Do gender differences in primary PCI mortality represent a different adherence to guideline recommended therapy? a multicenter observation.

Background: It is uncertain whether gender differences in outcome after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are only attributable to different baseline characteristics or additional factors.

Methods: Databases of two German myocardial infarction network registries were combined with a total of 1104 consecutive patients admitted with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and treated according to standardized protocols.

Results: Approximately 25% of patients were females.

Gender is an important determinant of the disposition of the loop diuretic torasemide.

Signals from pharmacovigilance studies indicate that women are at higher risk for adverse drug reactions (ADRs) due to diuretics. Despite the long-term use of torasemide, there are few studies investigating gender differences of torasemide pharmacokinetics in the hospital setting. Therefore, torasemide pharmacokinetics were investigated in 90 patients (45 women, 45 men) during steady-state conditions.

Detection of FMR1-gene in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: a new piece in the puzzle.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a cardiac entity appreciated only recently mimicking acute myocardial infarction, often affects post-menopausal women and is triggered by preceding emotional or physical stress. Pathogenesis of TTC is unknown, recurrence of TTC in one individual and familial predisposition occurs. Expression profiling of cardiac genes in the acute phase of TTC are not enough analyzed and are a component of future research.

A biodegradable stent based on poly(L-lactide) and poly(4-hydroxybutyrate) for peripheral vascular application: preliminary experience in the pig.

Purpose: To assess the technical feasibility and biocompatibility of a novel stent based on poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(4-hydroxybutyrate) (P4HB) for peripheral vascular applications.

Methods: A polytetrafluoroethylene aortobi-iliac graft was implanted in 5 pigs through a midline abdominal incision. After transverse graft limb incision, 5 PLLA/P4HB stents and 5 metal stents (316L stainless steel) were randomly deployed at both iliac anastomotic sites with 6-mm balloon catheters.