Cardiovascular Reviews

Advances in the Study of Magnetocardiography in Cardiovascular Diseases

2025-04-04T09:44:25+08:00

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the leading reasons for death and disability in patients worldwide. Their accurate diagnosis and assessment remain a considerable challenge in clinical settings. Magnetocardiography is a non-invasive, non-radioactive, and non-contact functional test. This examination has made significant progress in diagnosing and treating CVDs recently. However, most healthcare professionals are not aware of this new examination tool. In this review, we will summarize the development history and working principle of magnetocardiography, highlight its use in diagnosing, evaluating, and monitoring CVD treatment effects, and discuss the prospects for its application in clinical settings.

Prevalence and Implications of Anxiety and Depression in Cardiovascular Outpatients Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

2025-04-04T09:44:17+08:00

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of depression and/or anxiety among cardiovascular outpatients in a tertiary general hospital following the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Patients were recruited consecutively from the cardiovascular outpatient department of Weinan Central Hospital, a comprehensive tertiary hospital in the region. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older, conscious, provided informed consent, and were able to independently complete the questionnaire. On designated survey days, all participants completed a general information form, the three-question method questionnaire, and, for those identified as positive by the initial screening, additional GAD-7 and PHQ-9 assessments. Results: A total of 1,355 valid responses were obtained. Initial screening using the three-question method identified 379 positive cases, accounting for 27.97% (379/1,355). The prevalence of depression was approximately 2.89% (39/1,355), anxiety was 4.87% (66/1,355), and mixed anxiety and depression was 15.28% (207/1,355), indicating that mixed conditions were more common. Among patients presenting with cardiac-like symptoms but diagnosed with non-organic heart disease, over 36% were identified in the outpatient department. In this subgroup, the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and mixed conditions was approximately 25.25%, 23.35%, and 19.56%, respectively. These cases, often categorized as cardiac neurosis, are thought to be associated with emotional and psychological factors and are predominantly observed among young and middle-aged individuals. Among patients with organic heart disease, hypertension was the most prevalent condition, affecting approximately 47.75%, followed by coronary heart disease, heart surgery, arrhythmias, and heart failure. Patients with arrhythmias exhibited the highest rates of anxiety (27.71%), depression (26.51%), and mixed conditions (25.30%). Similarly, among hypertensive patients, the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and mixed conditions was approximately 16.23%, 14.06%, and 11.90%, respectively. These prevalence rates exceed national data from similar studies conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: A high prevalence of anxiety and depression exists among cardiovascular outpatients in general hospitals, with an increasing trend observed after the pandemic. Establishing a psycho-cardiological medical model is essential for improving the diagnosis and treatment of these patients.

Individualized Cardiac Rehabilitation in Elderly Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Chronic Heart Failure

2025-04-04T09:44:23+08:00

Objective: To study the changes and clinical effects of elderly patients with coronary heart disease and chronic heart failure after applying individualized cardiac rehabilitation. Methods: 85 cases of elderly patients with coronary heart disease and chronic heart failure admitted from June 2023 to May 2024 were divided into the control group (42 cases) and the experimental group (43 cases), and were given conventional rehabilitation guidance and individualized cardiac rehabilitation training programme respectively, comparing the indexes of exercise endurance, level of cardiac function, quality of life, and incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in the two groups. Results: Before intervention, the LVEF, LVEDD and LVEDS of the control group and the experimental group were (37.11 ± 3.96)%, (62.15 ± 4.06) mm and (45.75 ± 4.33) mm and (37.06 ± 3.92)%, (2.20 ± 4.23) mm and (45.81 ± 4.27) mm, respectively, with no statistically significant difference. and test group LVEF increased and LVEDD and LVESD decreased by (45.75 ± 5.12)%, (55.18 ± 3.97) mm, (41.14 ± 3.29) mm and (51.79 ± 4.26)%, (48.23 ± 3.58) mm, (36.62 ± 3.75) mm, respectively, with statistically significant differences between the groups (P < 0.05) ). Before intervention, the 6 min walk test (6MWT) and maximum exercise load of the control group and the experimental group were (325.55 ± 37.79) m, (91.02 ± 15.74) W and (324.17 ± 37.68) m, (90.92 ± 14.78) W, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). After intervention, all the indicators of both groups were significant (P > 0.05). After the intervention, all indicators in both groups were significantly higher, respectively (386.28 ± 42.95) m, (135.67 ± 22.75) W and (460.43 ± 39.91) m, (152.83 ± 25.64) W, and the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (P < 0.05). The quality of life scores of the experimental group on somatic symptoms, daily activities, psychological quality, and social functioning were respectively (80.01 ± 6.02), (73.75 ± 7.32), (80.56 ± 6.41), (71.42 ± 6.87), significantly higher than the control group’s (67.03 ± 6.98), (64.19 ± 7.16), (63.78 ± 6.13) and (60.72 ± 6.47), while the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Cardiac arrhythmia occurred in the experimental group. The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction was 4.65%, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (23.81%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Individualized cardiac rehabilitation exercise in elderly patients with coronary heart disease and chronic heart failure can promote the recovery of clinical symptoms, improve cardiorespiratory function, enhance exercise endurance, improve the quality of life, and effectively improve the prognosis.

Analysis of the Impact of Different Intensities of Cardiac Exercise Rehabilitation on the Prognosis of Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

2025-04-04T09:44:34+08:00

Objective: This study mainly focuses on the impact of different intensities of cardiac exercise rehabilitation on the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure. Method: This study selected 108 patients with chronic heart failure admitted to the hospital between April 2022 and November 2022 as the subjects of this study. The patients were divided into high-intensity interval exercise group HIIT (37 cases), moderate-intensity continuous exercise group MICT (36 cases), and control group 35 cases. Among them, the high-intensity interval exercise group and moderate-intensity continuous exercise group received 6 months and 12 months of exercise rehabilitation intervention, respectively, while the control group did not receive any exercise rehabilitation intervention measures. Then, compare the changes in ejection fraction, six-minute walking distance, NT-proBNP, and other aspects among the three groups of patients. Result: Through research, it was found that the LVEF values of the high-intensity interval exercise group and the moderate-intensity continuous exercise group were higher than those of the control group. The six-minute walking distance of the high-intensity interval exercise group and the moderate-intensity continuous exercise group was higher than that of the control group. The values of NT-proBNP in the high-intensity interval exercise group and the moderate-intensity continuous exercise group were lower than those in the control group. The above research results indicate that the difference is statistically significant, P < 0.05. Conclusion: According to the research results, different intensities of cardiac exercise rehabilitation have a significant impact on the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure. It can not only improve the LVEF and prolong the six-minute walking distance of patients, but also effectively reduce NT-proBNP. Therefore, it is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Study on the Effect of Cardiac Rehabilitation Nursing after Coronary Heart Disease Interventional Therapy

2025-04-04T09:44:28+08:00

Objective: To study the effect of cardiac rehabilitation nursing after coronary heart disease interventional therapy. Methods: 80 patients with coronary heart disease who underwent interventional treatment from January 2024 to August 2024 were selected as experimental subjects and randomly divided into 40 cases in each group. The patients in the Kanghu group received cardiac rehabilitation care after interventional treatment, and the patients in the relative group received clinical routine care after interventional treatment. Cardiac function indicators, 6-minute walking distance, quality of life, incidence of adverse cardiovascular events, and nursing satisfaction were compared and analyzed. Results: Before nursing, there was little difference in cardiac function indicators between groups and no statistical significance (P > 0.05); after nursing, the cardiac function indicators between groups were optimized, and the cardiac function indicators in the Kanghu group were better than those in the relative group, which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Before surgery, the 6-minute walking distance between the groups was similar, which was not statistically significant (P > 0.05); after surgery, the 6-minute walking distance between the groups increased, and the 6-minute walking distance in the Kangwu group was longer than that in the relative group, which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was a large difference in the quality of life scores between the groups, and the quality of life score in the Kangwu group was higher than that in the relative group, which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse events in the Kangwu group was lower than that in the relative group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The effect of receiving cardiac rehabilitation care after interventional treatment for coronary heart disease is ideal, which is helpful to strengthen the cardiac function of patients and speed up the recovery speed.

Enhancing Regional Healthcare Service Capability Through Cardiovascular Regional Medical Centers Under the DeepSeek Framework: A Systematic Analysis of Resource Integration, Technological Empowerment, and Collaborative Networks

2025-04-04T09:44:31+08:00

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading global health threat, and the establishment of regional medical centers is a critical strategy for optimizing healthcare resource allocation and enhancing grassroots service capabilities. Against this backdrop, China’s National Health Commission launched the “Thousand-County Project,” promoting resource decentralization and technological collaboration through the construction of cardiovascular regional medical centers. Guided by the DeepSeek systematic methodology, this study employs a tripartite model of “resource-technology-collaboration” to analyze the service capacity enhancement pathways of a cardiovascular regional medical center in the Pearl River Delta. Findings reveal that deep resource integration (equipment sharing rate increased by 41–97%), technology-enabled empowerment (AI-assisted diagnostic accuracy reached 96.5%), and collaborative network development (response time for remote consultations reduced by 89%) significantly optimized the timeliness of critical care (door-to-balloon [D2B] time decreased from 126 to 71 minutes) and improved the homogenization of grassroots diagnostics (guideline adherence rose from 58% to 82%). International practices, such as the American Heart Association’s “Mission: Lifeline” program (reducing STEMI D2B time to under 90 minutes via regional networks) and the European Heart Network’s (EHN) transnational data-sharing initiatives, validate the universal applicability of resource integration and technological innovation in healthcare system reform. Empirical evidence demonstrates that the integration of “emergency-chronic care-data networks” increased the number of grassroots hospitals independently performing PCI procedures from 2 to 11, extended annual utilization of advanced equipment by 1,600 hours, and achieved Pareto optimization in “capability enhancement-cost control-quality improvement.” This study provides a theoretical framework and practical paradigm for addressing structural healthcare resource disparities, offering critical insights for advancing hierarchical diagnosis and treatment systems and realizing the Healthy China strategy.

Observation on the Efficacy of Combined External Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Intervening Hypertension with Kidney-Yang Deficiency by Regulating the RASS System

2025-04-04T09:44:20+08:00

Objective: To observe the efficacy of combined external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in intervening hypertension with kidney-Yang deficiency by regulating the RASS system. Methods: A total of 61 patients with subacute hypertension and kidney-Yang deficiency admitted to our hospital from December 2024 to March 2025 were selected. The western medicine treatment group was treated with amlodipine benzenesulfonate and instructed to take antihypertensive western medicine regularly. The TCM external treatment group received auricular acupuncture, auricular point pressing with beans, and acupoint application based on the treatment of the Western medicine group. Laboratory indicators (including angiotensin II, aldosterone, and renin), blood pressure changes, and TCM syndrome scores were compared between the two groups after 4 weeks of treatment. Results: After treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in angiotensin II, aldosterone, and renin between the TCM external treatment group and the Western medicine treatment group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical significance in blood pressure measurements from the 1st to the 8th time between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the TCM external treatment group showed statistically significant differences between the 8th and 1st measurements (P < 0.05), while only systolic blood pressure in the western medicine treatment group showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The blood pressure in the TCM external treatment group decreased steadily from the 1st to the 8th measurement, whereas it did not decrease significantly in the Western medicine treatment group. The TCM external treatment group had significantly better scores in terms of headache and dizziness, cold limbs or back, frequent or involuntary nocturia, fatigue and laziness to speak, shortness of breath and weakness, and other TCM syndromes compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The combination of TCM external treatment and Western medicine has a good antihypertensive effect in treating subacute hypertension with kidney-Yang deficiency and can effectively improve clinical symptoms.