Heart and Cardiovascular Diseases

John R. Dylewski, MD, FHRS, FACPAS  is a cardiac electro physiologist and professor of medicine in active clinical practice for the last 20+ years with an extensive and diversified background in materials engineering and medical applications of artificial intelligence to improve healthcare delivery. With the abundance of valuable data generated for patient care and the continuous production of scientific knowledge, Dr. Dylewski found it significantly challenging to deliver accurate, up-to-date and expeditious care to his tens of thousands of patients resulting in the development of the Complaint2Care model for a novel healthcare delivery platform, LifeSaver, powered by Apollo Artificial Intelligence. 

Steven J. Adelman, Founder and CEO of Vascular Strategies LLC, and CSO, NanoPhagix LLC has more than 25 years’ experience in drug discovery and development. Previously led several initiatives at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals: Senior Director, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Research and Senior Director, Atherosclerosis CV/Women’s Health. Activities included identifying and validating discovery and development programs (small molecules and biologics), advancing more than 10 compounds through IND into clinical development. Expertise includes atherosclerosis and CVD, inflammation, immune biology, and women’s health. Worked extensively on rapamycin (sirolimus, Rapamune) for transplant indications and subsequent incorporation on the Cypher-stent, first successful drug-eluting coronary stent. Honors and memberships include elected Fellow American Heart Association; Golden Heart Member, Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Basic Sciences Council, Functional Genomics and Translational Biology Interdisciplinary Working Group, AHA, and International Atherosclerosis Society. Authored more than 100 articles and abstracts and holds over 30 patents.

Dipak Ramji is Professor of Cardiovascular Science and Deputy Head at the School of Biosciences in Cardiff University. He is also Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales. He received his BSc (Hons) degree (Biochemistry) and his PhD (Molecular Biology) from the University of Leeds. This was followed by post-doctoral research at EMBL (Heidelberg) and IRBM (Rome) with fellowships from the Royal Society and the EU. His current research is focused on understanding how natural products regulate cellular processes in heart disease with the goal of attaining deeper mechanistic insight and identifying preventative/therapeutic agents. He has published over 150 research articles (h index 41 and i10 index 76 with over 8350 citations), including 880-page book in 2022 on Methods in Atherosclerosis. He is an Editorial Board member of 16 international journals; regular organising committee member, speaker, and track/session chair at international conferences on heart disease; involved in grant evaluation for over 20 organisations; and supervised over 25 PhD students

The approach to hyponatremia is in a state of flux, especially in differentiating syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) from cerebral-renal salt wasting (RSW) because of diametrically opposite therapeutic goals of water-restricting in SIADH and administering saline in RSW. We differentiated SIADH from RSW by utilizing an algorithm based on fractional excretion (FE) of urate and failure of isotonic saline infusions to dilute the urine or correct the hyponatremia  in SIADH as compared to excretion of dilute urines and correction of hyponatremia in RSW . We also identified the natriuretic factor we previously demonstrated in neurosurgical patients with RSW and in Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Results: Of 62 hyponatremic patients, (A) 17 patients (27%) had SIADH, 11 were nonresponsive to isotonic saline, and 5 normalized a previously high FEurate after correction of hyponatremia; (B) 19 patients (31%) had a reset osmostat based on normal FEurates and spontaneously excreted dilute urines; (C) 24 patients (38%) had RSW, 21 had no clinical evidence of cerebral disease, 19 had saline-induced dilute urines; 2, 10 required D5W to prevent rapid increases in serum sodium to prevent osmotic demyelination, 11 had persistently increased FEurate after correction of hyponatremia. (D) 1 patient had Addison disease with a low FEurate and (E) 1 patient (1.6%) had hyponatremia due to hydrochlorothiazide. We identified haptoglobin related protein without signal peptide (HPRWSP), the first potent inhibitor of proximal tubule sodium transport, as the natriuretic factor in a patient with RSW and in AD.

Conclusions: RSW is much more common than is perceived with 21 of the 24 patients with RSW lacking evidence of cerebral disease, supporting our proposal to change cerebral salt wasting to RSW.   HPRWSP can serve as a biomarker for RSW to simplify diagnosis of RSW on first encounter, direct proper therapy, improve clinical outcomes and identifying a new syndrome of RSW in AD.  We will discuss how HPRWSP will more effectively treat congestive heart failure when combined with a distal diuretic.

Christopher Münch is director of the Cardiac Anesthesia and Intensive Care Department since 2013. Since 2016 a minimal invasive cardiac surgery program was started in the department with special attention to ultrafast track anesthesia after mitral valve surgery. The center treats approximately 1200 adult patients/year addressing all major cardiac pathologies except heart transplantation. Recently, regional anesthesia techniques were integrated in the daily practice and all minimal invasive surgical patients are treated with regional chest blocks. A web-based patient platform has been developed in collaboration with the Polytechnical University of Marche to further improve patients experience and to enhance perioperative fitness of the patients. The Cardiac Center of Ancona receives extensive visiting from surgeons and anesthetists from all over the world who are interested in appraising the details of fast track protocols

Performance driven professional over 16 years of clinical expertise as cardiologist and heart failure specialist gained from esteemed positions at the top hospitals in Sao Paulo. Robust and current knowledge of scientific, clinical, regulatory, commercial, and competitive landscape in applicable therapeutic area. Demonstrated leadership skills in managing time and overseeing projects. Exhibited attention to detail and utilized public speaking and written communication skills to convey information effectively. Resolved complex problems, showcasing analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Cultivated solid and positive relationships with team members, fostering collaboration. A stimulated and organizational physician in search of constant learning, passionate about technology and innovation, and committed to enhance health education and mentoring.

In 2005 has completed her PhD at the at the National Medical Research Center of Cardiovascular Surgery. Head of the Department of Cardiology of the State Medical University from 2008 to 2018, then professor of this Department. Head of the Primary Vascular Center for the Treatment of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome and Acute Stroke from 2013 to 2018. Since 2018 has been a professor at the Department of Cardiology of the Central Medical Academy of the Presidential Administration of RF. She is the chief physician of the Cardiological Center. She is the author of 12 Patents for innovations, 3 monographs, 12 educational tutorial. Awarded a Silver and a Bronze Diploma of the International Championship (International Academy of Sciences and Higher Education, London, UK, 2012). She has published over 300 articles, has been serving as an of 5 editorial boards member.

Graduated in Physical Education from the Regional University of Blumenau Foundation (2007); Postgraduate courses related to special groups and biomechanics between 2009-2011 at the Gama Filho University. Postgraduate with emphasis on the improvement in cardiovascular rehabilitation at the Instituto do Coração; Master in Human Movement Sciences from the State University of Santa Catarina (2013). University Teacher (2010-2015) at FURB institutions; UNIDAVI; UNIFEBE; UNIASSELVI; UNIMAX (current job 2022) (Biochemistry of Exercise; Resistance Training; Biomechanics & Kinesiology; Technology in Physical Education). Ph.D scholarship  by CNPQ “Ciências Sem Fronteiras” program (Faculty of Human Motricity, 2015-19); Responsible for the teaching/research/extension process at the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Center of the University of Lisbon (CRECUL). Dissertation/Thesis theme: Acute Responses and Chronic Effects of Autonomic/Cardiovascular/Cardiopulmonary Systems following exercise training. Research and professional activities in the area of health, training, cardiology, exercise biochemistry, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, cardiovascular rehabilitation, stress, nervous system and vascular system.

Stefania Czapp has graduated from Medical University of Gdańsk in 2021 and now she is doing her postgraduation internship in Szpital Morski im. PCK in Gdynia (Poland). She has the big interest in Cardiosurgery and is planning to do her PhD in this field of science in Poland.

Soichiro Usui is an Associate Professor in Cardiovascular medicine in Kanazawa University, Japan. He is also Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology and the Japanese Circulation Society. He obtained his PhD in Medical Science from Kanazawa University, Japan. He held a postdoctoral position at the University of Medicine and Dentistry-New Jersey Medical School, USA. He is interested in molecular mechanisms of cardiac remodeling in heart failure and adipose-derived regenerative cell research. He published over 90 refereed journal papers.

Elizaveta Strebkova (28 years). She graduated with honors from the Kursk State Medical University, than She graduated from a residency by cardiovascular surgery from the A.V. Vishnevskiy National Medical Research Center of Surgery in 2021 and wished to continue studying, went on for a Post Graduate by cardiovascular surgery and arrhythmology. The aim of her scientific work is “Effectiveness of thoracoscopic treatment of persistent and long-standing forms of atrial fibrillation”. She assist in all cardiac surgeries and take an active part in the scientific work our department. According to her work, theses and articles have been published. For the first time in our center, simultaneous two-way access is offered when performing thoracoscopic ablation, which significantly reduces the operation time.

Zohreh Tutunchian is a 5th year medical and MPH student at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science (SBMU) and also a member of Medical Student Research Committee (MSRC). She is interested in medical research in the field of cardiology and pharmacology. This research was conducted to gather the cardiovascular results of COVID-19 during the pandemic to help the healthcare system monitor the fetal and maternal health and prevent these complications among them.

Samer AKL is medical doctor (MD) by profession and works with one of the private hospitals and lecturer in private institute of medical science in Syria. He holds an MD in medical, He has 2 years of private practices as a general physician (Doctor). He has also been involved in outbreak investigations of EPI in Syria.