Tropical endomyocardial fibrosis (FET) is a leading cause of heart failure and the most common restrictive cardiomyopathy worldwide. Extensive fibrosis of the ventricular endocardium causing architectural distortion, impaired filling and valvular insufficiency define the disease. Confined to peculiar and limited geographical areas, the aetiology remains blurred and it carries a grim prognosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe World Health Organization goal's to reduce mortality due to chronic non-communicable diseases by 2% per year demands a huge effort from member countries. This challenge for health professionals requires global political action on implementation of social measures, with cost-effective population interventions to reduce chronic non-communicable diseases and their risk factors. Systemic arterial hypertension is highly prevalent in Portuguese-speaking countries, and is a major risk factor for complications such as stroke, acute myocardial infarction and chronic kidney disease, rivaling dyslipidemia and obesity in importance for the development of atherosclerotic disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSlow flow of the contrast in normal coronary arteries is a relatively common finding in patients undergoing routine coronary angiography. The severest form of this phenomenon is known as no flow or TIMI and is uncommon, with life-threatening consequences. We describe a case of slow flow in the left anterior descending artery of a female patient undergoing a diagnostic coronary angiogram.
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