The impact of different recovery positions on the perfusion of the lower forearm and comfort: A cross-over randomized controlled trial.

Background: International guidelines recommend a side-lying recovery position for unresponsive individuals with normal breathing who do not require cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, high-certainty evidence about an optimal recovery position is lacking. Recent guidelines recommend a position with the arm extended rather than bent, hypothesizing that venous drainage in the dependent lower arm might be compromised.

Circulating Reactive Oxygen Species in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease.

Oxidative stress is an important pathophysiological mechanism in the development of numerous cardiovascular disorders, but few studies have examined the levels of oxidative stress in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). The objective of this study was to investigate oxidative stress levels in adults with CHD and the association with inflammation, exercise capacity and endothelial function. To this end, 36 adults with different types of CHD and 36 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled.

The impact of obstructive sleep apnea on endothelial function during weight loss in an obese pediatric population.

Background: Childhood obesity is an increasing problem with substantial comorbidities such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and increased cardiovascular morbidity. Endothelial dysfunction is an underlying mechanism related to both obesity and OSA.

Research Question: To investigate the effect of weight loss on endothelial function and OSA in obese children and to determine whether a change in endothelial function can be linked to an improvement in OSA.

Effect of Mitral Regurgitation on Thrombotic Risk in Patients With Nonrheumatic Atrial Fibrillation: A New CHADS-VASc Score Risk Modifier?

The current study assessed the effect of mitral regurgitation (MR) on thrombotic risk in nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation (AF). AF carries a thrombotic risk related to left atrial blood stasis. The prevalence of atrial thrombosis, defined as the presence of left atrial appendage thrombus and/or left atrial spontaneous echo contrast grade >2, was determined in 686 consecutive nonrheumatic AF patients without (adequate) anticoagulation scheduled for transesophageal echocardiography before electrical cardioversion and was related to the severity of MR adjusted for the CHADS-VASc score.

A non-contact approach for PWV detection: application in a clinical setting.

A need for screening methods for arteriosclerosis led to the development of several approaches to measure pulse wave velocity (PWV) being indicative of arterial stiffness. Carotid-femoral PWV (cfPWV) can be measured between common carotid artery (CCA) and femoral artery (FA) displaying the physiologically important stiffness of the conduit arteries. However, this measurement approach has several disadvantages, and a local PWV-measurement of CCA-stiffness has been proposed as an alternative in the past.

Digital image correlation for full-field time-resolved assessment of arterial stiffness.

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) of the arterial system is a very important parameter to evaluate cardiovascular health. Currently, however, there is no golden standard for PWV measurement. Digital image correlation (DIC) was used for full-field time-resolved assessment of displacement, velocity, acceleration, and strains of the skin in the neck directly above the common carotid artery.

Cardiovascular mechanisms and consequences of obstructive sleep apnoea.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is considered as a risk factor for the development of arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction and stroke. These clinical manifestations are the consequences of elevated sympathetic activity, cardiovascular variability, intrathoracic pressure changes, inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, insulin resistance and thrombosis provoked by OSA. As a result, OSA is often present in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the increased prevalence of CVD in OSA population raises both cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and the demand of healthcare resources.

The evolution of hypertension treatment in Belgium, a pharmacoepidemiological study.

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to study the number of patients treated for hypertension and the evolution in usage of different classes of antihypertensive medication.

Methods: Data from 1997 to 2009 was extracted from Pharmanet, a nation-wide database of prescriptions of reimbursed medication in Belgium.

Results: In 2009, 25% of women and 20% of men were prescribed at least one antihypertensive drug.

Carotid artery intima-media thickness is associated with coronary artery disease.

Objective: The intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery is dependent on the risk factor load during life and correlates well with the degree of atherosclerosis, also in other vascular beds.

Methods: We reviewed our database of IMT measurements, from January 2002 to February 2007. We compared the mean IMT values of patients without a history of coronary artery disease (group 1) with those with a history of coronary artery disease (group 2).

Impact of oxidative stress on the endothelial dysfunction of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: protection by superoxide dismutase?

Diabetes mellitus is associated with endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress (OS). We investigated whether these abnormalities are interrelated in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and if early OS markers predictive of vascular dysfunction can be identified. Thirty-five T1DM patients were matched for sex, age, height, and weight with nondiabetic subjects as healthy controls (CO).

Can measurement of the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery improve the diagnostic value of exercise stress tests?

Objective: The diagnostic value of the exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) for the detection of coronary artery disease is hampered by a high proportion of equivocal results, especially in asymptomatic patients. The intima-media thickness of the carotid artery correlates well with the degree of atherosclerosis, also in other vascular beds, such as the coronary arteries. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether measurements of intima-media thickness can improve the diagnostic value of stress ECG in the detection of coronary artery disease.