Background/Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and increasingly are recognized as a continuum of interconnected conditions rather than isolated entities. Methods: A structured narrative literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for publications from 2015 to 2025 using combinations of different keywords: “cardiovascular disease spectrum”, “multi-omics”, “precision cardiology”, “machine learning”, and “artificial intelligence in cardiology”. Results: Evidence was synthesized across seven major clusters of cardiovascular conditions, and across these domains, common biological pathways were mapped onto heterogeneous clinical phenotypes, and we summarize how multi-omics integration, AI-enabled imaging and digital tools contribute to improved risk prediction and more informed clinical decision-making within this spectrum. Conclusions: Interpreting cardiovascular conditions as components of a shared disease spectrum clarifies cross-disease interactions and supports a shift from organ- and syndrome-based classifications toward mechanism- and data-driven precision cardiology. The convergence of multi-omics, and AI offers substantial opportunities for earlier detection, individualized prevention, and tailored therapy, but requires careful attention to data quality, equity, interpretability, and practical implementation in routine care.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with hypercholesterolemia identified as a major, but modifiable risk factor. This review serves as the second part of a comprehensive analysis of dyslipidemia management. The first installment laid the groundwork by detailing the key pathophysiological mechanisms of lipid metabolism, the development of atherosclerosis, major complications of hyperlipidemia, and the importance of cardiovascular risk assessment in therapeutic decision-making. It also examined non-pharmacological interventions and conventional therapies, with a detailed focus on statins and ezetimibe. Building upon that foundation, the present article focuses exclusively on emerging pharmacological therapies designed to overcome limitations of standard treatment. It explores the mechanisms, clinical applications, safety profiles, and pharmacogenetic aspects of novel agents such as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors (alirocumab, evolocumab), small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy (inclisiran), adenosine triphosphate–citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor (bempedoic acid), microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitor (lomitapide), and angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) inhibitor (evinacumab). These agents offer targeted strategies for patients with high residual cardiovascular risk, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), or statin intolerance. By integrating the latest advances in precision medicine, this review underscores the expanding therapeutic landscape in dyslipidemia management and the evolving potential for individualized care.
Background: Glycemic variability (GV) is a novel parameter used in evaluating the quality of diabetes management. Current guidelines recommend the use of GV indexes alongside the traditional parameter to evaluate glycemic control: hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). This study aims to evaluate the extent to which HbA1c explains the GV phenomena in patients with Type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Methods: In 147 patients with T1DM, associations between HbA1c and several GV indexes were analyzed. Results: Patients with an HbA1c < 7% had a lower median standard deviation of glycemia (60 vs. 48; p < 0.001), a lower coefficient of variation (34.1 vs. 38.0; p < 0.001), and a significantly increased median time in range (78 vs. 58; p < 0.001). HbA1c was positively correlated with the coefficient of variation (r = 0.349; p < 0.001) and the standard deviation (r = 0.656; p < 0.001) but reversely correlated with a lower time in range (r = −0.637; p < 0.001). Conclusions: HbA1c only partially explains the GV phenomena in patients with T1DM. The HbA1c value is associated more strongly with the time in range and standard deviation than with the coefficient of variation.
Background: Cardiomyopathies (CMs) represent a heterogeneous group of primary myocardial diseases characterized by structural and functional abnormalities. They represent one of the leading causes of cardiac transplantations and cardiac death in young individuals. Clinically they vary from asymptomatic to symptomatic heart failure, with a high risk of sudden cardiac death due to malignant arrhythmias. With the increasing availability of genetic testing, a significant number of affected people are found to have an underlying genetic etiology. However, the awareness of the benefits of incorporating genetic test results into the care of these patients is relatively low. Aim: The focus of this review is to summarize the current basis of genetic CMs, including the most encountered genes associated with the main types of cardiomyopathies: hypertrophic, dilated, restrictive arrhythmogenic, and non-compaction. Materials and Methods: For this narrative review, we performed a search of multiple electronic databases, to select and evaluate relevant manuscripts. Results: Advances in genetic diagnosis led to better diagnosis precision and prognosis prediction, especially with regard to the risk of developing arrhythmias in certain subtypes of cardiomyopathies. Conclusions: Implementing the genomic information to benefit future patient care, better risk stratification and management, promises a better future for genotype-based treatment.
We present the case of a 51-year-old male with known congestive heart failure and acute myocarditis who presented to the emergency department (ED) with swollen testicles and urinary symptoms two weeks after the initiation of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor treatment. Abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) scan was consistent with the diagnosis of Fournier’s gangrene (FG). Intravenous antibiotics were administered and surgical exploratory intervention and excision of necrotic tissue were performed, stopping the evolution of necrotizing fasciitis. FG, a reported adverse event, may rarely occur when SGLT2 inhibitors are administered in patients with diabetes. To our knowledge, there have been no reported cases of FG in Romania since SLGT2 inhibitors were approved. The distinguishing feature of this case is that the patient was not diabetic, which emphasizes that patients without diabetes who are treated for heart failure with SGLT2 inhibitors may also be at risk of developing genitourinary infections. The association of predisposing factors may have contributed to the development of FG in this case and even though the benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors outweigh the risks, serious adverse events need to be voluntarily reported in order to intervene promptly, verify the relationship, and minimize the risk of bias.
Background and Objectives: Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) is intricately associated with an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, highlighting the imperative for tailored intervention in the prevention and management of CV diseases. To assess the CV risk and subsequent interventions in patients with diabetes, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has been consistently developing and updating specific guidelines for risk assessment and patient management since 2019. The 2023 risk classification method has significantly changed, introducing a novel probability-based assessment through the implementation of SCORE2-Diabetes instrument. This marks a shift from the risk factor-based classification employed in the 2019 and 2021 methods, representing an innovative approach in risk assessment for individuals with T2DM. This study aims to evaluate the differences in the CV risk classification among hospitalized patients with T2DM using the three proposed methods within the Romanian population, a European population considered to be at very high cardiovascular risk. Materials and Methods: in a consecutive-case, population-based study design, 70 patients hospitalized with T2DM from a European population characterized by very high CV risk were assessed for CV risk using the three proposed methods. The differences between these classifications were subsequently analyzed. Results: In the study group, according to 2023 classification, one patient (1.4%) was classified with moderate CV risk, eight (11.4%) with high cardiovascular risk, and sixty-one (87.2%) with very high cardiovascular risk. A total of 36 patients (51.4%) were classified differently compared to 2021 criteria, the differences being statistically significant (p = 0.047), while 13 (18.6%) were different compared to 2019 criteria, the differences being statistically non-significant (p = 0.731). By comparing the 2021 to the 2019 ESC Guidelines recommendations, 40 patients had a one-step decrease in cardiovascular risk category, from very high to high risk. Conclusions: Most patients included in the analysis were classified as very high CV risk (87.2%). Within a European population characterized by very high CV risk, the SCORE2-Diabetes instrument proves to be a valuable tool, contributing to most step-ups in CV risk classes within the 2023 classification. In a very-high-risk demographic, the 2023 algorithm resulted in different classifications in contrast to the 2021 method but similar classifications observed with the 2019 method.