ESC Congress 2023, the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), is scheduled for Aug. 25-28 in Amsterdam.
ESC Congress is often described as the world’s largest meeting of cardiologists, electrophysiologists and other cardiovascular professionals, and the 2023 edition is expected to continue that trend. Healthcare meeting attendance did take a hit for a few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but all signs point to things being relatively back to normal.
To highlight the four-day event, which offers both in-person and virtual options, ESC has shared details about several sessions ahead of time. Read about four of those sessions, and when they are scheduled to occur, below:
1. Physical fitness linked to risk of atrial fibrillation, stroke
Individuals who are physically fit, as determined by a basic treadmill test, may face a reduced risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), a stroke or new-onset atrial fibrillation (AFib).
Those findings are based on data from more than 15,000 patients who were referred for a treadmill test from 2003 and 2012. The average patient was 55 years old, 59% were men and all included in the study presented without a history of AFib.
“This was a large study with an objective measurement of fitness and more than 11 years of follow up,” co-author Shih-Hsien Sung, MD, PhD, of the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, said in a statement. “The findings indicate that keeping fit may help prevent atrial fibrillation and stroke.”
The full study, “Exercise performance and the risk of incident atrial fibrillation,” will be presented Aug. 25.
2. Regularly taking aspirin benefits heart attack patients
Patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) are more likely to experience another one if they do not take daily aspirin.
This finding comes from a new analysis of more than 40,000 patients in Denmark who were age 40 or older at the time of their first MI. All were prescribed aspirin for the first year after MI, but some patients continued to take aspirin for many additional years.
Overall, adherence to regular daily aspirin use dropped from 90% after two years to 84% after four years, 82% after six years and 81% after eight years. Patients who were adherent faced a significantly lower risk of a recurrent MI, stroke or death at the two-, four-, six- and eight-year mark.
“We recommend that all patients who have had a heart attack stay adherent to their aspirin in accordance with guidelines until randomized controlled trials have proven otherwise, and clinical guidelines have been changed,” co-author Anna Meta Kristensen, a cardiologist with Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital in Denmark, said in a statement.
The full study, “Long-term aspirin adherence and risk of cardiovascular events and death after myocardial infarction: A nationwide cohort study,” will be presented Aug. 28.
3. Feeling safe from crime may lower risk of mortality, heart attack
Individuals who do not feel safe from crime at their own home may face greater odds of experiencing a premature death or significant cardiac event.
Researchers tracked data from nearly 36,000 adults in China who participated in a face-to-face interview about their neighborhood. All participants were between the ages of 35 and 70, and the average was 51 years old. Interview questions focused on a number of topics, including how safe it is to walk in each person’s neighborhood during the day and at night.
During a median follow-up period of 11.7 years, 5.7% of participants died. In addition, 8.5% of experienced a major cardiovascular disease (CVD) event, which the authors defined as death from cardiovascular causes, a nonfatal MI, a stroke or a diagnosis of heart failure.
Overall, higher “neighborhood environment scores” were associated with a 6% lower risk of all-cause mortality or a major CVD event, a 12% lower risk of death during follow-up and a 10% lower risk of death from CVD.
“This study highlights the importance of many aspects of our surroundings for heart health and longevity, including feeling safe, having shops, transport and parks close by, cleanliness, and feeling that our neighborhood is a good place to live and to raise children,” co-author Mengya Li, a specialist with the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in China, said in a statement.
Presentation of the full study, “Associations of built environment characteristic using NEWS questionnaires with major cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality,” is scheduled for Aug. 25.
4. Recognizing your own heart attack symptoms could save your life
When patients experience an MI, especially if it is their first, they may not recognize what is happening. When individuals do recognize their symptoms and understand what is happening, however, is lowers their odds of dying in the hospital.
Researchers examined registry data from nearly 12,000 MI patients. It was a repeat event for 9.6% of those patients. Overall, 52.3% recognized the symptoms of an MI and were able to act. The most commonly recognized symptoms were chest pain, shortness of breath and cold sweats. Men, the team noted, were more likely to recognize their symptoms than women. Living with a spouse also appeared to help increase the likelihood that a patient would know what was happening.
Patients who recognized their symptoms were more likely to receive treatment to open their arteries and restore their blood flow within two hours. They also had a lower in-hospital mortality rate (1.5%) than patients who did not recognize their symptoms (6.7%).
“The findings indicate that education is needed for the general public and heart attack survivors on the symptoms that should trigger calling an ambulance,” co-author Kyehwan Kim, a researcher with Gyeongsang National University Hospital in South Korea, said in a statement. “In our study, patients who knew the symptoms of a heart attack were more likely to receive treatment quickly and subsequently survive.”
The full study, “Effect of symptoms recognition in patients with recurrent acute myocardial infarction: from KRAMI-RCC,” will be presented Aug. 25.
Many late-breaking clinical trials also scheduled for ESC Congress 2023
ESC Congress 2023 also is scheduled to include 30 late-breaking studies as part of nine "Hot Line" sessions. Click here for a full rundown of those studies, including context from multiple researchers.
Additional details about the four-day conference are available here. Stay tuned to Cardiovascular Business for additional coverage.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.