Mechanical Barrier for Prevention of Dislodged Stent Embolization in Saphenous Vein Graft.

Percutaneous coronary interventions in vein grafts can be quite challenging, and many complications can occur during the procedure. We present a case of stent dislodgment during percutaneous coronary intervention in a vein graft. It was migrating to the proximal part of the graft and a covered stent was placed in the native vessel in order to isolate the graft.

The Role of Prognostic Scores in Assessing the Prognosis of Patients Admitted in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit: Emphasis on Heart Failure Patients.

: Patient care in Cardiac Intensive Care Units (CICU) has evolved but data on patient characteristics and outcomes are sparse. This retrospective observational study aimed to define clinical characteristics and risk factors of CICU patients, their in-hospital and 30-day mortality, and compare it with established risk scores. : Consecutive patients ( = 294, mean age 70 years, 74% males) hospitalized within 15 months were studied; APACHE II, EHMRG, GWTG-HF, and GRACE II were calculated on admission.

Large pericardial effusion in a woman in the second trimester of pregnancy: a case report.

Background: Pericardial effusion is common in pregnancy, with causes similar to the general population. Usually, it is found in the third trimester and disappears spontaneously after labour; however, there is a risk of progression to tamponade. Management is based on expert opinion, since few studies have been published.

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging and C-Reactive Protein in Myocardial Ischemia: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.

Background: Inflammation is an important mechanism in atherosclerosis and plaque formation. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a common inflammatory biomarker associated with the risk of coronary heart disease. We investigated the relationship of CRP with findings from myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).

The Potential Role of Salivary NT-proBNP in Heart Failure.

Background: Serum natriuretic peptides (NPs) have an established role in heart failure (HF) diagnosis. Saliva NT-proBNP that may be easily acquired has been studied little.

Methods: Ninety-nine subjects were enrolled; thirty-six obese or hypertensive with dyspnoea but no echocardiographic HF findings or raised NPs served as controls, thirteen chronic HF (CHF) patients and fifty patients with acute decompensated HF (ADHF) requiring hospital admission.