Impact of angiographic coronary artery disease complexity on ischemic and bleeding risks and on the comparative effectiveness of zotarolimus-eluting vs. bare-metal stents in uncertain drug-eluting stent candidates.

Background: The impact of coronary artery disease (CAD) extension/complexity on outcomes and on the comparative benefits/risks of zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) versus bare-metal stents (BMS) remains unclear in patients at high risk of bleeding or thrombosis or at low restenosis risk.

Methods: We performed a post-hoc analysis of the ZEUS trial. The impact of coronary anatomic complexity measured by the SYNTAX score on the differences in outcomes following ZES and BMS was assessed at 1 year.

Is Bare-Metal Stent Implantation Still Justifiable in High Bleeding Risk Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention?: A Pre-Specified Analysis From the ZEUS Trial.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the ischemic and bleeding outcomes of patients fulfilling high bleeding risk (HBR) criteria who were randomized to zotarolimus-eluting Endeavor Sprint stent (E-ZES) or bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation followed by an abbreviated dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration for stable or unstable coronary artery disease.

Background: DES instead of BMS use remains controversial in HBR patients, in whom long-term DAPT poses safety concerns.

Methods: The ZEUS (Zotarolimus-Eluting Endeavor Sprint Stent in Uncertain DES Candidates) is a multinational, randomized single-blinded trial that randomized among others, in a stratified manner, 828 patients fulfilling pre-defined clinical or biochemical HBR criteria-including advanced age, indication to oral anticoagulants or other pro-hemorrhagic medications, history of bleeding and known anemia-to receive E-ZES or BMS followed by a protocol-mandated 30-day DAPT regimen.

Zotarolimus-eluting versus bare-metal stents in uncertain drug-eluting stent candidates.

Background: The use of drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients at high risk of bleeding or thrombosis has not been prospectively studied; limited data are available in patients who have a low restenosis risk.

Objectives: This study sought to compare a hydrophilic polymer-based, second-generation zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) with a unique drug fast-release profile versus bare-metal stents (BMS) under similar durations of dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT).

Methods: We randomly assigned 1,606 patients with stable or unstable symptoms, and who on the basis of thrombotic bleeding or restenosis risk criteria, qualified as uncertain candidates for DES, to receive ZES or BMS.

Attitudes of healthcare professionals involved in cardiology practice towards key points of contemporary guidelines on resuscitation.

Hellenic J Cardiol. 2014; 55: 378-385. At the request of the authors, the name of the second author of this Original Research article has been changed from Athanasios Patialakas to Athanasios Patialiakas.

Attitudes of healthcare professionals involved in cardiology practice towards key points of contemporary guidelines on resuscitation.

Introduction: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is not always executed in compliance with contemporary guidelines and the quality of CPR may differ among hospitals within the same country or among categories of healthcare providers and medical specialties. The aim of this study was to assess attitudes of cardiology healthcare professionals towards CPR guidelines.

Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was posted online during 2009.

Randomized comparison of Zotarolimus-Eluting Endeavor Sprint versus bare-metal stent implantation in uncertain drug-eluting stent candidates: rationale, design, and characterization of the patient population for the Zotarolimus-eluting Endeavor Sprint stent in uncertain DES candidates study.

Background: The use of drug-eluting stent (DES) instead of bare-metal stent (BMS) in patients at high stent thrombosis or bleeding risk as well as in those at low restenosis risk (ie, uncertain DES candidates) remains a matter of debate. Zotarolimus-Eluting Endeavor Sprint stent (E-ZES) (Santa Rosa, CA) is a hydrophilic polymer-based second-generation device with unique drug fast-release profile, which may allow for a shorter dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration without safety concerns.

Hypothesis: The primary objective is to assess whether E-ZES implantation followed by a shorter than currently recommended course of DAPT will decrease the incidence of 12-month major adverse cardiovascular events as compared with BMS in undefined DES recipients.

Low total testosterone levels are associated with the metabolic syndrome in elderly men: the role of body weight, lipids, insulin resistance, and inflammation; the Ikaria study.

Background: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases with age. Among other changes, testosterone levels decline with age. The relationship between testosterone levels and MetS components in older subjects has not been clearly defined until today.

In-hospital worsening renal function is an independent predictor of one-year mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: We investigated the incidence, clinical predictors and prognostic value of worsening renal function (WRF) regarding 1-year mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: We collected in-hospital data from 447 patients hospitalized for AMI in our institute within 12h of symptoms' onset. WRF was defined as a 25% or more decrease in estimated glomerural filtration rate during hospital stay.