Effect of a novel calcium channel blocker on abnormal nocturnal blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

The authors examined the effect of cilnidipine, a unique L/N-type calcium channel blocker, on abnormal nocturnal blood pressure (BP) dipping in Japanese hypertensive patients in the real world. The Ambulatory Blood Pressure Control and Home Blood Pressure (Morning and Evening) Lowering by N-Channel Blocker Cilnidipine (ACHIEVE-ONE), a large-scale clinical study, was designed to evaluate the effects of cilnidipine in daily medical practice. Among the study, 24-hour ambulatory BP data were obtained from 615 patients and classified according to their nocturnal dipping status as extreme dippers, dippers, nondippers, or risers.

Vascular Behçet's disease with coronary artery aneurysm.

A 33-year-old man with a 4-year history of Behçet's disease was hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treated 99% stenosis of the right coronary artery but follow-up coronary arteriography clearly revealed a coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) at the lesion proximal to the PCI site and intravascular ultrasound confirmed that it was a true aneurysm. We speculated that Behçet's disease might be involved in coronary lesion, especially in CAA formation.

Successful catheter interventional therapy for acute coronary syndrome secondary to kawasaki disease in young adults.

Acute coronary syndrome occurred in 2 young adults who had a history of Kawasaki disease (KD), but few other coronary risk factors. The first patient was a 27-year-old male with acute myocardial infarction without stenosis detected by coronary arteriography 4 years earlier. Emergency coronary arteriography showed occlusion of the right coronary artery.

Angiographically demonstrated coronary collaterals predict residual viable myocardium in patients with chronic myocardial infarction: a regional metabolic study.

Angiographical demonstration of coronary collateral circulation may suggest the presence of residual viable myocardium. The development of coronary collaterals was judged according to Rentrop's classification in 37 patients with old anteroseptal myocardial infarction and 13 control patients with chest pain syndrome. The subjects with myocardial infarction were divided into 2 groups: 17 patients with the main branch of the left coronary artery clearly identified by collateral blood flow from the contralateral coronary artery [Coll(+)group, male/female 10/7, mean age 56.

Coronary angioplasty of chronic total occlusions with bridging collateral vessels: immediate and follow-up outcome from a large single-center experience.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of bridging collateral vessels on the success of coronary angioplasty of chronic total occlusions in the context of state of the art technology and operator skill.

Background: Coronary angioplasty of chronic total occlusions has been associated with relatively low success rates. Because the presence of bridging collateral vessels in chronic total occlusion has been reported to be the major predictive factor in procedural failure, angioplasty is often not recommended in patients with such vessels.