Background and Objectives: This study estimates the prevalence and severity of erectile dysfunction and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in patients after a myocardial infarction. Materials and Methods: This study included men aged 35–80 years, diagnosed with myocardial infarction and examined in the Department of Preventive Cardiology of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos between 2016 and 2020. Anthropometric characteristics, blood pressure, lipid profile, blood glucose levels and prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 was used to assess patients’ erectile function. Results: A total of 171 patients were analysed. The mean age was 57.6 ± 8.8 years. Of the patients, 42.1, 25.1 and 11.7% had three, four and five established cardiovascular risk factors, respectively. Of the patients, 100% were diagnosed with dyslipidaemia, 90.0%—arterial hypertension, 14.6%—diabetes, 23.3%—smoking, 43.7%—positive familial history and 54.5%—insufficient physical activity. The overall prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 62%. It was scored mild in 37.4%, mild-to-moderate—15.2%, moderate—5.3% and severe in 4.1% of the patients. The mean age was significantly different between severity groups (p < 0.001). The study demonstrated a negative correlation between age and total score of the questionnaire (r = −0.308, p < 0.001). Arterial hypertension was more frequent in the patients with erectile dysfunction (p = 0.02). Other cardiovascular risk factors were distributed similarly. Conclusions: Erectile dysfunction is common in patients after a myocardial infarction and its severity is age dependent. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is high, with arterial hypertension significantly more frequent in patients with erectile dysfunction.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a complex and heterogeneous cardiovascular disease. There are many genome-wide association studies (GWAS) performed worldwide to extract the causative genetic factors. Moreover, each population may have some exceptional genetic characteristic. Thus, the background of our study is from the previous Lithuanian studies (the LiVicordia Project), which demonstrated the differences of the atherosclerosis process between Lithuanian and Swedish male individuals. In this study we performed GWAS of 32 families of Lithuanian origin in search of significant candidate genetic markers [single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)] of CHD in this population. After careful clinical and biochemical phenotype evaluation, the ~770K SNPs genotyping (Illumina HumanOmniExpress- 12 v1.0 array) and familial GWAS analyses were performed. Twelve SNPs were found to be significantly associated with the CHD phenotype (p value 0.65). The odds ratio (OR) values were calculated. Two SNPs (rs17046570 in the RTN4 gene and rs11743737 in the FBXL17 gene) stood out and may prove to be important genetic factors for CHD risk. Our results correspond with the findings in other studies, and these two SNPs may be the susceptibility loci for CHD

Background: Exercise electrocardiography is a long-standing method for evaluation for coronary artery disese (CAD) and remains the initial test for the majority of patients who can exercise adequately with a baseline interpretable electrocardiogram. However, there is little information about the relationship between Duke treadmill test score (DTS) and severity of coronary artery lesion as well as estimating the need for revascularization. Aim: The aim of the study was to ascertain wethever the DTS coud be an efficient parameter in the choosing coronary revascularization in different DTS groups. Methods: 258 patients had positive exercise testing for CAD and underwent coronary angiography. The patients were divided into three groups according to the DTS: low-risk (with a score of ≥ +5), moderate-risk (with scores ranging from -10 to +4), and high-risk (with a score of ≤ -11) groups. Coronary angiography was done by the Judkins technique. Coronary lesion was considered significant when stenosis of coronary artery was ≥ 70 % and stenosis of the trunk was ≥ 50 %. Syntax Score was determined. Results: The study group included 258 patients with mean age was 62.66 ± 9.6 years and most of them were men (72.8%). Patients with high and intermediate risk DTS had the same SxScore (16.35 ± 7.3, 15.09 ± 10.08 and 11.80 ± 9.88 respectively; p=0.064) compared to low risk DTS. A negative correlation between DTS and significant coronary artery stenosis (r = -0.181; p = 0.005), syntax score (r=-0.173; p=0.007) cardiac revascularizations (r=-0.213; p=0.001) were found. At multiple linear regressions to predict coronary revascularization Syntax score (Β = 0.018; p = 0.0001), DTS (Β = -0.014, p = 0.008) and previous myocardial infarction (B=-0.143; p=0.047) were significant predictors. Conclusions: The DTS alone is a useful tool in suspecting a significant coronary artery stenosis, but not accurate enough for revascularization. Thus, by adding clinical information, his value may be maximised. Background: Exercise electrocardiography is a long-standing method for evaluation for coronary artery disese (CAD) and remains the initial test for the majority of patients who can exercise adequately with a baseline interpretable electrocardiogram. However, there is little information about the relationship between Duke treadmill test score (DTS) and severity of coronary artery lesion as well as estimating the need for revascularization. Aim: The aim of the study was to ascertain wethever the DTS coud be an efficient parameter in the choosing coronary revascularization in different DTS groups. Methods: 258 patients had positive exercise testing for CAD and underwent coronary angiography. The patients were divided into three groups according to the DTS: low-risk (with a score of ≥ +5), moderate-risk (with scores ranging from -10 to +4), and high-risk (with a score of ≤ -11) groups. Coronary angiography was done by the Judkins technique. Coronary lesion was considered significant when stenosis of coronary artery was ≥ 70 % and stenosis of the trunk was ≥ 50 %. Syntax Score was determined. Results: The study group included 258 patients with mean age was 62.66 ± 9.6 years and most of them were men (72.8%). Patients with high and intermediate risk DTS had the same SxScore (16.35 ± 7.3, 15.09 ± 10.08 and 11.80 ± 9.88 respectively; p=0.064) compared to low risk DTS. A negative correlation between DTS and significant coronary artery stenosis (r = -0.181; p = 0.005), syntax score (r=-0.173; p=0.007) cardiac revascularizations (r=-0.213; p=0.001) were found. At multiple linear regressions to predict coronary revascularization Syntax score (Β = 0.018; p = 0.0001), DTS (Β = -0.014, p = 0.008) and previous myocardial infarction (B=-0.143; p=0.047) were significant predictors. Conclusions: The DTS alone is a useful tool in suspecting a significant coronary artery stenosis, but not accurate enough for revascularization. Thus, by adding clinical information, his value may be maximised.

Dyslipidemia is highly prevalent and is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Lithuania. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of severe dyslipidemia in Lithuanian middle aged primary prevention population and to investigate cardiovascular risk profile. The group of 83,376 people were examined in the Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk primary prevention program (LitHiR), during 2009–2015 years. This study recruited middle aged men and women without overt cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was compared between severe dyslipidemia group and control group. Severe dyslipidemia was present in 13.5% (11265) of the subjects; 66.6% (7508) were females. The subjects with severe dyslipidemia had significantly higher rates of arterial hypertension (63.5% vs. 44.2%, p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (16% vs. 8.1%, p < 0,001), abdominal obesity (51% vs. 30.3%, p < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) > 30 (kg/m2) (38.8% vs. 24.1%, p < 0.001), metabolic syndrome (47.2% vs. 9.2%, p < 0.001), unbalanced diet (66.5% vs. 53.5%, p < 0.001), insufficient physical activity (56% vs. 44.2%, p < 0.001), family history of cardiovascular disease (29.7% vs. 22.7%, p < 0.001) in comparison with control group. Subjects without dyslipidemia had significantly higher rates of smoking (26.4% vs. 22.7%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of familial hypercholesterolemia was 0.1%, very high hypertriglyceridemia - 0.2% and familial mixed dyslipidemia - 0.1% of the subjects examined in the LitHiR programme. High prevalence of dyslipidemia remains a major problem in Lithuania. 9 out of 10 people have dyslipidemia, 1 out of 10 - severe dyslipidemia. Severe dyslipidemia is associated with higher frequency of other cardiovascular risk factors.