Evaluation of heart rate variability in patients with coronary artery ectasia and coronary artery disease.

Objective: The present study compared heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in patients with coronary artery ectasia (CAE) and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: The study population consisted of 60 consecutive patients with CAE (14 women; mean age 51.63±7.

Does high serum uric acid level cause aspirin resistance?

In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), though aspirin inhibits platelet activation and reduces atherothrombotic complications, it does not always sufficiently inhibit platelet function, thereby causing a clinical situation known as aspirin resistance. As hyperuricemia activates platelet turnover, aspirin resistance may be specifically induced by increased serum uric acid (SUA) levels. In this study, we thus investigated the association between SUA level and aspirin resistance in patients with CAD.

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids administration does not reduce the recurrence rates of atrial fibrillation and inflammation after electrical cardioversion: a prospective randomized study.

Objective: The purpose of the present prospective randomized study was to evaluate the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on recurrence rates of atrial fibrillation (AF) and inflammation after electrical cardioversion.

Methods: Calculation of the number of patients needed was based on the assumption of 20% and 65% chance of maintaining sinus rhythm with amiodarone and with polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. To observe a significant difference with an alpha level of 0.

Mean platelet volume in patients with prehypertension and hypertension.

Patients with hypertension have evidence of platelet activation. Mean platelet volume (MPV), an indicator of platelet activation has been shown to be elevated in patients with hypertension. Prehypertension is also associated with an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.