An autopsy case of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy presenting ventricular tachycardia after pacemaker implantation.

We herein report a rare autopsy case of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) presenting ventricular tachycardia after pacemaker implantation. A 69-year-old male received a dual-chamber pacemaker implantation for complete atrioventricular block. He had no chest symptoms after the operation.

Iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine imaging can predict future cardiac events in Japanese patients with Parkinson's disease.

Objectives: Iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy provides useful diagnostic information in differentiating Parkinson's disease (PD) from other neurological diseases. Moreover, a number of studies have reported that 123I-MIBG imaging provides powerful diagnostic and prognostic information in congestive heart failure (HF) patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cardiovascular predictive value of cardiac 123I-MIBG imaging in patients with PD.

Efficacy of N-acetylcysteine and aminophylline in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy.

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is one of the important complications of coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Prophylactic administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and aminophylline has been reported to be effective in some trials, but the results still remain controversial. We investigated the efficacy of NAC or aminophylline in preventing CIN.