Aldosterone is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: Patients with chronic kidney disease present a higher degree of left ventricular hypertrophy than expected for hypertension levels. In chronic kidney disease the plot between the quotient extracellular water/total body water and aldosterone is shifted up and to the right. There are few studies that verified the role of aldosterone in cardiac remodeling in this set of patients.

Spironolactone is secure and reduces left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: There is recent evidence that aldosterone play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in dialysis patients, which leads to the opportunity to block its actions for the benefit of these patients. In nondialytic chronic kidney disease, spironolactone was safe and effective in reducing left ventricular hypertrophy. However, routine use has been precluded in hemodialysis patients due to the risk of hyperkalemia.

Predictors of beta-blocker intolerance and mortality in patients after acute coronary syndrome.

Purpose: To investigate the predictors of intolerance to beta-blockers treatment and the 6-month mortality in hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, and longitudinal study including 370 consecutive ACS patients in Killip class I or II. BBs were prescribed according to international guidelines and withdrawn if intolerance occurred.

Manual hyperinflation combined with expiratory rib cage compression for reduction of length of ICU stay in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation.

Objective: Although manual hyperinflation (MH) is widely used for pulmonary secretion clearance, there is no evidence to support its routine use in clinical practice. Our objective was to evaluate the effect that MH combined with expiratory rib cage compression (ERCC) has on the length of ICU stay and duration of mechanical ventilation (MV).

Methods: This was a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial involving ICU patients on MV at a tertiary care teaching hospital between January of 2004 and January of 2005.

Myocardial dysfunction with increased ventricular compliance in volume overload hypertrophy.

The aim this study was to evaluate systolic and diastolic function in volume overload induced myocardial hypertrophy in rats. Volume overload myocardial hypertrophy was induced in thirteen male Wistar rats by creating infrarenal arteriovenous fistula (AVF). The results were compared with a SHAM operated group (n=11).