Low-dose sodium nitrite attenuates myocardial ischemia and vascular ischemia-reperfusion injury in human models.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the potential benefits of inorganic nitrite in 2 clinical models: stress-induced myocardial ischemia and whole-arm ischemia-reperfusion.

Background: Inorganic nitrite, traditionally considered a relatively inert metabolite of nitric oxide, may exert vasomodulatory and vasoprotective effects. Despite promising results from animal models, few have shown effectiveness in human model systems, and none have fully translated to the clinical setting.

Short-term hemodynamic effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with heart failure, a narrow QRS duration, and no dyssynchrony.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy produces both short-term hemodynamic and long-term symptomatic/mortality benefits in symptomatic heart failure patients with a QRS duration >120 ms. This is conventionally believed to be due principally to relief of dyssynchrony, although we recently showed that relief of external constraint to left ventricular filling may also play a role. In this study, we evaluated the short-term hemodynamic effects in symptomatic patients with a QRS duration <120 ms and no evidence of dyssynchrony on conventional criteria and assessed the effects on contractility and external constraint.

The complete array of electrocardiogram abnormalities secondary to myocardial contusion in a single case.

Myocardial contusion is a complication of blunt thoracic injuries. Transthoracic echocardiography and electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring are important in suspected cases. We report a 54-year-old man, who sustained a number of injuries including blunt chest injury as a consequence of a road traffic accident.

Mechanisms of reduction of mitral regurgitation by cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Objectives: We sought to investigate the effects of improved left ventricular (LV) synchrony on secondary mitral regurgitation in patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy for severe heart failure.

Methods: A total of 22 patients, aged 63 +/- 8 years, were studied during sinus rhythm (unpaced), during LV pacing, and during biventricular pacing. Echocardiography was used to assess LV shape, mitral valve morphology and function, and global systolic and diastolic function.

Red blood cell nitric oxide as an endocrine vasoregulator: a potential role in congestive heart failure.

Background: A respiratory cycle for nitric oxide (NO) would involve the formation of vasoactive metabolites between NO and hemoglobin during pulmonary oxygenation. We investigated the role of these metabolites in hypoxic tissue in vitro and in vivo in healthy subjects and patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).

Methods And Results: We investigated the capacity for red blood cells (RBCs) to dilate preconstricted aortic rings under various O2 tensions.

Wave intensity analysis from the common carotid artery: a new noninvasive index of cerebral vasomotor tone.

Cerebral vasomotor tone is difficult to assess in patients. Wave intensity analysis has been applied to resolve complex upstream and downstream events within the vascular system. We hypothesized that the backward-traveling wave measured in the common carotid artery was caused by reflection from the cerebrovascular "beach", and that the magnitude of this reflected wave would be altered by changes in cerebral vasomotor tone.