Heart failure: a prevalence-based and model-based cost analysis.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) imposes a heavy economic burden on patients, their families, and society as a whole. Therefore, it is crucial to quantify the impact and dimensions of the disease in order to prioritize and allocate resources effectively.

Methods: This study utilized a prevalence-based, bottom-up, and incidence-based Markov model to assess the cost of illness.

Effects of Triamterene in Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure and Diuretic Resistance: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Due to the potential benefits of triamterene in diuretic resistance, this study was performed to assess whether triamterene add-on to the standard treatment of heart failure (HF)-related diuretic resistance improves outcomes. A randomized clinical trial was performed on 45 hospitalized patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction who had diuretic resistance. Patients were randomized to receive either triamterene 50 mg plus hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg (n = 23) or hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg alone (n = 22) until hospital discharge.

Clinical utility of aVR lead T-wave in electrocardiogram of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: aVR lead is often neglected in routine clinical practice largely because of its undefined clinical utility specifications. Nevertheless, positive T-wave in aVR lead has been reported to be associated with poor clinical outcomes in some cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the prognostic value and clinical utility of T-wave amplitude in aVR lead in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Cost-effectiveness analysis of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography in an Iranian high-risk population.

Objective: The results of recent studies have shown that using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for screening of lung cancer (LC) improves cancer outcomes. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of LDCT in an Iranian high-risk population.

Methods: A Markov cohort simulation model with four health states was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of LDCT from a healthcare system perspective in the people aged 55-74 who smoked 25 or more cigarettes per day for 10-30 years.

Direct and Indirect Costs Associated with Coronary Artery (Heart) Disease in Tabriz, Iran.

Purpose: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the major causes of mortalities worldwide. This study was conducted to evaluate the direct and indirect costs of coronary artery disease (CAD) in Iran.

Patients And Methods: This is a prevalence-based cost-of-illness (COI) study that estimates the direct and indirect costs of CAD.

Effects of foot reflexology on anxiety and physiological parameters in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A clinical trial.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the effect of foot reflexology on anxiety and physiological parameters in patients after CABG surgery.

Method: This was a single-blind, three-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial with three groups of 40 male patients undergoing CABG. Participants were placed in three groups, named intervention, placebo, and control.

Outcome of surgical embolectomy in patients with massive pulmonary embolism with and without cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism is a challenging critical cardiovascular disease with high morbidity and mortality. Surgical embolectomy has favorable results in patients with massive pulmonary embolism.

Aim: To study the outcome of embolectomy in patients with massive pulmonary embolism.

Comparative effect of grape seed extract () and ascorbic acid in oxidative stress induced by on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: This study aimed to test the beneficial effect of grape seed extract (GSE) (Vitis vinifera) and Vitamin C in oxidative stress and reperfusion injury induced by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in coronary artery bypass surgery.

Patients And Methods: In this randomized trial, 87 patients undergoing elective and isolated coronary bypass surgery included. The patients were randomly assigned into three groups (n = 29 each): (1) Control group with no treatment, (2) GSE group who received the extract 24 h before operation, 100 mg every 6 h, orally, (3) Vitamin C group who received 25 mg/kg Vitamin C through CPB during surgery.

Vasorelaxant effect of 17α-ethynylestradiol on human saphenous vein.

Purpose: A protective effect for estrogens against cardiovascular problems has long been known. The aim of this study was to investigate the vasorelaxant effect of 17α-Ethynylestradiol (17α-EE) on human saphenous vein.

Methods: The veins were suspended horizontally between two triangular stainless steel hooks for the measurement of isometric tension in individual organ baths containing 10ml Krebs solution, at 37°C and gassed with carbogen under 3gr optimum tension.

Rheumatic aortic regurgitation in a patient with large congenital fenestrations in all three leaflets.

Fenestrations of the aortic valve rarely produce significant valvular regurgitation. These are typically described as incidental findings with little clinical significance because they generally lie above their closing edges. Rarely however, when unusually large or multiple, they can lead to massive aortic regurgitation (AR), mostly in patients with chronic hypertension and/or aortic annular dilation.

A Ball in the Heart: An Interesting Discovery in a Very RareCardiac Tumor.

Primary pericardial malignant mesothelioma is an extremely rare tumor even among all mesotheliomas with about 350 cases reported in the literature so far. Typically, it has an insidious presentation, with nonspecific signs and symptoms, and usually results in constrictive pericarditis, cardiac tamponade or congestive heart failure through either a massive effusion or direct tumurous constriction or invasion to the heart. With the exception of several case reports, the outcome is uniformly dismal and patients typically die within six months of diagnosis.

Idiopathic great saphenous phlebosclerosis.

Arterial sclerosis has been extensively described but reports on venous sclerosis are very sparse. Phlebosclerosis refers to the thickening and hardening of the venous wall. Despite its morphological similarities with arteriosclerosis and potential morbid consequences, phlebosclerosis has gained only little attention.

Prophylactic high-dose oral-N-acetylcysteine does not prevent atrial fibrillation after heart surgery: a prospective double blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.

Aims: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) following cardiac surgery is a frequent complication with multifactorial etiologies. Recently inflammation due to enhanced oxidative stress has been implicated in its pathogenesis. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a promising and novel antioxidant agent.

A unique nail gun injury to the heart with a delayed presentation.

We describe a 24-year-old construction worker who was unaware that he had been shot by a pneumatic nail gun in the chest during work. After returning home, he felt some palpitations and mild shortness of breath, and in the mirror discovered a non-bleeding pinpoint skin wound in his upper chest. He admitted himself to the emergency department of a local hospital and, after a detailed history and a chest X-ray had been taken, he was surprisingly diagnosed with a penetrating nail injury to the heart and was referred to our center.

Influence of anterior periaortic fat pad excision on incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation.

Objective: In humans, the existence of an anterior periaortic fat pad (AFP) containing parasympathetic ganglia has been described in the aortopulmonary window. Changes in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) tone can lead to postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). The AFP is usually removed during coronary bypass grafting (CABG) to fully expose the aortic root.

Survey of operative outcome for aortic dissection.

Objective: To survey the results of operative outcome for aortic dissection.

Methods: A retrospective study on 46 patients, admitted for operation in Shahid Madani Heart Hospital in Tabriz, Iran from 1994-2003. A questionnaire was used for collecting data.