Risk factors for contrast induced nephropathy: a study among Italian patients.

This study aimed to make a profile of patients at highest risk of developing contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) in order to take appropriate prevention measures. 591 patients undergoing coronary procedures were divided into two groups: patients with (CIN-group) and without (no-CIN) an increase in creatinine level equal or more than 25% from baseline values within 24-48 h after the coronary procedure. All patients underwent an accurate anamnesis, objective exam, hematochemical measurements, and diagnostic exams.

Impact of dual antiplatelet therapy with proton pump inhibitors on the outcome of patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation.

This study aimed to assess if proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may reduce the effectiveness of clopidogrel, than H2 antagonist (anti-H2) in order to determine rehospitalization for acute coronary syndrome (re-ACS), target vessel revascularization (TVR) and cardiac death. This case-control study included 176 patients with ACS undergoing angioplasty (PCI) with drug-eluting stent implantation. The population was divided into two groups: PPI group (n = 121) consisting of patients receiving at discharge dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT) plus PPI and anti-H2 group (n = 55), consisting of patients receiving at discharge DAT + H2 receptor antagonist (H2RA).

Early detection of coronary artery flow and myocardial perfusion impairment in hypertensive patients evidenced by myocardial blush grade (MBG) and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC).

Objective: In hypertensive patients with typical chest pain but absence of coronary stenosis the coronary microcirculation may be impaired, thus, our study aimed to appraise, in these subjects, the role of the coronary microcirculation, assessed by Myocardial Blush Grade (MBG) and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Frame Count (TFC).

Methods: A total of 95 subjects with chest pain and uninjured coronary arteries were recruited into the study: 80 subjects were hypertensive while 15 subjects were normotensive. The hypertensive subjects were divided into two subgroups: hypertensive subjects with positive scintigraphy and hypertensive subjects with negative scintigraphy.

The predictive role of C-reactive protein in patients with hypertension and subclinical atherosclerosis.

Background: Recent guidelines published by the joint European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology have suggested the inclusion of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the standard assessment of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients, but few data are available on the role of CRP in patients with carotid lesions.

Methods: We studied 472 patients, 236 with and 236 without hypertension, sex- and age-matched, with and without early stages of atherosclerosis (e.g.

Peripheral artery disease: potential role of ACE-inhibitor therapy.

Subjects with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of the lower limbs are at high risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and the prevalence of coronary artery disease in such patients is elevated. Recent studies have shown that regular use of cardiovascular medications, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for PAD patients, seems to be promising in reducing long-term mortality and morbidity. The angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) system plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis, and ACE-inhibitors (ACE-I) seem to have vasculoprotective and antiproliferative effects as well as a direct anti-atherogenic effect.