Diabetes as an independent predictor of left ventricular longitudinal strain reduction at rest and during dobutamine stress test in patients with significant coronary artery disease.

Aims: Diabetes (DM) is a strong cardiovascular risk factor modifying also the left ventricular (LV) function that may be objectively assessed with echocardiographic strain analysis. Although the impact of isolated DM on myocardial deformation has been already studied, few data concern diabetics with coronary artery disease (CAD), especially in all stages of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE). We compared LV systolic function during DSE in CAD with and without DM using state-of-the art speckle-tracking quantification and assessed the impact of DM on LV systolic strain.

Feasibility and clinical benefit of cognitive-behavioral intervention for preparing patients for transesophageal echocardiography.

Objective: Despite premedication, anxiety in patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is prevalent, often causing adverse physiological and psychological effects and contributing to decreased patient compliance. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of cognitive-behavioral intervention (CBI) in patients undergoing TEE and to assess its impact on the severity of anxiety, patient's and physician's comfort, and administered dose of sedatives.

Methods: Our study was designed as a prospective, single-center, single-blinded, case-controlled pilot study.

Demographic, clinical, and psychological factors influencing sexual activity cessation in patients with angiographically-confirmed ischaemic heart disease.

Introduction: Sexual activity constitutes a significant aspect of health considerably influencing self-assessment of the quality of life. In Poland, data regarding the return in patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) to sexual activity are scarce and inadequate.

Aim: The aim of this work is to analyse the return to sexual activity in patients with IHD after a hospitalisation related to invasive diagnostics of coronary arteries as well as to identify predisposing factors associated with cessation of sexual activity.

Effect of sex on the diagnostic efficacy of dobutamine stress echocardiography with early atropine administration in the detection of coronary artery disease.

Introduction: Considering a poorer diagnostic accuracy of exercise stress test in women, echocardiographic stress tests are often recommended for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) in this patient group.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the diagnostic value of a modified protocol of dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography between men and women.

Patients And Methods: This was a prospective study including 250 patients with symptoms suggesting CAD.

[Cardiac shock wave therapy--a new method for treatment of advanced coronary disease and refractory angina].

Despite continuous progress in pharmacological management and development of myocardial revascularisation techniques, a significant number of patients with advanced ischemic heart disease and refractory angina pectoris cannot be treated successfully. For the group of patients with chronic refractory angina therapeutic options are, however, limited. Several alternative therapies, such as transmyocardial laser revascularisation, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or angiogenesis by gene or cell therapy have been clinically tested.