Idiopathic spontaneous coronary artery dissection: incidence, diagnosis and treatment.

Background: Less is known about characteristics, treatment and follow-up of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) without associated pregnancy or underlying atherosclerosis.

Methods: We reviewed 5054 consecutive coronary angiographies for SCAD in patients without atherosclerosis or associated pregnancy and performed follow-up angiography in eligible patients.

Results: SCAD were assessed in five patients (mean age 44 +/- 8.

Coronary anatomy and left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with type 2 diabetes admitted for elective coronary angiography.

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have more severe coronary artery disease and a two- to fourfold higher risk for myocardial infarction and death as compared to patients without DM. In this study, we analyzed coronary anatomy, left ventricular ejection fraction, and cardiac risk factors in patients with DM referred for coronary angiography and compared them with findings in nondiabetic patients. Coronary anatomy was assessed in a total of 6,234 patients and left ventricular ejection fraction in a subset of 4,767 (76.

Induction ovens and electromagnetic interference: what is the risk for patients with implanted pacemakers?

Electromagnetic fields may interfere with normal pacemaker function. Despite the introduction of modern pacemakers and bipolar lead systems, electromagnetic interference (EMI) still remains to be a concern during daily lives when patients are exposed to cellular phones, electronic security systems, and several household appliances. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential EMI risk of induction ovens, which are increasingly used in private households.

Procedural complications following diagnostic coronary angiography are related to the operator's experience and the catheter size.

Cardiac catheterization is performed routinely in hospitals all around the world. Extensive analysis of complications has been performed in the 1980s and early 1990s. However, because of the new therapeutic innovations based on advanced catheter technologies, these data may not apply to the present situation.

Outcome of elderly patients with chronic symptomatic coronary artery disease with an invasive vs optimized medical treatment strategy: one-year results of the randomized TIME trial.

Context: The risk-benefit ratio of invasive vs medical management of elderly patients with symptomatic chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. The Trial of Invasive versus Medical therapy in Elderly patients (TIME) recently showed early benefits in quality of life from invasive therapy in patients aged 75 years or older, although with a certain excess in mortality.

Objective: To assess the long-term value of invasive vs medical management of chronic CAD in elderly adults in terms of quality of life and prevention of major adverse cardiac events.