Remote Ischemic Conditioning Improves Cardiovascular Function in Heart Failure Patients.

Background: Recently, it has been shown that remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) can be used as a healthy regimen to reverse disease and aging. With this in mind, we are studying the consequences of RIC on cardiovascular function in heart failure patients.

Methods: Forty patients with stable heart failure were prospectively enlisted and randomly divided into RIC (n = 20) and control (n = 20) groups.

Ventricular fibrillation during coronary angiography in a patient with left dominant coronary artery ectasia.

The presence of coronary ectasias in otherwise normal epicardial coronary arteries are an infrequent angiographic finding. Coronary ectasia is not a benign condition and has been associated with a high risk of coronary events. In the present case, a patient with left dominant coronary artery ectasia who developed ventricular fibrillation during coronary angiography is described.

Left ventricular diverticulum associated with neovascularization in an adult.

We present a case of congenital left ventricular diverticulum, associated with neovascularization involving the distal segments of all the coronary arteries. There were no other thoraco-abdominal or cardiac anomalies. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of ventricular diverticulum associated with neovascularization in an adult.

Successful use of a balloon catheter to facilitate guidewire placement in an occluded coronary artery with extreme angulations.

The present report describes the case of a 77-year-old man with unstable angina, in which the culprit vessel was extremely angulated and precluded placement of a guidewire for subsequent coronary interventions. A novel technique is reported, using an undersized, uninflated and distally placed balloon catheter, which easily facilitated guidewire placement.

Successful use of a guide wire to engage an occluded vessel following failure of conventional catheterization techniques in a patient with acute myocardial infarction.

The present report describes the case of a 43-year-old woman with acute inferior myocardial infarction, in whom the culprit vessel was posteromedially located, and various diagnostic or guide catheters could not be engaged. The culprit vessel was directly cannulated using a guide wire, which allowed for a successful coronary intervention.

Myocardial and peripheral concentrations of beta-endorphin before and following myocardial ischemia and reperfusion during coronary angioplasty.

There is substantial evidence indicating that endogenous opioid peptides are involved in the pathophysiology of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. We measured the myocardial and peripheral concentrations of beta-endorphin before and following myocardial ischemia and reperfusion during coronary angioplasty. The results indicate that in patients with coronary artery disease, there was an augmented myocardial concentration of beta-endorphin.

Embolic cerebral infarction and gastrointestinal hemorrhage following thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction.

We report an unusual case of cerebral embolization that occurred after intravenous thrombolytic therapy for myocardial infarction. Direct observation by serial echocardiograms in this patient confirmed that the thrombolytic treatment induced lysis and fragmentation of thrombus, and the subsequent dislodging and embolization of preexisting cardiac thrombi, which caused the cerebral infarction. It is suggested that an echocardiogram, if instantly available, be performed before considering thrombolytic therapy whenever acute anterior wall myocardial infarction is impressed.