LOAD limits for ambulatory pulse pressure and double product in normotensive and hypertensive subjects.

Objective: The aim of this study was to to determine possible daytime (awake hours) and nighttime (sleeping hours) LOAD limits for ambulatory pulse pressure (PP) and double product (DP) in hypertensive (HT) subjects and secondly to assess whether there were significant differences in the LOAD values between hypertensive (HT) and normotensive (NT) subjects.

Methods: Seventy-eight untreated essential HT (46 female, 32 male; mean age 51.9+/-1.

Evaluation of DNA damage in lymphocytes of cardiologists exposed to radiation during cardiac catheterization by the COMET ASSAY.

This study was designed to evaluate the possible in vivo induction of DNA damage by exposure to radiation in cardiologists. The alkaline comet assay (single cell gel electrophoresis, SCGE), which appears to be a promising tool with which to estimate DNA damage at the single cell level, has been used. The assay was carried out on 30 cardiologists currently employed in a busy cardiac service and 30 healthy unexposed controls.

Treatment of mild-to-moderate hypertension with calcium channel blockers: a multicentre comparison of once-daily nifedipine GITS with once-daily amlodipine.

Background: Hypertension is one of the most important causes of cardiovascular disease, and treatment of hypertension leads to a significant reduction in cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Although calcium channel blockers are regarded as an important part of the therapeutic armamentarium against cardiovascular diseases, and are among the most frequently prescribed antihypertensive medications, concern has been aroused about these drugs, particularly the short-acting dihydropyrldine derivatives. However, the value of nifedipine GITS(Adalat-Crono), the long-acting dihydropyrldine, is in need of being re-established.

Early and late outcome of stenting in a consecutive series of patients with coronary lesions in vessels less than 2.8 mm in diameter.

In an attempt to determine the early and late outcomes of small vessel stenting, we retrospectively evaluated our database on 51 consecutive patients (41 males, mean age, 57.1 +/- 10.1 years) who underwent stenting of at least one significant lesion in a coronary artery with a reference vessel diameter (RVD) <2.

Head-to-head comparison of two different low-molecular-weight heparins in acute coronary syndrome: a single center experience.

Low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) of different types have yielded different results when used in the setting of unstable angina (UA) or non Q-wave myocardial infarction (NQMI). We compared the safety and therapeutic efficacy of two different LMWHs, namely dalteparin (Dalt.) and enoxaparin (Enox.

Medium-term follow-up of intermediate coronary stenoses left unrevascularized based on myocardial fractional flow reserve findings.

Objective: Coronary stenoses of intermediate severity create difficulties in decision making when revascularization is concerned. Myocardial fractional flow reserve (mFFR), an accurate tool to identify physiological significance of individual coronary stenoses, may help solve this problem.

Methods And Results: Fifty-eight intermediate (30-70%) coronary stenoses in 51 patients (mean age 54.

Frequency of cardiac troponin-t elevation after successful direct stenting.

Direct stenting (stenting without balloon predilation) is a novel approach in percutaneous treatment of coronary artery lesions. This approach may also significantly lower the rate of procedural ischaemic complications by reducing aggression to the vessel wall and immediately sealing the dissections created due to balloon inflation by the endoprosthesis. However, the incidence of minor myocardial infarction after direct stenting is unknown.

Sidebranch occlusion after coronary stenting with or without balloon predilation: direct versus conventional stenting.

Direct stenting (DS) is a novel approach in percutaneous treatment of coronary artery lesions. Several studies confirmed the safety and feasibility of the procedure with success rates greater than 90%. However, the data regarding the incidence of sidebranch occlusion (SBO) after DS are scarce.

Conventional versus direct stenting in AMI: effect on immediate coronary blood flow.

There are no data regarding the potential benefits of direct stenting in the setting of AMI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of direct stenting on the angiographic results and compare it to conventional stenting performed in the setting of AMI. We reviewed our institutional interventional database and identified 44 patients who had undergone stenting in the setting of AMI (29 primary and 15 rescue angioplasty).

Effects of left ventricular systolic dysfunction on left atrial appendage and left atrial functions in patients with chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Objective: It has been claimed that left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction impairs left atrial (LA) and left atrial appendage (LAA) functions. In this study, we compared the LA and LAA function parameters in patients with chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) with and without LV systolic dysfunction.

Methods And Results: The study population consisted of 28 patients with chronic nonvalvularAF.

Myocardial injury after apparently successful coronary stenting with or without balloon dilation: direct versus conventional stenting.

Direct stenting (i.e., stenting without balloon predilation) is a novel approach to the percutaneous treatment of coronary artery lesions.

Direct stenting in angiographically apparent thrombus-containing lesions.

The data regarding the potential benefits of direct stenting in the setting of angiographically apparent thrombus-containing lesions are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of direct stenting on the angiographic results in the setting of thrombus. We reviewed our institutional interventional database and identified 30 patients who had undergone stenting in the setting of angiographically apparent thrombus-containing lesions (33% unstable angina pectoris, 67% acute myocardial infarction).

Stenting of the septal perforator coronary artery.

This report describes the first application of intracoronary stenting to the septal perforator coronary artery in a patient with a totally occluded left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and a patent venous graft to the distal LAD. The procedure was successful and resulted in almost complete relief of class III angina. Therefore, diseased large septal perforators may cause angina and be treated effectively by intracoronary stenting in selected cases.

Primary angioplasty and stenting in a patient with primary antiphospholipid syndrome and thrombocytopenia.

Antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by venous and arterial thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, stroke and, rarely, acute coronary syndromes. However, there are no data available regarding the management of acute myocardial infarction in primary antiphospholipid syndrome with accompanying severe thrombocytopenia and cardiogenic shock. We describe such a case, which was managed by successful primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and stent implantation with accompanying immunosuppression therapy.

Left atrial free floating thrombus. Diagnosis by two dimensional and M-mode echocardiography.

Left atrial thrombus, which is a frequent finding in patients with mitral valve disease, is generally attached to the atrial wall. Left atrial free-floating thrombus has rarely been reported. Since the risk of peripheral emboli is fairly high, patients with such a thrombus are candidates for emergency surgery.

A case of pericardial lipoma diagnosed by noninvasive techniques.

Intracardiac lipomas that consist of mature fat cells with fibrous and myxoid tissues are regarded as rather rare lesions. The diagnosis may frequently be established during surgical intervention or at autopsy. The patient presented is a 23-year-old male who had had no complaints.

Synergism between UK 38485 and ICI 185282 against digoxin-induced arrhythmias in guinea-pigs.

In this study, the combination of a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor (UK 38485) and a thromboxane receptor antagonist (ICI 185282) was tested for an interaction of potential therapeutic importance and the effect of acetylsalicylic acid pretreatment on this combination was evaluated in digoxin-induced arrhythmias in guinea-pigs. Drug treatments at the dose combinations used (ICI 185282: 0.2 mg/kg + 0.

Subacute rupture of the free left ventricular wall following acute myocardial infarction. Successful surgery in a case.

Free left ventricular wall rupture following acute myocardial infarction usually results in cardiac tamponade and sudden death. Occasionally, the bleeding into the pericardial sac is arrested by the surrounding pericardial tissue causing formation of a pseudoaneurysm. The case herein reported presented with a refractory pericardial effusion 1 month after an anterior myocardial infarction.

Effects of thromboxane synthetase inhibitor (UK 38,485) and thromboxane receptor antagonist (ICI 185,282) on digoxin-induced arrhythmias in anaesthetized guinea-pigs.

1. Increased local thromboxane (Tx) formation has been considered to be a contributing factor in digitalis-induced arrhythmias. 2.

Digoxin-induced cardiac toxicity in the anaesthetized guinea-pigs and effect of heparin infusion.

We have examined the effects of heparin infusion on the arrhythmias induced by digoxin. Digoxin treatment consisted of 0.6 mg kg-1 given i.

Prevention by a carbacyclin analogue (ZK 36 374) of digoxin-induced ventricular extrasystoles in guinea-pig myocardium.

Intravenous infusion of ZK 36 374 to the anesthetized guinea-pig or addition of the compound to the perfusion medium of the isolated perfused guinea-pig heart prevented digoxin-induced ventricular premature beats without altering the prolongation of the P-R interval by the glycoside. The prevention by ZK 36 374 of the ventricular extrasystoles induced by digoxin was obtained at lower concentrations while higher doses of the compound produced a dysrhythmic effect which terminated within a few min after the cessation of drug application.