosages of statins and their effect on c-reactive protein.

Left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension: Correlation between electrocardiography and echocardiography

Background: Hypertension is an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Left ventricular hypertrophy - the marker of hypertension, has emerged as an independent risk factor that can be detected by electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (ECHO). Objective: Correlation of electrocardiography and echocardiographically detected left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients. Materials and methods: Hundred patients with hypertension were studied for left ventricular hypertrophy by the help of electrocardiography and echocardiography. Left ventricular hypertrophy on ECG was assessed by the help of Sokolow- Lyon Voltage Criteria (SLV) and Romhilt - Estes Point Score (R/E). Results: Among 100 patients, 60 were males and 40 were females. Mean age for male was 54.82 ± 12.10 years and 52.95 ± 11.63 years for female. The mean systolic blood pressure for male was 150.47 ± 20 mmHg and for female 148.60 ± 16.95 mmHg; where as Diastolic blood pressure for male was 93.67 ± 11.13 mmHg and for female it was 96.05 ± 12.47 mmHg. Echocardiography detected left ventricular hypertrophy in 64% patients. Electrocardiography detected Left Ventricular Hypertrophy by R/E and SLV criteria 13% and 34% respectively. Conclusion: In developing and under developed country ECG is a useful tool for detection of LVH where the facilities of echocardiography and trained echocardiographer are still not in a common man's reach. Key words: Left ventricular hypertrophy; Hypertension DOI: 10.3126/kumj.v7i2.2698 Kathmandu University Medical Journal (2009) Vol.7, No.2 Issue 26, 97-103