BUN/albumin ratio predicts short-term mortality better than SYNTAX score in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients.

Objective: The aim of the study is to compare the prognostic power of the BUN/albumin ratio (BAR) calculated on admission to the emergency department and the SYNergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with TAXus (SYNTAX) score calculated after coronary angiography (CAG) in predicting 30-day mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Method And Material: The study was conducted prospectively between March 2021 and March 2022 in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Patients over the age of 18 who underwent CAG with a diagnosis of STEMI were included in the study.

Blood urea nitrogen/albumin ratio on admission predicts mortality in patients with non ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

The aim of this study is to reveal the predictive power of biomarkers and SYNTAX (SX) score for short-term mortality in patients diagnosed with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in the emergency department. This is prospective observational cohort study. Demographic characteristics of the patients, laboratory parameters on admission, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) percentages, affected vessels in angiography (CAG) and the treatment strategy [medical therapy, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), coronary angio by-pass graft] and SX scores were recorded on the data collection form.

Serum Elabela Level Significantly Increased in Patients with Complete Heart Block.

Objective: To investigate the change in serum Elabela level, a new apelinergic system peptide, in patients with complete atrioventricular (AV) block and healthy controls.

Methods: The study included 50 patients with planned cardiac pacemaker (PM) implantation due to complete AV block and 50 healthy controls with similar age and gender. Elabela level was measured in addition to routine anamnesis, physical examination, and laboratory tests.

Increased Elabela levels in the acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction patients.

Elabela is a bioactive peptide and a part of Apelinergic system. Elabela has an important role in the early embryonic stages. Elabela's beneficial effects in cardiovascular system were shown in some animal models or in vitro studies.

Aortic intima-media thickness can be used to determine target organ damage in adult patients with coronary artery disease risk factors.

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between abdominal aortic intima-media thickness (AA-IMT) and thoracic aortic intima-media thickness (TA-IMT) values and to investigate their relationship with common carotid intima-media thickness (CC-IMT) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors.

Material And Methods: This study included 100 patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination for different reasons with at least one CAD risk factor. CC-IMT, AA-IMT, and TA-IMT values were measured.

Acute Myocardial Infarction due to Multiple Thrombosis without Cardiogenic Shock.

Objective: Acute thrombotic occlusion of > 1 major coronary arteries is very rare (2.5%). Herein, we report a patient with simultaneous anterior and inferior myocardial infarction without cardiogenic shock.

Myocardial repolarization is affected in patients with ascending aortic aneurysm.

Objective: Ascending aortic aneurysm (AAA) is one of the major causes of ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Diastolic dysfunction can induce ventricular repolarization dispersion. Nevertheless, myocardial repolarization dispersion is not yet to be fully evaluated in patients with AAA.

Epicardial fat thickness is associated with aortic intima-media thickness in patients without clinical manifestation of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Background: Although the relationship between epicardial fat thickness (EFTh) and coronary atherosclerosis is well established, this relation in the early periods of atherosclerosis has not been fully demonstrated. On the other hand, thoracic aortic intima-media thickness (IMT) rather than carotid IMT was reported as an earlier marker of preclinical atherosclerosis.

Objective: We aimed to assess the relationship between thoracic aortic IMT and EFTh in patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination for different indications.

The influence of plasma 25-(OH) vitamin D levels in acute ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: The preventive role of acute occurring of collateral circulation (AOCC) to infarct related artery (IRA) in patients presenting with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is well known. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether there is an association between admission plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D3) levels and grade of collateralization in patients with STEMI.

Methods: We prospectively included 369 STEMI patients within the first 12 h of symptoms onset.

Assessment of myocardial performance index and its association with aortic elasticity in patients with ascending aortic aneurysm.

Objective: Ascending aortic aneurysms (AAA) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, their effects on global cardiac functions are yet to be fully understood. Myocardial performance index (MPI) has been widely used to quantitatively assess myocardial functions.

Predictors of successful percutaneous coronary intervention in chronic total coronary occlusions.

Introduction: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of chronic total coronary occlusions (CTOs) is one of the most challenging procedures of interventional cardiology and is associated with increased risk of significant complications. However, debate continues in regard to which factors adversely influence the success rate of PCI and whether the benefits of revascularization of CTO outweigh the risks and challenges.

Aim: To analyze the relationship between lesion characteristics and overall success rates as well as in-hospital outcomes after PCI for CTO.

Scorpion envenomation-induced acute thrombotic inferior myocardial infarction.

The occurrence of a serious cardiac emergency following scorpion envenomation has rarely been reported and, when so, mostly presented as non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, cardiogenic shock, or myocarditis. Possible mechanisms include imbalance in blood pressure and coronary vasospasm caused by the combination of sympathetic excitation, scorpion venom-induced release of catecholamines, and the direct effect of the toxin on the myocardium. We report a case of a 55-year-old man who presented with acute inferior wall myocardial infarction (MI) within 2 h of being stung by a scorpion.

Both Systemic and Pulmonary Artery Stiffness Predict Ventricular Functional Recovery after Successful Percutaneous Closure of Atrial Septal Defects in Adults.

Background: Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) has become the preferred method in treatment of the majority of cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the echocardiographic effects of percutaneous closure of secundum ASD in adults and assess which parameters predict good response to closure.

Design: We prospectively included 42 patients with secundum ASD treated successfully with percutaneous device closure.

Coronary collateral development and arterial stiffness in patients with chronic coronary total occlusions.

Objective: Coronary collateral circulation (CCC) mainly develops through arteriogenesis in response to shear forces. Increased arterial stiffness (AS) causes decreased coronary perfusion, which may reduce shear stress, arteriogenesis, and thus collateral formation. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between CCC and AS in patients with chronic coronary total occlusion (CTO).

Coronary flow velocity reserve in patients with ascending aorta aneurysm.

Background: Ascending aorta aneurysms (AAA) are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Impairment in coronary flow may contribute to cardiovascular consequences in AAA patients. Coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) has been considered an important diagnostic index of the functional capacity of coronary arteries noninvasively.

Epicardial fat thickness in stable coronary artery disease: its relationship with high-sensitive cardiac troponin T and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.

Objectives: Epicardial adipose tissue is related to coronary atherosclerosis, left ventricle hypertrophy, myocardial dysfunction, cardiomyopathy, and inflammation, which produces a variety of cytokines that influence key pathogenic mechanisms of atherogenesis. The main goal of this study is to examine the relationship between epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and cardiovascular risk markers as well as the complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with stable CAD.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively included 439 stable CAD patients undergoing coronary angiography in the present study (mean age: 62.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is associated with arterial stiffness, left ventricle hypertrophy, and inflammation in newly diagnosed hypertension.

Objectives: Vitamin D may modulate vascular inflammation, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, the renin-angiotensin system, and cardiomyocyte proliferation, myocardial fibrosis, and proliferation. These mechanisms may play a role on arterial stiffness and left ventricle hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertensive patients. We aimed to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D with arterial stiffness and LVH in patients with hypertension.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is associated with aortic distensibility and left ventricle hypertrophy in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.

We aimed to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D status and elastic properties of aorta in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). We studied 136 patients with newly diagnosed DM (mean age: 62.9 ± 10.

Coronary vasospasm and acute myocardial infarction induced by a topical capsaicin patch.

Capsaicin is the active component of chili peppers, which has been shown to possess several beneficial effects. Currently, the best-known medical use of capsaicin is as a topical painkiller. Drug-induced myocardial infarction is not a common phenomenon and the underlying mechanism has been related with coronary spasm in the majority of cases.

Angiographic and clinical outcome following sirolimus-eluting stent (Cypher) implantation. A single center experience.

Objectives: To investigate the late outcomes of sirolimus-eluting stent implantation in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Drug-eluting stents reduce intimal hyperplasia, which is the main cause of in-stent restenosis. Sirolimus-eluting stents significantly reduce clinical and angiographic restenosis and improve event-free survival.