Long term effects of nisoldipine on the progression of coronary atherosclerosis and the occurrence of clinical events: the NICOLE study.

Background: Earlier angiographic studies have suggested that calcium antagonists may prevent the formation of new coronary lesions and the progression of minimal lesions. Conversely, a meta-analysis suggested that these drugs may increase cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in patients with coronary heart disease.

Objective: To investigate whether nisoldipine retards the progression of coronary atherosclerosis or reduces the occurrence of clinical events.

Usefulness of Nisoldipine for prevention of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (results of the NICOLE study). NIsoldipine in COronary artery disease in LEuven.

The NIsoldipine in COronary artery disease in LEuven (NICOLE) study investigates (1) whether nisoldipine, a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, reduces the progression of minor coronary arterial lesions in the long term, and (2) whether it reduces the restenosis rate after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The NICOLE study is a single-center, randomized, double-blind trial in 826 patients, who underwent a successful PTCA. Nisoldipine 40 mg coat-core or placebo was started the morning after the procedure and continued for 3 years.

Stent Deployment Pressure Defines the Stent/Vessel Wall Relationship and has Important Implications for Early and Late Outcome.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effect of stent deployment pressure on stent deployment, coronary vessel injury, subacute reclosure and foreign body reaction in a porcine coronary model. METHODS: Stainless steel coil stents were deployed in the right coronary artery of 30 pigs either using a deployment pressure of 4 atm (group I), 8 atm (group II), or 14 atm (group III). Serial quantitative angiographic studies together with morphometric analysis of the stented vessels were performed.

Treatment of long dissections by use of a single long or multiple short stents: clinical and angiographic follow-up.

Background: Recently, long (> or =20 mm) coronary stents were introduced for clinical use. They are intended as an alternative to multiple conventional stents to treat extensive dissections or suboptimal results of long lesions after balloon angioplasty.

Methods: In a total of 113 such consecutive vessels in 107 patients, the flexible Freedom stent was implanted.

Clinical and angiographic outcome after implantation of a home-made stent for complicated coronary angioplasty.

To defray the escalating costs of coronary stenting, we handmade a balloon-expandable, stainless steel stent, which after experimental evaluation, was implanted in 156 patients undergoing PTCA complicated by a major dissection. The procedural success rate was 98%. The in-hospital course was characterized by a 1.

Comparison of clinical complications, angiographic results, and device usage of coronary angioplasty using low- and high-compliance balloons.

We randomized 800 patients in a prospective study comparing the angiographic results, device usage and in-hospital outcome of balloon angioplasty of primary stenoses of native coronary vessels with low-compliant and highly compliant balloons. The cumulative incidence of prespecified clinical endpoints was 8.0% in both treatment groups.

Clinical and Angiographic Experience with Coronary Stenting Using Freedomª Stent.

The immediate safety and efficacy and the 6 month clinical and angiographic follow-up of a new fish-scale designed coronary coil stainless steel stent (Freedomª) was assessed by a prospective study. During 1995, 169 patients were treated on 177 vessels using 233 Freedom stents. Procedural indication for stenting was a bail-out situation in 79 vessels, a suboptimal angioplasty result in 62 vessels and a third restenosis after PTCA in 36 vessels.

Concept of the homemade coronary stent: experimental results and initial clinical experience.

To defray the escalating cost of coronary stenting, we handmade a balloon expandable coil stent with stainless steel wire. Preliminary comparison with the Palmaz-Schatz stent showed that, when implanted in porcine iliac arteries, there was no difference in immediate angiographic results or in the degree of foreign body reaction at 6 wk. Subsequently, a total of 73 stents were implanted in 52 patients, either as a bailout device (54%) or for suboptimal angiographic results (46%).

The impact of balloon material and lesion characteristics on the incidence of angiographic and clinical complications of coronary angioplasty.

To assess the importance of balloon material used for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), we compared the complication rates observed with low complaint plastomer (PM 300), intermediately compliant polyethylene (PE 600), and highly compliant polyolefin copolymer (POC) balloons. In a total of 1,650 procedures, one of these balloon materials was used to dilate 2,040 lesions. The dissection rate tended to be slightly lower with the use of more compliant balloon material.

Immediate and 6-month follow-up results of coronary angioplasty for restenosis: analysis of factors predicting recurrent clinical restenosis.

To determine the results of coronary angioplasty for a first restenosis, the clinical, anatomic, and procedural data of 400 consecutive patients were compared with the data of 507 consecutive patients undergoing a first angioplasty. After angioplasty for restenosis, emergency redilatation had to be performed in only 0.7% of the patients versus 3.

Effects of an ionic versus a nonionic low osmolar contrast agent on the thrombotic complications of coronary angioplasty.

An increasing body of evidence suggests that the potential for thrombotic complications is greater with nonionic than with ionic contrast agents. This is a particularly important consideration in the highly thrombogenic setting of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). To explore this issue further, 500 consecutive patients undergoing PTCA were prospectively randomized to receive the low osmolality ionic ioxaglate or the nonionic agent iohexol.

Use of an autoperfusion catheter in the treatment of acute refractory vessel closure after coronary balloon angioplasty: immediate and six month follow up results.

Objective: To determine the usefulness of the Stack autopersion dilatation catheter in patients with acute recurrent vessel closure during coronary angioplasty.

Design: Prospective data collection.

Setting: University hospital.

Coronary hemodynamics and coronary flow reserve after intracoronary diltiazem in humans.

To analyze the effect of the calcium antagonist diltiazem on coronary hemodynamics, epicardial coronary artery diameter, coronary blood flow and coronary blood flow velocity were assessed at baseline and after a 0.5 mg intracoronary bolus of diltiazem in nonstenotic coronary arteries of awake humans. Patients (n = 20) were first randomized to pretreatment with either placebo (n = 10) or isosorbide dinitrate (0.

Effects of xamoterol a new beta-adrenoceptor partial agonist, in patients with angina pectoris.

The effects of xamoterol on exercise capacity have been evaluated in 10 patients with angina pectoris and well-preserved left ventricular function. Compared to placebo a single 200 mg dose of xamoterol produced a slight but insignificant increase in exercise capacity. At maximum work load, ST-T segment depression was reduced (3 mm and 2.