Pharmacotherapy for Essential Hypertension: A Brief Review.

Hypertension is one of the leading causes of disability-adjusted life years and mortality, with approximately 15% prevalence worldwide. Most patients with hypertension from low- to high-income countries do not receive treatment. Among those who receive treatment, the majority remain undertreated and do not achieve their blood pressure goals.

Interrelation among exercise training, cardiac hypertrophy, and tissue kallikrein-kinin system in athlete and non-athlete women.

The tissue kallikrein-kinin system is an endogenous homeostatic pathway, which its stimulation is associated with cardioprotection. The present study aimed to determine the effect of exercise training on plasma tissue kallikrein (TK) and bradykinin (BK) and their association with cardiac hypertrophy. 22 non-athlete and 22 athlete women were exposed to acute (Bruce test) and chronic (12-week swimming training) exercises.

Pre-Existing Right Ventricular Dysfunction as an Independent Risk Factor for Post Intubation Cardiac Arrest and Hemodynamic Instability in Critically Ill Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Post intubation cardiac arrest and hemodynamic instability are serious adverse events encountered in critically ill patients. The association of pre-existing right ventricular (RV) dysfunction with post intubation cardiac arrest and hemodynamic instability in critically ill patients is unknown.

Methods: This is a retrospective matched cohort study of adult critically ill patients who underwent intubation from July 2016 to December 2019.

Muscle fat index is associated with frailty and length of hospital stay following transcatheter aortic valve replacement in high-risk patients.

Background: Aging is associated with progressive loss of muscle mass, as well as replacement of muscle with fat and fibrous tissue. We studied the contribution of muscle fat content, a surrogate marker of biological aging, to frailty and Length of Hospital Stay (LOS) following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).

Methods: We evaluated 415 patients who underwent TAVR from February 2012 to December 2016 at Mayo Clinic, MN, USA.

Differences in the 2020 ESC Versus 2015 ESC and 2014 ACC/AHA Guidelines on the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Patients Presenting Without Persistent ST-Segment Elevation.

Purpose Of Review: We assessed the differences in the 2020 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) versus 2015 ESC and 2014 American College of Cardiology (ACC) guidelines on the management of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS).

Recent Findings: The recent publication of the 2020 ESC has provided a comprehensive series of recommendations on diagnosis and management of patients presenting with NSTE-ACS. However, there are discrepancies between the 2020 ESC versus 2015 ESC and 2014 ACC guidelines, creating uncertainty among clinicians in routine practices.

Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Presenting as Bilateral Acute Limb Ischemia and ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Case Report.

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is one of the most common hematologic malignancies. Among them, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is well known for its coagulopathies. Bleeding secondary to disseminated intravascular coagulation, is a common initial presentation and carries a high risk for mortality if left untreated.

Effect of Metformin on Microvascular Endothelial Function in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the factors that are associated with the effect of metformin on endothelial dysfunction in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Patients And Methods: From March 24, 2014, to November 18, 2016, 48 women with PCOS were randomly assigned to 1500 mg/d of metformin (N=29) or no treatment (N=13) for 3 months; 42 patients (29 in the initial treatment group and 13 in the no treatment group) completed the study. Study variables were measured at baseline and after 3 months.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement outcomes in mixed aortic valve disease compared to predominant aortic stenosis.

Background: MAVD, defined as severe aortic stenosis with moderate or severe aortic regurgitation, is frequently encountered in clinical practice. However, the data regarding TAVR outcomes in MAVD are sparse. We compared Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) outcomes between Mixed Aortic Valve Disease (MAVD) and Predominant Aortic Stenosis (PAS) patients.

Metabolic syndrome is associated with peripheral endothelial dysfunction amongst men.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and peripheral endothelial dysfunction (PED) are both independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). PED provides prognostic information beyond that provided by conventional risk factors. However, the association between MetS and PED remains uncertain.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement outcomes in patients with sarcopaenia.

Aims: Sarcopaenia is a prevalent disease of ageing, associated with adverse clinical outcomes. We aimed to compare in-hospital adverse outcomes and overall mortality in sarcopaenic and non-sarcopaenic patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods And Results: This was a retrospective cohort study including 602 patients who underwent TAVR.

Association of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects risks of type 2 diabetes (T2D), diabetes-related complications, and cardiovascular disease in a complex manner. This study is designed to clarify associations of sonographically-detected NAFLD and serum liver enzymes with diabetes-related microvascular complications.

Methods: A matched case-contorl study was designed for 440 patients with T2D and at least one of the chronic diabetes-related microvascular complications and 495 age- and gender-matched control patients with T2D.

Associations of Serum S100B and S100P With the Presence and Classification of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Case-Cohort Study.

Objectives: Novel biomarkers of diabetic peripheral neuropathy provide potentially useful information for early identification and treatment of diabetic neuropathy, ultimately serving to reduce the burden of disease. This study was designed to investigate the potential associations of serum S100B and S100P (calcium-modulated proteins) with the presence and classification of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: In a case-cohort setting, the data of 44 participants diagnosed with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, 44 control participants with type 2 diabetes but free of peripheral neuropathy and 87 healthy control individuals were collected and analyzed.

The use of steel slags in the heterogeneous Fenton process for decreasing the chemical oxygen demand of oil refinery wastewater.

The Fenton process is a useful and inexpensive type of advanced oxidation process for industrial wastewater treatment. This study was performed with the aim of using the steel slag as a catalyst in the heterogeneous Fenton process in order to reduce the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of oil refinery wastewater. The effects of various parameters including the reaction time (0.

Beneficial Effects of Pentoxifylline Plus Losartan Dual Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes with Nephropathy.

Background: This study was designed to comparatively assess the effects of add-on pentoxifylline to losartan versus increasing the dose of losartan on serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), serum highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and the urinary albumin excretion (UAE) rate in patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy.

Methods: In an open-label, single-center, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial (NCT03006952), 30 patients received b.i.

National Prevalence of Self-Reported Coronary Heart Disease and Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris: Factor Analysis of the Underlying Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in the SuRFNCD-2011.

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common causes of mortality worldwide. The national prevalence remains unclear in most of the developing countries.

Objective: This study sought to estimate national prevalence of self-reported CHD and chronic stable angina pectoris in the general adult population of Iran using data from the fourth round of the Surveillance of Risk Factors of Non-Communicable Diseases (SuRFNCD-2011) survey.

Diabetes in Iran: Prospective Analysis from First Nationwide Diabetes Report of National Program for Prevention and Control of Diabetes (NPPCD-2016).

We estimated proportions of different types of diabetes, comorbidities, treatment (the use of oral glucose-lowering agents and insulin), control (hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension) and chronic microvascular and macrovascular complications among people with diabetes presenting to the tertiary-care academic diabetes outpatient clinics in Iran. This study is the prospective analysis of data (n = 30,202) from the registry of university-affiliated adult outpatient diabetes clinics in the country during 2015-2016. The proportions of type 1 diabetes, types 2 diabetes, and other types of diabetes were 11.

All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality following Treatment with Metformin or Glyburide in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Both metformin and sulfonylurea (SU) drugs are among the most widely-used anti-hyperglycemic medications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Previous studies have shown that treatment with SUs might be associated with decreased survival compared with metformin. This study aimed to evaluate all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates between glyburide and metformin in patients diagnosed with T2DM.

Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to LDL Ratio (ox-LDL/LDL) and ox-LDL to High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio (ox-LDL/HDL).

Background: Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) plays a principal role in diabetes complications, though ox-LDL concentrations and its functions are dependents of other oxidative and anti-oxidative particles. The oxLDL to low-density lipoprotein ratio (ox-LDL/LDL) and ox-LDL to high-density lipoprotein ratio (ox-LDL/HDL) as new lipid biomarkers may serve as a good estimation of oxidation and anti-oxidation in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was first to examine ox-LDL/LDL and ox-LDL/HDL levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to a control group and evaluate their diagnostic accuracies, and, second, to investigate the correlation of these two ratios with triglyceride and HDL levels.

Absence of a positive correlation between CRP and leptin in rheumatoid arthritis.

Aims: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a model of chronic inflammatory disease. In this study we evaluated the correlation of leptin and CRP in patients with RA and normal controls.

Main Methods: A total of 75 patients with RA and 40 healthy adults were recruited in this case-control study.

Diabetes Care in Iran: Where We Stand and Where We Are Headed.

Background: The prevalence of diabetes has steadily increased in Iran from the time of the first published nationally representative survey in 1999 and despite efforts and strategies to reduce disease burden.

Objectives: The aim of the present review was to describe the current status of diabetes care in Iran.

Methods: A selective review of the relevant literature, focusing on properly conducted studies, describing past and present diabetes care strategies, policies, and outcomes in Iran was performed.

Nonlinear relation between pulse pressure and coronary heart disease in patients with type 2 diabetes or hypertension.

Objectives: Wide pulse pressure (PP) is an independent predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the linearity of the relation between PP and CHD was not examined before. We aimed to examine this relation in patients with type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension.

Abdominal obesity and gestational diabetes: the interactive role of magnesium.

Aims: Magnesium is a cofactor for numerous metabolic enzymatic reactions. It is required for glucose utilization and insulin signaling. We compared plasma magnesium concentrations in pregnant women with and without abdominal obesity, and investigated the interactive roles of magnesium and obesity in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Contribution of vitamin D deficiency to the risk of coronary heart disease in subjects with essential hypertension.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is proposed as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). An inverse relation was observed between serum 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin-D level and incidence of hypertension. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of serum 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin-D in improvement of CHD risk-stratification in patients with hypertension.

Non-linear contribution of serum vitamin D to symptomatic diabetic neuropathy: A case-control study.

Aims: Vitamin D deficiency has recently been speculated to be associated with increased risk of diabetes neuropathy (DN). The aim of this study was to evaluate the odds of symptomatic DN across serum vitamin D levels.

Methods: All patients with DM were assessed using diabetic neuropathy symptoms and diabetic neuropathy examination score.