Clinical significance of incidentally detected aneurysms of the membranous ventricular septum in adults by multidetector computed tomography.

Although the clinical relevance of aneurysm of the membranous ventricular septum (AMVS) in adults is unclear, the frequency of AMVS detection has been increased because cardiac multidetector computed tomography has been widely adopted for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Therefore, we aimed to assess the clinical significance of AMVS in a longitudinal study. In 30,120 adults with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent cardiac multidetector computed tomography in 3 hospitals, 52 patients with AMVS were retrospectively selected.

Safety and efficacy of a novel hyperaemic agent, intracoronary nicorandil, for invasive physiological assessments in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.

Aims: Maximal hyperaemia is a key element of invasive physiological studies and adenosine is the most commonly used agent. However, infusion of adenosine requires additional venous access and can cause chest discomfort, bronchial hyper-reactivity, and atrioventricular conduction block. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of intracoronary (IC) nicorandil as a novel hyperaemic agent for invasive physiological studies.

Assessment of the efficacy and tolerability of 2 formulations of atorvastatin in Korean adults with hypercholesterolemia: a multicenter, prospective, open-label, randomized trial.

Background: A manufacturer of atorvastatin is seeking marketing approval in Korea of a generic product for adult patients with primary hypercholesterolemia.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of a new generic formulation of atorvastatin (test) with those of an original formulation of atorvastatin (reference) to satisfy regulatory requirements for marketing of the generic product in Korea.

Methods: Patients enrolled were aged 20 to 79 years with documented primary hypercholesterolemia who did not respond adequately to therapeutic lifestyle changes and with a LDL-C level >100 mg/dL from a high-risk group of coronary artery disease patients.

Electrocardiographic QRS duration reflects right ventricular remodeling in patients undergoing corrective surgery for isolated tricuspid regurgitation: a comparative study with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: The role of electrocardiogram (ECG) is unclear for the longitudinal follow-up of patients who undergo corrective surgery for isolated severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR).

Hypothesis: This study sought to investigate the usefulness of changes in QRS duration of ECG after TR surgery in predicting right ventricular (RV) reverse remodeling as determined by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR).

Methods: We enrolled 30 consecutive TR patients (27 women, aged 57.

Comparison of hyperemic efficacy between central and peripheral venous adenosine infusion for fractional flow reserve measurement.

Background: Maximal hyperemia is a prerequisite for the accurate measurement of fractional flow reserve (FFR). Although continuous infusion of adenosine via the femoral vein is considered to be the gold standard, this requires an additional invasive procedure for femoral vein access and is difficult to use during transradial coronary catheterization. We performed this prospective study to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of peripheral intravenous infusion of adenosine for FFR measurement.

Synchronicity of LV contraction as a determinant of LV twist mechanics: serial speckle-tracking analyses in WPW syndrome before and after radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Objectives: This study set out to investigate the isolated impact of synchronous patterns of left ventricular (LV) contraction (i.e., LV synchronicity) on LV twist behavior.

Comparison of 2 point-of-care platelet function tests, VerifyNow Assay and Multiple Electrode Platelet Aggregometry, for predicting early clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Various platelet function tests are currently used to measure responsiveness to antiplatelet therapy. We sought to compare 2 point-of-care platelet function tests, VerifyNow Assay (Accumetrics, San Diego, CA) and Multiple Electrode Platelet Aggregometry (MEA) (Dynabyte, Munich, Germany), for predicting early clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods: Platelet reactivity in the arachidonic acid-induced and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation was measured simultaneously with the VerifyNow Assay and MEA in 222 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention between August and October 2009.

Beneficial Effect of Efonidipine, an L- and T-Type Dual Calcium Channel Blocker, on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure in Patients With Mild-to-Moderate Essential Hypertension.

Background And Objectives: Efonidipine hydrochloride, an L- and T-type dual calcium channel blocker, is suggested to have a heart rate (HR)-slowing action in addition to a blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of efonidipine on HR and BP in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.

Subjects And Methods: In a multi-center, prospective, open-labeled, single-armed study, we enrolled 53 patients who had mild-to-moderate hypertension {sitting diastolic BP (SiDBP) 90-110 mmHg}.

Comparison of plain balloon and cutting balloon angioplasty for the treatment of restenosis with drug-eluting stents vs bare metal stents.

Background: The efficacy of cutting or plain balloon angioplasty (CBA or PBA) has not been analyzed for the treatment of drug-eluting stent (DES) restenosis vs bare metal stent (BMS) restenosis.

Methods And Results: The 252 in-stent restenosis (ISR) lesions in 224 consecutive patients treated by CBA (n=167) or PBA (n=85) between July 2002 and December 2007 were analyzed. At 6-month angiographic and 12-month clinical follow-up, CBA and PBA showed similar efficacies: repeat-ISR (37.

Impact of loading condition on the 2D speckle tracking-derived left ventricular dyssynchrony index in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: The effects of left ventricular (LV) loading conditions on LV dyssynchrony have not been elucidated. We modified LV loading conditions to reveal their effects on echocardiography-derived LV dyssynchrony index (LVdys) in patients with documented nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Methods And Results: Thirty-seven patients were consecutively enrolled.

Randomized comparison of adjunctive cilostazol versus high maintenance dose clopidogrel in patients with high post-treatment platelet reactivity: results of the ACCEL-RESISTANCE (Adjunctive Cilostazol Versus High Maintenance Dose Clopidogrel in Patients With Clopidogrel Resistance) randomized study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of adjunctive cilostazol in patients with high post-treatment platelet reactivity (HPPR) undergoing coronary stenting.

Background: Although addition of cilostazol to dual antiplatelet therapy enhances adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet inhibition, it is unknown whether adjunctive cilostazol can reduce HPPR.

Methods: Sixty patients with HPPR after a 300-mg loading dose of clopidogrel were enrolled.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in a patient with atrial standstill.

We report a 55-year-old female patient who presented with no P waves but with a wide QRS complex escape rhythm at 44 beats/min and prolonged QTc of 0.55 seconds on ECG. The patient had recurrence of ventricular fibrillations and loss of consciousness, and underwent defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) several times because of cardiac arrest.