Economic evaluation of ivabradine in the treatment of chronic heart failure in Greece.

Background: The objective of our study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of ivabradine plus standard care (SoC) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with sinus rhythm and a baseline heart rate ≥ 75 b.p.m.

Effect of Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on one-year mortality and frequency of repeat acute myocardial infarction in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Controversy exists regarding whether all patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) benefit from angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs). We examined the association between ACEI treatment and mortality in a large, unselected population of patients with AMI. The present study included 105,224 patients with AMI who were not treated with ACEIs on admission.

Novel observations with FDOPA-PET imaging after early nigrostriatal damage.

Striatal 6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA (FDOPA) kinetic rate constants were measured by positron emission tomography (PET) in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated squirrel monkeys. After scanning, stereological counts of dopaminergic neurons were done in substantia nigra, and dopamine (DA) and metabolite concentrations were determined in the caudate, putamen, and substantia nigra. Graded doses of MPTP produced animals with mild to moderate reductions (10-35%) in dopaminergic neurons, where the percent of cell loss was proportional to the amount of MPTP given.