Sildenafil vs. sodium before nitroprusside for the pulmonary hypertension reversibility test before cardiac transplantation.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is associated with a worse prognosis after cardiac transplantation. The pulmonary hypertension reversibility test with sodium nitroprusside (SNP) is associated with a high rate of systemic arterial hypotension, ventricular dysfunction of the transplanted graft and high rates of disqualification from transplantation.

Objective: This study was aimed at comparing the effects of sildenafil (SIL) and SNP on hemodynamic, neurohormonal and echocardiographic variables during the pulmonary reversibility test.

Does the coronary disease increase the hospital mortality in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing valve replacement?

Objectives: With the increase in life expectancy occurred in recent decades, it has been noted the concomitant increase in the prevalence of aortic stenosis and degenerative disease of atherosclerotic coronary artery. This study aims to evaluate the influence of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease in patients with critical aortic stenosis undergoing isolated or combined implant valve prosthesis and coronary artery by pass grafting.

Methods: In the period of January 2001 to March 2006, there were analyzed 448 patients undergoing isolated implant aortic valve prosthesis (Group I) and 167 patients undergoing aortic valve prosthesis implant combined with coronary artery bypass grafting (Group II).