Intravenous sildenafil in right ventricular dysfunction with pulmonary hypertension following a heart transplant.

The objective of the present work is to describe the experience with intravenous (IV) sildenafil in heart transplant (HT) patients with reactive pulmonary hypertension (PH) who developed right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in the immediate postoperative period. The first 5 patients who received IV sildenafil followinga HT are presented. The HTs took place between March 2011 and September 2012 in patients aged 37 to 64 years; all patients were male.

Does the calcineurin inhibitor have influence on cytomegalovirus infection in heart transplantation?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in heart transplant (HTx). Our aim was to analyze the rate of CMV infection in HTx patients receiving treatment with cyclosporine (CsA) or tacrolimus (Tac). Ninety-five patients were randomized to receive either CsA (53.

Impact of basal heart rate on long-term prognosis of heart transplant patients.

Previous studies in patients with heart failure have shown that an elevated basal heart rate (HR) is associated with a poor outcome. Our aim with this study was to investigate if this relationship is also present in heart transplantation (HTx) recipients. From 2003 until 2010, 256 HTx performed in our center were recruited.

Serum markers of apoptosis in the early period of heart transplantation.

Context And Objective: To assess the relationship between levels of serum markers of apoptosis and rejection grades in heart transplant (HTx).

Materials And Methods: A prospective study was conducted in 91 HTx. We correlated apoptosis markers and biopsy samples.

Prevention of myocardial dysfunction by Eplerenon in experimental tachycardiomyopathy.

Background: High-rate short-duration ventricular pacing induces myocardial hypokinesis that persists once the hemodynamic conditions have been recovered. The aim was to study the factors that determine the persistence of myocardial dysfunction when ventricular tachycardia has ceased and hemodynamic conditions have been restored.

Material/methods: An in vivo experimental pig model was used consisting of a ventricular pacing series (n=10), a ventricular pacing and aldosterone blockade (eplerenon) series (n=6), and a control series without ventricular pacing (n=6).

Mitochondrial changes induced by trimetazidine in the myocardium.

Background: The aim was to assess the effect of trimetazidine (TMZ) on mitochondrial alterations induced in a canine model of brief, repeated episodes of ischemia.

Material/methods: Twelve crossbred dogs were analyzed, after double-blind randomization, to a 7-day treatment with either TMZ or placebo. Twenty brief, complete occlusions of the left anterior descending coronary artery were performed.