Current role and future perspectives of artificial intelligence in echocardiography

Echocardiography is an essential tool in diagnostic cardiology and is fundamental to clinical care.Artificial intelligence(AI)can help health care providers serving as a valuable diagnostic tool for physicians in the field of echocardiography specially on the automation of measurements and interpretation of results.In addition,it can help expand the capabilities of research and discover alternative pathways in medical management specially on prognostication.In this review article,we describe the current role and future perspectives of AI in echocardiography.

Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries: A comprehensive review and future research directions

Acute coronary syndromes constitute a variety of myocardial injury presentations that include a subset of patients presenting with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries(MINOCA).This acute coronary syndrome differs from type 1 myocardial infarction(MI)regarding patient characteristics,presentation,physiopathology,management,treatment,and prognosis.Two-thirds of MINOCA subjects present ST-segment elevation;MINOCA patients are younger,are more often female and tend to have fewer cardiovascular risk factors.Moreover,MINOCA is a working diagnosis,and defining the aetiologic mechanism is relevant because it affects patient care and prognosis.In the absence of relevant coronary artery disease,myocardial ischaemia might be triggered by an acute event in epicardial coronary arteries,coronary microcirculation,or both.Epicardial causes of MINOCA include coronary plaque disruption,coronary dissection,and coronary spasm.Microvascular MINOCA mechanisms involve microvascular coronary spasm,takotsubo syndrome(TTS),myocarditis,and coronary thromboembolism.Coronary angiography with non-significant coronary stenosis and left ventriculography are first-line tests in the differential study of MINOCA patients.The diagnostic arsenal includes invasive and non-invasive techniques.Medical history and echocardiography can help indicate vasospasm or thrombosis,if one finite coronary territory is affected,or specify TTS if apical ballooning is present.Intravascular ultrasound,optical coherence tomography,and provocative testing are encouraged.Cardiac magnetic resonance is a cornerstone in myocarditis diagnosis.MINOCA is not a benign diagnosis,and its polymorphic forms differ in prognosis.MINOCA care varies across centres,and future multi-centre clinical trials with standardized criteria may have a positive impact on defining optimal cardiovascular care for MINOCA patients.

Social media in cardiology:Reasons to learn how to use it

Social media has changed the way we learn,educate,and interact with our peers.The dynamic nature of social media and their immediate availability through our portable devices(smartphones,tablets,smartwatches,etc.)is quickly transforming the way we participate in society.The scope of these digital tools is broad as they deal with many different aspects:Teaching and learning,case discussion,congresses coverage,peer to peer interaction,research are examples worth mentioning.The scientific societies considered more innovative,are promoting these tools between their members.These new concepts need to be known by the cardiologists to stay updated,as countless information is moving rapidly through these channels.We summarize the main reasons why learning how to use these tools to be part of the conversation is essential for the cardiologist in training or fully stablished.

心房颤动的消融治疗

心房颤动(简称房颤)在普通人群中的患病率约为1%,在年龄大于60岁的人群中约为6%。它增加了5倍的卒中风险,并使死亡率翻倍。虽然房颤经常是无症状性的,但它亦能引发头晕、气促、心悸和活动耐量下降,从而导致生活质量下降。房颤可以通过药物治疗,但导管消融是对于药物不耐受或希望避免接受药物治疗的症状性房颤患者的一种选择。