Publications by authors named "Susana R Martins"
Chest pain is a frequent symptom in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Left main coronary artery (LMCA) extrinsic compression from a pulmonary artery (PA) is an increasingly recognized cause of angina or complications, such as acute myocardial infarction, left ventricular dysfunction, arrythmia, and sudden death. We report the case of a 45-year-old patient with pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH), a patent ductus arteriosus corrected surgically during adolescence, and chronic constrictive bronchiolitis.
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- Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is a surgical option for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), and this study assesses its outcomes at a Portuguese PH center over a period from October 2015 to March 2019.
- The study included 27 patients (59% female, median age 60) who showed significant improvements in functional and hemodynamic parameters within 4 to 6 months post-surgery, including reduced pulmonary artery pressure and improved cardiac output.
- Follow-up results indicated that 44% of the patients experienced no remaining pulmonary hypertension, while a notable 85% of those with right ventricular dysfunction prior to surgery showed recovery.
Article Synopsis
- Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is a surgical procedure aimed at treating chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and this study looks at the initial experience of a Portuguese healthcare center with PEA patients at an international reference facility.* -
- A total of 27 patients (59% female) with a median age of 60 underwent PEA, showing significant improvements in health metrics like reduced pulmonary artery pressure and increased cardiac output during an average follow-up of 34 months, alongside a low cardiac death rate.* -
- Post-surgery results indicated that 44% of patients showed no signs of pulmonary hypertension, with improvements in heart function and a decrease in the need for specialized vasodilator and
Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, deadly condition. Although risk stratification is extremely important for assessment of prognosis and to guide therapy, there is lack of evidence concerning the role of novel biomarkers. In a pivotal study, we sought to comparatively investigate the predictive power of several new biomarkers in PAH.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: To evaluate the influence of metabolic syndrome in the effectiveness of antihypertensive treatment and to compare it using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) (2001 and 2004), International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (AHA-NHLBI) definitions.
Methods: The VALSIM (Estudo de Prevalência da Síndrome Metabólica) survey was designed as an observational cross-sectional study performed in a primary healthcare setting in Portugal. The first two adult patients scheduled for an appointment on a given day were invited to participate.
Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is nowadays a rare complication of myocardial infarction (MI), but with a mortality rate still very high. Urgent surgical correction is recommended, although in specific cases percutaneous closure of a post-infarct VSR is a therapeutic option or a bridge to surgical correction. We report a case of an 80-year-old woman, with a subacute anterior MI with an antero-septal VSR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCystatin C is a marker of renal dysfunction, and preliminary studies have suggested it might have a role as a prognostic marker in patients with coronary artery disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of cystatin C for risk stratification of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, regarding in-hospital and long-term outcomes. We included 153 consecutive patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated by primary angioplasty.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTransthoracic echocardiography is the modality of choice for the bedside diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction mechanical complications. We report the case of a ventricular septal rupture occurring soon after inferior myocardial infarction, revascularized by primary angioplasty. This challenging diagnosis was elucidated by 3D-echocardiography as 2D-imaging was not conclusive.
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