Correlation of Hepatic Steatosis Among Cohabitants Using Hounsfield Unit From Coronary Computed Tomography.

Background Individuals living in the same household are exposed to common risk factors. We hypothesized that living with someone who has fatty liver disease increases the risk of having the same disease. Methods This was a retrospective study that included pairs of men and women who shared the same residential addresses, underwent screening non-contrast computed tomography for coronary calcium scoring and had Hounsfield Unit density for liver and spleen in the field of view available for measurement.

Takotsubo Syndrome: Cardiotoxic Stress in the COVID Era.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), also known as stress cardiomyopathy and broken heart syndrome, is a neurocardiac condition that is among the most dramatic manifestations of psychosomatic disorders. This paper is based on a systematic review of TTS and stress cardiomyopathy using a PubMed literature search. Typically, an episode of severe emotional or physical stress precipitates regions of left ventricular hypokinesis or akinesis, which are not aligned with a coronary artery distribution and are out of proportion to the modest troponin leak.

Technetium pyrophosphate nuclear scintigraphy for cardiac amyloidosis: Imaging at 1 vs 3 hours and planar vs SPECT/CT.

Background: Multi-societal consensus recommendations endorse both planar and single photon emission tomographic (SPECT) image acquisitions for the evaluation of cardiac amyloidosis. However, the correlation between planar and SPECT findings and the optimal timing of image acquisitions remain uncertain.

Methods: This is an analysis of 109 consecutive patients who underwent technetium pyrophosphate nuclear scintigraphy for the evaluation of cardiac amyloidosis.

Matters of the heart: cardiovascular disease in U.S. women.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in United States women and accounts for approximately 500,000 deaths annually. Over half of cardiovascular disease-related deaths in women result from coronary artery disease including acute coronary syndromes. This paper reviews gender specific issues in women as they relate to current cardiovascular disease epidemiology, trends in cardiovascular disease epidemiology, coronary artery disease detection, risk factor modification, and prevention of cardiovascular disease-related events.

Regadenoson pharmacologic stress for myocardial perfusion imaging: a three-way comparison between regadenoson administered at peak exercise, during walk recovery, or no-exercise.

Background: Regadenoson (Reg) is being administered with increasing frequency either at peak exercise (ExPeak-Reg) or during a slow-down/walking recovery state (ExRec-Reg) rather than at rest (Rest-Reg). The aim of this study was to compare the clinical response of ExPeak-Reg, ExRec-Reg, and Rest-Reg.

Methods: We compared 531 patients divided equally between Rest-Reg, ExPeak-Reg, and ExRec-Reg matched for age, sex, and BMI.

Changes in myocardial ischemic burden following percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total occlusions.

Objectives: We assessed the potential for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of a chronic total occlusion (CTO) to decrease myocardial ischemia and established objective criteria to predict post-procedure improvement.

Background: Optimal treatment for CTO of coronary arteries is controversial, and selection criteria for PCI of CTO are subjective.

Methods: All patients undergoing CTO PCI at a single center between 2002 and 2007 were included if myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) was performed within 12 ± 3 months before and a follow-up study within 12 ± 3 months after PCI.

Diagnostic and clinical benefit of combined coronary calcium and perfusion assessment in patients undergoing PET/CT myocardial perfusion stress imaging.

Background: A limitation of stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is the inability to detect non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). One advantage of MPI with a hybrid CT device is the ability to obtain same-setting measurement of the coronary artery calcium score (CACS).

Methods And Results: Utilizing our single-center nuclear database, we identified 760 consecutive patients with: (1) no CAD history; (2) a normal clinically indicated Rb-82 PET/CT stress perfusion study; and (3) a same-setting CAC scan.

Stress cardiomyopathy syndrome: a contemporary review.

Stress cardiomyopathy (SC) syndrome represents a reversible form of cardiomyopathy that commonly presents proximate to an acute emotional or physiologic stressor. The clinical presentation is similar to an acute coronary syndrome in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease to explain the unusual distribution of associated transient wall motion abnormalities. Postmenopausal women seem particularly prone to SC for unclear reasons.

Statins as antiarrhythmics: a systematic review part I: effects on risk of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that statins may possess antiarrhythmic properties in addition to their lipid-lowering effects.

Methods: Studies which reported the association of statins with the incidence of atrial arrhythmias were identified through a systematic review of published literature.

Results: One randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 200 patients undergoing cardiac surgery showed that atorvastatin decreased the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation by 61%.

Statins as anti-arrhythmics: a systematic review part II: effects on risk of ventricular arrhythmias.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that statins may possess anti-arrhythmic properties in addition to their lipid-lowering effects.

Methods: Studies which reported the association of statins with the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias were identified through a systematic review of the published literature.

Results: Statins have been associated with a significant reductions in ventricular arrhythmia in cardiomyopathy patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, although randomized trials have not been completed.

Short-term effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on sleep-disordered breathing in patients with systolic heart failure.

Objectives: We evaluated the short-term effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on sleep apnea in patients with systolic heart failure.

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing is common in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Methods: Twelve patients (mean [+/-SE] age, 59.

Cumulative clinical trial data on atorvastatin for reducing cardiovascular events: the clinical impact of atorvastatin.

Background: Since the 1990s a multitude of statin trials have definitively demonstrated the ability of statin therapy to reduce the risk of adverse coronary heart disease (CHD) events. Among these, the Atorvastatin Landmarks program - a group of 32 major atorvastatin trials - has assessed the efficacy and safety of atorvastatin across its full dose range and has helped illustrate its effectiveness in treatment of cardiovascular disease and its related disorders and also in non-cardiovascular outcomes.

Scope: This paper will review the major atorvastatin clinical trials and report the important findings and their clinical significance.

Alcohol and cardiovascular health: the razor-sharp double-edged sword.

An extensive body of data shows concordant J-shaped associations between alcohol intake and a variety of adverse health outcomes, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, Raynaud's phenomenon, and all-cause mortality. Light to moderate alcohol consumption (up to 1 drink daily for women and 1 or 2 drinks daily for men) is associated with cardioprotective benefits, whereas increasingly excessive consumption results in proportional worsening of outcomes. Alcohol consumption confers cardiovascular protection predominately through improvements in insulin sensitivity and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Influence of preoperative lipid-lowering therapy on postoperative outcome in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Statin therapy has recently been shown to decrease adverse perioperative events in patients undergoing vascular surgery. The potential beneficial effect of lipid-lowering therapy in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is not well known. This was an observational analysis of 4,739 patients who underwent first-time isolated CABG at a single institution from 1995 to 2001.

Electrocardiography cannot reliably differentiate transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome from anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: The presentation and electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics of transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome (TLVABS) can be similar to that of anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We tested the hypothesis that the ECG on presentation could reliably differentiate these syndromes.

Subjects And Methods: Between January 1, 2002 and July 31, 2004, we identified 18 consecutive patients with TLVABS who were matched with 36 subjects presenting with acute anterior STEMI due to atherothrombotic left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion.

Myocardial perfusion in apical ballooning syndrome correlate of myocardial injury.

Background: The pathophysiology of the apical ballooning syndrome (ABS) is poorly understood. This study evaluated myocardial perfusion abnormalities at the time of presentation in patients with ABS and examined whether abnormal microvascular blood flow predicts the extent of myocardial injury.

Methods: We evaluated 42 consecutive patients, all women, with a diagnosis of ABS and technically adequate angiograms for the assessment of the TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG), an index of myocardial perfusion.

Association of obesity with left ventricular remodeling and diastolic dysfunction in patients without coronary artery disease.

Obese patients frequently complain of dyspnea. Deconditioning and altered left ventricular (LV) systolic or diastolic function with elevated filling pressures may contribute to dyspnea. This study analyzed 4,281 patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 2000.

Preprocedural statin therapy reduces the risk and extent of cardiac biomarker release following percutaneous coronary intervention.

This study evaluates the association between statin therapy in patients treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for stable angina pectoris and postinterventional myocardial injury with subsequent long-term clinical outcome. Prospectively collected data on 400 consecutive patients with stable angina pectoris or evidence of inducible myocardial ischemia were analyzed. The incidence of myocardial infarction based on postinterventional release of troponin I>1.