Female HCM patients with obstructive physiology undergo myectomy later and have worse diastolic dysfunction but more compliant titin
Contributor: Nick Hawkes
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic condition characterized by unexplained left ventricular hypertrophy often with a wall thickness of greater than or equal to 15mm. it often disproportionately affects the septum and can lead to development of left ventricular outflow obstruction (LVOTO). Myectomy is a targeted surgical reduction in LV mass — thereby reducing LVOTO. Nijenkamp et al analyzed samples obtained during myectomy as well as pre-myectomy echocardiographic markers of diastolic dysfunction in 71 HCM patients. The authors also compared control myocardium to HCM. In this study, female HCM patients presented later, had a higher degree of diastolic dysfunction, a higher amount of fibrosis, more compliant titin, and greater septal thickness when indexed to body surface area (IVSi) compared to males.
Low Adoption Rates of Sacubitril/Valsartan Use in the US
Contributor: Nick Hawkes
Sacubitril/valsartan reduces morbidity and mortality in patients with HFrEF, so why has the adoption of this therapy in the outpatient setting been so slow?
Oxidative state of cGMP-dependent protein kinase determines the efficacy of sildenafil vs direct guanylate cyclase activators in pressure-overload HF
Contributor: Elise Vo
Precision therapy for HF is on the horizon. Activating cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase-1α (PKG1α), results in vasodilation and prevents cardiac remodeling — a good thing. There are two ways to activate PKG1a: 1) directly soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) activators and 2) indirectly by PDE5 inhibition. So, do these two methods of targeting PKG1α work equally well? Nakamura et al used a TAC murine model to demonstrate that the oxidative state of PKG1α determines whether or not sildenafil is efficacious in preventing pathologic remodeling in pressure-overload HF.
Slow Adoption and Low Adherence of Sacubitril/Valsartan for HFrEF
Contributor: Nick Hawkes
PARADIGM – HF demonstrated that Sacubitril/Valsartan reduces morbidity and mortality in patients with HFrEF compared to ACE-I/ARB therapy, so why is its adoption in the real world delayed?
Sangaralingham et al. accessed data from OptumLabs Data Warehouse, a large database of de-identified medical and pharmacy claims. Among patients identified based on systolic HF ICD codes, those prescribed sacubitril/valsartan were compared to those who were not. Patient variables included health plan, age, gender, race, region, comorbidities, other prescription medications, and provider specialty. Additionally the costs, out-of-pocket (OOP) and to the health plan, were captured.