Purpose. To assess the quality of life (QoL) changes in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) one year after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Methods. The study included 82 patients (68 males and 14 females) aged from 30 to 74 (mean age 55.8±9.2 years) who underwent implantation of a biventricular cardiac pacemaker for CRT. Depending on the echocardiographic response to CPT, the patients were divided into two groups: 56 people with a positive response (responders) and 26 people with insufficient response (non-responders). The SF-36 questionnaire was used to measure QoL. The results of the questionnaire were represented as scores over the eight subscales: physical functioning (PF), role-physical functioning (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role-emotional (RE), and mental health perceptions (MH). The QoL assessment was performed before and one year after CRT. Results. Patients with CHF one year following CRT had significantly higher rates of improvement in PF QoL (before CRT 46.28±26.16; one year after CRT 53.05±27.65, p=0.023). The statistical tendency towards QoL improvement was revealed: VT QoL (before CRT 47.07±20.12, after CRT 51.83±20.07, p=0.081), SF (before СРТ 61.58±25.06, after CRT 67.07±24.57, p=0.088). Group of responders one year after CRT had significantly higher rates of improvement of QoL in PF (45.2±26.0 before CRT vs 57.1±26.4 after CRT, p=0.001); in VT (46.5±20.8 vs 54.4±19.7, p=0.010) and in SF (60.9±26.4 vs 70.8±20.8, p=0.012). The statistical tendency towards QoL improvement was revealed in BP (57.5±25.1 before CRT vs 64.8±23.8 after CRT, p=0.079), in GH (45.3±16.4 vs 49.1±18.0, p=0.079) and in MH (57.7±18.9 vs 62.5±17.7, p=0.081). In the group of nonresponders the statistical tendency towards decrease in QoL was detected during one year after CRT in RE (46.2±45.3 before CRT vs 26.9±41.1 after CRT, p=0.07). No significant differences were found in paired comparisons of other QoL indicators. Conclusion. We revealed significant increase in PF index in patients with CHF one year following CRT. The study showed that QoL was generally improving one year following CRT in responders while a tendency towards decrease in RE was detected in non-responders.

Aim. To study influence of hypertension, overweight, hypertriglyceridemia and their combinations for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk formation. Methods. The prevalence of hypertension, overweight and hypertriglyceridemia was studied (1988-1991) by 27-year prospective cohort study of unorganized population of Tomsk (1546 persons – 916 female and 630 male). The predictive value of these risk factors for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk formation were researched in 2015. Hypertension was diagnosed in persons with blood pressure greater or equal to 140/90 mm Hg, overweight was diagnosed in people with body mass index 25 kg/m², hypertriglyceridemia was diagnosed in individuals having high blood level of triglycerides (greater or equal to 1.7).  Results.  Influence of hypertension for all-cause (relative risk (RR) 2.2) and cardiovascular mortality (RR 3.38) risk formation was detected. A hypertension related elevation of mortality risk was observed both among women and men and in all age groups with the exception of men 40-59 years (the results for cardiovascular mortality in these persons was statistically insignificant). We established that hypertension had the independent significant contribution for mortality risk formation. It is shown that RR of all-cause mortality 1.25 times (cardiovascular mortality 1.8 times) more in overweight persons. Increase of relative mortality risk was detected in overweight women, especially in women 20-39 years old. Hypertriglyceridemia increases relative risk of all-cause mortality 1.46 times, relative risk of cardiovascular mortality 2.15 times, especially in individuals 40-59 years old. It was revealed that hypertriglyceridemia is significant risk factor for all-cause mortality formation only in women. Combination of hypertension and overweight increases the risk of all-cause mortality 2.23 times and the risk of cardiovascular mortality  4.0 times, combination of hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia – 2.83 and 5.06 times,  combination of overweight and hypertriglyceridemia – 1.73 and 2.99 times, respectively. We detected the additional risk of hypertriglyceridemia in individuals with overweight for all-cause (RR 1.53) and cardiovascular (RR 2.18) mortality risk formation compared with overweight persons with normal level of triglycerides and also the additional risk of hypertriglyceridemia (RR 1.51 and 2.04, respectively) in individuals with hypertension compared with normotensive persons (p<0,05). The additional risk of overweight in individuals with hypertension for all-cause mortality was found only in women (RR 3.23). Conclusion. The independent significant impact of hypertension for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk formation was revealed by the results of 27-year prospective study. Combination of hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia increases the risk of all-cause mortality 2.8 times and the risk of cardiovascular mortality 5.1 times, combination of hypertension and overweight – 2.2 and 4 times, combination of overweight and hypertriglyceridemia – 1.7 and 3 times, respectively. We detected the additional risk of hypertriglyceridemia for all-cause mortality in overweight people (RR 1.5) and in individuals with hypertension (RR 1.5). Also, the additional risk of hypertriglyceridemia for cardiovascular mortality risk formation in overweight people (RR 2.2) and in persons with hypertension (RR 2.0) was found.

Purpose. The search for optimal approaches to the diagnosis of subclinical atherosclerosis using a wide range of traditional and psychosocial risk factors (RFs), as well as clinical and instrumental diagnostic methods in patients (pts) with high or very high cardiovascular (CV) risk. Methods. This cross-sectional study enrolled52 pts, aged 40 to 65 years with high or very high CV risk (5-9 and ≥10% by the Systematic Coronary Risk Estimation Scale [SCORE], respectively). All participants underwent cardiac computed tomography (CT)angiography and calcium scoring. Traditional RFs (family history of premature CVD, smoking, overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, lipids parameters (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides) and lipids-related markers (apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, ApoB/ApoA1 ratio), biomarkers of inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs CRP], fibrinogen), indicator carbohydrate metabolism (glucose), ankle-brachial index, stress-test, carotid plaques according to ultrasound, arterial stiffness were evaluated in all pts. Psychological RFs were evaluated using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and DS-14 for type D personality. Results. All pts were divided into 2 groups according to the CT angiography results: pts in the main group (n=21) had any non-obstructive lesions or calcium score >0, pts in the control group (n=31) had intact coronary arteries. The groups did not differ in age or gender. It was found that patients with subclinical atherosclerosis significantly more often have a very high (≥10%) CV risk (42.9% vs.16.3%, p<0.05), a long (≥5 years) history of arterial hypertension (47.6% vs. 12.9% , p<0.01) and longer duration of antihypertensive therapy (61.9% vs. 29.0%, p<0.05), higher heart rate in rest (87. ± 14 vs. 77 ± 10 beats/min, p<0.01), increased arterial stiffness according to aortic pulse wave velocity (85.7% vs. 61.3%, p<0.05) and high level of hs-CRP (100% vs. 90.3%, p<0.05). Conclusion. Using in routine clinical practice of additional anamnestic (hypertension lasting ≥ 5 years and the intake of any antihypertensive drugs) and clinical-instrumental parameters (high heart rate in rest, hs CRP and arterial stiffness in pts with high and very high CV risk increases effectiveness of early detection of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Aim. A meta-analysis was undertaken to sum up data on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids treatment and coronary deaths. Methods. Only studies with no less than 500 participants and length of follow-up no less than one year were included. Total number of studies was 13 with 127455 participants. Results. Fixed factor (Peto) model demonstrated significant decrease in cardiac deaths in polyunsaturated fatty acids -treated group. (OR=0,89, 95%CI: 0,83-0,95, р=0,001). Random factor model confidence interval also does not included one (OR=0,88, 95%CI: 0,80-0,97, p=0.008). Subgroup analysis of studies that used therapy with 460 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 380 docosahexaenoic acid per day demonstrated significant reduction in cardiac deaths (OR=0,84, 95%CI: 0,77-0,92) in both fixed factor and random factor models. Conclusion. Correspondingly supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids associated with lower coronary mortality.

The aim of the present study is to determine the prognostic value of GFR reduction according to the CKD-EPI formula, taking into account blood creatinine and a formula that simultaneously takes into account creatinine and cystatin C in patients who were hospitalized for the first time due to decompensation of chronic heart failure with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFSA) observation within 24 months. Materials and methods. The study included 117 patients (women – 65.8%, mean age 71.6 ± 9.1 years) hospitalized due to debugging of CHF and having a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction according to echocardiography. The study was a prospective observation for 2 years after the inclusion of each patient. On the first day of hospitalization, all serum samples were taken to determine the level of cystatin C. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was determined using the CKD-EPI formula, taking into account blood creatinine and the combined formula, including creatinine and cystatin C. The combination was used as an end point death and re-hospitalization within two years of follow-up. To determine the effect of a decrease in eGFR on the forecast, the Kaplan–Maer method and the log-rank test were used. Differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. The study was approved by the local ethics committee. Results. During the observation period, the mortality rate was almost 12%. At the same time, every third patient was repeatedly hospitalized within two years. In order to determine the effect of reducing GFR on reaching the end points, all patients were divided into groups with eGFR values of more or less than 45 ml/min/1.73 sq.m according to both formulas. When separating patients using the CKD-EPI formula, which includes only creatinine, the groups did not differ in terms of the frequency of reaching the combined end point, as well as its components: death and re-hospitalization. However, patients with eGFR values less than 45 ml/min/1.73 sq. M according to the combined formula data significantly more often reached the combined end point, mainly due to an increase in mortality. Conclusion. The data obtained suggest that adding cystatin C to the CKD-EPI formula and appropriately identifying patients with reduced eGFR has a high prognostic value for stratifying the risk of an unfavorable outcome after the first decompensation of HFSSFV.

Aim. Analysis of antihypertensive treatment among different groups of patients with arterial hypertension from “EPOCHA” study 2017. Materials and methods. EPOCHA study is a representative sample of the European part of the Russian Federation was created in 2002 and re-examined in 2017. Results. 34.6% of the effectively treated (ET) patients had one antihypertensive drug and 32,2% of the ineffective treatment (IT) patients, p=0.16. Two-component antihypertensive therapy was 45.9% and 44.9%, respectively, p=0.56. Three antihypertensive drugs had 17.9% of the ET patients and 20.7% of the IT patients, p=0.05. Four antihypertensive drugs had 1.6% of the ET patients and 2.2% of the IT patients. The frequency of use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers in the group of ET patients was 85.0%, which was significantly lower than 91.6% in the group of IT patients, р<0.0001. Conclusion. EPOCHA study shows that structure of antihypertensive therapy does not differ between ET and IT patients what is caused lack of medical supervision for patients with hypertension in real clinical practice.

Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) is a serious socio-economic problem in developed countries because this disease is the most common indication for aortic valve replacement. Currently, there are no methods for non-invasive treatment of CAVS. Nevertheless, it is assumed that effective drug therapy for CAVS can be developed on the basis of modulators of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which is involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. The purpose of this paper is to compile and analyze current information on the role of RAAS in the CAVS pathophysiology. Recent data on the effectiveness of RAAS inhibition are reviewed.

The review aims to appraise the value of determining the concentrations of the new biomarker sST2 for assessing prognosis and monitoring treatment effectiveness of patients with decompensated heart failure during an episode of decompensation and during long-term follow-up after discharge from the hospital. The article analyses in detail the expedience of sST2 measurement in a patient with ADHF on admission and discharge from the hospital and the changes in the biomarker level during the period of active treatment for risk-stratification in patients, presents the optimal threshold values of sST2, which should be oriented when selecting patients with high and very high risk. The importance of subsequent monitoring of the marker concentration during long-term observation in emphasized to predict the risk of death, HF re-decompensation / HF rehospitalization. The potential benefits of choosing sST2 as the optimal marker for serial measurement during long-term follow-up, as well as evaluating the treatment effectiveness in patients with HF, compared to the “classical” variant - natriuretic peptides are shown.

The thematic review presents modern solutions using oral anticoagulants with a focus on direct coagulation factor X inhibitors. It contains information about the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of apixaban and rivaroxaban against the background of different drug intake regimens - twice and once per day. There are shown studies of concentration dynamics and the corresponding functional response, measured using the integral method - the thrombin generation test, which is widely used in scientific research to describe hemostatic processes based on an objective quantitative assessment of the thrombin formation – a key coagulation cascade serine protease. The logical relationship between the pharmacodynamics of anticoagulant action and the clinical presentation of the effectiveness and safety of drugs is traced. The review provides links to actual literature and current clinical guidelines.