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Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and valvular heart disease (VHD) are the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The epidemiology of VHD has changed in recent decades with an aging population, increasing risk factors for cardiovascular disease and migration, all of which have a significant implifications for healthcare systems. Due to common pathophysiological mechanisms and risk factors, AMI and VHD often coexist. These patients have more complicated clinical characteristics, in-hospital course and outcomes, and are less likely to receive guideline-directed therapy. Because of the reciprocal negative pathophysiological influence, these patients need to be referred to VHD specialists and further discussed within the Heart team to assess the need for earlier intervention. Since the results of the number of studies show that one third of the patients are referred to the heart teams either too early or too late, there is a need to better define the communication networks between the treating physicians, including internists, general practitioners, outpatient cardiologists and heart teams, after the discharge of patients with pre-existing VHD and AMI.

BackgroundSex- and gender-associated differences determine the disease response to treatment.AimThe study aimed to explore the hypothesis that progress in the management of STE-myocardial infarction (STEMI) overcomes the worse outcome in women.Methods and resultsWe performed an analysis of three randomized trials enrolling patients treated with primary PCI more than 10 years apart. PRAGUE-1,-2 validated the preference of transport for primary PCI over on-site fibrinolysis. PRAGUE-18 enrollment was ongoing at the time of the functional network of 24/7PCI centers, and the intervention was supported by intensive antiplatelets. The proportion of patients with an initial Killip ≥ 3 was substantially higher in the more recent study (0.6 vs. 6.7%, p = 0.004). Median time from symptom onset to the door of the PCI center shortened from 3.8 to 3.0 h, p < 0.001. The proportion of women having total ischemic time ≤3 h was higher in the PRAGUE-18 (OR [95% C.I.] 2.65 [2.03–3.47]). However, the percentage of patients with time-to-reperfusion >6 h was still significant (22.3 vs. 27.2% in PRAGUE-18). There was an increase in probability for an initial TIMI flow >0 in the later study (1.49 [1.0–2.23]), and also for an optimal procedural result (4.24 [2.12–8.49], p < 0.001). The risk of 30-day mortality decreased by 61% (0.39 [0.17–0.91], p = 0.029).ConclusionThe prognosis of women with MI treated with primary PCI improved substantially with 24/7 regional availability of mechanical reperfusion, performance-enhancing technical progress, and intensive adjuvant antithrombotic therapy. A major modifiable hindrance to achieving this benefit in a broad population of women is the timely diagnosis by health professional services.