Interdisciplinarity in Cardiovascular Diseases: From Pathophysiology to Diagnosis and Treatment—2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

The first volume of this Special Issue was completed successfully. We intend to publish a second volume, so we invite you to submit your research for publication.

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/life/special_issues/56Z399BE63

Cardiovascular diseases are an important cause of death worldwide. Interdisciplinarity has become mandatory in many cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, pericarditis, arrhythmias or valvular heart disease. The heart team decision has become a common recommendation in cardiology guidelines. Diagnosis and treatment algorithms in cardiovascular disease imply, therefore, interdisciplinary collaboration with gastroenterologists, nephrologists, pulmonologists, neurologists, rheumatologists, hematologists, etc.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, and metabolic-associated steatohepatitis are some of the digestive diseases that require a mixed team: cardiologist–gastroenterologist. These diseases share common physiopathological mechanisms or substrates and therefore there are diagnostic and therapeutic interferences.

Despite the importance of cardiorenal syndrome and cardiac complications of chronic kidney disease or kidney transplantation, the interaction between nephrology and cardiovascular medicine is much broader. Nowadays, there are many advancements in nephrology and cardiovascular medicine, which merge new diagnostic, monitoring and therapeutic modalities. Patients with acute or chronic kidney disease have pathologies like ischemia, dyslipidemia or hypertension, and need interdisciplinary collaboration with the cardiologist. Nephrocardiology or cardionephrology, defined as the interaction between nephrology and cardiovascular medicine, is the multidirectional interplay of cardiovascular diseases and nephrology-related conditions.

Respiratory medicine and cardiac pathology share multiple comorbidities such as pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary embolism and COPD. The cardiovascular and respiratory systems share common physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms and complications. The recent COVID-19 pandemic is the best example of the interdisciplinarity between cardiologists and pulmonologists.

Beyond the frequent interactions of cardiology with gastroenterohepatology, nephrology or respiratory medicine, there are many others like metabolic, endocrinology or hematology diseases, which share common risk factors, comorbidities and complications.

To conclude, the heart team concept brings to the fore the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in cardiology. The liver–heart, bowel–heart, brain–heart or kidney–heart axes might explain the pathophysiologic interferences and the multiples clinical consequences. Therefore, prevention, diagnosis and therapy of cardiovascular diseases increasingly involve collaboration with other specialties for the best decisions for our patients. In addition, interdisciplinarity in cardiovascular disease might create new algorithms from diagnostic or therapeutic points of view in some cardiovascular diseases.

Prof. Dr. Anca Trifan
Prof. Dr. Mariana Floria
Dr. Daniela Maria Tanase
Guest Editors

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