Dynamic 123I-BMIPP single-photon emission computed tomography in patients with congestive heart failure: effect of angiotensin II type-1 receptor blockade.

Background: Heart failure is a major and growing public health problem with a high mortality rate. Although recent studies have demonstrated that a variety of metabolic and/or neurohumoral factors are involved in the progression of this syndrome, the precise mechanisms responsible for this complex condition are poorly understood.

Hypothesis: To examine 123I-beta-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) kinetics in the early phase soon after tracer injection in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), we performed dynamic single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition improves cardiac fatty acid metabolism in patients with congestive heart failure.

This study aimed to examine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition improved cardiac fatty acid metabolism in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Myocardial 123I-beta-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) imaging was performed in 25 patients with CHF and in 10 control subjects. Myocardial 123I-BMIPP images were obtained 30 min and 4 h after tracer injection.

Severity in myocardial dysfunction contributed to long-term fluctuation of heart rate, rather than short-term fluctuations.

Background: It is known that heart rate shows complex behavior, long-term fluctuation of heart rate, and short-term fluctuations in heart failure. Analyzing these properties and examining the relationship to the disease, severity may increase the understanding of the background of heart rate variability (HRV).

Methods: In 61 patients (mean age 65 +/- 9 years, 32 ischemic heart disease, 29 cardiomyopathy), with myocardial dysfunction, 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography was performed.

Pulsed Doppler tissue imaging for the assessment of myocardial viability: comparison with 99mTc sestamibi perfusion imaging.

The aim of the present study was to examine whether Doppler tissue imaging demonstrated comparable diagnostic performance for the detection of viable myocardium compared to myocardial perfusion imaging with Tc hexakis-2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI). We studied 30 patients with old myocardial infarction who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Myocardial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with Tc-MIBI and two-dimensional echocardiography were carried out within 7 days before PTCA.

Regional prolongation of ARI and altered restitution properties cause ventricular arrhythmia in heart failure.

The mechanism of arrhythmogenicity in heart failure remains poorly understood. We examined the relationship between electrical abnormalities and ventricular arrhythmia by using experimental heart failure models. Sixty unipolar electrograms were recorded from the entire cardiac surface in control dogs (n = 13) and pacing-induced heart failure dogs (n = 16).