[Admission and predischarge levels of NT pre brain natriuretic peptide in patients hospitalized because of worsening heart failure. relation to risk of death in the next 6-12 months].

Unlabelled: Inhospital treatment of patients with heart failure (HF) can cause changes of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT proBNP) levels. It has not been established yet which NT proBNP value (before or at height of treatment activation) is closer related to prognosis of unfavorable outcome after discharge.

Aim: To compare relation to risk of post discharge unfavorable outcome of patients with HF of NT proBNP levels measured close to hospital admission and discharge.

[Heart fatty acid binding protein in patients hospitalized because of worsening heart failure. Relation to prognosis of death].

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that serum heart fatty-acid binding protein (FABP), an early marker of myocardial necrosis, is related to prognosis of patients hospitalized because of worsening heart failure (HF).

Methods: Sixty nine patients (64% men, age 66.6 +/- 11.

[Levels of fatty acid binding protein before and after direct current cardioversion of atrial fibrillation or flutter in patients without acute coronary syndrome].

Unlabelled: It is not known whether FABP suggested as an early marker of myocardial necrosis increases after direct current cardioversion (DCC). Moreover there are no data on FABP levels in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and flutter.

Aim: To find out whether DCC induces acute changes of FABP levels in patients with AF or flutter without acute coronary syndrome.