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From Editor-in-Chief:   Our commitments, current and forthcoming jubilee issues, few updates on evidence-based knowledge,  pandemics

Role of PCI  of non-culprit vessel at the time of primary intervention is not clear, it may be harmful for patients with cardiogenic shock and may be considered in stable patients with uncomplicated revascularization of culprit vessel, low complexity of non-culprit vessel and normal renal function; a short duration dual antiplatelet therapy is recommended in stable CAD patients after PCI – 1-3 months of DAPT, then aspirin can be stopped and continue monotherapy with P2Y12 to reduce bleeding risk; Society of Thoracic Surgeons score is recommended for calculation of surgical risk instead of SYNTAX score.

I recommend also the new AHA/ACC/ASE/CHEST/SAEMSCCT/SCMR 2021  guideline on evaluation and management of chest pain (2). Few of the list of take-home messages are:  the recommendation on use of clinical decision pathways in emergence departments and out-of-hospital settings, high-sensitive troponins are preferred to assess myocardial injury; use of term noncardiac chest pain instead of atypical chest  pain. Invited Editorial on the what is new in this guideline is being prepared.

Another interesting  document from ESC working group on pulmonary circulation and right ventricular function on follow-up after pulmonary embolism deserves your attention (3).

 Among recent studies, the meta-analysis on effect of new pharmacological treatment  for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) deserves attention: angiotensin-receptor-neprysilin inhibitor, beta-blockers, mineralcorticoid receptor antagonist and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor reduced  all cause death by 61% , composite cardiovascular death and hospitalizations by 64%, provided a life gain of 5 years in >70 years old thus being a treatment that brings higher benefit for patients with HFrEF among other treatment combinations (4).

Another interesting trial demonstrated that patients with intermediate probability of CAD (10-60%) developed by 30% less major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (HR-0.70 95% CI 0.46-1.07) and by 74% less procedural complications when underwent computed tomography angiography as compared with coronary angiography. Computed tomography angiography has no difference in MACE as compared to coronary angiography and as it is accompanied by significantly less complications, it may be an initial strategy (5).

The noteworthy steps in pandemics treatment and prevention have been made for past few months; though vaccine equity issues and emergence of new variants continue to be challenges. In addition to vaccines, development of specific antiviral treatment becomes one the most significant steps forward.  Two new antiviral medicines received EUA by FDA – paxlovid (Pfizer) and molnupiravir (Merck) (6, 7). Japan also developed the antiviral S-217622 (Shionogi) (8) and on the ay to approve it for clinical use.   I hope that we will have more antiviral medicines against COVID at affordable prices in many countries this year.

 Infectious disease society of America updated its guidelines on management of COVID (9).

Congratulating with International Women`s Day, and applauding  colleagues for dedication in providing care for patients and contributing in science and education, working on frontlines, breakthrough achievements in development of vaccines,   I would like to draw attention to gender inequalities that deepened during pandemics and remind that more should be done to support women and girls. Recent study published in Lancet demonstrated that more women loss their jobs during pandemic, more women and girls left schools for reasons other than school closure, and  violence against women  increased (10).

Concluding, I would like to provide support during these harsh days of war to our Editors, reviewers, authors, and collaborators from Ukraine and all people, and wish imminent peace and no more lost lives.

Gulmira Kudaiberdieva

Editor-in-Chief

Heart, Vessels and Transplantation

 

Peer-review: Internal

Conflict of interest: None to declare

Authorship: G.K.        

                            Acknowledgement and Funding: None to declare