Improvement of arterial stiffness in the transition from acute decompensated heart failure to chronic compensated heart failure.

Background: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a well-established marker for aortic stiffness and may be a prognostic factor in heart failure (HF). This study investigates whether PWV changes as patients transition from acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) to chronic compensated heart failure (CCHF).

Hypothesis: Arterial stiffness is related with the development of HF.

The effect of cilostazol on stent thrombosis after drug-eluting stent implantation.

Background And Objectives: Placement of drug-eluting stents (DES) can be complicated by stent thrombosis; prophylactic antiplatelet therapy has been used to prevent such events. We evaluated the efficacy of cilostazol with regard to stent thrombosis as adjunctive antiplatelet therapy.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 1,315 patients (846 males, 469 females) were prospectively enrolled and analyzed for the frequency of stent thrombosis.

Aortic Valve Sclerosis on Echocardiography is a Good Predictor of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With an Inconclusive Treadmill Exercise Test.

Background And Objectives: The treadmill exercise test (TMT) is used as a first-line test for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the findings of a TMT can be inconclusive, such as incomplete or equivocal results. Aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) is known to be a good predictor of CAD.

Death caused by simultaneous subacute stent thrombosis of sirolimus-eluting stents in left anterior descending artery and left circumflex artery.

Simultaneous drug-eluting stent thrombosis in multivessel disease is a low incidence, but could cause lethal clinical event. We report a case with death caused by simultaneous subacute stent thrombosis of sirolimus-eluting stents in the proximal left anterior descending artery and in the proximal left circumflex artery.

Clinical and angiographic characteristics of acute myocardial infarction caused by vasospastic angina without organic coronary heart disease.

Background: Vasospastic angina (VA) can occasionally cause acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods And Results: From January 2003 to June 2005, coronary spastic angina was diagnosed in 292 patients by performing spasm provocation tests. Among the 292 patients, 21 (7.