Fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products in acute aortic dissection.

Background: The elevated D-dimer value is one of the clues used to diagnose acute aortic dissection (AAD), but the rapid D-dimer assay is not used at all emergency hospitals. The fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products (FDP) value is also an indicator of enhanced fibrinolysis and may therefore be a useful marker in patients with AAD. In addition, the association between FDP values and partial thrombosis of the false lumen is not elucidated.

Familial thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection associated with Marfan-related gene mutations: case report of a family with two gene mutations.

We report three cases of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection in a Japanese family. Marfan-related genes were analyzed; FBN1 and TGFBR2 gene mutations were observed in this family.

Three-dimensional coronary imaging for the ostium of the left anterior descending artery.

Conventional coronary angiography is subject to a significant foreshortening of the proximal left anterior descending artery and overlapping of the left anterior descending artery and the circumflex artery that limits the accurate identification of the ostium of the left anterior descending artery. The aim of this study was to determine whether the three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of traditional coronary angiography could optimize the projection angle to clearly show the ostium of the left anterior descending artery. The left main bifurcations of 18 consecutive patients were analyzed.

Evaluation of the left ventricular diastolic function using three-dimensional echocardiography.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to evaluate the left ventricular (LV) diastolic function parameter calculated using three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography.

Method: Using 3D echocardiography and an analysis software program, the left ventricular volume through the cardiac cycle was measured automatically. We therefore calculated 25%, 50%, and 75% of the subtraction end-systolic volume (ESV) from the end-diastolic volume (EDV).

Statin therapy may prevent restenosis after successful coronary intervention, independent of lipid-lowering effect and CRP level.

Background: As statins have the anti-atherosclerotic pleiotropic effects, we retrospectively examined the effects of statins on restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We reviewed consecutive 341 patients who underwent successful PCI and follow-up angiography six months after the procedure between January 2002 and December 2004. Statins were initiated in 207 patients (statin group), but not in the other 134 (control group).

Fatal case of amiodarone-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome in a patient with severe left ventricular dysfunction due to extensive anterior acute myocardial infarction.

We here report a case of 71-year-old man with acute extensive anterior myocardial infarction, who was complicated with ventricular tachycardia (VT) even after successful percutaneous coronary intervention. As intravenous administration of nifekalant terminated VT, we started oral administration of amiodarone (day 1). We gave 400 mg of amiodarone a day for the first week and 200 mg a day from the second week.

Simultaneous assessment of wall motion and coronary flow velocity in the left anterior descending coronary artery during dipyridamole stress echocardiography.

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the feasibility and clinical meaning of simultaneous assessment of wall motion and coronary flow velocity (CFV) reserve in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) by transthoracic approach for detecting LAD stenosis during dipyridamole stress echocardiography.

Background: Coronary flow reserve plays an important role, which can be evaluated by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography during vasodilator stress.

Methods: Dipyridamole stress test was performed in 110 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.