Predictors of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence in Hyperthyroid and Euthyroid Patients.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in adults, and is encountered in 10-15% of the patients with hyperthyroidism. Unless euthyroidism is restored, pharmacological or electrical cardioversion is controversial in patients with AF who remain hyperthyroid.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of electrical cardioversion and predictors of AF recurrence in hyperthyroid and euthyroid patients.

The REDUCED (a RandomisED stUdy Comparing standard systemic anticoagulation thErapy to low Dose intracoronary anticoagulation therapy for elective percutaneous coronary intervention) trial. A novel pharmacologic regime for elective percutaneous coronary intervention.

Aim: This study tried to determine the efficacy and safety of low-dose intracoronary unfractionated heparin (UFH) in elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: Two-hundred patients who underwent elective PCI of an uncomplicated lesion were included into the study. The patients were assigned to either a control group (70-100 IU/kg intravenous UFH) or a low-dose intracoronary UFH (1,000 IU intracoronary UFH) group.

Short-term outcome of early electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation in hyperthyroid versus euthyroid patients.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac complication of hyperthyroidism. The influence of the time of cardioversion on hyperthyroidism-induced AF remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare short-term outcomes of early electrical cardioversion for AF in hyperthyroid and euthyroid patients.

[Cardiac autonomic function and cardiac arrhythmias in patients with obstructive sleep apnea].

Objectives: We assessed the effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) on cardiac autonomic function with the parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) and investigated the frequency of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with OSAS.

Study Design: Seventy-six patients (27 women, 49 men; mean age 50.6±10.

[Simultaneous transcatheter treatment of perimembranous ventricular septal defect and secundum atrial septal defect in an adult: first application in Turkey].

A perimembranous ventricular septal defect (7 mm) and an ostium secundum atrial septal defect (8.9 mm) detected in a 22-year-old woman were simultaneously treated with the use of two transcatheter occluder systems. The procedure was performed under intravenous midazolam anesthesia and fluoroscopic and echocardiographic (transesophageal) control.

The prognostic significance of a fragmented QRS complex after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Fragmented QRS (fQRS) may occur due to non-homogeneous activation of ischemic ventricles. We want to investigate the prognostic significance of a fQRS complex in a patient who had undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Eighty-five patients with no history of coronary artery disease who underwent primary PCI were included in the study.

The EFFect of hIgh-dose ClopIdogrel treatmENT in patients with clopidogrel resistance (the EFFICIENT trial).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-dose clopidogrel continuation treatment on the development of MACCE after elective PCI in patients with clopidogrel resistance.

Methods: The study group consisted of 192 patients. Of these, 98 participants without resistance served as the control group (Group 1) and received 75 mg/day clopidogrel for 1 month.

The effects of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation on slow coronary flow.

Objectives: We evaluated the effects of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation on slow coronary flow (SCF).

Study Design: The study included 26 patients (group 1; 13 females, 13 males; mean age 58.8 years) who had normal coronary arteries but SCF in three coronary vessels and 25 subjects (group 2, 14 females, 11 males; mean age 62.

Biventricular lipoma (first case in literature).

Primary cardiac tumors of the ventricles are very uncommon. Cardiac lipomas are extremely rare primary benign cardiac tumors. Most reported cardiac lipomas have been diagnosed incidentally at autopsy.

A novel predictor of restenosis and adverse cardiac events: asymmetric dimethylarginine.

The aim of this study is to investigate if serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels can predict restenosis and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients who undergo percutaneous coronary interventions. The most important cause of restenosis following percutaneous coronary intervention is neointimal hyperplasia. Nitric oxide (NO) prevents the neointimal hyperplasia growing.

[A rare cause of reversible dilated cardiomyopathy: hypocalcemia].

Hypocalcaemia is a rare cause of reversible heart failure. We present a 27-year-old man who had severe heart failure unresponsive to medical therapy. He had vitamin D-resistant rickets for which he had received replacement therapy with vitamin D and calcium until age 20, but he discontinued treatment for the past seven years.

Misleading ECG appearance of AV block due to concealed AV nodal conduction caused by interpolated ventricular ectopic beats.

Concealed conduction commonly occurs when a retrogradely conducted interpolated ectopic impulse enters the atrioventricular (AV) node; thus, the next sinus beat is not conducted to the ventricle or conducted with a prolonged PR interval because of increased refractoriness of AV conduction system. A 67-year-old man had complaints of exertional fatigue and palpitations at rest. His blood pressure was 110/70 mmHg and heart rate was 78 beats/min.

The predictive value of plasma brain natriuretic peptide for the recurrence of atrial fibrillation six months after external cardioversion.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the predictive value of plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level for the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after successful cardioversion in patients with persistent AF.

Study Design: The study included 58 patients (36 females, 22 males; mean age 59 years) with preserved left ventricular function, who underwent successful electrical cardioversion for persistent AF. Plasma BNP levels were measured before, 30 minutes and six months after cardioversion and electrocardiography was performed to assess AF recurrence.

Angioplasty as early revascularization in acute myocardial infarction.

The clinical manifestations characterized by myocardial ischemia due to a sudden decrease in coronary artery flow are defined as "acute coronary syndromes". These syndromes are classified according to the presence of ST segment elevation on the electrocardiogram (ECG) and the presence of a Q wave. In ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the lesion is usually located at the proximal part and the coronary occlusion is complete, myocardial loss is to a great extent, prognosis is poor, and the risk of developing cardiac failure and arrhythmias in the post infarction period is high.

A rare clinical entity: ventricular septal rupture with right ventricular wall dissection after inferior myocardial infarction.

Right ventricular wall dissection following ventricular septal rupture related to inferior myocardial infarction has been reported in a few cases. In most of the cases, right ventricular wall dissection was diagnosed in postmortem studies. Herein, we present a 68-year-old man who had a ventricular septal rupture with right ventricular wall dissection after inferior myocardial infarction.

Percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty in rheumatic mitral stenosis without heparin.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Customarily, heparin is used to prevent embolic complications arising during percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV), but this may prolong hospital stay and increases the risk of bleeding, hemopericardium and cardiac tamponade. The study aim was to assess in-hospital complications of PMBV performed without heparin.

Methods: Rheumatic mitral stenosis patients undergoing PMBV between February 1997 and March 2000, either with (18 males, 91 females; mean age 37.