Effect of Hand Dominance on Radial Artery Spasm and Occlusion: A Prospective Observational Study.

Transradial access has become the most commonly used method for cardiac catheterization. Many medical and technical applications have been proposed to reduce TRA complications. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of hand dominance on radial artery spasm and radial artery occlusionin subjects undergoing CC via TRA.

Association of aortic flow propagation velocity with ankle-brachial blood pressure index in patients with hypertension: an observational study.

Objective: Endothelial dysfunction is considered the first stage in the development of atherosclerosis and assessed by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and aortic flow velocity propagation (AVP). Ankle-brachial index (ABI) is used to assess peripheral arterial disease and is associated with FMD but the relationship between ABI and AVP is unknown. In this study, we aimed to search the association between AVP, and ABI in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension.

Thymosin beta4 levels after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Thymosin beta4 (Tβ4) has been shown to have an important role in healing of damaged tissues and promoting cardiomyocyte survival in acute coronary syndromes. We evaluated endogenous Tβ4 levels in patients presenting with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) before and after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Study Design: The study included 24 consecutive patients (7 females, 17 males; mean age 55.

Paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in stent restenosis in bare metal stent.

Background And Objective: The serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities are related to coronary artery diseases. However, there are a few data about the association of paraoxonase and arylesterase activities with in-stent restenosis (ISR). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between paraoxonase and arylesterase activities and ISR in patients with bare metal stent (BMS).

Effect of reperfusion therapy on index of myocardial performance in acute myocardial infarction: thrombolytics versus primary angioplasty.

It is known that primary angioplasty is more effective than thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. The aim of the present study is to compare the effects of the two strategies on the left ventricular functions using the Tei index (a combined myocardial performance index). Of 81 patients (11 female, mean age 52.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: coexistence of left ventricular apical thrombus and deep vein thrombosis causing pulmonary thromboembolism in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

We report a 36-year-old woman with a 1-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus who was admitted with acute onset of dyspnea and chest pain. She presented with a classic medical history of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, including spontaneous abortion, deep venous thrombosis, and clinical manifestations of lupus activation. The differential diagnosis was made after a detailed history and examinations with transthoracic/transesophageal echocardiography, deep venous ultrasonography, chest computed tomography, and coronary angiography.

Influence of heavy cigarette smoking on heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence parameters.

Background: Cigarette smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular events related with several mechanisms. The most suggested mechanism is increased activity of sympathetic nervous system. Heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) has been shown to be independent and powerful predictors of mortality in a specific group of cardiac patients.

P-wave dispersion increases in prehypertension.

Background: Prolongation of P-wave durations and increased P-wave dispersion are independent predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is the most common arrhythmia of the general population. Prehypertension, including those with systolic blood pressure ranging from 120-139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ranging from 80-89 mmHg was described by JNC7.

Multisided cardiac hemangiomas mimicking biatrial thrombus: atypically located cardiac hemangiomas of left atrial appendage and right atrium.

Hemangiomas are rare benign tumors of the heart. Clinical presentation is highly variable according to the location, size, and extension of the tumor. Hemangiomas have been described in all cardiac chambers, but most occur on the right side of the heart and in the left atrium.

Diastolic heart failure in elderly: the prognostic factors and interventions regarding heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction is more common in elderly. Common comorbidities may have an impact on management of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The prognosis in more recent studies has been shown to be essentially similar to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Coronary saddle embolism causing myocardial infarction in a patient with mechanical mitral valve prosthesis: treatment with thrombolytic therapy.

Coronary embolism is an uncommon cause for myocardial infarction in clinical practice and there is no consensus on the treatment of this subject. Thrombolytic agents and percutaneous intervention are up to date options and yet there are only a few case reports regarding thrombolytic therapy in this special subgroup of patients suffering from myocardial infarction. We reported a 37-year-old woman patient with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction due to coronary embolism who was successfully treated using intravenous thrombolytic therapy with tissue plasminogen activator.