Combined treatment with valsartan and spironolactone prevents cardiovascular remodeling in renovascular hypertensive rats.

Treatment with an angiotensin blocker (ARB) and an aldosterone blocker has been shown to have beneficial effects on cardiac remodeling in several cardiac diseases. It is still not clear whether the combination of these drugs is more effective against cardiac remodeling than the use of either agent alone. We examined the effects of combined treatment with valsartan, an ARB, and spironolactone, an aldosterone blocker, on cardiac remodeling in the renovascular hypertensive (RHT) rat.

Atrial septal pacing to resynchronize atrial contraction and improve atrial transport function.

Objectives: Atrial septal pacing via a trans-septal breakthrough site within the right atrial septum can shorten global atrial activation time, resulting in significant reduction of recurrence of atrial fibrillation events. This study examined whether this pacing method will lead to resynchronization of atrial contraction and its benefit on hemodynamic function can be maintained for 24 months.

Methods: Thirty patients with atrial fibrillation and delayed atrial conduction were enrolled (17 males, 13 females, mean age 73 +/- 7 years).

A novel two nucleotide deletion in the apolipoprotein A-I gene, apoA-I Shinbashi, associated with high density lipoprotein deficiency, corneal opacities, planar xanthomas, and premature coronary artery disease.

Familial HDL deficiency (FHD) is a rare autosomal dominant lipoprotein disorder. We describe a novel genetic variant of the apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) gene resulting in FHD. The proband is a 51-year-old woman who was hospitalized due to severe heart failure.