Sleep apnoea is associated with major cardiac events in peripheral arterial disease.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) represents severe atherosclerosis with a high mortality after vascular surgery. The role of OSA in the prognosis of these patients is not yet established.

Unrecognised obstructive sleep apnoea is common in severe peripheral arterial disease.

Patients needing surgery for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) represent a severe form of atherosclerosis with an overall 5-yr mortality of 30% after revascularisation. The aetiology for poor post-operative clinical outcome in these high-risk patients is not fully established. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with atherosclerosis and is an independent risk factor for fatal and nonfatal cardiac events.

Levosimendan facilitates weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with impaired left ventricular function.

Background: Levosimendan is a compound with vasodilatory and inotropic properties. Experimental data suggest effective reversal of stunning and cardioprotective properties.

Methods: This prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study included 60 patients with 3-vessel coronary disease and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 0.

Relation of heart rate dynamics to the occurrence of myocardial ischemia after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Postoperative myocardial ischemia is a common finding after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and is associated with an adverse short-term clinical outcome. The reasons and pathophysiologic background for the occurrence of ischemia after CABG are not well established. We tested the hypothesis that altered heart rate (HR) behavior precedes the onset of myocardial ischemic episodes in patients after CABG.