[Oral anticoagulants combined with aspirin in the prolonged treatment after acute coronary syndrome].

The incidence of death or myocardial infarction after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is still high despite the widespread use of aspirin. Oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) reducing thrombin activity has the potential to be beneficial when administered alone or in combination with aspirin after ACS. Low-intensity OAT in combination with aspirin is not superior to aspirin alone.

Limitation of myocardial infarct size by nicorandil after sustained ischemia in pigs.

Nicorandil is a compound with hybrid properties of nitrates and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) opening. The effects of nicorandil and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) were investigated in a model of 60-min coronary occlusion/180-min reperfusion in open chest pigs. Three groups of 10 pigs were randomly assessed to receive saline or equihypotensive doses of nicorandil or ISDN.

Role of pharmacologic tests in the treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension.

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology characterized by a constant progression toward right ventricular failure and death. Vasoconstriction is 1 of the pathophysiologic factors responsible for the increase of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in patients with PPH. Thus vasodilator treatment is considered 1 of the logical approaches to medical therapy of such a condition.