Neth Heart J
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Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major cause of death. Although the aetiology of cardiac arrest can be diverse, the most common cause is ischaemic heart disease. Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention, if indicated, has been associated with improved long-term survival for patients with initial shockable rhythm. ⋯ Observational studies have reported contradictory results and until recently, randomised trials were lacking. The Coronary Angiography after Cardiac Arrest without ST-segment elevation (COACT) was the first randomised trial that provided comparative information between coronary angiography treatment strategies. This literature review will provide the current knowledge and gaps in the literature regarding optimal care for patients successfully resuscitated from OHCA in the absence of ST-segment elevation and will primarily focus on the role and timing of coronary angiography in this high-risk patient population.
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Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II type‑1 receptor blockers (ARBs) are among the most widely prescribed drugs for the treatment of arterial hypertension, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. A number of studies, mainly in animals and not involving the lungs, have indicated that these drugs can increase expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 is the cell entry receptor of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that is currently battering the globe. ⋯ In this point of view paper, possible scenarios regarding the impact of ACEI/ARB pharmacotherapy on COVID-19 are discussed in relation to the currently available evidence. Although further research on the influence of blood-pressure-lowering drugs, including those not targeting the renin-angiotensin system, is warranted, there are presently no compelling clinical data showing that ACEIs and ARBs increase the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 or worsen the outcome of SARS-CoV‑2 infections. Thus, unless contraindicated, use of ACEIs/ARBs in COVID-19 patients should be continued in line with the recent recommendations of medical societies.
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In the late autumn of 2019, a new potentially lethal human coronavirus designated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China. The pandemic spread of this zoonotic virus has created a global health emergency and an unprecedented socioeconomic crisis. The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the illness caused by SARS-CoV‑2, is highly variable. ⋯ Finally, the cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19 are briefly touched upon. While there is still much to learn about SARS-CoV‑2, the tremendous recent advances in biomedical technology and knowledge and the huge amount of research into COVID-19 raise the hope that a remedy for this disease will soon be found. COVID-19 will nonetheless have a lasting impact on human society.
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In the battle against the SARS-CoV‑2 pandemic, chloroquine has emerged as a new potential therapeutic option for the treatment of infected patients. A safety consideration for the application of chloroquine is its QTc-prolonging potential. Thus far, no data are available on the QTc-prolonging potential of chloroquine in COVID-19 patients. ⋯ Chloroquine significantly prolongs the QTc interval in a clinically relevant matter. This highlights the need for ECG monitoring when prescribing chloroquine to COVID-19 patients.
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Driven by recent developments in computational power, algorithms and web-based storage resources, machine learning (ML)-based artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly gained ground as the solution for many technological and societal challenges. AI education has become very popular and is oversubscribed at Dutch universities. Major investments were made in 2018 to develop and build the first AI-driven hospitals to improve patient care and reduce healthcare costs. ⋯ However, many professionals in the cardiovascular field involved in patient care, education or science are unaware of the basics behind AI and the existing and expected applications in their field. In this review, we aim to introduce the broad cardiovascular community to the basics of modern ML-based AI and explain several of the commonly used algorithms. We also summarise their initial and future applications relevant to the cardiovascular field.