Effects of renin-angiotensin system inhibition on right ventricular function in patients with mild essential hypertension.

Introduction: Systemic hypertension is known to affect both left and right ventricular (RV) function. Little is known about the effect of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition on global RV function in patients with essential hypertension.

Materials And Methods: Forty patients (17 male, mean age 47 ± 10 years) with mild hypertension free of cardiovascular disease were assessed by echocardiography at baseline and after nine months of antihypertensive treatment with RAS inhibitors.

Scleroderma renal crisis accompanied by new-onset pulmonary arterial hypertension: an acute systemic endothelial injury? Case report and literature.

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and internal organs and extensive vasculopathy. We report a case of a 41 year-old white woman with a 10 year-history of limited scleroderma, who developed the rare combination of Scleroderma Renal Crisis (SRC) and Systemic Sclerosis related Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (SScPAH) in the same time. Although the patient received the proposed antihypertensive treatment, the renal function did not recover, and she initiated on renal replacement therapy.

Significance of serum uric acid in pulmonary hypertension due to systemic sclerosis: a pilot study.

Systemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disease, which may lead to elevated pulmonary arterial pressure due to pulmonary arterial hypertension and/or left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Uric acid (UA) has been shown to be elevated in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and heart failure. We aimed to investigate the potent relationship between serum UA and pulmonary pressure as well as functional capacity in patients with SSc.

Left atrial volume and N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide are associated with elevated pulmonary artery pressure in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Early detection of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) is essential as it leads to substantial morbidity and mortality irrespective of its etiology. The aim of our study was to determine whether noninvasive biochemical and/or echocardiographic indices can predict the presence of PH in these patients. We prospectively studied 66 patients (mean age of 57.

Effects of lifestyle measures, antiobesity agents, and bariatric surgery on serological markers of inflammation in obese patients.

Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent in developed countries and are also becoming more frequent in the developing world. Overweight and obese patients have elevated levels of several inflammatory markers and this inflammatory state might contribute to their increased vascular risk. We summarize the effects of lifestyle changes, antiobesity agents, and bariatric surgery on serological inflammatory markers in overweight and obese patients.

Effects of renin-angiotensin system inhibition on left atrial function of hypertensive patients: an echocardiographic tissue deformation imaging study.

Background: Although renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors have beneficial effects on left ventricular myocardium, their effect on left atrial (LA) function remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of treatment with RAS inhibitors on LA function of patients with essential hypertension.

Methods: Forty hypertensive patients (17 males, mean age 47.

The role of uric acid in stroke: the issue remains unresolved.

Background: Although in the past decade a large number of studies have been performed to identify the relationship between uric acid and stroke, the issue remains unresolved and it is not clear whether the correlation between uric acid and stroke is circumstantial or causal.

Review Summary: Some studies have found uric acid predictive for the development of cardiovascular disease, whereas others have failed to identify uric acid as a significant and independent risk factor after controlling for other atherosclerotic risk factors. Furthermore, uric acid, a powerful endogenous antioxidant, is increased in oxidative stress situations such as stroke.