[Thrombus in the left atrium -- is it always treated properly?].

A case of a 61-year-old female with a history of stroke in a course of mitral stenosis with atrial fibrillation is reported. Mitral commissurotomy was conducted eight years after the diagnosis. The chest X-ray revealed large calcified mass in the left atrium.

Effect of leukocyte-depleted blood cardioplegia on the early outcome in patients with preserved left ventricular function undergoing surgical revascularisation.

Background: It has been shown that leukocytes play one of the key roles in the myocardial reperfusion injury.

Aim: To examine the effects of cardiac protection with leukocyte-depleted blood cardioplegia on the early outcome of patients with preserved left ventricular function who undergo surgical revascularisation.

Methods: The study group consisted of 58 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) who were randomised to receive leukocyte-depleted blood cardioplegia (leukocyte filter Pall BC1B) (group A, n=29) or to receive standard blood cardioplegia (group B, n=29).

[Cadmium level in the human saphenous vein used in coronary artery bypass grafting].

The human saphenous vein is the main superficial vein of the lower limb. It begins on the foot, runs across among medial surface of shin and knee and frontal-medial surface of thigh. Saphenous vein remains the most widely used bypass conduit for the treatment of occlusive coronary and peripheral vascular disease.

Influence of low molecular weight heparin preparations on human internal thoracic artery contraction.

Objective: Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) offer practical and potential pharmacological advantages over unfractionated heparin in multiple applications but have not been studied as vasoactive agents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two commercial preparations of LMWHs, enoxaparin sodium and nadroparin calcium, on vasoconstriction in the human internal thoracic artery (ITA) in vitro.

Methods: Samples of redundant ITA segments obtained from 36 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery were cut into 3mm wide rings and suspended in 20 ml organ bath.

[Role of the hemostasis in unstable angina pectoris].

Haemostasis plays an important role in the development of cardiac complications--acute coronary syndromes. The thrombus formation in coronary arteries, related to unstable atherosclerotic plaque rupture is the basic pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes. The balance between coagulation and fibrinolytic system influences on ruptured atherosclerotic plaque and following acute coronary syndrome.

[Role of the hemostatic system in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis as the main etiology of coronary ischemia] [corrected].

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of mortality in highly developed societies. This occurs in spite of growing therapeutic opportunities. Atherosclerosis begins as a functional or/and structural damage of endothelium, which in turn causes its discontinuation and impairs humoral and secreting function.

An assessment of correlations between endogenous sex hormone levels and the extensiveness of coronary heart disease and the ejection fraction of the left ventricle in males.

This clinical study investigated the possible associations of male sex hormone with the extensiveness of coronary artery lesions, coronary heart disease risk factors and ejection fraction of the heart. Ninety six Caucasian male subjects were recruited, 76 with positive and 20 with negative coronary angiograms. Early morning, prior to haemodynamic examination all of them had determined levels of total testosterone, free testosterone, free androgen index (FAI), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), oestradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, plasma lipids, fibrinogen and glucose.