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doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2021-319861pmid: 35197306
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most frequently cited cause of exercise-related sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young individuals and has claimed the lives of some high-profile athletes. The circumstantial link between exercise and SCD from HCM has resulted in conservative exercise recommendations which focus on activities that should be avoided rather than the minimal amount of physical activity required to reap the multiple rewards of exercise. Consequently, most patients with HCM are confined to a sedentary lifestyle through fear of SCD, with accruing risk factors such as obesity and low cardiorespiratory fitness that confer a worse prognosis. Recent exercise programmes in asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals with HCM have shown that mild and moderate exercise is safe and accompanied by increased functional capacity and improved quality of life. Population studies also reveal that individuals with HCM in the higher quartiles of self-reported physical activity have lower total cardiovascular mortality compared with those in the lower quartiles. The impact of vigorous exercise on the natural history of HCM is unknown, although current experience suggests that affected adults with mild morphology and absence of high-risk factors may partake in such activity without adverse events. This review highlights the evidence base that has resulted in a paradigm shift in the approach to exercise in HCM and liberalised recent international exercise guidelines in HCM. Practical tips for prescribing exercise in symptomatic patients and relevant precautions are provided to aid clinicians when recommending exercise as part of the management plan for all patients with HCM.
Chatrath, Nikhil; Papadakis, Michael
doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2021-319824pmid: 35236765
There is a paucity of studies looking at the natural history of valvular heart disease (VHD) in exercising individuals, and exercise recommendations are largely based on expert consensus. All individuals with VHD should be encouraged to avoid sedentary behaviour by engaging in at least 150 min of physical activity every week, including strength training. There are generally no exercise restrictions to individuals with mild VHD. Regurgitant lesions are better tolerated compared with stenotic lesions and as such the recommendations are more permissive for moderate-to-severe regurgitant VHD. Individuals with severe aortic regurgitation can still partake in moderate-intensity exercise provided the left ventricle (LV) and aorta are not significantly dilated and the ejection fraction (EF) remains >50%. Similarly, individuals with severe mitral regurgitation can partake in moderate-intensity exercise if the LV end-diastolic diameter <60 mm, the EF ≥60%, resting pulmonary artery pressure <50 mm Hg and there is an absence of arrhythmias on exercise testing. Conversely, individuals with severe aortic or mitral stenosis are advised to partake in low-intensity exercise. For individuals with bicuspid aortic valve, in the absence of aortopathy, the guidance for tricuspid aortic valve dysfunction applies. Mitral valve prolapse has several clinical, ECG and cardiac imaging markers of increased arrhythmic risk; and if any are present, individuals should refrain from high-intensity exercise.
Kang, Dong-Seon; Sung, Jung-Hoon; Kim, Daehoon; Jin, Moo-Nyun; Jang, Eunsun; Yu, Hee Tae; Kim, Tae-Hoon; Pak, Hui-Nam; Lee, Moon-Hyoung; Lip, Gregory; Yang, Pil-Sung; Joung, Boyoung
doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-320882pmid: 35589378
ObjectiveTo investigate the associations between exercise habit changes following an incident cardiovascular event and mortality in older adults.MethodsWe analysed the relationship between exercise habit change and all-cause, cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular deaths in adults aged ≥60 years between 2003 and 2012 who underwent two consecutive health examinations within 2 years before and after diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD). They were categorised into four groups according to exercise habit changes: persistent non-exercisers, exercise dropouts, new exercisers and exercise maintainers. Differences in baseline characteristics were adjusted using inverse probability of treatment weighting.ResultsOf 6076 participants, the median age was 72 (IQR 69–76) years and men accounted for 50.6%. Compared with persistent non-exercisers (incidence rate (IR) 4.8 per 100 person-years), new exercisers (IR 3.5, HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.91) and exercise maintainers (IR 2.9, HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.73) were associated with reduced risk of all-cause death. The rate of non-cardiovascular death was significantly lower in new exercisers (IR 2.3, HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.95) and exercise maintainers (IR 2.3, HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.90) than in persistent non-exercisers (IR 3.2). Also, trends towards reduced cardiovascular death in new exercisers and exercise maintainers were observed (p value for trend <0.001).ConclusionsMore virtuous exercise trajectories in older adults with CVD are associated with lower mortality rates. Our results support public health recommendations for older adults with CVD to perform physical activity.
Pio-Abreu, Andrea; Trani-Ferreira, Fernanda; Silva, Giovanio V; Bortolotto, Luiz A; Drager, Luciano F
doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-320802pmid: 35444006
ObjectiveTo test the impact of directly observed therapy (DOT) at hospital for checking not only adherence/diagnosis in patients with resistant (RHTN) and refractory (RefHTN) hypertension but also blood pressure (BP) control after hospital discharge.MethodsDuring 2 years, Brazilian patients with clinical suspicion of RHTN/RefHTN after several attempts (≥3) to control BP in the outpatient setting were invited to perform DOT (including low-sodium diet and supervised medications intake) at the hospital. RHTN and RefHTN were categorised using standard definitions. After hospital discharge, we evaluated the BP values and the number of antihypertensive drugs prescribed by physicians who were not involved with the investigation.ResultsWe studied 83 patients clinically suspected for RHTN (31%) and RefHTN (69%) (mean age: 53 years; 76% female; systolic BP 177±28 mm Hg and diastolic BP 106±21 mm Hg; number of antihypertensive drugs: 5.3±1.3). DOT confirmed RHTN in 77%, whereas RefHTN was confirmed in only 32.5%. The number of antihypertensive drugs reduced to 4.5±1.3 and systolic/diastolic BP at hospital discharge reduced to 131±17 mm Hg/80±12 mm Hg. After hospital discharge, systolic BP remained significantly lower than the last outpatient visit prehospital admission (delta changes (95% CI): 1 month: −25.7 (−33.8 to −17.6) mm Hg; 7 months: −27.3 (−35.5 to −19.1) mm Hg) despite fewer number of antihypertensive classes (1 month: −1.01 (−1.36 to −0.67); 7 months: −0.77 (−1.11 to −0.42)). Similar reductions were observed for diastolic BP.ConclusionsDOT at hospital is helpful not only in confirming/excluding RHTN/RefHTN phenotypes, but also in improving BP values and BP control and in reducing the need for antihypertensive drugs after hospital discharge.
Kim, Mijin; Lee, Pil Hyung; Kim, Dae-Hee; Jung, Sung-Ho; Lee, Seung-Ah; Lee, Sahmin; Kang, Duk-Hyun; Song, Jae-Kwan; Song, Jong-Min
doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321225pmid: 35906027
ObjectivesTranscatheter closure using a device has been established as an effective atrial septal defect (ASD) treatment, but its value in treating patients with concomitant functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is relatively unknown. We sought to evaluate outcomes of patients with ASD and significant TR after transcatheter ASD closure or surgical treatment.MethodsA total of 252 consecutive adult patients (53.8±13.8 years, 180 females) who had a significant functional TR before ASD closure were retrospectively analysed. The primary end point was a composite of all-cause death, stroke and heart failure. The secondary end point was significant residual TR early and at 1 year after ASD closure.ResultsTranscatheter ASD closure alone and surgical ASD closure along with tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) were performed in 68 and 184 patients, respectively. Significant TR remained in 32% (81/252) early after ASD closure and in 29% (52/182) after 1 year. The severity of TR was significantly decreased after transcatheter ASD closure (p<0.001). In multivariable analysis, TAP (OR 0.07; p<0.001) and ASD diameter (OR 0.90; p=0.040) were independent predictors of the significant residual TR early after treatment, while only TAP (OR 0.08; p<0.001) was a significant predictor at 1 year after treatment. After propensity score matching in patients with moderate or severe TR, there were no significant differences between the transcatheter ASD closure group and surgical ASD closure plus TAP group in terms of the event rates at 5 years (10.3% vs 5.5%, p=0.963).ConclusionsWhile TAP was effective for the treatment of significant TR, transcatheter ASD closure also significantly reduced TR as well. Transcatheter ASD closure may be considered an alternative treatment option in patients with moderate or severe TR.
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