Add-on therapy of EPA reduces oxidative stress and inhibits the progression of aortic stiffness in patients with coronary artery disease and statin therapy: a randomized controlled study.

Aim: We examined the anti-oxidant mechanisms of combined therapy of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus statin on the progression of atherosclerosis.

Methods: Patients receiving statin therapy for dyslipidemia and with coronary artery disease (CAD) were assigned randomly in an open-label manner to the EPA (1,800 mg/day) -plus-statin group (n= 25; combined-therapy group) or to the statin-only group (n= 25), and followed for 48 weeks. At baseline and 48 weeks after enrollment, oxidative stress, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and stiffness parameter β-index of the carotid were measured.

A case of cardiac rupture subsequent to myocardial infarction diagnosed in emergency room.

A 72-year-old woman was transferred to the emergency room because of left anterior chest pain with cold sweating. Electrocardiography revealed recent anterior myocardial infarction. Echocardiography showed akinesis of the mid-ventricular septum to the apex by apical view, a small amount of pericardial effusion and collapse of the right ventricular wall, indicating cardiac tamponade, by subcostal view.