Impact of Early Invasive Approach on Outcomes of Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome and Baseline Anemia: Analysis From the ACSIS Registry.

Background: Anemia in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is strongly related to the increased risk of bleeding and mortality. Whether benefit of early invasive strategy exceeds the risk of bleeding in these patients is unknown.

Aim: To assess impact of early coronary angiography on outcomes of patients with ACS and baseline anemia.

Temporal trends in management and outcome of diabetic and non-diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS): residual risk of long-term mortality persists: Insights from the ACS Israeli Survey (ACSIS) 2000-2010.

Background/objectives: In the past diabetes was strongly associated with elevated mortality rate after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Over the past decade a treatment of the ACS has evolved rapidly with major advances in the management techniques. The aim of the present study was to compare temporal trends of the outcomes of diabetic vs.

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist use in eligible patients following acute myocardial infarction: real world data from the Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Surveys: 2004-2010.

Background: Following the EPHESUS trial in 2003, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) therapy received a class I indication for the management of eligible high-risk post-MI patients. Our goal was to examine temporal trends in MRA use in eligible post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients.

Methods: We investigated temporal trends and factors associated with MRA utilization among eligible patients enrolled in the biannual Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Surveys (ACSIS) 2004-2010.

Impact of short-term intermittent intravenous dobutamine therapy on endothelial function in patients with severe chronic heart failure.

Background: Intermittent intravenous dobutamine therapy is used to treat patients with decompensated end-stage chronic heart failure (CHF), in whom the vascular endothelium is usually impaired. Although it has been suggested that modification or reversal of endothelial dysfunction may be of significant therapeutic benefit, the impact of short-term intermittent intravenous dobutamine therapy on flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in patients with severe decompensated end-stage chronic CHF has not been assessed.

Methods: We prospectively assessed the impact of intermittent intravenous low-dose dobutamine therapy on endothelium-dependent brachial artery FMD and endothelium-independent nitroglycerin (NTG)-mediated vasodilation using high resolution ultrasound scanning in 20 consecutive male patients with severe CHF and ischemic cardiomyopathy (New York Heart Association functional class IV), at baseline and after 4 months, and compared them to 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects.