Impact of Physician-Coordinated Intensive Follow-Up on Long-Term Medical Costs in Patients with Unstable Angina Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: To investigate the impact of professional physician-coordinated intensive follow-up on long-term expenditures after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in unstable angina (UA) patients.

Methods: In this study, there were 669 UA patients who underwent successful PCI and followed up for 3 years, then divided into the intensive follow-up group (N = 337), and the usual follow-up group (N = 332). Patients were provided with detailed discharge information and individualized follow-up schedules.

[Effects of docosahexaenoic acid on ion channels of rat coronary artery smooth muscle cells].

Objective: To investigate the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channels and voltage-dependent K(+) (K(V)) channels in rat coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs), and evaluate the vasorelaxation mechanisms of DHA.

Methods: BK(Ca) and K(V) currents in individual CASMC were recorded by patch-clamp technique in whole-cell configuration. Effects of DHA at various concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 µmol/L) on BK(Ca) and K(V) channels were observed.