Aortic reservoir-excess pressure parameters are associated with worse cognitive function in people with untreated stage II/III hypertension.

Objective: Hypertension is a recognized risk factor for the development of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. Aortic stiffness and altered haemodynamics could promote the transmission of detrimental high pressure pulsatility into the cerebral circulation, potentially damaging brain microvasculature and leading to cognitive impairment. We determined whether reservoir-excess pressure parameters were associated with cognitive function in people with hypertension (HT) and normotension (NT).

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Spanish MINICHAL instrument into English for use in the United Kingdom.

Background: Hypertension is a highly prevalent condition, with optimal treatment to BP targets conferring significant gains in terms of cardiovascular outcomes. Understanding why some patients do not achieve BP targets would be enhanced through greater understanding of their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, the only English language disease-specific instruments for measurement of HRQoL in hypertension have not been validated in accordance with accepted standards.

Rapid treatment of moderate to severe hypertension using a novel protocol in a single-centre, before and after interventional study.

Rapid treatment to target in hypertension may have beneficial effects on long-term outcomes. This has led to a new recommendation in the 2018 European hypertension guidelines for patients with grade II/III hypertension to be treated to target within three months. However, whether it is feasible and safe to quickly manage treatment-naïve grade II/III hypertension to target was unclear.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in Alström syndrome.

Background: A case series of the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings in seven adult Alström patients.

Methods: Seven patients from the National Specialist Commissioning Group Centre for Alström Disease, Torbay, England, UK, completed the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging protocol to assess cardiac structure and function in Alström cardiomyopathy.

Results: All patients had some degree of left and right ventricular dysfunction.

Interstudy reproducibility of right ventricular volumes, function, and mass with cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has shown excellent results for interstudy reproducibility in the assessment of left ventricular (LV) parameters. However, interstudy reproducibility data for the more complex-shaped right ventricle in a large study group have not yet been reported. We sought to determine the interstudy reproducibility of measurements of right ventricular (RV) volumes, function, and mass with CMR and compare it with correspondent LV values.

Assessment of left ventricular mass regression after aortic valve replacement--cardiovascular magnetic resonance versus M-mode echocardiography.

Objective: In patients with aortic valve disease, the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) carries a significant risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Regression of hypertrophy after aortic valve replacement (AVR) is associated with a reduction in risk. In general, M-mode echocardiography has been used for quantitative assessment of left ventricular mass (LVM) and regression, but this technique is believed to have limitations from which cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) does not suffer.

Functional changes in coronary microcirculation after valve replacement in patients with aortic stenosis.

Background: Increased extravascular compression and reduced diastolic perfusion time (DPT), rather than vascular remodeling, influence coronary microcirculatory dysfunction in aortic stenosis (AS). However, alterations after aortic valve replacement (AVR) remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to quantify changes in transmural perfusion and coronary vasodilator reserve (CVR), a measure of microcirculatory function, after AVR and determine the relative contribution of left ventricular mass (LVM) regression, change in aortic valve area (AVA), and DPT.

Comparison of interstudy reproducibility of cardiovascular magnetic resonance with two-dimensional echocardiography in normal subjects and in patients with heart failure or left ventricular hypertrophy.

Fast breath-hold cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) shows excellent results for interstudy reproducibility of left ventricular (LV) volumes, ejection fraction, and mass, which are thought to be superior to results of 2-dimensional echocardiography. However, there is no direct comparison of the interstudy reproducibility of both methods in the same subjects. A total of 60 subjects (normal volunteers [n = 20], or patients with heart failure [n = 20] or LV hypertrophy [n = 20]) underwent 2 CMRs and 2 echocardiographic studies for assessment of LV volumes, function, and mass.

Comparison of techniques for the measurement of left ventricular function following cardiac transplantation.

Background: Assessment of graft function after cardiac transplantation is essential for patient management and clinical research. Previous studies have found that the left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) by echocardiography (echo), radionuclide ventriculography (RNV), and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is discrepant in patients with heart failure.

Method: Twelve patients underwent LV EF assessment by echo, angiography (angio), RNV, and CMR one year following heart transplantation.

Cardiac remodelling in the era of aggressive medical therapy: does it still exist?

Aim: To delineate the natural history of left ventricular remodelling following large anterior myocardial infarction (MI), in the era of aggressive medical therapy.

Methods: Seventeen selected patients underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) at 2 weeks and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post infarction.

Results: There was a significant increase in left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume index (EDVI) and LV ESVI from 2 weeks to 1 month (P<0.

Assessment of left ventricular mass by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with significant excess mortality and morbidity. The study and treatment of this condition, in particular the prognostic implications of changes in left ventricular mass, require an accurate, safe, and reproducible method of measurement. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance is a suitable tool for this purpose, and this review assesses the technique in comparison with others and examines the clinical and research implications of the improved reproducibility.

Evaluation of left ventricular function and mass after Medtronic Freestyle versus homograft aortic root replacement using cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) after aortic valve replacement has traditionally been measured by echocardiography. However, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can be used to measure left ventricular function and mass more accurately and reproducibly. This translates into fewer patients being needed to demonstrate significant changes.