Short-term and long-term health impacts of air pollution reductions from COVID-19 lockdowns in China and Europe: a modelling study.

Background: Exposure to poor air quality leads to increased premature mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Among the far-reaching implications of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a substantial improvement in air quality was observed worldwide after the lockdowns imposed by many countries. We aimed to assess the implications of different lockdown measures on air pollution levels in Europe and China, as well as the short-term and long-term health impact.

Risks and benefits of early treatment of acute myocardial infarction with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor in patients with a history of arterial hypertension: analysis of the GISSI-3 database.

Background: Many trials have proved the benefits of early systematic treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Pathophysiological studies, however, suggest potential harm in excessive reduction of blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients with ischemic heart disease.

Methods: We analyzed data from the GISSI-3 (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto miocardico) trial to assess the effects of early treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors during AMI in patients with a history of hypertension compared with normotensive patients.

Dual-chamber pacing in the treatment of neurally mediated tilt-positive cardioinhibitory syncope : pacemaker versus no therapy: a multicenter randomized study. The Vasovagal Syncope International Study (VASIS) Investigators.

BACKGROUND-This study was performed to compare implantation of a DDI pacemaker with rate hysteresis with no implant in respect to syncopal recurrences in patients with severe cardioinhibitory tilt-positive neurally mediated syncope. METHODS AND RESULTS-Forty-two patients from 18 European centers were randomized to receive a DDI pacemaker programmed to 80 bpm with hysteresis of 45 bpm (19 patients) or no pacemaker (23 patients). Inclusion criteria were >/=3 syncopes over the last 2 years and a positive cardioinhibitory (Vasovagal Syncope International Study types 2A and 2B) response to tilt testing.

Effect of etilefrine in preventing syncopal recurrence in patients with vasovagal syncope: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. The Vasovagal Syncope International Study.

Background: Etilefrine is an alpha-agonist agent with a potent vasoconstrictor effect, which is potentially useful in preventing vasovagal syncope by reducing venous pooling and/or by counteracting reflex arteriolar vasodilatation. The present multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of this drug for the long-term management of patients with recurrent vasovagal syncope.

Methods And Results: In the 20 participating centers, 126 patients with recurrent vasovagal syncope (at least 3 episodes in the last 2 years) and a positive baseline head-up tilt response were randomly assigned to placebo (63 patients) or etilefrine at a dosage of 75 mg/d (63 patients) and were followed up for 1 year or until syncope recurred.

Different effects of acute administration of aminophylline and nitroglycerin on exercise capacity in patients with syndrome X.

To investigate the effects of the acute administration of aminophylline and nitroglycerin on effort ischemia, 20 patients with syndrome X underwent 3 bicycle exercise tests after sublingual nitroglycerin (0.3 mg) and after 90 minutes of oral administration of aminophylline (400 mg). Compared with the basal test, only aminophylline induced a significant increase in the time to ischemic threshold and to angina; these findings support the potential therapeutic role of this adenosine receptor blocking agents and suggest a possible role of "steal phenomenon" in the pathogenesis of effort angina in patients with syndrome X.