Multicenter research of bleeding risk between prasugrel and clopidogrel in Japanese patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Although it has been reported that prasugrel achieves stronger antiplatelet effect and fewer cardiovascular events compared to clopidogrel in Japanese patients, there are limited data comparing the safety between the 2 dose regimens. Data from 1031 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease undergoing PCI at 5 institutions from May 2014 to April 2016, who received aspirin plus either clopidogrel (619 patients) or prasugrel (412 patients), were retrospectively analyzed. The choice of clopidogrel or prasugrel was left to the operator's discretion.

Damage to polymer of undelivered sirolimus-eluting stents.

Background: Damage to the polymer coating on sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) may occur when it is delivered through complex lesions such as calcified lesions. The present study evaluated damage to the polymer of SES that could not be delivered into lesions.

Methods: SES that could not be delivered into lesions were prospectively collected and examined using a scanning electron microscope.

Location of focal vasospasm provoked by ergonovine maleate within coronary arteries in patients with vasospastic angina pectoris.

This study examined whether coronary focal vasospasm occurs in a nonuniform distribution within the coronary tree and whether a longitudinal plaque distribution pattern is present in patients with vasospastic angina using 3-dimensional intravascular ultrasound analysis. Of 121 patients with clinically suspected angina without fixed stenosis in the coronary arteries, vasospasm was provoked in 82 patients with 92 lesions (42 focal, 50 diffuse) by intravenous ergonovine maleate injection. Most focal vasospasms occurred in the proximal third of the coronary arteries (proximal 28, mid 8, distal 6, p <0.

Plasma low-density lipoprotein reduction and structural effects on coronary atherosclerotic plaques by atorvastatin as clinically assessed with intravascular ultrasound radio-frequency signal analysis: a randomized prospective study.

Background: Plaque stabilization by statins is important for reduction of cardiovascular events but has not been demonstrated enough in vivo. We examined whether statins clinically alter the structure of coronary atherosclerotic plaques using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) radio-frequency (RF) signal analysis.

Methods: Fifty consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled.

Usefulness of rapid quantitative measurement of myoglobin and troponin T in early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

Background: New equipment, the Cardiac Reader(TM), which can measure blood concentrations of troponin T (T) and myoglobin (M) in only 15 min at the bedside was evaluated for early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods And Results: A total of 34 consecutive patients with AMI who came to hospital within 24 h after onset were studied. Blood samples were collected from the patients at admission and 6, 12, 24, 48 h after onset to qualitatively and quantitatively measure T, M and creatine kinase-MB fraction.

Comparison between nicorandil and magnesium as an adjunct cardioprotective agent to percutaneous coronary intervention in acute anterior myocardial infarction.

Background: It has been reported that both nicorandil and magnesium have a cardioprotective effect in experimental ischemia - reperfusion models. In the present study, the cardioprotective effects of nicorandil and magnesium as an adjunct to reperfusion therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were compared.

Methods And Results: Forty consecutive patients with AMI caused by occlusion of anterior descending coronary artery were randomized into 3 groups: (1) Group N: nicorandil was given as 4 mg iv and 4 mg ic before reperfusion, followed by continuous infusion at 4 mg/h for 24 h; (2) Group M: magnesium was administered at 10 mmol iv before reperfusion, followed by continuous infusion at 0.

Large pseudoaneurysm after left main trunk stenting sealed by polytetrafluorethylene-covered stent.

Left main trunk (LMT) aneurysm is very rare and the management remains uncertain. We describe a patient who developed a pseudoaneurysm from coronary perforation during stent implantation in LMT and was then treated with polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE)-covered stent graft. PTFE-covered stent is considered to be a valid strategy for LMT aneurysms.

[Influence of diabetes mellitus on the initial and long-term outcome of patients treated with coronary stenting].

Objectives: The long-term outcome of patients with diabetes who underwent stent placement has not been assessed comprehensively.

Methods: Analysis of angioplasty procedures performed between January 1994 and December 1998 identified 140 diabetics (156 lesions) and 169 non-diabetics (187 lesions) who underwent successful stent placement. Follow-up was completed in 286 patients (93%) with a mean follow-up period of 2.