Publications by authors named "Stefan V Denchev"
Introduction The episodes of myocardial ischemia in patients with non-obstructive coronary disease are extremely variable in provoking factors and presentation. Purpose We investigated the significance of coronary blood flow velocity and epicardial diameter as correlates of a positive electrocardiographic exercise stress test (ExECG) in hospitalized patients with unstable angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease. Methods The study was a single-center cohort retrospective.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground An interplay of myocardial structural abnormalities and coronary arterial dysfunction underlies the worsening left ventricular compliance. The conventionally used angina drugs have demonstrated a beneficial effect on both angina and coronary flow in cases with microvascular dysfunction and non-obstructive coronary disease. Despite that, vasoactive therapy only partially affects diastolic function in this patient population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Autonomic dysfunction (AD) and dynamic hyperinflation (DH) have been implicated as pathophysiological mechanisms of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD) patients. Their association, however, remains elusive: The aims of the study were: (1) to determine the prevalence of AD and DH in non-severe COPD patients, with exertional dyspnea, without clinically overt cardio-vascular (CV) comorbidities; (2) to analyze the correlation and clinical significance between DH, AD, and maksed HFpEF.
Methods: We applied CPET in 68 subjects.
Background: Pulmonary vasculopathy, right heart structural and functional abnormalities occur even in normoxemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Despite being associated with functional limitation, exacerbations, and disease progression, their detection and proper management is still delayed.
Aim: Our aim was to establish the frequency of stress-induced right ventricular diastolic dysfunction (RVDD) in non-severe COPD patients, free of overt cardiovascular disease, who complain of exertional dyspnea and to look for echocardiographic predictors of it.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to determine if combining exercise stress echocardiography and cardio-pulmonary testing can help diagnose early left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and exercise-related breathing difficulties.
- Conducted with 104 non-severe COPD patients, the research found that 64% exhibited stress-induced LVDD during testing, characterized by lower exercise capacity and efficiency.
- The results suggest that the combined testing can identify hidden LVDD in these patients, but the cardio-pulmonary testing measures did not predict the presence of LVDD.
Background: The clinical significance of inflammatory cytokines as independent prognostic markers in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and hyperglycaemia remains uncertain.
Aim: To determine the value of inflammatory biomarkers as independent prognostic indicators and their relation with hyperglycaemia in ACS patients.
Methods: TNF-α and hsCRP were defined 48 h after admission and indicators for hyperglycaemia were calculated in 256 consecutive patients with ACS.
Background: The clinical significance of moment measurements (admission and fasting glycaemia), persistent (hyperglycaemic index, HGI; time average glucose, TAG; mean glucose; maximum glucose) or chronic hyperglycaemia (HbA1c), estimated average glucose, eAG) is still elusive in clinical practice.
Aim: To identify the clinical significance of hyperglycaemia in ACS.
Methods: The study included 226 consecutive patients with ACS.
Background: Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery is a method capable of detecting endothelium dysfunction. Statins are generally consent drugs for reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and are shown to improve the systemic endothelial function.
Hypothesis: The aim of our study was to assess the endothelial function using FMD of the brachial artery in patients with different degrees of coronary artery stenosis with respect to their treatment with statins.
Objective: To determine the effects of two beta-blockers, nebivolol and bisoprolol, on endothelial function in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.
Methods: Twenty-five hypertensive patients with a mean (+/- SD) age of 45.3+/-11.
Purpose: To evaluate endothelial function using flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery in patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM) with different degrees of coronary artery stenosis.
Method: We investigated 293 patients, 69 (23.6%) of whom had DM.
Objective: To evaluate the SCHILLER BR-102 plus (Schiller AG, Baar, Switzerland) noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure recorder according to the International Protocol for validation of blood pressure measuring devices in adults introduced by the Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring of the European Society of Hypertension.
Method: One SCHILLER BR-102 plus blood pressure recorder was tested by a validation team, consisting of three persons: two observers (nurses) and a doctor, acting as supervisor and 'expert'. The European Society of Hypertension International Protocol comprises two phases.