Association between Morning Surge and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Obese Hypertensive Patients.

Background: Weight gain can trigger mechanisms that increase blood pressure. Nevertheless, obesity causes structural changes in the myocardium, including increased ventricular mass, atrial dilatation, and diastolic and systolic dysfunction. Additionally, blood pressure variations, like morning surge (MS) in obese hypertensive patients may have clinical relevance in cardiovascular events.

Metrics of care and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with pharmacoinvasive strategy: a decade-long network in a populous city in Brazil.

Background: Pharmacoinvasive strategy is an effective myocardial reperfusion therapy when primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI) cannot be performed in a timely manner.

Methods: Authors sought to evaluate metrics of care and cardiovascular outcomes in a decade-long registry of a pharmacoinvasive strategy network for the treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Data from a local network including patients undergoing fibrinolysis in county hospitals and systematically transferred to the tertiary center were accessed from March 2010 to September 2020.

Pharmacoinvasive Strategy in Elderly Up to 75 Years or Non-Elderly: Analysis of Biochemical and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Parameters.

Background: Pharmacoinvasive strategy is an alternative when primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not feasible.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of early pharmacoinvasive strategy on the infarct size and left ventricular ejection fraction in elderly and non-elderly patients. The role of inflammatory markers was also examined.

Pharmaco-invasive Strategy in Myocardial Infarction: Descriptive Analysis, Presentation of Ischemic Symptoms and Mortality Predictors.

Background: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is defined by symptoms accompanied by typical electrocardiogram changes. However, the characterization of ischemic symptoms is unclear, especially in subgroups such as women and the elderly.

Objectives: To analyze the typification of ischemic symptoms, temporal metrics and observe the occurrence of in-hospital outcomes, in the analysis of predictive scores, in patients with STEMI, in a drug-invasive strategy.

Performance of the Electrocardiogram in the Diagnosis of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Older and Very Older Hypertensive Patients.

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important cardiovascular risk factor, regardless of arterial hypertension. Despite the evolution of imaging tests, the electrocardiogram (ECG) is still the most used in the initial evaluation, however, with low sensitivity.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the main electrocardiographic criteria for LVH in elderly and very elderly hypertensive individuals.

Early Changes in Circulating Interleukins and Residual Inflammatory Risk After Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction may have a large infarcted area and ventricular dysfunction despite early thrombolysis and revascularization.

Objective: To investigate the behavior of circulating cytokines in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and their relationship with ventricular function.

Methods: In the BATTLE-AMI (B and T Types of Lymphocytes Evaluation in Acute Myocardial Infarction) trial, patients with STEMI were treated with a pharmacoinvasive strategy.

Absence of Nocturnal Fall in Blood Pressure Detected by Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Acute Chagas Disease Patients with Oral Infection.

Background The involvement of the autonomic nervous system is one of the mechanisms proposed to explain the progression of myocardial lesion in Chagas disease. Evidences have shown changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system since the acute phase of the disease, and studies to clarify the pathophysiological and prognostic value of these changes are needed. Objetives To assess blood pressure profile by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in normotensive patients with acute Chagas disease (ACD) without apparent cardiac damage, and the influence of the infection on nocturnal blood pressure fall.

Regional QT Interval Dispersion as an Early Predictor of Reperfusion in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction after Fibrinolytic Therapy.

Background: Patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction attending primary care centers, treated with pharmaco-invasive strategy, are submitted to coronary angiography within 2-24 hours of fibrinolytic treatment. In this context, the knowledge about biomarkers of reperfusion, such as 50% ST-segment resolution is crucial.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of QT interval dispersion in addition to other classical criteria, as an early marker of reperfusion after thrombolytic therapy.

Behavior of Blood Pressure Variables in Children and Adolescents with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-chromosome-linked genetic disorder (locus Xp21). Involvement of the cardiovascular system is characterized by fibrous degeneration/replacement of myocytes with consequent ventricular hypertrophy and arterial hypertension.

Objective: To assess, by using 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the behavior of blood pressure variables in children and adolescents with a confirmed diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Association of Multiple Genetic Variants with the Extension and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a condition that, when associated with ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular events, can be influenced by genetic variants and determine more severe coronary atherosclerosis.

Objectives: To examine the contribution of genetic polymorphisms to the extension and severity of coronary disease in subjects with MS and recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: Patients (n = 116, 68% males) aged 56 (9) years, with criteria for MS, were prospectively enrolled to the study during the hospitalization period after an ACS.

Brazilian guidelines on prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes: a position statement from the Brazilian Diabetes Society (SBD), the Brazilian Cardiology Society (SBC) and the Brazilian Endocrinology and Metabolism Society (SBEM).

Background: Since the first position statement on diabetes and cardiovascular prevention published in 2014 by the Brazilian Diabetes Society, the current view on primary and secondary prevention in diabetes has evolved as a result of new approaches on cardiovascular risk stratification, new cholesterol lowering drugs, and new anti-hyperglycemic drugs. Importantly, a pattern of risk heterogeneity has emerged, showing that not all diabetic patients are at high or very high risk. In fact, most younger patients who have no overt cardiovascular risk factors may be more adequately classified as being at intermediate or even low cardiovascular risk.

Electrocardiogram Performance in the Diagnosis of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Hypertensive Patients With Left Bundle Branch Block.

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular events, and its detection usually begins with an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Objective: To evaluate the impact of complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB) in hypertensive patients in the diagnostic performance of LVH by ECG.

Methods: A total of 2,240 hypertensive patients were studied.

Effects of High-Intensity Training of Professional Runners on Myocardial Hypertrophy and Subclinical Atherosclerosis.

To evaluate the effects of long-term exposure to high-intensity training among professional runners on cardiac hypertrophy and subclinical atherosclerosis. Prospective study included runners of both sexes (n = 52) and age and gender matched controls (n = 57), without classical cardiovascular risk factors. Ventricular hypertrophy was quantified by echocardiography by linear method and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) by 2-D images obtained by ultrasonography.

Relevance of target-organ lesions as predictors of mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: Patients with diabetes are in extract higher risk for fatal cardiovascular events.

Objective: To evaluate major predictors of mortality in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A cohort of 323 individuals with type 2 diabetes from several regions of Brazil was followed for a long period.

Effects of ezetimibe on endothelial progenitor cells and microparticles in high-risk patients.

Imbalance on endothelial turnover can predict cardiovascular outcomes. We aimed at evaluating the effects of lipid-modifying therapies on circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), endothelial microparticles (EMPs), and platelet microparticles (PMPs) in high cardiovascular risk subjects with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP). Sixty-three individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) or CHD risk equivalent on stable statin therapy, with LDL-cholesterol <100 mg/dL and CRP ≥ 2.