Hypertension's prevalence in Romania is on the rise despite the increase in awareness, treatment, and control. Possible explanations of this trend might be the increasing incidence of unhealthy lifestyle and diet, including high salt intake, and a general increase in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia.

Central Sleep Apnea Syndrome (CSAS) and Cheyne-Stokes breathing are prevalent in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Positive respiratory pressure therapy (PAP) associated with drug therapy for heart failure can improve quality of life, although tolerance to PAP therapy can be difficult to achieve. Materials and method: Patients for this prospective, mono-center, cohort study were selected from patients with chronic heart failure who present at the Sleep Laboratory of the Medical Clinic of Pneumology, Oradea who underwent polysomnography. 38 HFrEF and CSAS patients were included between January 2019 to December 2021 in the study, with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >=15/hour of sleep. Echocardiographic hemodynamic parameters (left ventricular ejection fraction-LVEF, mitral regurgitation score), PAP compliance, and quality of life using the severe respiratory failure questionnaire (SRI) at the initiation of PAP and after 3 months were included. Results: After 3 months of PAP therapy LVEF increased significantly (from 31.4% ±12.2to 38.0%±10.9, p=0.0181), AHI decreased (from 40.1±18.7 to 6.8±6.1 events/h, p<0.0001) and all the categories of SRI showed improvement with significant general score increase (from 57.0±15.1 to 66.6±16.9, p<0.0001). Conclusion: The association of PAP therapy with drug therapy in patients with HFrEF and CSAS improves hemodynamic parameters and quality of life. Keywords: Chronic heart failure, positive airway pressure therapy, central sleep apnea syndrome

There is little information on the incidence and prognostic significance of arterial hypertension (HTN) in acute coronary syndromes (ACSs), especially in the east European countries. We sought to investigate a registry of ACS patients in Romania, in order to better elucidate whether hypertensive patients are at higher risk of death and deserve a tailored approach for management and follow-up. The data of this study are a framework of the International Survey of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Transitional Countries (ISACS-TC) (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01218776). The present analysis focused on 2286 retrospective patients admitted to 23 hospitals in Romania with a diagnosis of ACS. Among 1450 hypertensive patients, 64.5% were admitted with a diagnosis of STelevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), while the remaining was admitted with a diagnosis of non-STEMI (NSTEMI). When compared with non-hypertensive patients, hypertensive patients were older (mean age 60.3 vs. 66.7 years, P , 0.001), were prevalently female (25.8% vs. 35.5%, P , 0.001), and had higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors as well as higher rates of prior myocardial infarction (11.2% vs. 18.3%, P , 0.001). Additionally, they had higher rates of prior stroke (4.2% vs. 11.7%, P , 0.001) and chronic heart failure (11.5% vs. 18.4%, P , 0.001). Despite this adverse clinical profile, hypertensive patients were less likely be to be admitted with Killip class ≥2 (23.1% vs. 26.6%, P , 0.001) but they were more likely to be discharged with NYHA class ≥III (10.6% vs. 7.1%, P , 0.006). There were significant higher rates of unadjusted in-hospital mortality among hypertensive older (.65 years) patients with both STEMI and NSTEMI. Hypertensive ACS patients in Romania represent a higher risk group, since they are more often discharged with NYHA class ≥ III, are older and have an adverse clinical profile. In the elderly, the outcomes of the hypertensive patients are worse than non-hypertensive patients.

Background and aims. Patients with schizophrenia have a shorter life expectancy than normal population partially due to the metabolic side effects of antipsychotic treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term evolution of the metabolic syndrome in chronic schizophrenia patients on fixed second generation antipsychotics (SGA). Material and method. The components of metabolic syndrome were evaluated repeatedly in a minimum 6 months and maximum 2 years follow-up period. The presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and metabolic risk scores (cMetS) according to National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III were calculated and compared in time. In the prevalence, incidence and normalization logistic regression studies included all the known risk factors together with the follow-up period. Finally, all these rates were compared depending on the type of SGA. Results. Only cMetS, waist circumference and diastolic blood pressure presented significant increase in the follow-up period which was in average 385.5 days. The prevalence of MetS at base-line was 39.4%, which increased to 48.5% after the follow-up period. The calculated incidence of 30% was associated with a 23.1% rate of normalization. Logistic regression studies revealed as independent risk factors the age and base-line cMetS/weight for incidence and for normalization. In the aripiprazole group the normalization rate exceeded the incidence rate (33.3% vs 20%). Conclusions. The results emphasize the highly dynamic character of the metabolic syndrome even in chronic schizophrenia patients with fixed SGA regimen. The normalization of MetS is a possibility that should not ignored. The age and weight continue to remain independent risk factors, thus close monitoring in elderly and strict weight control plan are necessary. Aripiprazole showed better safety profile, but more extensive studies are required for definitive conclusions.

The prognosis of STEMI patients experiencing the no-reflow phenomenon is unfavorable both in the short- and long-term compared to patients who do not develop this pathology, and it is even worse as other cardiovascular risk factors There is a correlation between the no-reflow phenomenon and diabetes mellitus type II and obesity and this conditions represent stong predictors of mortality.