Correlation between myocardial fibrosis and restrictive cardiac physiology in patients undergoing retransplantation.

After cardiac transplant, there is often development of restrictive cardiac physiology. Little is known about the factors that contribute to this physiology and its correlation with pathology. Heart retransplantation provides a valuable opportunity to further understand this relationship.

Controversies in the use & implementation of drug-eluting stent technology.

The introduction of drug eluting stents has resulted in dramatic reductions in the rates of restenosis and the need for repeat revascularization. In the last several years, concern has been raised regarding the long-term safety of this technology, particularly in the area of late restenosis and stent thrombosis. The development of newer anti-restenotic drug coatings, biodegradable polymers and even completely bioabsorbable stents offer the potential to address these limitations.

The impact of National Institutes of Health funding on U.S. cardiovascular disease research.

Background: Intense interest surrounds the recent expansion of US National Institutes of Health (NIH) budgets as part of economic stimulus legislation. However, the relationship between NIH funding and cardiovascular disease research is poorly understood, making the likely impact of this policy change unclear.

Methods: The National Library of Medicine's PubMed database was searched for articles published from 1996 to 2006, originating from U.