Carotid resistive index in treated hypertensive patients: relationship with target organ damage.

Aim: The resistive index (RI) is a hemodynamic parameter that reflects local wall extensibility and related vascular resistance. We analyze the relationship between common carotid RI and target organ damage in treated hypertensive patients.

Methods: We analyzed 265 consecutive hypertensive patients.

[Impact of blood pressure control on the ankle-brachial index in hypertensive patients].

Background And Objective: The guidelines for arterial hypertension recommend a systematic determination of ankle-brachial index (ABI) in the initial risk stratification in hypertensive patients, while not indicating whether controls should be evolutionary. Our aim was to analyze the evolution of the ABI value in hypertensive patients in terms of control of blood pressure (BP) after one year follow-up.

Patients And Methods: We included 209 hypertensive patients, in whom ABI was determined at baseline and after one year of antihypertensive treatment.

Effect of lesion length on functional significance of intermediate long coronary lesions.

Objective: To assess the relationship between lesion length and other angiographic parameters on the functional significance of long coronary lesions with moderate stenosis.

Background: Coronary revascularization is usually based on angiographic percent stenosis. Coronary stenosis length is not usually considered in daily clinical practice for revascularization decision-making.

[Diagnostic accuracy of NT-proBNP compared with electrocardiography in detecting left ventricular hypertrophy of hypertensive origin].

Electrocardiography (ECG) is the most widely used method for diagnosing left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertensive patients. We assessed the value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) determination compared with ECG for detecting LVH in 336 consecutive hypertensive patients with preserved systolic function. We found a significant correlation between NT-proBNP levels and left ventricular mass adjusted for body surface area (r=.

[What measure of carotid wall thickening is the best atherosclerotic loading score in the hypertensive patient: maximum or mean value?].

Recent guidelines on arterial hypertension regard increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) as a marker of end-organ damage. However, these guidelines do not specify whether the maximum or mean IMT should be used as an indicator. The aim of this study was to compare these two measures and their relationship to atherosclerotic burden.

Plasma aldosterone and glomerular filtration in hypertensive patients with preserved renal function.

There is increasing interest in the role of aldosterone in the pathophysiology of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and deteriorating renal function. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between aldosterone and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in hypertensive patients with preserved renal function. The study involved 186 consecutive hypertensive patients with a GFR >60 mL/min.

[Anesthesia practice in Catalonia, Spain: background, objectives, and design of the ANESCAT 2003 survey].

Background And Objective: The increasing workload in anesthesiology together with the shortage of anesthetists has led to worldwide concern within the specialty. In 2003, the Catalan Society of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Therapy undertook the ANESCAT survey to determine the anesthesia practice workload in Catalonia, Spain.

Patients And Method: A set of 3 questionnaires was used to quantify anesthesia practice and resources.