Clinical articles

High-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), including recent history of acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease, peripheral arterial disease, and coronary artery disease with diabetes mellitus, requires lipid-level monitoring and treatment. Data for patients with high-risk ASCVD from 2008–2011 were obtained from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Across two years of follow-up, analyses examined lipid-altering drug use, statin adherence (medication possession ratio [MPR]), and persistence (continuous time on drug). Initial statin dose, upward dose titration, and use of high-intensity statins were also studied. Lipid levels were examined overall and by statin use. A total of 131,603 high-risk ASCVD patients were included. Within six months of diagnosis, 63.1% of patients received a statin prescription. Patients typically remained on the initial statin (MPR ≥80% for 71.3% of patients at two years) and dose; 16.4% of patients used high-intensity statins. During the first year of follow-up, 69.3% of patients were either at the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal of <2.5 mmol/L or using a high-intensity statin. Considerable room for improvement remains with respect to optimal management of patients with ASCVD.

Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust offers a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) service accessed via a coronary care unit (CCU) nurse-based pre-alert system. We reviewed our pre-alert calls for 2013 to determine their appropriateness and assess whether patients were being correctly accepted/declined for PPCI by comparison with final discharge diagnosis.

There were 1,343 calls received, only 52% had chest pain and electrocardiogram (ECG) changes meeting criteria. There were 508 patients with a discharge diagnosis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), 89% of whom were accepted directly.

There were 54 cases with a final diagnosis of STEMI initially declined: 14 in cardiac arrest were directed to the emergency department (ED) as per policy; 18 had documented clinical reasons for declining; seven did not meet the criteria. There were 15 patients (3%) with chest pain and ECG criteria declined without a documented reason; three were subsequently accepted after assessment at their local hospital. Patients >80 years, female and with atypical presentation were more likely to be declined.

Of accepted patients, 132 (23%) had a diagnosis other than STEMI at discharge, 65% with an alternative cardiac diagnosis.

In conclusion, patients are frequently referred who do not meet symptom or ECG criteria. Most STEMI patients are appropriately accepted via our pre-alert pathway. Review of pre-alert services is essential to ensure timely and appropriate PPCI.

Left-sided dropped shoulder syndrome (DSS) can present with anterior chest pain that radiates to the left scapula and arm. Patients with atypical chest pain (ACP) of unknown cause (n=47) were investigated for left-sided DSS. Sixteen patients (34%) were diagnosed with left DSS. All the 47 patients were provided physiotherapy in two groups: the left DSS patients group (n=16) and a control group of 31 patients who did not show the criteria for the diagnosis of DSS.

Fourteen (87.5%) patients reported a satisfactory improvement of the ACP after physiotherapy. Satisfactory improvement has been judged by the reduction of the pain intensity, duration and frequency according to the patient’s report. Two (12.5%) patients showed no satisfactory improvement of the ACP. The control group showed no beneficial effect regarding their ACP after physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy aimed to strengthen the muscles that elevate the shoulder, could provide a treatment for atypical chest pain caused by left-sided DSS.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring vitamin-like substance that has three functions of relevance to cardiovascular function: (i) its key role in the biochemical process supplying cardiac cells with energy; (ii) its role as a cell membrane protecting antioxidant; (iii) its direct effect on genes involved in inflammation and lipid metabolism. Although some CoQ10 is obtained from the diet, most is manufactured within the liver, the capacity for which declines with age. These data therefore provide a rationale for the importance of CoQ10 in cardiovascular function, and its dietary supplementation. The objective of this article is therefore to provide a brief overview of the pharmacology of CoQ10, and its role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD). Several inflammatory cytokines have shown a direct association with the development of atherosclerosis. Recently, there have been a number of experimental studies exploring the potential anti-inflammatory role of currently used therapeutic agents including antibiotics, immuno-suppressive drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. This review summarises the available evidence base and the potential role of these agents in current clinical practice.

Current guidelines make no recommendations regarding the strategy for initiation of oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy in patients who are hospitalised with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). This was a single-centre, retrospective, observational study that included patients admitted in 2013 with newly diagnosed AF (ICD-10 I48). There were 234 patients hospitalised with newly documented AF. The mean CHA₂DS₂-VASc score was 3.8: 201 (86%) patients had a CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥2. Out of the 179 patients considered for anticoagulation, only 115 patients were intended to receive OAC therapy: 56 (49%) as an inpatient and 59 (51%) as an outpatient, either by anticoagulation clinic or primary care. In the outpatient group, only 41 patients (69%) were actually initiated on OAC, with a mean time delay of 10 and 93 days in anticoagulation clinic and primary care group, respectively. During mean follow-up of 194 days, there were two strokes in the outpatient group in patients intended to start anticoagulation but did not (2/59), while no episodes occurred in the inpatient group.

In summary, only 82% of patients with newly diagnosed AF and CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥2 were referred for initiation of OAC, and still fewer actually received such therapy. Outpatient anticoagulation is associated with poor uptake and significant delays.

Transradial access for coronary procedures is associated with less vascular access site complications. Occasionally, radial access fails and makes conversion to a transfemoral route inevitable. In this paper, which updates UK radial experience, we report the outcomes in a single UK centre in developing a transradial access programme.

We analysed 3,225 consecutive patients who underwent transradial coronary procedures over a five-year period. The primary outcome measure was rate of conversion from transradial to transfemoral access route. Of 3,225 radially approached cases, conversion from radial to femoral access route occurred in 148 patients (4.6%). With experience after the learning curve, the conversion rate fell to 2.0%.

In conclusion, after an initial learning curve, procedural success rate is high with low cross-over rate from radial to femoral entry site.

With the expansion of the heart failure services to meet the rise in demand, we established, in Sheffield, a new training post for the junior medical staff in their first year of training. This is a four-month post for the Foundation Year one (FY1) doctors in heart failure. The post differs from the classic FY1 posts in that it is based in the heart failure multi-disciplinary team (HF-MDT) rather than being ward-based. Thus, the trainee works under the supervision of a consultant cardiologist with an interest in heart failure, and works alongside a group of heart failure specialist nurses screening new admissions for heart failure, and offering advice and follow-up of patients with heart failure who are not under the care of the cardiologists. The trainee attends the heart failure diagnostic clinic along with the consultant cardiologist, and participates in the work of the HF-MDT ward round. These are the collective personal views of the first three trainees who have worked in this post in the year 2013–2014; with a footnote from their supervisor.

This case report invites discussion on the challenges of the management of extensive thromboembolism despite standard anticoagulation.

A previously healthy 49-year-old male had an acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and was managed with rivaroxaban anticoagulation and an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter implantation. This patient re-presented with occlusion of his IVC filter with extensive thrombus extending down to his femoral veins bilaterally.

We performed catheter-directed thrombolysis using the EKOSonic Endovascular system. The patient had invasive monitoring alongside use of peri-operative cardiac imaging (TOE). A valvuloplasty balloon was used to prevent upward migration of thrombus.

There is potential for the wider use of the EKOSonic Endovascular system and catheter-directed thrombolysis in centres where there is surgical support available, and in selected patients where there is extensive thrombotic burden with risk of recurrence or long-term complications.

Direct current cardioversion (DCCV) is a method to restore sinus rhythm in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF). Despite having high initial efficacy, the long-term success rate of this procedure is lower. Consequently, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines recommend indefinite anticoagulation in patients with a high risk of recurrence. We sought to establish whether these guidelines had been adhered to in a district general hospital.

Anticoagulation data were provided by GP practices for 208 patients who had undergone a DCCV for AF between 2008 and 2010. One hundred and sixty-five patients (79%) were prescribed warfarin. The remaining 43 patients were invited to a screening clinic with 21 subsequently attending (49%). Eleven of the patients were in AF (p=0.0002) and in five of the 11 patients this had not previously been documented (p=0.035). Nine of the 11 patients in AF (82%) met ESC criteria for anticoagulation with a mean CHA₂DS₂‑VASc score =2.18 ± 1.48.

Our findings suggest that nearly half of patients not on anticoagulation following DCCV have recurrence of AF warranting antithrombotic therapy. We propose similar screening is adopted in other centres in order to ensure that ESC guidelines are being met.