In this parable, cathedral metaphorically represents an “over-arching vision”.

And vision, is the WHY - or the answer to why we exist as cardiologists and as members of the Philippine Heart Association today. This is what defines our organization, and this is what we are and what we should continue to be - a leader in cardiovascular care, education and research in the Asia Pacific. But ultimately, it is all about decreasing the burden of cardiovascular diseases in the country.

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the Philippines and can present as acute coronary syndrome. Hospitalization for ACS has epidemiologic and economic burden. In fact, last 2017, there were 1.52% or 152 admissions for every 10,000 hospitalized patients for medical conditions in PhilHealth-accredited hospitals locally. However, coronary angioplasty was performed in only less than 1% of these cases mainly because of its cost and the out-of-pocket expense that the treatment entail, when primary percutaneous intervention has been proven to be effective in reducing mortality in STEMI and early invasive intervention performed during index hospitalization for NSTEMI is likewise recommended. Moreover, there is a big disparity between the current case rates for ACS for medical therapy alone and for invasive intervention compared to the actual ACS hospitalization cost. The objective of this study was to propose revisions to the current PhilHealth case rates for acute coronary syndrome (ACS); and to determine the budget impact of the proposed ACS case rates.

Hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has epidemiologic and  economic burden. The coverage for hospitalization in the local setting is much less than the  actual costs. Many patients do not consent to or avail of the optimal and timely management  because of financial challenges. The paper aimed to propose revised PhilHealth case rates/packages for ACS,  namely: 1) unstable angina (UA), 2) non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and 3) ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

This study aimed to determine the budget impact of the proposed revised  PhilHealth case rate packages for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This budget impact analysis used the static approach or cost calculator modeling  method

The combined mitral stenosis (MS) and aortic regurgitation (AR) impose opposite  loading conditions on the left ventricle. Physiologically, the relief of MS may increase the severity of AR. 

Arterial switch operation is the preferred surgical management for  d-transposition of the great arteries, but it still has long-term complications, which necessitate  continued follow-up of patients. This procedure was first performed in this institution in 1991,  and after three decades, there is a need to evaluate midterm and long-term outcomes in this population. This is a descriptive study on arterial switch operation patients between January  2010 and March 2019 in this institution.

The development of pneumonia after cardiac surgery is a significant  postoperative complication that may lead to worse clinical outcomes. We aimed to identify risk  factors associated with it and determine its clinical impact in terms of in-hospital mortality and  morbidity.  This was a cross-sectional study among all adult patients who underwent cardiac  surgery from 2014 to 2019 in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines.

Thiamine plays a crucial role for normal cardiac function, as severe vitamin B₁ (thiamine) deficiency leads to congestive heart failure. Thus, patients undergoing diuretic treatment might have compromised heart function. Several small-scale studies were conducted with conflicting results”. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of thiamine supplementation on cardiac function among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction receiving optimal medical therapy versus optimum medical therapy alone.

Natriuretic peptides are increasingly used in clinical practice to diagnose  myocardial dysfunction in heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Recent studies indicate that plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) may have a role in the diagnosis and management of HF. However, there is marked heterogeneity in BNP levels among subjects with HFpEF, which is only partially explained by differences in left ventricular (LV) dimensions  or systolic function. This study aims to investigate if N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) can be a useful tool to guide management in patients with HFpEF when echocardiography is not easily accessible. 

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death globally.  Studies have shown association of CAD and its risk factors; however, data on association of  these risk factors and severity of CAD as seen in angiography in our local setting are still limited. The aims of this study were to determine the clinical and angiographic profile  of patients who underwent coronary angiography, to correlate cardiovascular risk factors to  their angiographic findings, and to compare the trend of risk factors and angiography findings  between decades.