Hypertensive Subjects are More Likely to Develop Coronary Artery Lesions: A Study by Computerised Tomography Coronary Angiography.

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) is commonly used to identify coronary artery disease. In this study, the indications for CCTA referrals are reviewed, to identify the strongest predictors of CAD, as seen on CCTA. A retrospective study, reviewing the electronic health records of consecutive patients who underwent CCTA between July and November 2020 at our Trust, was conducted.

Intermittent fasting for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Lifestyle changes are at the forefront of preventing the disease. This includes advice such as increasing physical activity and having a healthy balanced diet to reduce risk factors.

The ticking time bomb in lifestyle-related diseases among women in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries; review of systematic reviews.

Background: This study aims to review all published systematic reviews on the prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors among women from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC). This is the first review of other systematic reviews that concentrates on lifestyle related diseases among women in GCC countries only.

Method: Literature searches were carried out in three electronic databases for all published systematic reviews on the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in the GCC countries between January 2000 and February 2016.

Hydatid Cyst of the Heart.

Cystic hydatid disease is responsible for the loss of 1 to 3 million disability-adjusted life years every year. Infestation of the heart, though rare, can result in serious complications if left untreated. We retrospectively collected information on 19 patients with cardiac hydatid cyst admitted at the Center for Cardiac Surgery of Ibn Al-Bitar Hospital in Baghdad from July 2007 to July 2011 who were either in need of a cardiac surgery for treating hydatid cysts or presented with emergency conditions.

Sphygmomanometer cuffs: a potential source of infection!

We evaluated the potential pathogenic hazard of sphygmomanometer blood pressure cuffs (BPCs) in a hospital setting. Prospectively, the presence of bacterial organisms on 120 BPCs in 14 medical wards and outpatient clinics in a district general hospital in London was assessed. Swabs taken from the inner aspect of the cuffs were cultured using standard microbiological techniques.

Atrial septal aneurysm and patent foramen ovale are less prevalent in the Indo-Asian than in the Caucasian or Afro-Caribbean population.

Unlabelled: Atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) are not uncommon during routine echocardiographic scanning and were reported to be associated with stroke, transient ischemic attacks, and migrainous headache. To assess the prevalence of ASA and PFO according to ethnicity, we retrospectively studied 887 consecutive referrals to a General Cardiology and Hypertension clinics. All participants underwent trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE).

Is glycated haemoglobin a sensitive index to identify left ventricular dysfunction two months after acute myocardial infarction in normotensive subjects?

Background: Glycated haemoglobin concentration (HbA1c) is a marker of glucose metabolism. Glucose intolerance is associated with a high incidence of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study was carried out in order to relate HbA1c to LV function two months following AMI in 171 normotensive patients who were not previously known to have had diabetes mellitus.

Left ventricular hypertrophy and preclinical impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus contribute to abnormal left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensive patients.

Background: Impaired left ventricular diastolic function is not uncommon in patients with either diabetes mellitus or hypertension. This study was carried out to assess the contribution of left ventricular hypertrophy, high blood pressure, preclinical impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus to left ventricular diastolic function in patients attending a hypertension clinic.

Methods: Echocardiography, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and oral glucose tolerance tests were carried out in 152 consecutive hypertensive patients who had no evidence of ischaemic heart disease and were not known to be diabetic.

Combination of site of infarct, unrecognized glucose intolerance, and reinfarction after acute myocardial infarction in normotensive subjects is determinant of the development of subsequent systemic hypertension: a pilot study.

Background: The natural history of hypertension in healthy normotensive subjects has been described in the Framingham population. We aim to study the rate of progression to hypertension in normotensive subjects after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: One hundred seventy-three consecutive normotensive subjects admitted to the Coronary Care Unit with AMI were studied retrospectively with prospective follow-up 4 years after AMI.

The glucose tolerance test, but not HbA(1c), remains the gold standard in identifying unrecognized diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance in hypertensive subjects.

The objective of this study was to compare the value of the oral glucose tolerance test (GTT), glycated hemoglobin concentration (HbA(1c)), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) for identifying unrecognized diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in hypertensive subjects. One hundred forty-four consecutive subjects who were not known to have DM and who were attending the Hypertension Clinic underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring. A GTT and an HbA(1c) measurement were also carried out.

Left ventricular diastolic function in normotensive subjects 2 months after acute myocardial infarction is related to glucose intolerance.

Background: Both glucose intolerance and myocardial infarction are independently associated with impaired left ventricular (LV) function. This study was carried out to relate LV diastolic function in normotensive subjects 2 months after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to glucose tolerance status.

Methods: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), LV mass index, peak velocity of the early phase/atrial contraction wave, deceleration time of E wave, and isovolumic relaxation time were measured during echocardiograph/Doppler cardiography in 200 normotensive patients 2 months after AMI.

Impaired left ventricular diastolic function during isometric exercise in asymptomatic patients with hyperlipidaemia.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is an early sign, and may be more sensitive indicator, of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) than systolic dysfunction.

Methods: LV diastolic function was assessed during isometric exercise (IME) in 37 consecutive normotensive hyperlipidaemics (LIP), without cardiac history or symptoms. Each patient underwent a stress ECG test and 2-D echo and Doppler cardiography.

Prevalence of unrecognized abnormal glucose tolerance in patients attending a hospital hypertension clinic.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) are not uncommonly associated with hypertension. Fasting blood glucose level is still recognized as an indicator of DM.

Methods: We studied 99 consecutive patients who were not known to be diabetic patients and with no cardiac history, who were attending our Hypertension Clinic for investigation and management of uncontrolled blood pressure (BP).

The degree of albuminuria is related to left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive diabetics and is associated with abnormal left ventricular filling: a pilot study.

The association of albuminuria and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) in diabetics aggravates the prognosis. The authors studied the relation between LVH and the degree of albuminuria in diabetics and investigated the relationship of albuminuria to LV filling. A comparison was made between 30 hypertensive diabetics, 10 of whom had microalbuminuria (MIC) and 20 had macroalbuminuria (MAC), and 18 diabetics who were normotensive and normalbuminuric (NOR).

Age-associated changes in left ventricular diastolic function are related to increasing left ventricular mass.

Isometric exercise (IME) produces significant hemodynamic changes in the cardiovascular system. We have used IME to study the effect of age on diastolic left ventricular (LV) function in 100 normal volunteers. The E/A ratio (peak velocity of early/atrial filling phases), deceleration time (DT), and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) of the transmitral flow were assessed during echocardiography with pulsed-Doppler ultrasound at rest and at peak IME using handgrip.