Aortic flow propagation velocity as an early predictor of high coronary risk in hypertensive patients.

Aim: To assess the value of aortic flow propagation velocity (Vp) in detecting hypertensive patients with coronary risk.

Methods: The study included 120 patients with hypertension. According to the 10-year risk of coronary heart disease the patients were categorized in the three groups: 10-year risk < 10% (I),10 - year risk=%10 - 20 (II), and 10-year risk > 20% (III).

[Successful percutaneous retrieval of a broken intravascular ultrasound catheter tip from the renal artery].

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is widely used to assess the severity of coronary artery lesions. Fracture of the IVUS catheter in the coronary artery is very rare and embolization of a fractured segment into other organs has not been reported. A 41-year-old male patient underwent IVUS imaging for further assessment of a lesion detected angiographically in the left main coronary artery.

A simplified proximal isovelocity surface area method for mitral valve area calculation in mitral stenosis: not requiring angle correction and calculator.

Aim: To simplify proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method for mitral valve area (MVA) calculation that does not necessitate the usage of a calculator and angle correction, and to compare values estimated using this novel method with the values obtained by the conventional PISA, planimetry and pressure half-time (PHT) methods.

Methods: We evaluated patients with a wide range of mitral stenosis (MS) severity. The MVA was measured by the methods of PHT (MVA PHT), planimetry (MVApl), conventional PISA (MVAC-PISA) and the novel method of simple PISA (MVAS-PISA).

Elastic characteristics of aorta in patients with epilepsy.

Aim: To investigate elastic characteristics of the aorta in patients with epilepsy.

Methods: Seventy five patients with a diagnosis of epilepsy through clinical and EEG findings and age and sex matched, 50 healthy controls were included. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures plus systolic and diastolic diameter of the aortic root was measured.

The relationship between severity of coronary artery disease and plasma level of vascular endothelial growth factor.

Objective: It has been known that ischemia or occlusion of coronary arteries in animal models increases the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF); however, little is known about the relationship between coronary artery disease and VEGF in humans. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the relationships between the degree of coronary occlusion and plasma VEGF level as well as other risk factors, including age, weight, arterial blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, blood glucose, and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in patients with established coronary artery disease.

Materials And Methods: Our study group consisted of 77 patients.