Patients with established atherothrombotic disease (EAD) or those with atherothrombotic risk factors are at high risk for cardiovascular events and death. There are scant data on the clinical profile of stable Filipino patients with risk factors for atherothrombosis, and their long-term outcomes. 

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) represents a major health problem, with its exceedingly high mortality rates and dismal prognosis for SCD survivors. The mortality rate and prognosis of SCD patients with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) or asystole is higher compared to those who have ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF). Cerebral anoxic injury is a significant contributor of overall mortality and neurologic deterioration among post–cardiac arrest patients. Mild hypothermia has been shown to decrease neurologic injury, translating into improved survival and neurologic outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to determine the efficacy of mild hypothermia in decreasing overall mortality, neurologic deterioration and the risk of developing adverse events among post–cardiac arrest patients. 

Brugada syndrome is the purported mechanism for sudden unexplained death syndrome, also known in the Philippine vernacular as bangungut. The Brugada electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern, which is the most useful marker of this condition, is found in 2% of Filipinos, most of whom are asymptomatic. There is a knowledge gap on the clinical outcome for individuals with asymptomatic Brugada pattern. Previous data show conflicting results. 

Clonidine may help prevent cardiac events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing noncardiac surgery by sympatholysis. This study aims to provide a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the efficacy of low-dose clonidine in preventing cardiac events perioperatively. 

The aorta-right atrial tunnel (ARAT) is an extracardiac vascular communication originating from  one of the sinuses of Valsalva and terminating in either the superior vena cava or the right atrium. We present a case of this rare phenomenon in a young female with palpitations and a continuous  murmur. This case report also presents how various imaging modalities were used to verify the  diagnosis.

Symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis (AS) is a potentially life-threatening and functionally limiting disease that typically affects the elderly. Such patients often have multiple comorbidities, which adversely influence outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). As an effective minimally invasive valve replacement technique for high-risk patients with severe symptomatic AS, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is comparable to SAVR. This study reports the authors’ TAVR experience with the CoreValve THV (Medtronic) in 51 high-risk, extra-high-risk, or inoperable patients with severe aortic valve disease. 

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common valvular disease. The major causes of MR include mitral valve prolapse (MVP), rheumatic heart disease, infective endocarditis, annular calcification, cardiomyopathy and ischemic heart disease. MR is classified as primary MR (or degenerative), which is caused by intrinsic disease of the mitral leaflets, and secondary MR which is caused by diseases of the left ventricle and/or mitral annulus. Surgical treatment should be considered for patients with functional disability and/or for patients with no symptoms or only mild symptoms but with progressively deteriorating left ventricular (LV) function or progressively increasing LV dimensions. Without surgical treatment, the prognosis for patients with MR and heart failure is poor, so mitral valve repair or replacement is indicated for symptomatic patients. However, in patients with MR due to primary abnormality of the mitral apparatus (degenerative MR) who are deemed high risk for mitral valve surgery, MitraClip Clip Delivery System provides an alternative option in reducing significant symptomatic MR (MR ≥ 3+).