Relationship between parathyroid hormone and depression in heart failure.

Background: Depression has been found to be a predictor of rehospitalization and mortality in heart failure (HF). Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a novel promising biomarker that can predict hospitalization, functional status and mortality in HF.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association of depression with serum PTH levels in patients with systolic HF.

ST elevation in the lead aVR during exercise treadmill testing may indicate left main coronary artery disease.

Background: exercise treadmill testing (ETT) is the most widely used method for evaluating patients with coronary artery disease. Predicting the left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease before invasive procedures is very important in risk assessment because of its severe clinical outcome.

Aim: To examine whether ST elevation in lead aVR during ETT may suggest LMCA disease since the lead aVR is the reciprocal lead of LMCA.

Decreased heart rate recovery in patients with heart failure: effect of fluvastatin therapy.

Heart rate recovery is the difference in heart rate at peak exercise and at a specific time interval following the onset of recovery. Attenuated heart rate recovery is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with a history of coronary artery disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a statin on heart rate recovery, particularly in patients with ischemic heart failure and hyperlipidemia.