Role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in the management of atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical arrhythmia, and is difficult to treat. Current treatment strategies are far from optimal. Antiarrhythmic drug therapy to maintain sinus rhythm is limited by inadequate efficacy and potentially serious side effects.

Coronary collateral circulation: effect on early and midterm outcomes after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic effect of coronary collaterals on early and midterm clinical outcomes in patients undergoing first time isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery.

Methods: Preoperative angiograms from 861 patients were evaluated to assess the presence and extent of coronary collaterals (Rentrop classification). Coronary collaterals (CC) were present in 485 (56.

An update on clinical and pharmacological aspects of drug-eluting stents.

The introduction of stents to clinical practice was the major breakthrough in the field of percutaneous coronary intervention. The introduction of stents was associated with two serious complications, the first was increase in subacute thrombosis within the first 30 days of stent implantation later controlled with the use of high pressure inflation and dual antiplatelet therapy, the second was the phenomenon of in-stent restenosis that was primarily caused by smooth muscle proliferation. While coronary stenting eliminates elastic recoil, it is unable to inhibit excessive neointimal formation.