Increased serum level of high sensitivity troponin T even prior to surgery can predict adverse events during carotid endarterectomy.

Objectives: Perioperative stress affects the outcome of carotid endarterectomy performed under regional anesthesia. Here we aimed to explore the temporal profile of the stress marker cortisol and its relationship to high-sensitivity troponin-T, matrix metalloproteinase-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, and S100B as an indicator of blood-brain barrier alteration in the systemic circulation.

Methods: Prospective part of the study: a total of 31 patients with significant carotid stenosis scheduled for carotid endarterectomy in regional anesthesia were enrolled.

Increased B-type natriuretic Peptide concentration is associated with reduced coronary vasoreactivity in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy but not in healthy young subjects.

Background/Aims. Natriuretic peptides are associated with the cardiovascular disease risk under a range of different circumstances. However, less is known about whether this association is found also in young healthy subjects.

Drug related problems after discharge from an Australian teaching hospital.

Objective: To reconcile patients' medicines and to classify drug related problems identified during medication review conducted after discharge from hospital.

Setting: Patients were discharged from the cardiology unit of Westmead Hospital after recruitment into the Westmead Medicines Project which ran from 2004 to 2007.

Method: This retrospective study involved an analysis of drugs, diseases and drug related problems in medication review reports available for 76 out of 85 patients who received a Home Medicines Review (HMR).

Echocardiography in Fabry disease: diagnostic value of endocardial border binary appearance.

Background And Aim: It has been reported that the endocardium in Fabry disease has a binary appearance on transthoracic echocardiography. It has been suggested that this sign could be used with good accuracy to differentiate Fabry disease from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and even as a first filter to screen for suspected Fabry disease.

Methods: Therefore, we performed a blinded echocardiography in a non-selected population of patients with Fabry disease and matched controls.

Trimetazidine, a metabolic modulator, has cardiac and extracardiac benefits in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: The anti-ischemic agent trimetazidine improves ejection fraction in heart failure that is hypothetically linked to inhibitory effects on cardiac free fatty acid (FFA) oxidation. However, FFA oxidation remains unmeasured in humans. We investigated the effects of trimetazidine on cardiac perfusion, efficiency of work, and FFA oxidation in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.