In recent years，West China Hospital of Sichuan University actively participated in medical assistance and rescue in Wenchuan，Yushu and Lushan earthquakes. However，professional roles of cardiovascular surgeons in medical assistance and rescue in earthquakes remain unclear because of the particularity of cardiovascular surgery, which often affects the assembly of medical assistance and rescue teams. Thus，we need to explore the necessity for cardiovascular surgeons to join medical rescue teams within 72 hours after earthquake. In this article，medical rescue work of cardiovascular surgeons within 72 hours after 2008 “5•12” Wenchuan earthquake and 2013 “4•20” Lushan earthquake is analyzed and compared to identify professional roles of cardiovascular surgeons in medical rescue within 72 hours after earthquake. It is necessary for cardiovascular surgeons to join medical rescue teams within 72 hours after earthquake.
Baoxing airborne medical team of West China Hospital participated in the medical rescue in 2013 “4?20”Lushan earthquake. The medical team excellently fulfilled their rescue task for 1 week in the earthquake-struck areas where there was power and communication failure and lack of water and food supply. We found some experiences and problems in airbornemedical team assembly and member selection, which may provide quotable experiences for future disaster assistance and rescue teams.
Surgical treatment of atrial septal defect (ASD) mainly includes occlusion or repair under cardiopulmonary bypass. Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation includes transcatheter radiofrequency ablation or Maze surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. There are many treatments for ASD patients combined with atrial fibrillation, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. We reported an ASD patient combined with atrial fibrillation treated by totally endoscopic "one-stop" radiofrequency ablation and simultaneous transthoracic ASD occlusion of atrial fibrillation, with good postoperative results.
With the opening of the two child policy in China, the number of pregnant women has increased. Pregnancy has a huge impact on the cardiovascular system, and heart disease during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal heart failure and death, intrauterine growth retardation, and the risk of complications such as premature birth. Pregnancy with heart disease ranks first among indirect obstetric deaths in China. Reducing maternal mortality is a global goal of the World Health Organization. Thus, to strengthen the prevention and management of patients with critical heart disease during pregnancy is important. However, clinical decision-making and management of pregnant women with heart disease is still controversial. This article combines relevant literature of pregnancy and heart disease published in recent years and reviews of relevant diagnostic and therapeutic methods, to provide clinical reference for pregnant women with heart disease preventive care and management of the whole strategy.
Aortic dissection during pregnancy is rare in clinics. Because the symptoms are lack of specificity, early diagnosis is difficult. However, the progression of aortic dissection is fast, therefore, the mortality of pregnant women and fetuses is high, and half of the death in pregnant women is due to aortic dissection. Although the development of medical condition is rapid, aortic dissection of pregnancy is still a great challenge for patients and clinicians, and is one of the most important diseases in obstetric medical disputes. In this paper, combined with the literatures published in recent years, we summarized the epidemiological characteristics and related treatment suggestions of the aortic dissection in pregnancy.
This article provides an interpretive review of the "2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS guideline for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation", which was updated and published by the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), and the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) based on the latest clinical evidence. It delves into the classification and management strategies for atrial fibrillation (AF), grounded in the most current evidence-based medical research. The guideline offers significant updates in various aspects such as the definition and staging of AF, clinical evaluation and treatment, modification of risk factors, prevention of thromboembolism, and management of specific populations. Notably, the introduction of a new staging model for AF and corresponding management strategies stands out, underscoring the importance of prevention and early intervention. This article focuses on the three pillars of integrated AF management—stroke risk assessment, modification of risk factors, and management of specific patient groups, in addition to rate and rhythm control, analyzes their substantial significance in clinical practice and guides clinicians in providing more precise treatment.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common complications after cardiac surgery. The existing treatment of postoperative AF mainly focuses on preoperative prevention, intraoperative protection and postoperative treatment for factors prone to AF before, during and after surgery, but the postoperative treatment in various areas and hospitals is different. This article combines the latest literature published in Europace about the practice guidance of cardioversion of AF and atrial flutter, and summarizes the treatment of electrical cardioversion, in order to provide clinical guidance for electrical cardioversion of AF after cardiac surgery.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases, by leading to cell apoptosis and thus causing organic injuries. Anti-ROS therapy is highly anticipated, but currently, there is still no appropriate prevention method. Studies have shown that thioredoxin (Trx), being a kind of significant endogenous antioxidant system, has excellent antioxidant capacity. Promotion of Trx can reduce key biomolecules to eliminate ROS or regulate many signaling pathways, thus resisting ROS injuries, which may be a new anti-ROS strategy. Therefore, we reviewed the research progress of Trx in cardiac antioxidant therapy to discuss its potential and possibility to be a target for prevention of heart-related ROS injury.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. The metabolic changes of atrial myocytes, especially lipid metabolism, have a significant impact on the electrical signals and structural remodeling of atrial tissue, and play an important role in the occurrence and development of AF. The reduction of fatty acid oxidation ratio and increased aerobic glycolysis ratio are characteristic changes of tissue metabolic remodeling in AF. In this review, we will introduce the latest research status of lipid metabolism in AF from aspects of AF metabolism, clinical treatment and diagnosis and prognosis.