Left ventricular structure and function following renal sympathetic denervation in patients with HFpEF: an echocardiographic 9-year long-term follow-up.

Background: High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiac remodeling and left ventricular hypertrophy, increasing cardiovascular risk and leading to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Since renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) reduces blood pressure in the long term, we aimed to investigate the long-term effect of RDN in patients with HFpEF in the present analysis.

Methods: Patients previously enrolled in a local RDN registry who underwent high-frequency RDN with the use of the Symplicity Flex® renal denervation system between 2011 and 2014 were followed up.

Safety and efficacy of renal sympathetic denervation: a 9-year long-term follow-up of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements.

Background: Renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) has been shown to lower arterial blood pressure both in the presence and in the absence of antihypertensive medication in an observation period of up to 3 years. However, long-term results beyond 3 years are scarcely reported.

Methods: We performed a long-term follow-up on patients who were previously enrolled in a local renal denervation registry and who underwent radiofrequency RDN with the Symplicity Flex® renal denervation system between 2011 and 2014.

X-ray exposure in cryoballoon versus radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation over 7 years: A single center study.

Background: Facing an increasing number of radiofrequency ablation (RF) and cryoballoon ablation (CB) procedures for treatment of AF radiation exposure and its reduction is a focus point for interventional electrophysiologists.

Objective: This study evaluated the procedural parameters of the different ablation methods focusing on radiation exposure and the BMI of the patients.

Methods: One thousand one hundred and thirty-three first procedural cases of pulmonary vein isolation in patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF treated with RF and CB-based techniques were analyzed retrospectively over a period of 7 years focusing on the endpoints dose area product (DAP, cGycm), fluoroscopy time (FT, min) and procedural time (PT, min).

Wire- and needle potentials facilitating transseptal puncture.

Background: Transseptal puncture for left heart interventions became a routine procedure guided by fluoroscopy and echocardiography. The use of intracardiac potentials derived from the sheath-transseptal-needle/guidewire-combination may provide helpful information to increase safety of this procedure.

Methods And Results: We recorded the intracardiac potentials from the sheath-transseptal-needle/guidewire-combination during the transseptal puncture procedure in 31 consecutive patients (mean age 67.

How socioeconomic inequalities impact pathways of care for coronary artery disease among elderly patients: study protocol for a qualitative longitudinal study.

Introduction: Several studies have identified that socioeconomic inequalities in coronary artery disease (CAD) morbidity and mortality lead to a disadvantage in patients with low socioeconomic status (SES). International studies have shown that socioeconomic inequalities also exist in terms of access, utilisation and quality of cardiac care. The aim of this qualitative study is to provide information on the impact of socioeconomic inequalities on the pathway of care for CAD, and to establish which factors lead to socioeconomic inequality of care to form and expand existing scientific theories.

Transcoronary mapping of ventricular asynchrony due to left bundle branch block in a porcine model.

Background: Optimal positioning of the left ventricular (LV) lead at the latest activated part of the left ventricle is one of the major challenges in implantation of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices with respect to ascertaining an optimal resynchronization effect resulting in a high responder rate. In the present study, we evaluated the feasibility of transcoronary measurement of LV electrical activation by a coated guidewire in a porcine model.

Methods And Results: Transcoronary measurement of ventricular activation was performed in 16 pigs under general anesthesia.

Carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity reflects the extent of coronary artery disease.

Arterial stiffness is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) as a measure of arterial stiffness was obtained in 155 (47 women; 67.2±9.

The direct thrombin inhibitor argatroban effectively prevents cardiac catheter thrombosis in vitro.

The direct thrombin inhibitor argatroban offers some significant advantages over unfractionated heparin (UFH) and is recommended as an alternative anticoagulant during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). The impact of argatroban on cardiac catheter thrombosis--a severe potential complication of PCI--has not been systematically studied yet. The aim of the present study was to test in vitro the hypothesis that argatroban is equivalent to the more established anticoagulants UFH and enoxaparin in preventing catheter thrombus formation.

Comparison of right ventricular functional response to exercise in hypertrophic versus idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Although the biventricular nature of the disease has been confirmed by morphologic studies, information on right ventricular (RV) function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) is lacking. The aim of the study was to hemodynamically characterize RV performance in HC versus idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) during exercise. The hemodynamic data of 63 patients with HC who underwent hemodynamic exercise testing with thermodilution-derived assessment of RV ejection fraction were analyzed.

Efficacy of enoxaparin, certoparin and dalteparin in preventing cardiac catheter thrombosis: an in vitro approach.

Owing to its beneficial pharmacological profile, the low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) enoxaparin is increasingly being taken as an alternative to UFH in the treatment of ACS with an early invasive strategy and in elective percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Insufficient anticoagulation increases the risk of catheter thrombus formation during PCI. The aim of the present study was to test in vitro the hypotheses that (i) inhibiting thrombin or thrombin generation by administering LMWH is a critical intervention in preventing catheter thrombus formation and (ii) other LMWH such as certoparin or dalteparin are as effective as enoxaparin.

Prevalence of ventricular discordance and its relation to functional capacity in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Introduction: Although left ventricular (LV) dilatation is the most distinguishing morphologic feature of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC), right ventricular (RV) dilatation may variably contribute to total cardiac enlargement. The prevalence and functional importance of the relative degree of left and right ventricular dilatation has not been comprehensively studied using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Our prospective study included 58 consecutive IDC patients with a LV ejection fraction <40% and NYHA functional class > or =2.

[Sonographic findings in the diagnostic course of vascular access for hemodialysis].

Background And Purpose: Hemodialysis and related procedures require a reliable vascular access and the Brescia-Cimino shunt of the nondominant forearm has proven to be its most important form. Today, color Doppler sonography is regarded as the main method in the diagnosis of vascular access dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Resistive Index (RI) of the fistula's feeding artery on the fistula's blood flow.