Scientific journals have evolved into one of the most vital means for disseminating  research findings and communicating new knowledge which is critical for  the progress of science. But more than this, journals are also important in the  development of public health. And when we talk about public health in the  Philippines, the role and relevance of the Philippine Journal of Cardiology (PJC) as  the scientific publication arm of the Philippine Heart Association is truly crucial  with cardiovascular diseases continuing to be the top cause of mortality. 

Venous thromboembolism, encompassing pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep  vein thrombosis (DVT), is the third most common acute cardiovascular syndrome. It requires  prompt diagnosis and risk-based treatment strategies. This is a case report of a 47-year-old male, 30-pack-year smoker who recently underwent open reduction and  internal fixation of the right femur presented with dyspnea.

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a right-sided dominant cardiac lesion with a stenotic right ventricular (RV) outflow tract and hypertrophied RV, which could result in septal shift and RV dilation. This study evaluated the RV/left ventricular (LV) diameter ratio at end-systole in association with clinical outcomes in children who underwent repair of TOF. The main aim of this study was to determine the association of RV/LV diameter ratio at end-systole with the outcomes of TOF repair. The specific objectives were to determine whether the preoperative (demographic and echocardiographic data) parameters were associated with the clinical outcomes of TOF repair and to determine whether the intraoperative (cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp time) parameters were associated with the clinical outcomes of TOF repair.

A 65-year-old man, Filipino, with comorbidities consulted because of  shortness of breath. Chest computed tomography scan showed ground-glass opacities and  crazy paving patterns (computed tomography severity score = 29). He required oxygen at  4 L/min, with bradycardia. Cardiac enzymes and transthoracic echocardiogram did not show  abnormalities. Serial electrocardiogram and electrolytes showed arrhythmia and electrolyte  imbalance.  

After transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), ischemic/embolic complications and bleeding remain important because it correlates with mortality. The optimal antithrombotic regimen after successful TAVR remains unclear. This study compared the efficacy and safety of single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) versus dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) among post-TAVR patients.

This study was conducted to determine the utility of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE) in predicting major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). 

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected training programs because  of changes in patient load and service assignments. This posed certain challenges in the  implementation of the pre–COVID-19 training curriculum recommendations by the Philippine  Heart Association Specialty Board on Adult Cardiology. This article describes the challenges, training adjustments and innovations, and the impact on the training program of these changes instituted by the University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (DCVM) during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS), specifically myocardial infarction, accounted  for approximately 41% of deaths due to coronary artery disease in 2013. A large number of  Filipinos are affected by ACS; thus, it is important to determine its hospitalization cost. The  study objectives were to (1) define the hospital care pathways for ACS; (2) determine the  resources used; (3) estimate the hospitalization cost for uncomplicated ACS; and (4) determine  the difference between the estimated hospitalization cost and the coverage provided by the  Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth). 

The gap in evidence in the management of multivalvular lesions can be addressed  by providing more data on clinical and echocardiographic outcomes after percutaneous  transmitral commissurotomy (PTMC) in patients with concomitant significant tricuspid  regurgitation (TR) at baseline. This is a single-center cohort study of adult Filipinos 19 years or older, admitted  between January 2019 and October 2020 due to severe mitral stenosis with moderate to  severe TR subjected to PTMC.

Trimetazidine as adjunctive therapy in cardioischemic patients has shown improvement in angina and left ventricular ejection fraction, but with conflicting evidence on hard clinical outcomes. This  meta-analysis aims to compare the efficacy of trimetazidine versus placebo in reducing cardiac   mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in coronary artery disease patients after reperfusion strategies, whether percutaneous coronary intervention or thrombolysis.