Rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis (ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis) have a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is caused by the accelerated development of atherosclerosis associated with a chronic systemic inflammatory process. Nevertheless, traditional CVD risk factors (hypertension, smoking, dyslipidemia) are also important for patients with inflammatory arthritis. The greatest amount of data has been accumulated regarding the relationship between CVD and rheumatoid arthritis. Due to the difficulties in diagnosing coronary heart disease and other CVD, it is of great importance to identify patients at high and very high risk. The use of scales for assessing the total cardiovascular risk SCORE/SCORE 2 with a coefficient of 1.5 allows to identify patients who need measures to reduce their high risk of CVD. Control of the of the disease activity, lifestyle modification, therapy with statins and antihypertensive drugs in accordance with current guidelines, caution when prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and minimizing the dose of glucocorticoids are the main components of the strategy for reducing the risk of CVD in patients with inflammatory arthritis.

The leading cause of myocardial ischemia in case of coronary atherosclerosis and coronary vasospasm combination in one patient is difficult to establish. However, it is important to know for optimal treatment strategy: choosing between beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers as a preferred treatment, need for percutaneous coronary intervention. We present a case of a 56-yearold patient who was admitted with acute coronary syndrome without ST-segment elevation, low Killip class, and low GRACE score. Stress echocardiography revealed inducible transmural myocardial ischemia (regional wall motion abnormalities and ST segment elevation on the ECG) accompanied by polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. The coronary angiography showed single-vessel moderate stenosis in the left anterior descending artery. There were no changes in comparison with previous angiography. The patient was considered to have vasospastic angina. A probable mechanism is coronary artery spasm at the site of the atherosclerotic plaque. The article is discussed the difficulties in diagnosing vasospastic angina, especially in the presence of borderline stenosis in the coronary artery. We reviewed similar cases and discussed the difficulties of a vasospastic angina diagnosis especially in the presence of moderate coronary artery stenosis, the role of the provocative tests, and the pharmacological management. Demonstrating, discussing and analyzing cases of patients with a combined mechanism of myocardial ischemia is substantiated for further improving their diagnosis and treatment.

In the conditions of the existing pandemic, that affects both the physical and psychological health of people, it can be predicted with a high degree of probability an outbreak in mental disorders and stress-associated mental illnesses, including depression. The problem of the relationship between depression and cardiac diseases, in particular coronary heart disease (CHD), has been studied by native and foreign scientists for several decades. Various mechanisms have been found and continue to be studied, indicating that the presence of depression can affect more or less on the course of coronary heart disease and even become a predictor of new cardiac events. Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system with changes in heart rate variability, hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associated hypercortisolemia, disorders of serotonergic signal transmission pathways, high aggregation response and increased platelet activity, continuous increase of proinflammatory cytokines ((IL17A, IL6, TNFa and IL12p70) in patients’ plasma – such mechanisms probably underlie the correlation between depression and an increased risk of cardiovascular complications and cardiac death. The review includes some features of depression and its influence on various forms of coronary heart disease, particularly in different age and gender groups. In view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this theme seems to be relevant and requires targeted study. Probably it is necessary to conduct clinical researches, to create registers for a detailed assessment of the mutual influence of depression and coronary heart disease in existing conditions. Perhaps, the results of such work will contribute not only to the early detection and treatment of depression, but also to the development of new ways in primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and its acute forms.

Aim. To assess comorbidities in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to analyze patient subgroups with different treatment strategies in the Regional Vascular Center (RVC). Material and methods . The prospective study included 205 patients with confirmed ACS 75 years and older, the mean age was 81±4.9 years, and 68% were women. ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was diagnosed in 46 (22.4 %) patients, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) was diagnosed in 159 (77,6 %) patients. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was calculated in every patient. Early outcomes were defined as those assessed during hospital stay. Late outcomes were assessed at 6 months after the discharge using phone calls and/or clinic visits. All patients provided written informed consent. Results. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed in 42% of patients. In patients with STEMI and NSTEMI PCI was performed in 73% and 32%, respectively. Mean CCI score was 7.9 points: 7.6 points in men and 8.04 in women. Patients with STEMI had higher CCI score than NSTEMI patients (p<0.01): 8.1 points and 7.1 points, respectively. Patients who underwent PCI had lower CCI score (7.2 points) than patients in non-PCI group (8.2 points; p<0.05). Patients with STEMI in PCI and non-PCI groups had significant difference in CCI score (p<0.05): 7.4 and 8.4 points, respectively. Mean CCI score in patients who died in hospital was 8.5 while discharged patients had 7.6 points (p<0.01). In 6 months 13 patients (6.3%) died, their mean age was 84.9 years, mean CCI was 9 points, PCI was performed in 3 (23%) patients. Conclusions. Elderly patients with ACS had high comorbidity level assessed by CCI score. Higher CCI score was associated with PCI non-performance in elderly patients. Elderly patients with STEMI had higher CCI score than patients with NSTEMI which was significantly associated with PCI non-performance. Patients who died in hospital or in 6 months after the ACS onset had higher CCI score than other elderly patients with ACS.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly used pain relievers. However, their use often threatens with serious undesirable effects, associated mainly with damage to cardiovascular system (CVS), gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver. Contraindications to NSAIDs prescription are clearly regulated, algorithms for their personalized appointment are determined taking into account risk factors for cardiovascular and gastrointestinal adverse events. The severity of NSAIDs side effects is mainly due to the selectivity to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), as well as the physicochemical properties of various drugs. Cardiovascular adverse events differ among various NSAIDs both within commonly used drugs and among COX-2 inhibitors. It is well known that NSAIDs selective for COX-2 are safer in terms of the effect on the gastrointestinal tract than non-selective drugs. A meta-analysis showed that relatively selective COX-2 inhibitors (meloxicam, etodolac) were associated with a comparable risk of developing symptomatic ulcers and ulcers identified by endoscopy, and safety and tolerability profiles of the drugs were similar.All NSAIDs are associated with cardiovascular toxicity, however, different drugs have significant risk differences. The mechanism of NSAIDs cardiovascular adverse effects is associated with an increase of blood pressure, sodium retention, vasoconstriction, platelet activation, and prothrombotic state. It has been shown that the risk of cardiovascular adverse events when taking COX-2 inhibitors (celecoxib, etoricoxib) significantly increases. According to a study of more than 8 million people, it was found that the risk of myocardial infarction was increased in patients taking ketorolac. Further, highest to lowest risk authors list indomethacin, etoricoxib, rofecoxib (not currently used), diclofenac, a fixed combination of diclofenac with misoprostol, piroxicam, ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib, meloxicam, nimesulide and ketoprofen. When taking NSAIDs, the risk of heart failure decompensation increases, and it turned out to be the greatest for ketorolac, etoricoxib, and indomethacin. Meloxicam, aceclofenac, ketoprofen almost did not increase heart failure risk. It should be noted that when using the drugs (except for indomethacin and meloxicam), there is a tendency to increase the total cardiovascular and renal risks with increasing doses. Thus, it is obvious that a very careful approach is required when choosing NSAIDs. If there is an increased risk of gastrointestinal complications associated with NSAIDs, selective NSAIDs are preferred, with both coxibs and traditional selective NSAIDs showing the best safety profile in the studies. To minimize cardiovascular side effects specialists should consider the risk level of cardiovascular complications, as well as results of large clinical studies where particular NSAIDs are compared.

In the context of the increased incidence of infectious endocarditis (IE) in the elderly, an assessment of clinical features of IE in elderly patients is still controversial.Aim. To study the clinical features and outcomes of IE in patients aged ≥65 years.Material and methods. А comparative assessment of risk factors, etiology, clinical manifestations, outcomes was performed in 75 IE patients ≥65 years old and in 356 IE patients <65 years old.Results. In patients ≥65 years old IE was more often associated with previous medical care (odds ratio [OR]=14.9; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 8.6;25.9), infections and tumors of the genitourinary system or tumors of the gastrointestinal tract (OR=12.6; 95%CI 6.4;24.6); there were more concomitant oncological diseases (OR=66.2; 95%CI 19.3;226.8), diabetes mellitus (OR=9.9; 95%CI 4.5;22.1), chronic kidney disease (OR=27.0; 95%CI 13.6;53.3). In patients ≥65 years old compared with non-drug users IE patients <65 years old (n=266), the incidence of enterococcal IE was higher (OR=3.3; 95%CI 1.4;7.9); the timing of IE diagnosis was longer – 60 (37;152) vs 30 (20;110) days (p<0.05); cardiac surgery was performed less often (8% vs 24.8%; p<0.05); in-hospital mortality was almost two-fold higher. However, with the exclusion from the mortality rate assessment of postmortem diagnosed IE cases in-hospital mortality in patients ≥65 years old and patients <65 years old did not differ significantly (14.8% vs 12.2% in non-drug users <65 years old and 14.9% in drug-users IE).Conclusion. Late diagnosis of IE and comorbidity, which limits the possibility of cardiac surgery, are the most important prognostic unfavorable features of IE in the elderly.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly used pain relievers. However, their use often threatens with serious undesirable effects, associated mainly with damage to cardiovascular system (CVS), gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver. Contraindications to NSAIDs prescription are clearly regulated, algorithms for their personalized appointment are determined taking into account risk factors for cardiovascular and gastrointestinal adverse events. The severity of NSAIDs side effects is mainly due to the selectivity to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), as well as the physicochemical properties of various drugs. Cardiovascular adverse events differ among various NSAIDs both within commonly used drugs and among COX-2 inhibitors. It is well known that NSAIDs selective for COX-2 are safer in terms of the effect on the gastrointestinal tract than non-selective drugs. A meta-analysis showed that relatively selective COX-2 inhibitors (meloxicam, etodolac) were associated with a comparable risk of developing symptomatic ulcers and ulcers identified by endoscopy, and safety and tolerability profiles of the drugs were similar. All NSAIDs are associated with cardiovascular toxicity, however, different drugs have significant risk differences. The mechanism of NSAIDs cardiovascular adverse effects is associated with an increase of blood pressure, sodium retention, vasoconstriction, platelet activation, and prothrombotic state. It has been shown that the risk of cardiovascular adverse events when taking COX-2 inhibitors (celecoxib, etoricoxib) significantly increases. According to a study of more than 8 million people, it was found that the risk of myocardial infarction was increased in patients taking ketorolac. Further, highest to lowest risk authors list indomethacin, etoricoxib, rofecoxib (not currently used), diclofenac, a fixed combination of diclofenac with misoprostol, piroxicam, ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib, meloxicam, nimesulide and ketoprofen. When taking NSAIDs, the risk of heart failure decompensation increases, and it turned out to be the greatest for ketorolac, etoricoxib, and indomethacin. Meloxicam, aceclofenac, ketoprofen almost did not increase heart failure risk. It should be noted that when using the drugs (except for indomethacin and meloxicam), there is a tendency to increase the total cardiovascular and renal risks with increasing doses. Thus, it is obvious that a very careful approach is required when choosing NSAIDs. If there is an increased risk of gastrointestinal complications associated with NSAIDs, selective NSAIDs are preferred, with both coxibs and traditional selective NSAIDs showing the best safety profile in the studies. To minimize cardiovascular side effects specialists should consider the risk level of cardiovascular complications, as well as results of large clinical studies where particular NSAIDs are compared.

The article considers the key points of the new 2018 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology and European Society of Hypertension on management and treatment of patients with arterial hypertension (AH). The guidelines widen the possibilities for ambulatory monitoring of blood pressure (BP) and at-home measurement of BP in diagnosis of AH, especially for detection of hidden (“masked”) hypertension and white-coat hypertension. New target ranges for BP depending on age and concomitant pathology are established. For most patients, BP <140 mm Hg (primary target) is accepted, for patients under 65 years if therapy is well-tolerated BP <130 mm Hg should be achieved. Selection of treatment for elderly patients shouldn’t be based on chronological age but on biological age taking into account evaluation of senile asthenia, self-maintenance and therapy tolerability. For starting selection of drugs for AH, in most patients two-component therapy (one pill drug) is preferable. The latest guidelines contain simplified algorithms for management of patients with AH. It is shown that in most patients, a preference should be made for combinations of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blocker (inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme or angiotensin II receptor blockers) with a slow calcium channels blocker and/or thiazide/thiazide-like diuretic. Beta-blockers should be prescribed only for specific clinical cases. Special emphasis is made on evaluation of patient’s treatment adherence as the main reason for insufficient BP control, as well as on increased role of nurses and pharmacists in education, monitoring, and support of patients with AH being an important part of general strategy of BP control.

Dual antiplatelet therapy (acetylsalicylic acid and platelet P2Y12 receptor antagonist) is a standard component of treatment of any type of acute coronary syndrome, independently of perfusion and the chosen treatment strategy. Due to certain limitations of clopidogrel as the 2nd component of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome and percutaneous coronary intervention, the possibility of using prasugrel or ticagrelor should be considered first. Their effectiveness is higher than clopidogrel’s, as was demonstrated in large clinical trials. As a result, prasugrel and ticagrelor were included in all major international and Russian guidelines on treatment of this category of patients with the same class and level of evidence. Currently, there’re no data from any finished large randomized clinical trials of sufficient statistical power directly comparing the effectiveness and safety of prasugrel and ticagrelor. Therefore, careful analysis of the accumulated data on the safety and effectiveness of each drug including meta-analyses and registries is necessary for providing the best care for every individual patient.

Objective: to describe a clinical case of chronic post-thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) development and progression in a patient with recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and hereditary thrombophilia.Materials and methods. Patient K., female, 50 years old, was hospitalized in the 1st therapeutic department of N.I. Pirogov First City Clinical Hospital with complaints of shortness of breath, occurring at rest and exacerbating after minimal physical activity, dry cough, chest heaviness, swelling of the lower extremities (mainly right one). The patient had a history of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the lower extremities, PTE, splenectomy, and long glucocorticosteroid drugs intake for thrombocytopenic purpura. The patient underwent different examinations in the hospital, including evaluation of laboratory tests in dynamics, echocardiography, contrast-enhanced multislice computed tomography of the pulmonary artery and its branches, perfusion lung scintigraphy, right heart catheterization.Results. After examination the patient was diagnosed with multiple segmental and subsegmental perfusion defects of both lungs; we also observed signs of pulmonary hypertension (PH) at echocardiography, proved by right heart catheterization. Also the patient was diagnosed with inherited thrombophilia. The patient was included in the register of PH-patients, thromboendarterectomy together with administration of special medications, approved for use in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-specific therapy) were recommended.Conclusion. This article describes the main features of CTEPH, its diagnostics and treatment in patients with CTEPH after PTE.

Psoriatic arthritis (PA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints, vertebral column, and entheses from a group of seronegative spondyloarthritides, which is observed in patients with psoriasis. In accordance with the 2013 federal clinical guidelines for the management of patients with PA, published by the Russian Society of Dermatovenereologists and Cosmetologists and the Association of Rheumatologists of Russia, its diagnosis should be based on the CASPAR criteria (ClASsification criteria for Psoriatic ARthritis, 2006). The activity of spondylitis in PA is assessed using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) that is a questionnaire containing 6 questions; a numeric rating scale from 0 (“very good”) to 10 (“very bad”) scores is applied for a response. It is recommended that ultrasound studies and magnetic resonance tomography be used for the early diagnosis of enthesitis in seronegative spondyloarthritides. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) that takes into account the area of the lesion, the magnitude of erythema, infiltration, and desquamation in different body areas. The early diagnosis of PA and the timely use of disease-modifying antirheumatic therapy are topical problems, as high-activity inflammation may lead to rapid joint destruction, physical limitations, and disability. When the signs of active PA (the presence of one or more swollen and tender joints, and/or 1 or more dactylitides, and/or more enthesitides and/or inflammatory back pain) are detected, prompt drug therapy is indicated. The clear compliance of the algorithm for making a decision on treatment policy and the timely assessment of the clinical manifestations of the disease improves prognosis, adherence to treatment, and quality of life.

Psoriatic arthritis (PA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints, vertebral column, and entheses from a group of seronegative spondyloarthritides, which is observed in patients with psoriasis. In accordance with the 2013 federal clinical guidelines for the management of patients with PA, published by the Russian Society of Dermatovenereologists and Cosmetologists and the Association of Rheumatologists of Russia, its diagnosis should be based on the CASPAR criteria (ClASsification criteria for Psoriatic ARthritis, 2006). The activity of spondylitis in PA is assessed using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) that is a questionnaire containing 6 questions; a numeric rating scale from 0 (“very good”) to 10 (“very bad”) scores is applied for a response. It is recommended that ultrasound studies and magnetic resonance tomography be used for the early diagnosis of enthesitis in seronegative spondyloarthritides. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) that takes into account the area of the lesion, the magnitude of erythema, infiltration, and desquamation in different body areas. The early diagnosis of PA and the timely use of disease-modifying antirheumatic therapy are topical problems, as high-activity inflammation may lead to rapid joint destruction, physical limitations, and disability. When the signs of active PA (the presence of one or more swollen and tender joints, and/or 1 or more dactylitides, and/or more enthesitides and/or inflammatory back pain) are detected, prompt drug therapy is indicated. The clear compliance of the algorithm for making a decision on treatment policy and the timely assessment of the clinical manifestations of the disease improves prognosis, adherence to treatment, and quality of life.

Aim. To study if menopause influences the blood pressure (BP) decrease level during nighttime in women with metabolic syndrome. Methods. 84 women with metabolic syndrome are examined, from them 52 are in postmenopause (average age is 56 [SD 5] years) and 32 are in premenopause (average age is 44 [5] years). Anthropomorphic measurements were made, levels of office BP and heart rate were assessed, ambulatory BP monitoring was carried out, lipids and glucose of blood serum were studied. Results. Clinical parameters, characterizing metabolic syndrome, didn’t vary between the groups. Number of patients with insufficient decrease of BP in postmenopausal women didn’t differ significantly from the number of such women in premenopausal period (for systolic BP: 64% versus 52%, p=0,288; for diastolic BP: 34% versus 42%, p=0,469). Nevertheless, when evaluating the level of systolic BP decrease during nighttime as continuous variable, significant differences between groups are revealed (M±SEM [95% CI]: 4.4±1.5% [1.4-7.3] in postmenopausal women versus 11.3±1.7% [7.9-14.8] in premenopausal women, p=0,011). Conclusion. Postmenopause associates with insufficient systolic BP decrease during nighttime in women with metabolic syndrome.

Рекомендации TRIPOD предназначены для улучшения качества публикации результатов прогностических исследований. В документе описывается обоснование, подробно объясняется значение каждого пункта перечня и обсуждается, почему важна понятность изложения материала с акцентами на определение риска отклонений и клинической значимости прогностических моделей. Рекомендации упорядочивают процесс редактуры и помогают рецензентам, и, в конечном счете, читателям. Редакция журнала «Рациональная Фармакотерапия в Кардиологии» надеется, что возможная публикация TRIPOD будет полезна как нашим авторам и рецензентам, так и читателям.

The TRIPOD Statement aims to improve the transparency of the reporting of a prediction model study. This document describes the rationale; clarifies the meaning of each item; and discusses why transparent reporting is important, with a view to assessing risk of bias and clinical usefulness of the prediction model. To aid the editorial process and help peer reviewers and, ultimately, readers. The editorial board of "Rational Pharmacotherapy in Cardiology" hopes that the ability to publish TRIPOD will be useful to our authors, reviewers and readers.

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is observed in the population with a frequency of 5–15 %. The importance of OSAS is due to its close relationship with cardiovascular diseases. OSAS increases a risk for sudden cardiac death and is an independent predictor of chronic heart failure in males. OSAS is shown to be associated with the preclinical forms of atherosclerosis and left ventricular dysfunction.

New markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk are the subject of an intensive discussion in the scientific literature. The biomarkers (newlipid parameters, inflammatory markers) and signs of subclinical atherosclerosis are candidates to be included in models to assess the cumulative risk of CVD. The paper considers the basic studies dealing with new markers of CVD risk and their place in current clinical recommendations.