Congestive heart failure (CHF), especially if acute and severe, needs immediate medical attention  and often requires hospitalization. The objective of this study is to describe the available healthcare providers, the number and type of healthcare facilities where CHF patients were hospitalized in 2014. 

The use of anti-HER2 breast cancer treatments, lapatinib and trastuzumab, improves patient  outcomes but have been implicated to cause cardiac toxicity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of these drugs on the cardiac size and function of patients, as measured by transthoracic echocardiography.

Since the introduction of transradial access as a site for coronary angiogram or angioplasty, the rates  of vascular complications have significantly improved. Because of this, the procedure has become increasingly preferred due to reduced morbidity rates and lower procedural cost. Complications—specifically, arteriovenous fistulae—have become rarer with the use of the transradial approach. This case series presents two cases of traumatic iatrogenic radial arteriovenous fistula as a complication of transradial coronary angioplasty, as well as their management. 

The prevalence of hypertension is increasing in the Philippines. Hypertension is often associated  with an exaggerated increase in blood pressure (BP) in the morning, referred to as morning surge – a phenomenon known to increase the risk of cardiovascular events. This study aims to determine whether morning surge is present in hypertensive Filipino patients and whether this correlates with control of hypertension. 

The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a common outcome measurement in cardiac rehabilitation  but there are no established guidelines on its use in cardiac rehabilitation. Furthermore, the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) is a brief self-administered questionnaire that assesses the patient’s ability to perform common activities but its usefulness in cardiac rehabilitation has not yet been determined. This study aimed to assess the reliability of the 6MWT and DASI in determining improvement in functional capacity based on treadmill exercise test (TET) among patients enrolled in Phase I, II and III cardiac rehabilitation in Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) from September 2015-September 2016. 

Hypertension is closely linked to left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, which can lead to overt  heart failure. The use of global longitudinal strain (GLS) in this subset of individuals seems to be able to detect subclinical changes, thereby allowing for more aggressive therapy. This study aimed to compare the GLS and other echocardiographic measures of patients with controlled and uncontrolled hypertension using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE). 

Anomalous coronary artery from the opposite sinus of Valsalva (ACAOS) is a rare congenital  condition with reported incidence of 1.07%. It is classically associated with risk for sudden death (SCD) based on autopsy reports. Several anatomic features of this anomaly have been correlated with its symptomatology and risk of SCD, and surgical revascularization has been suggested by guidelines. However, based on recent reviews, SCD risk in ACAOS patients may be overestimated and that these patients may be managed conservatively. 

Abnormal heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise is associated with an increase in all-cause mortality  in both asymptomatic individuals and patients with established heart disease. In clinical practice, myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is used to establish the diagnosis and prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aimed to determine the relationship between the HRR and the MPI findings of patients who underwent exercise stress test using sestamibi MPI.  

Studies showed that the triglyceride/HDL ratio is a predictor of long-term mortality and (CV) events. However, the association of the triglyceride/HDL ratio to in-hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients is less studied. This study aimed to determine the association of triglyceride/ HDL ratio taken within four days of admission on in-hospital mortality in adult patients admitted  for ACS.