Impact of diabetes mellitus on long-term outcomes in the drug-eluting stent era.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of restenosis, stent thrombosis, and death after percutaneous coronary interventions. Little is known about the late outcome of patients with diabetes mellitus who receive drug-eluting stents (DES).

Methods: This study includes a prospective database of 2557 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease who underwent DES implantation in native coronary arteries in 2 German hospitals.

Pacemaker auto-interference by thoracic impedance measurement for the rate response function.

This report describes two cases of pacemaker auto-interference caused by thoracic impedance measurements for the rate response function of a dual chamber pacemaker. Mechanisms of this phenomenon and reprogramming strategies are discussed.

Relationship between residual blood flow in the infarct-related artery and scintigraphic infarct size, myocardial salvage, and functional recovery in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Unlabelled: In patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) before primary coronary stenting with adjunct glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blockade, whether residual blood flow in the infarct-related artery (IRA) affects infarct size or myocardial salvage is not known.

Methods: This study included 118 patients with ST-segment elevation AMI who received coronary stenting plus abciximab. SPECT studies were performed before and 7-14 d after stenting.

Mechanical reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction presenting more than 12 hours from symptom onset: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: No specifically designed studies have addressed the role of primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) presenting more than 12 hours after symptom onset. Current guidelines do not recommend reperfusion treatment in these patients.

Objective: To assess whether an immediate invasive treatment strategy is associated with a reduction of infarct size in patients with acute STEMI, presenting between 12 and 48 hours after symptom onset, vs a conventional conservative strategy.

Gender and myocardial salvage after reperfusion treatment in acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are gender-associated differences in the amount of myocardial salvage after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Background: Despite having a more adverse cardiovascular risk profile, women with AMI have similar or even better outcomes after primary PCI compared with men. The reasons for these findings are unclear.

Early administration of reteplase plus abciximab vs abciximab alone in patients with acute myocardial infarction referred for percutaneous coronary intervention: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: The optimal pharmacological strategy for bridging the delay between admission and performance of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) is not known.

Objective: To assess whether early administration of reteplase plus abciximab produces better results compared with abciximab alone in patients with acute MI referred for PCI.

Design, Setting, And Patients: Open-label, randomized controlled study conducted from May 3, 2001, through June 2, 2003, of 253 patients who were admitted to 13 community hospitals without catheterization facilities (n = 186) and to 5 hospitals with catheterization facilities (n = 67), with the diagnosis of an ST-segment elevation acute MI within 12 hours from onset of symptoms.