Welcome to the Summer 2018 issue of European Cardiology Review.
Major advances have taken place in relation to the pathophysiology and management of ischaemic heart disease in recent years, including pharmacological approaches as well as novel interventional tools and techniques. The diagnosis and management of co-morbidities, iatrogenic conditions and diseases refractory to conventional treatment have also captured the attention of physicians around the world. I am delighted and proud that this issue of European Cardiology Review tackles some of these major topics.
Stephen Nicholls and colleagues review the use of PCSK-9 inhibitors for management of severe dyslipidaemia, and Drs Alonso and Mata discuss the diagnosis and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia. The section on dyslipidaemia has been guest edited by Dr AJ Vallejo-Vaz.
The International Society of Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy (ISCP) section on cardiovascular pharmacotherapy features an editorial by Koji Hasegawa, President of the ISCP, on current management of cardiovascular risk factors. This is an excellent introduction to the articles in this section, which review the management of pulmonary hypertension, the use of vasodilators in angina pectoris, and neuroendocrine abnormalities in the acute coronary syndrome. In addition, A. Lorenzatti and M. L. Servato highlight the Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study (CANTOS) and the role of inflammation in atherogenesis, examining selected antiinflammatory interventions and their potential use in the treatment of coronary artery disease.
The Basic Science section features an article by D. Tziakas et al. on the cardiovascular implications of the presence of sphyngomyelin in biological membranes, and two important review articles are included in the section devoted to interventional cardiology. One of these addresses the problem of how to assess the haemodynamic impact of coronary artery stenoses and the other deals with the newest generation of drug-eluting stents and future developments in the field.
A guest editorial by S.M. Ewer surveys recent developments in the field of cardio-oncology, including the 2016 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) position paper on cancer treatments and cardiovascular toxicity, and the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) clinical practice guideline on prevention and monitoring of cardiac dysfunction in survivors of adult cancers. Dr Ewer cautions against reliance upon detailed management algorithms that recommend specific parameters for interruption or discontinuation of cancer therapy. The management of refractory angina and new developments in cardiotoxicity associated with oncological treatment are discussed in two superb review articles also included in this issue’s management and comorbidities special section.
As it is now customary, the now well-established ECR Cardiology Masters series celebrates the achievements of cardiovascular physicians and scientists that have made major contributions to help advance the field. This issue’s Cardiology Masters section highlights the brilliant career and superb contribution made by Patrick Serruys to interventional cardiology.
It has been a great pleasure and an honour editing this issue of ECR, and I truly hope you will enjoy reading the excellent articles that have been included in the issue. I will attend the European Society of Cardiology’s annual meeting in Munich (August 2018) and will be delighted to meet the journal’s readers and contributors, if you happen to walk by ECR’s Radcliffe Cardiology booth at the conference.
Enjoy reading ECR!