Incidence, in-hospital case-fatality rates, and management practices in Puerto Ricans hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: There are extremely limited data on minority populations, especially Hispanics, describing the clinical epidemiology of acute coronary disease. The aim of this study is to examine the incidence rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), in-hospital case-fatality rate (CFR), and management practices among residents of greater San Juan (Puerto Rico) who were hospitalized with an initial AMI.

Methods: Our trained study staff reviewed and independently validated the medical records of patients who had been hospitalized with possible AMI at any of the twelve hospitals located in greater San Juan during calendar year 2007.

Gender disparities in Puerto Ricans hospitalized with an initial acute myocardial infarction: A population-based perspective.

Objective: The published literature suggests differences in presenting symptoms for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), management, and outcomes according to gender and age. However, limited information exists on this topic among Hispanics.

Methods: In Puerto Rican patients hospitalized with an initial AMI, we examined differences in presenting symptoms, effective cardiac therapies, and in-hospital mortality as a function of gender and age groups.

Epidemiology of coronary heart disease: the Puerto Rico heart health program revisted.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains as the main cause of death in most countries of the world including Puerto Rico. Due to the importance of gathering knowledge regarding the harmful effects and risk factors associated with the development of CHD some basic information is reviewed to stimulate the institution of measures for reduction of the prevalence of clinical CHD and its ultimate consequences. Special attention is given in the manuscript of the Puerto Rico Heart Health Program conducted in men aged 45-64 residing in four rural and three urban areas.

A peripheral artery disease screening study in Puerto Rico.

Unlabelled: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) of the lower extremities is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. The results of screening for PAD in adults attending outpatient clinics at different sites in Puerto Rico from 2007 to 2010 are presented.

Methods: A total of 33 outpatients screening clinics were conducted at different sites throughout the Island.

Cardiovascular services and human resources in Puerto Rico - 2008.

Available information (2004-2008) concerning population statistics, the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular services and human resources in Puerto Rico is presented. Relevant information concerning life expectancy at birth, death by specific causes in a recent four years period, the commonest causes of death, and the related cardiovascular risk factors prevalence data available is included. The surgical and medical interventional services rendered to cardiovascular patients in different institutions and their locations in Puerto Rico in the year 2008 is presented.

Physical activity and prostate cancer mortality in Puerto Rican men.

Studies on the association between physical activity and fatal prostate cancer have produced inconclusive results. The Puerto Rico Heart Health Program was a cohort study of a randomly selected sample of 9824 men age 35 to 79 years at baseline who were followed for mortality until 2002. Multiple examinations collected information on lifestyle, diet, body composition, exercise, urban-rural residence, and smoking habits.

Coffee intake and risk of incident diabetes in Puerto Rican men: results from the Puerto Rico Heart Health Program.

Objective: To study prospectively the association of coffee intake with incident diabetes in the Puerto Rico Heart Health Program cohort, comprising 9824 middle-aged men (aged 35-79 years).

Methods: Of 9824 men, 3869 did not provide a fasting blood sample at baseline, 1095 had prevalent diabetes and 131 were not given fasting glucose tests at any subsequent study visit. Thus, the present analysis includes 4685 participants.

The Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration: analysis of individual data on lipid, inflammatory and other markers in over 1.1 million participants in 104 prospective studies of cardiovascular diseases.

Many long-term prospective studies have reported on associations of cardiovascular diseases with circulating lipid markers and/or inflammatory markers. Studies have not, however, generally been designed to provide reliable estimates under different circumstances and to correct for within-person variability. The Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration has established a central database on over 1.

Protein and legume intake and prostate cancer mortality in Puerto Rican men.

Prostate cancer is the number 1 cancer killer among Puerto Rican (PR) men. Plant foods have been inversely associated with prostate cancer. Legumes play a significant role in the PR diet; consumption of legumes in PR (14 lb/capita) was double that of the United States (7 lb/capita).

Update on cardiovascular disease in Puerto Rico in 2007.

Recent information (2004-2007) concerning population statistics and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in Puerto Rico is presented. Complemen-tary relevant information concerning life expectancy at birth, death by specific causes in a recent five years period, the commonest causes of death, and the related prevalence data available is included. The statistics about invasive surgical and medical services rendered to cardiovascular patients in different institutions in Puerto Rico in the year 2006 is presented.

Skin color and mortality risk among men: the Puerto Rico Heart Health Program.

Purpose: To examine the association between skin color and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality risk before and after adjusting for selected characteristics and risk factors, we used data on 5,304 men with information on skin color at Exam 3 of the Puerto Rico Heart Health program (PRHHP), a longitudinal study of the incidence of coronary heart disease in Puerto Rican men.

Methods: Mortality was ascertained using hospital and physician records, postmortem records, death certificates, and information from the next of kin.

Results: Dark-skinned men exhibited higher age-adjusted mortality rates than light skinned men (10.

Cardiovascular disease in HIV infection.

Cardiovascular disease has been well documented in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, especially after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy. At present, HIV infection is one of the leading causes of acquired cardiovascular disease including heart failure. Some of the changes observed in these patients include left ventricular systolic dysfunction, dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, myocarditis, lipodystrophy, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, accelerated atherosclerosis including myocardial infarction, prothrombotic state, pericardial effusion, pulmonary hypertension, autonomic dysfunction, and malignancy.

Evidence based secondary prevention of coronary artery disease in the elderly--2006.

Eighty percent of coronary deaths occur in people above 65 years of age. Fifty percent of deaths in persons above 85 years of age is due to coronary artery disease. The overall aging of the population and the improvement in survival of patients with coronary artery disease has been creating a growing large population of elderly adults who are elegible for secondary prevention.

Prevalence of cardiovascular conditions and health services utilization in Puerto Rico, 2001.

OBJECTIVE To study the prevalence of cardiovascular conditions and health services utilization in Puerto Rico, 2001. METHODS All medical claims for coronary heart disease (ICD-9 410-414), hypertension (ICD-9 401-405), congestive heart failure (ICD-9 428) and cerebrovascular accidents and transient ischemia (ICD-9:430-438.9) submitted for reimbursement purposes to an insurance company (private and public sector) in Puerto Rico in 2001 were identified.

Heart failure in rupture of a sinus of valsalva aneurysm.

We report a 22-year-old man who developed shortness of breath after lifting weights and then developed acute heart failure due to rupture of an aneurysm of the right sinus of Valsalva into the right ventricle. The patient developed dyspnea, and clinical findings included tachycardia, wide pulse pressure, bounding carotid and peripheral pulses, pulmonary crackles, and prominent continuous precordial murmur with thrill. Transesophageal echocardiogram with Doppler examination confirmed the diagnosis.

Wide pulse pressure is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality in Puerto Rican men.

Background And Aim: Emerging evidence suggests that pulse pressure is an independent predictor of risk for cardiovascular mortality. New studies in diverse populations are needed to further establish the applicability of this finding. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between pulse pressure and cardiovascular mortality in a cohort of Puerto Rican men after 12 years of follow-up.

[Cardiac Troponin, a biological marker for the diagnosis of myocardial necrosis].

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in Puerto Rico and all over the World. Among these, the most frequent one is ischemic heart disease. The diagnosis is primarily based upon clinical findings, electrocardiography, and the use of biological markers for cardiac injury and necrosis.

Status of cardiovascular disease in Puerto Rico.

For the last 40 years diseases of the heart has ranked as the primary cause of death in Puerto Rico, being cancer the second. In the National Vital Statistics of the Department of Health of Puerto Rico for the year 2002, cancer is listed as the main cause of death and diseases of the heart ranks as the second most frequent. This unexpected change is mainly due a new classification by ICD-10, that now substitutes ICD-9, in association to a change introduced by using the 2000 population census rather than the 1990 census used until 1999.

Control of blood lipids in the elderly.

In individuals 65 years of age and older cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death around the world. Hypercholesterolemia is among the major risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disorders. Most of the scientifically based studies on preventive measures for cardiovascular conditions have been conducted in subjects younger then 65 years of age.