Echocardiographic predictors of progression from prehypertension to hypertension.

Background: Prehypertension (PHT) was recently introduced by replacing former categories of high-normal and above-optimal blood pressure (BP). The rationale for redefining this new category was to emphasize the excess cardiovascular risk associated with BP in this range and to focus high risk for developing hypertension (HT). However, no clear definite markers to identify prehypertensive patients at high risk of progressing to HT have been established yet.

Effects of normal blood pressure, prehypertension, and hypertension on autonomic nervous system function.

Background: Autonomic nervous system plays an important role in blood pressure (BP) regulation, and large proportion of patients with hypertension have increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity. Heart rate recovery (HRR) is a simple non-invasive measurement for investigating autonomic nervous system influence on the cardiovascular system; however, this methodology has not been used to evaluate autonomic nervous system in subjects with prehypertension (PHT). Accordingly, the present study was designed to evaluate HRR in subjects with PHT.

The association between previous statin use and development of atrial fibrillation in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome.

Aims: To examine the association between statin use and the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: From a total of 1000 patients presenting with ACS 241 were on and 759 were not on statin. An AF episode was accepted as endpoint.