Upgrading pacemaker to cardiac resynchronization therapy: an option for patients with chronic right ventricular pacing and heart failure.

Introduction: Long-term pacing from the right ventricle (RV) has been shown to induce a deleterious effect on left ventricular function. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an established treatment for heart failure (HF) patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the benefit from upgrading to CRT in chronically RV-paced patients with a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF<35%).

Efficacy and safety of high dose versus low dose furosemide with or without dopamine infusion: the Dopamine in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure II (DAD-HF II) trial.

Aims: The role of low-dose dopamine infusion in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) remains controversial. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of high- versus low-dose furosemide with or without low-dose dopamine infusion in this patient population.

Methods And Results: 161 ADHF patients (78 years; 46% female; ejection fraction 31%) were randomized to 8-hour continuous infusions of: a) high-dose furosemide (HDF, n=50, 20mg/h), b) low-dose furosemide and low-dose dopamine (LDFD, n=56, 5mg/h and 5 μg kg(-1)min(-1) respectively), or c) low-dose furosemide (LDF, n=55, furosemide 5mg/h).

Omega-3 PUFAs improved endothelial function and arterial stiffness with a parallel antiinflammatory effect in adults with metabolic syndrome.

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with adverse cardiovascular events, and impaired vascular function. In this study we evaluated the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) supplementation on vascular function, inflammatory and fibrinolytic process in subjects with MetS.

Methods: We studied the effect of a 12 weeks oral treatment with 2 g/day of omega-3 PUFAs in 29 (15 male) subjects (mean age 44 ± 12 years) with MetS on three occasions (day0: baseline, day 28 and day 84).

Canagliflozin: a new hope in the antidiabetic armamentarium.

Canagliflozin-with the patent number WO2011142478A1- belongs to a novel class of antidiabetic drugs known as SGLT2 inhibitors, which has been approved by FDA in March 2013. This medication acts through the inhibition of glucose reabsorption in the kidney resulting in glucosuria and thus lowering of glucose blood levels. There are several phase III clinical ongoing trials involving this new class of medications.

In-hospital switching of oral P2Y12 inhibitor treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: prevalence, predictors and short-term outcome.

Background: P2Y12 inhibitor switching has appeared in clinical practice as a consequence of prasugrel and ticagrelor availability, apart from clopidogrel, for use in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: In the context of the GReek AntiPlatelet REgistry (GRAPE) we assessed the prevalence, predictive factors and short-term outcome of in-hospital P2Y12 inhibitor switching in 1794 ACS patients undergoing PCI.

Results: Switching occurred in 636 (35.

Effect of statin pretreatment on the outcome of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in patients without prior history of coronary artery disease.

Introduction: Early statin treatment has beneficial effects on the prognosis after acute coronary syndromes. We investigated the impact of prior statin treatment on the outcome of patients without a prior history of coronary artery disease (CAD) who presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and were treated with thrombolysis.

Methods: The study enrolled 1032 consecutive patients who satisfied the above criteria.

Microwave radiometry: a new non-invasive method for the detection of vulnerable plaque.

Atherosclerosis and its consequences are the most rapidly growing vascular pathology, with myocardial infarction and ischemic cerebrovascular accident to remain a major cause of premature morbidity and death. In order to detect the morphological and functional characteristics of the vulnerable plaques, new imaging modalities have been developed. Intravascular thermography (IVT) is an invasive method, which provides information on the identification of the high-risk atheromatic plaques in coronary arteries.

Dynamic resistant hypertension patterns as predictors of cardiovascular morbidity: a 4-year prospective study.

Objective: Little is known regarding the clinical course and prognosis of resistant hypertension (RHT). We evaluated predictors of persistent RHT and the associated cardiovascular risk.

Methods: We studied 1911 treated hypertensive patients (aged 59±11 years, 49% men) for a mean period of 3.