摘要:Traditionally, tricuspid valve endocarditis is uncommon in the Middle East region. However, recent global data indicate growing trends in the use of illicit drug abuse, specifically injectable heroin, in the Middle East Gulf region. The presence of many transit port services in the Middle East Gulf States has led to smuggling of substance abuse drugs in the region. The Middle East Gulf States, currently a transit market, are also becoming a growing consumer market in view of the increased substance abuse in the youth. However, there is a paucity of data with respect to the prevalence or incidence of tricuspid valve endocarditis in the region, probably due to underdiagnosis or underreporting. A high index of suspicion of tricuspid valve endocarditis is essential in patients with a history of intravenous drug abuse. This article reviews the epidemiology of illicit drug abuse in the Middle East Gulf region, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of tricuspid valve endocarditis, and calls for all physicians in the region to be vigilant while dealing with intravenous drug abuse.
摘要:Hypertension plays a major role in the development and progression of micro-and macrovascular disease.Moreover,increased blood pressure often coexists with additional cardiovascular risk factors such as insulin resistance.As a result the need for a comprehensive management of hypertensive patients is critical.However,the various antihypertensive drug categories have different effects on glucose metabolism.Indeed,angiotensin receptor blockers as well as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors have been associated with beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis.Calcium channel blockers(CCBs)have an overall neutral effect on glucose metabolism.However,some members of the CCBs class such as azelnidipine and manidipine have been shown to have advantageous effects on glucose homeostasis.On the other hand,diuretics andβ-blockers have an overall disadvantageous effect on glucose metabolism.Of note,carvedilol as well as nebivolol seem to differentiate themselves from the rest of theβ-blockers class,being more attractive options regarding their effect on glucose homeostasis.The adverse effects of some blood pressure lowering drugs on glucose metabolism may,to an extent,compromise their cardiovascular protective role.As a result the effects on glucose homeostasis of the various blood pressure lowering drugs should be taken into account when selecting an antihypertensive treatment,especially in patients which are at high risk for developing diabetes.
摘要:Taurine(2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a β-amino acid found in many tissues particularly brain, myocardium, and kidney. It plays several physiological roles including cardiac contraction, antioxidation, and blunting of hypertension. Though several lines of evidence indicate that dietary taurine can reduce hypertension in humans and in animal models, evidence that taurine supplementation reduces hypertension in humans has not been conclusive. One reason for the inconclusive nature of past studies may be that taurine having both positive and negative effects on cardiovascular system depending on when it is assessed, some effects may occur early, while others only appear later. Further, other consideration may play a role, e.g., taurine supplementation improves hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats on a low salt diet but fails to attenuate hypertension on a high salt diet. In humans, some epidemiologic studies indicate that people with high taurine and low salt diets display lower arterial pressure than those with low taurine and high salt diets. Differences in techniques for measuring arterial pressure, duration of treatment, and animal models likely affect the response in different studies. This review considers both the positive and negative effects of taurine on blood pressure in animal models and their applications for human interventions.
摘要:Hypertension causes significant morbidity and mortal-ity worldwide, owing to its deleterious effects on the cardiovascular and renal systems. Primary hyperaldo-steronism(PA) is the most common cause of revers-ible hypertension, affecting 5%-18% of adults with hypertension. PA is estimated to result from bilateral adrenal hyperplasia in two-thirds of patients, and from unilateral aldosterone-secreting adenoma in approxi-mately one-third. Suspected cases are initially screened by measurement of the plasma aldosterone-renin-ratio, and may be confirmed by additional noninvasive tests. Localization of aldostosterone hypersecretion is then determined by computed tomography imaging, and in selective cases with adrenal vein sampling. Solitary adenomas are managed by laparoscopic or robotic re-section, while bilateral hyperplasia is treated with min-eralocorticoid antagonists. Biochemical cure following adrenalectomy occurs in 99% of patients, and hemo-dynamic improvement is seen in over 90%, prompting a reduction in quantity of anti-hypertensive medica-tions in most patients. End-organ damage secondary to hypertension and excess aldosterone is significantly improved by both surgical and medical treatment, asmanifested by decreased left ventricular hypertrophy, arterial stiffness, and proteinuria, highlighting the im-portance of proper diagnosis and treatment of primary hyperaldosteronism. Although numerous independent predictors of resolution of hypertension after adrenalec-tomy for unilateral adenomas have been described, the Aldosteronoma Resolution Score is a validated multifac-torial model convenient for use in daily clinical practice.
摘要:Alteration in breathing patterns characterized by cyclic variation of ventilation during rest and during exercise has been recognized in patients with advanced heart failure(HF) for nearly two centuries. Periodic breathing(PB) during exercise is known as exercise oscillatory ventilation(EOV) and is characterized by the periods of hyperpnea and hypopnea without interposed apnea. EOV is a non-invasive parameter detected during submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Presence of EOV during exercise in HF patients indicates significant impairment in resting and exercise hemodynamic parameters. EOV is also an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in HF patients both with reduced and preserved ejection fraction irrespective of other gas exchange variables. Circulatory delay, increased chemosensitivity, pulmonary congestion and increased ergoreflex signaling have been proposed as the mechanisms underlying the generation of EOV in HF patients. There is no proven treatment of EOV but its reversal has been noted with phosphodiesterase inhibitors, exercise training and acetazolamide in relatively small studies. In this review, we discuss the mechanistic basis of PB during exercise and the clinical implications of recognizing PB patterns in patients with HF.
摘要:Worldwide the prevalence of essential hypertension inchildren and adolescents continues to increase. Tradi-tionally providers have used "off-label" drugs to treatpediatric hypertension, meaning that rigorous clinicaltrials of these drugs have not been specifically per-formed in pediatric patient populations. Consequentlyproviders have extrapolated dosing, safety and efficacyfrom trials in adults. This practice is sub-optimal as chil-dren demonstrate unique differences in drug metabo-lism and response. Use of unstudied or understudieddrugs increases risk of adverse events and/or can leadto sub-optimal efficacy. Recognizing these concerns,regulatory agencies have created financial incentivesfor industry to conduct pediatric clinical trials. Theseincentives, coupled with the emerging pediatric hyper-tension epidemic, have spurred over 30 clinical trialsof anti-hypertensive drugs over the past 15 years andhave resulted in labeling of 10 new drugs by the UnitedStates Food and Drug Administration for treatment ofhypertension in children and adolescents. Unfortunatelythe financial incentive structures focus on newer drugsand drug classes. Consequently there is now a relativedearth of trial data for older but sometimes commonlyprescribed pediatric antihypertensive drugs. This article reviews recent pediatric antihypertensive drug trials with a focus on trial design and endpoints, drug dosing, safety, efficacy and specific drug indications. We also review the available data and experience for some of the more commonly prescribed, but less well studied "older" pediatric antihypertensive drugs.
摘要:Symptomatic bradycardia is effectively treated with the implantation of a cardiac pacemaker. Although a highly successful therapy, during recent years there has been a focus on the negative effects associated with longterm pacing of the apex of the right ventricle(RV). It has been shown in both experimental and clinical studies that RV pacing leads to ventricular dyssynchrony, similar to that of left bundle branch block, with subsequent detrimental effects on cardiac structure and function, and in some cases adverse clinical outcomes such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure and death. There is substantial evidence that patients with reduced left ventricular function(LVEF) are at particular high risk of suffering the detrimental clinical effects of long-term RV pacing. The evidence is, however, incomplete, coming largely from subanalyses of pacemaker and implantable cardiac defibrillator studies. In this group of patients with reduced LVEF and an expected high amount of RV pacing, biventricular pacing(cardiac resynchronization therapy) devices can prevent the negative effects of RV pacing and reduce ventricular dyssynchrony. Therefore, cardiac resynchronization therapy has emerged as an attractive option with promising results and more clinical studies are underway. Furthermore, specific pacemaker algorithms, which minimize RV pacing, can also reduce the negative effects of RV stimulation on cardiac function and may prevent clinical deterioration.
摘要:Increasing life expectancy is expected to lead to a corresponding increase in the prevalence of aortic valve disease(AVD). Further, the number of indications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR) as a treatment option for AVD is expanding, with a growing role for echocardiography in its management. In this review we summarize the current literature on some newer echocardiographic modalities and the parameters they generate, with a particular focus on their prognostic and clinical value beyond conventional methods in the management of aortic stenosis, TAVR, and aortic regurgitation. Speckle tracking and 3 D echocardiography are now increasingly being used in the management of AVD. For instance, global longitudinal strain, the beststudied speckle tracking echocardiographic parameter, can detect subtle subclinical cardiac dysfunction in patients with AVD that is not apparent using traditional echocardiographic techniques. The emerging technique of 3D full volume color Doppler echocardiography provides more accurate measurement of the severity of aortic regurgitation than 2D-proximal isovelocity surface area. These novel techniques are promising for evaluating and risk stratifying patients to optimize surgical interventions, predict recovery, and improve clinical outcomes.
摘要:Hypertension is a major determinant of health and is likely to have an effect on medical economics.The economic burden due to hypertension may be attributable not only to antihypertensive medication but also to the very expensive procedures required for cases of cardiovascular disease that occur more frequently in hypertensive compared with normotensive individuals.The objective of this article was to review articles published on prospective cohort studies that measured medical expenditure attributable to hypertension in community-dwelling populations in Japan.Many medical services in these populations are provided under the medical insurance system that requires the enrolment of all Japanese residents.Personal medical expenditure attributable to hypertension increases with worsening severity of the condition.Medical expenditure was increased further in cases of hypertensive patients who have another concomitant cardiovascular risk factor.In particular,hypertension,especially moderate-to-severe untreated hypertension,increases the risk of long-term hospitalization resulting in considerably higher medical expenditure,compared with non-hospitalized cases.Therefore,assuming that the use of antihypertensive medication is essential for hypertensive patients to prevent serious vascular diseases,a cost-effective highrisk strategy needs to be considered to reduce both ill-health and the economic burden due to hypertension.However,from a population perspective,medical expenditure attributable to hypertension comes mainly from pre-to-mild hypertension.Therefore,there is also a need to consider a population strategy that aims to shift the entire population to lower levels of blood pressure.
摘要:Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is the preferred reperfusion strategy for patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI). First generation drug-eluting stents(DES),(sirolimus drug-eluting stents and paclitaxel drug-eluting stents), reduce the risk of restenosis and target vessel revascularization compared to bare metal stents. However, stent thrombosis emerged as a major safety concern with first generation DES. In response to these safety issues, second generation DES were developed with different drugs, improved stent platforms and more biocompatible durable or bioabsorbable polymeric coating. This article presents an overview of safety and efficacy of the first and second generation DES in STEMI.
摘要:Primary cardiac involvement, which develops as a direct consequence of systemic sclerosis(SSc), may manifest as myocardial damage, fibrosis of the conduction system, pericardial and, less frequently, as valvular disease. In addition, cardiac complications in SSc may develop as a secondary phenomenon due to pulmonary arterial hypertension and kidney pathology. The prevalence of primary cardiac involvement in SSc is variable and difficult to determine because of the diversity of cardiac manifestations, the presence of subclinical periods, the type of diagnostic tools applied, and the diversity of patient populations. When clinically manifested, cardiac involvement is thought to be an important prognostic factor. Profound microvascular disease is a pathognomonic feature of SSc, as both vasospasm and structural alterations are present. Such alterations are thought to predict macrovascular atherosclerosis over time. There are contradictory reports regarding the prevalence of atherosclerosis in SSc. According to some authors, the prevalence of atherosclerosis of the large epicardial coronary arteries is similar to that of the general population, in contrast with other rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. However, the level of inflammation in SSc is inferior. Thus, the atherosclerotic process may not be as aggressive and not easily detectable in smaller studies. Echocardiography(especially tissue Doppler imaging), single-photon emission computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and cardiac computed tomography are sensitive techniques for earlier detection of both structural and functional scleroderma-related cardiac pathologies. Screening for subclinical cardiac involvement via modern, sensitive tools provides an opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment, which is of crucial importance for a positive outcome.
摘要:Epidemiological, preclinical and clinical studies es-tablished the association between high alcohol con-sumption and hypertension. However the mechanism through which alcohol raises blood pressure remains elusive. Several possible mechanisms have been pro-posed such as an imbalance of the central nervous system, impairment of the baroreceptors, enhanced sympathetic activity, stimulation of the renin-angio-tensin-aldosterone system, increased cortisol levels, increased vascular reactivity due to increase in intracel-lular calcium levels, stimulation of the endothelium to release vasoconstrictors and loss of relaxation due to inflammation and oxidative injury of the endothelium leading to inhibition of endothelium-dependent nitric oxide production. Loss of relaxation due to inflamma-tion and oxidative injury of the endothelium by angio-tensin II leading to inhibition of endothelium-dependent nitric oxide production is the major contributors of the alcohol-induced hypertension. For the prevention of alcohol-induced hypertension is to reduce the amount of alcohol intake. Physical conditioning/exercise trainingis one of the most important strategies to prevent/treat chronic alcohol-induced hypertension on physiological basis. The efficacious pharmacologic treatment includes the angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor blockers(ARBs) which have antioxidant activity and calcium channel blockers. The most effective prevention and treatment of alcohol-induced hypertension is physical exercise and the use of ACE inhibitors or ARBs in the
摘要:AIM: To examine trends of uncontrolled total serum cholesterol, treatment and control in a Mediterranean region(Campania). METHODS: We considered and compared the data collected as part of "Montecorvino Rovella Project" 1988-1989 and cross-sectional data from the two phases of the "VIP Project-Valle dell'Irno Prevenzione": 1998-1999(1stphase) and 2008-2009(2ndphase), in the 35-74-year-old-population. RESULTS: Data show a reduction of mean cholesterolemia in the last twenty years of 7.3 mg/dL for men and unchanged values for women. In the three surveys the mean values for serum cholesterol are in men: 205.2 ±47.1 mg/dL(1988/89), 200 ± 38.9 mg/dL(1998/99) and 197.9 ± 40.2 mg/dL(2008/09); in the women: 203.1 ± 42.5 mg/dL(1988/89), 198.9 ± 37.9 mg/dL(1998/99) and 203.3 ± 39.3 mg/dL(2008/09). Prevalence of uncontrolled high cholesterol ≥ 240 mg/dL for men decreased from 20.8%(1988/89) to 14.3%(1998/99) and 13.9%(2008/9), P = 0.002; for women the values decreased from 19.9%(1988/89), to 18.2%(1998/99) and 18.1%(2008/09), P = 0.007. Is statistically increased the number of patients treated and those treated to target. CONCLUSION: Encouraging increases in awareness, treatment, and control of hypercholesterolemia occurred from 1988 through 2008. Nevertheless, control of hypercholesterolemia remains poor.
摘要:Coronary artery disease (CAD) is rapidly increasing in prevalence across the world and particularly in south Asians at a relatively younger age. As atherosclerosis starts in early childhood, the process of risk evaluation must start quite early. The present review addresses the issue of cutaneous markers associated with atherosclerosis, and the strengths and weaknesses of the markers in identifying early coronary atherosclerosis. A diligent search for such clinical markers, namely xanthelasma, xanthoma, arcus juvenilis, acanthosis nigricans, skin tags, ear lobe crease, nicotine stains, premature graying in smokers, hyperpigmented hands in betel quid sellers, central obesity, and signs of peripheral vascular disease may prove to be a rewarding exercise in identifying asymptomatic CAD in high risk individuals.
摘要:Obesity has become an important public health issue in Western and developing countries,with well known metabolic and cardiovascular complications.In the last decades,evidence have been growing about the active role of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ in determining these pathological consequences.As a consequence of the expansion of fat depots,in obese subjects,adipose tissue cells develope a phenotypic modification,which turns into a change of the secretory output.Adipocytokines produced by both adipocytes and adipose stromal cells are involved in the modulation of glucose and lipid handling,vascular biology and,moreover,participate to the systemic inflammatory response,which characterizes obesity and metabolic syndrome.This might represent an important pathophysiological link with atherosclerotic complications and cardiovascular events.A great number of adipocytokines have been described recently,linking inflammatory mileu and vascular pathology.The understanding of these pathways is crucial not only from a pathophysiological point of view,but also to a better cardiovascular disease risk stratification and to the identification of possible therapeutic targets.The aim of this paper is to review the role of Adipocytokines as a possible link between obesity and vascular disease.
摘要:Atrial fibrillation(AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice. Several conventional and novel predictors of AF development and progression(from paroxysmal to persistent and permanent types) have been reported. The most important predictor of AF progression is possibly the arrhythmia itself. The electrical, mechanical and structural remodeling determines the perpetuation of AF and the progression from paroxysmal to persistent and permanent forms. Common clinical scores such as the hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, transient ischemic attack or stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart failure and the congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke/transient ischemic attack, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category scores as well as biomarkers related to inflammation may also add important information on this topic. There is now increasing evidence that even in patients with so-called lone or idiopathic AF, the arrhythmia is the manifestation of a structural atrial disease which has recently been defined and described as fibrotic atrial cardiomyopathy. Fibrosis results from a broad range of factors related to AF inducing pathologies such as cell stretch, neurohumoral activation, and oxidative stress. The extent of fibrosis as detected either by late gadolinium enhancement-magnetic resonance imaging or electroanatomic voltage mapping may guide the therapeutic approach based on the arrhythmia substrate. The knowledge of these risk factors may not only delay arrhythmia progression, but also reduce the arrhythmia burden in patients with first detected AF. The present review highlights on the conventional and novel risk factors of development and progression of AF.
摘要:Higher mortality rates are reported because of cardiovascular diseases in individuals living in industrialized areas of the World.In cancer patients,cardiotoxic chemotherapeutic agents and/or mediastinal radiotherapy are additional risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease.An improved survival rate for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma was reported in recent decades.Determining and handling the long-term effects of cancer treatment have become more important nowadays,parallel to the good results reached in survival rates.Mediastinal radiotherapy and cardiotoxic chemotherapeutic agents are routinely used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma but are commonly associated with a variety of cardiovascular complications.Drugs used in cancer treatment and radiotherapy may cause deleterious effects on contractile capacity and conduction system of the heart.Approximately ten years after the completion of all therapies,the cardiovascular disease risk peaks in patients who survived from Hodgkin lymphoma.The value of coronary computed tomography angiography as a diagnostic tool in determining coronary artery disease as early as possible is underlined in this review,in patients who are in remission and carry the risk of coronary artery disease probably because of chemo/radiotherapy used in their treatment.Survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma especially treated with combined chemoradiotherapy at younger ages are candidates for coronary computed tomography angiography.
摘要:The prevalence of neoplastic pericardial diseases has changed over time and varies according to diagnostic methods. The diagnostic factor is usually the detection of neoplastic cells within the pericardial fluid or in specimens of pericardium, but the diagnosis may be difficult. Accurate sampling and cytopreparatory techniques, together with ancillary studies, including immunohistochemical tests and neoplastic marker dosage, are essential to obtain a reliable diagnosis. The goals of treatment may be simply to relieve symptoms (cardiac tamponade or dyspnea), to prevent recurrent effusion for a long-term symptomatic benefit, or to treat the local neoplastic disease with the aim of prolonging survival. Immediate relief of symptoms may be obtained with percutaneous drainage or with a surgical approach. For long term prevention of recurrences, various approaches have been proposed: extended drainage, pericardial window (surgical or percutaneous balloon pericardiostomy), sclerosing local therapy, local and/or systemic chemotherapy or radiation therapy (RT) (external or with intrapericardial radionuclides). The outcomes of various therapeutic approaches vary for different tumor types. Lymphoma and leukemias can be successfully treated with systemic chemotherapy; for solid tumors, percutaneous drainage and the use of systemic and/or localsclerosing and antineoplastic therapy seems to offer the best chance of success. The use of "pure" sclerosing agents has been replaced by agents with both sclerosing and antineoplastic activity (bleomycin or thiotepa), which seems to be quite effective in breast cancer, at least when associated with systemic chemotherapy. Local chemotherapy with platinum, mitoxantrone and other agents may lead to good local control of the disease, but the addition of systemic chemotherapy is probably relevant in order to prolong survival. The surgical approach (creation of a pericardial window, even with the mini-invasive method of balloon pericardiostomy) and RT may be useful in recurring effusions or in cases that are refractory to other therapeutic approaches.
摘要:The spasm provocation test(SPT) is an important test in the diagnosis of vasospastic angina(VSA). In many cases, this test is performed as the gold standard test, and VSA is considered not present if the SPT is negative. However, some patients continue to experience chest symptoms despite a negative SPT. In this study, we report four cases in which SPT was repeated to evaluate chest symptoms despite the negative results of the first SPT. Two men in their 70 s, one woman in her 60 s, and one woman in her 70 s, all with chest symptoms, underwent a second SPT at 4, 3, 2, and 3 years, respectively, after the first SPT, which was negative. Three patients had positive results in the second SPT(75%). In conclusion, even when SPT is negative, the diagnosis of VSA should be made with clinical symptoms in consideration. In some cases, a second SPT may be required to confirm the diagnosis of VSA.
摘要:AIM: To investigate the effects of different doses of aspirin on coronary endothelial function. METHODS: The study included 139 Japanese subjects(mean age, 60 years; 53 women) with angiographically normal coronary arteries. Patients were distributed into GroupⅠ(n = 63), who was administered aspirin and Group Ⅱ(n = 76), the control, who were not administered aspirin. GroupⅠwas further divided into GroupⅠa(n = 50, low-dose aspirin, 100 mg) and GroupⅠb(n = 13, high-dose aspirin, 500 mg). After a routine coronary angiography, acetylcholine(ACh; 3 and 30 μg/min successively) and nitroglycerin(NTG) were infused into the left coronary ostium over 2 min. The change in the diameter of the coronary artery in response to each drug was expressed as the percentage change from baseline values.RESULTS: The patient characteristics did not differ between the two groups. The change in coronary diameter in response to ACh was greater in GroupⅠthan in Group Ⅱ(P = 0.0043), although the NTG-induced coronary vasodilation was similar between groups. ACh-induced dilation was greater in GroupⅠa than in GroupⅠb(P = 0.0231). Multivariate regression analysis showed that a low-dose of aspirin(P = 0.0004) was one of the factors associated with ACh-induced dilation at 30 μg/min.CONCLUSION: In subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries, aspirin only had a positive influence on coronary endothelial function at the low dose of 100 mg. This improvement of coronary endothelial function may be involved in the preventive effect of aspirin against future coronary events.
摘要:Cardiac output(CO) is the volume of blood ejected by each ventricle per minute and is the product of stroke volume and heart rate. CO can thus be manipulated by alteration in heart rate or rhythm, preload, contractility and afterload. Moreover it gives important information about tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery. CO can be measured by various methods and thermodilution method using pulmonary artery catheter(PAC) is till date considered as gold standard method. Complications associated with PAC led to development of newer methods which are minimally or non-invasive. Newer methods fulfil other properties like continuous and reproducible reading, cost effective, reliable during various physiological states and have fast response time. These methods are validated against the gold standard with good level agreement. In this review we have discussed various newer methods of CO monitoring and their effectiveness in clinical use.
摘要:A large number of adults worldwide suffer from essen-tial hypertension, and because blood pressures(BPs) tend to remain within the same percentiles throughout life, it has been postulated that hypertensive pressures can be tracked from childhood to adulthood. Thus, chil-dren with higher BPs are more likely to become hyper-tensive adults. These "pre-hypertensive" subjects can be identified by measuring arterial BP at a young age, and compared with age, gender and height-specific references. The majority of studies report that 1 to 5% of children and adolescents are hypertensive, defined as a BP > 95th percentile, with higher prevalence rates reported for some isolated geographic areas. However, the actual prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents remains to be fully elucidated. In addition to these young "pre-hypertensive" subjects, there are also children and adolescents with a normal-high BP(90th-95th percentile). Early intervention may help pre-vent the development of essential hypertension as they age. An initial attempt should be made to lower their BP by non-pharmacologic measures, such as weight re-duction, aerobic physical exercise, and lowered sodium intake. A pharmacological treatment is usually needed should these measures fail to lower BP. The majority of antihypertensive drugs are not formulated for pediatricpatients, and have thus not been investigated in great detail. The purpose of this review is to provide an up-date concerning juvenile hypertension, and highlight recent developments in epidemiology, diagnostic meth-ods, and relevant therapies.
摘要:A tilt table test(TTT) is an inexpensive, noninvasive tool for the differential diagnosis of syncope and orthostatic intolerance and has good diagnostic yield. The autonomic system malfunction which underlines the reflex syncope is manifested as either hypotension or bradycardia, while an orthostatic challenge is applied. The timing of the response to the orthostatic challenge, as well as the predominant component of the response help to differentiate between various forms of neurocardiogenic syncope, orthostatic hypotension and non-cardiovascular conditions(e.g., pseudosyncope). Medications, such as isoproterenol and nitrates, may increase TTT sensitivity. Sublingual nitrates are easiest to administer without the need of venous access. TTT can be combined with carotid sinus massage to evaluate carotid sinus hypersensitivity, which may not be present in supine position. TTT is not useful to access the response to treatment. Recently, implantable loop recorders(ILR) have been used to document cardioinhibitory reflex syncope, because pacemakers are beneficial in many of these patients, especially those over 45 years of age. The stepwise use of both TTT and ILR is a promising approach in these patients. Recently, TTT has been used for indications other than syncope, such as assessment of autonomic function in Parkinson's disease and its differentiation from multiple system atrophy.
摘要:Aspirin is a wonder drug that has been used for well over 100 years for its analgesic and antipyretic effects. For the past three decades, it has increasingly been used for the prevention of primary and secondary cardiovascular events. Lately, it has been suggested that a significant number of individuals taking aspirin have become resistant to this drug. The phenomenon of "aspirin resistance" is based on the observation of clinical events in some patients taking aspirin, and/or a diminished platelet aggregation inhibitory response to aspirin therapy. Unfortunately, laboratory assays used to monitor the efficacy of aspirin are far from accurate and the results are not reproducible. Furthermore, results of different platelet function tests are often not congruent. In addition, platelet aggregation studies show marked interindividual and intra-individual variability. Patients with coronary heart disease take many drugs that interfere with the effect of aspirin on platelet aggregation. Besides inhibiting formation of thromboxane A2 from arachidonic acid, aspirin has a host of platelet-independent effects that complement its platelet inhibitory effects. Laboratory assays designed to measure platelet function do not take into account these pleiotropic effects of aspirin. In our view, use of the term "aspirin resistance" based on inadequate knowledge of imperfect laboratory tests does a disservice to physicians and patients.
摘要:Vitamin D deficiency has been indicated as a pandemicemerging public health problem. In addition to the well-known role on calcium-phosphorus homeostasis in thebone, vitamin D-mediated processes have been recentlyinvestigated on other diseases, such as infections, can-cer and cardiovascular diseases. Recently, both the dis-covery of paracrine actions of vitamin D(recognized as"local vitamin D system") and the link of vitamin D with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and the fibroblast growth factor 23/klotho pathways highlighted its ac-tive cardiovascular activity. Focusing on hypertension, this review summarizes the more recent experimental evidence involving the vitamin D system and deficiency in the cardiovascular pathophysiology. In particular, we updated the vascular synthesis/catabolism of vitamin D and its complex interactions between the various endocrine networks involved in the regulation of blood pressure in humans. On the other hand, the conflicting results emerged from the comparison between obser-vational and interventional studies emphasize the frag-mentary nature of our knowledge in the field of vitamin D and hypertension, strongly suggesting the need of further researches in this field.
摘要:Myocardial infarction(MI) remains the most common cause of heart failure(HF) worldwide. For almost 50 years HF has been recognised as a determinant ofadverse prognosis after MI, but efforts to promote myocardial repair have failed to translate into clinical therapies. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI) has driven improved early survival after MI, but its impact on the incidence of downstream HF is debated. The effects of PPCI are confounded by the changing epidemiology of MI and HF, with an ageing patient demographic, an increasing proportion of non-STelevation myocardial infarction, and the recognition of HF with preserved ejection fraction. Herein we review the mechanisms of HF after MI and discuss contemporary data on its incidence and outcomes. We review current and emerging strategies for early detection of patients at risk of HF after MI, with a view to identification of patient cohorts for novel therapeutic agents.
摘要:AIM: To evaluate the impact of thrombus aspiration(TA) on procedural outcomes in a real-world ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI) registry.METHODS: From May 2006 to August 2008, 542 consecutive STEMI patients referred for primary or rescue percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled and the angiographic results and stent implantation characteristics were compared according to the performance of manual TA.RESULTS: A total of 456 patients were analyzable and categorized in TA group(156 patients; 34.2%) and non-TA(NTA) group(300 patients; 65.8%). Patientstreated with TA had less prevalence of multivessel disease(39.7% vs 54.7%, P = 0.003) and higher prevalence of initial thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow < 3(P < 0.001) than NTA group. There was a higher rate of direct stenting(58.7% vs 45.5%, P = 0.009), with shorter(24.1 ± 11.8 mm vs 26.9 ± 15.7 mm, P = 0.038) and larger stents(3.17 ± 0.43 mm vs 2.93 ± 0.44 mm, P < 0.001) in the TA group as compared to NTA group. The number of implanted stents(1.3 ± 0.67 vs 1.5 ± 0.84, P = 0.009) was also lower in TA group. CONCLUSION: In an "all-comers" STEMI population, the use of TA resulted in more efficient procedure leading to the implantation of less number of stents per lesion of shorter lengths and larger sizes.
摘要:Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia(HHT) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterised by vascular malformations in predominantly the brain,liverand lungs.Pulmonary hypertension(PH) is increasingly recognised as a severe complication of HHT.PH may be categorised into two distinct types in patients with HHT.Post-capillary PH most often results from a high pulmonary blood flow that accompanies the high cardiac output state associated with liver arteriovenous malformations.Less frequently,the HHT-related gene mutations in ENG or ACVRL1 appear to predispose patients with HHT to develop pre-capillary pulmonary arterial hypertension.Differentiation between both forms of PH by right heart catheterisation is essential,since both entities are associated with severe morbidity and mortality with different treatment options.Therefore all HHT patients should be referred to an HHT centre.
摘要:AIM:To combine pressure and flow parameter, pressure drop coefficient(CDP) will result in better clinical outcomes in comparison to the fractional flow reserve(FFR) group. METHODS:To test this hypothesis, a comparison was made between the FFR < 0.75 and CDP > 27.9 groups in this study, for the major adverse cardiac events [major adverse cardiac events(MACE): Primary outcome] and patients’ quality of life(secondary outcome). Further, a comparison was also made between the survival curves for the FFR < 0.75 and CDP > 27.9 groups. Two-tailed χ~2 test proportions were performed for the comparison of primary and secondary outcomes. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to compare the survival curves of FFR < 0.75 and CDP > 27.9 groups(MedcalcV10.2, Mariakerke, Belgium). Results were considered statistically significant for P < 0.05. RESULTS: The primary outcomes(%MACE) in the FFR < 0.75 group(20%, 4 out of 20) was not statistically different(P = 0.24) from the %MACE occurring in CDP > 27.9 group(8.57%, 2 out of 35). Noteworthy is the reduction in the %MACE in the CDP > 27.9 group, in comparison to the FFR < 0.75 group. Further, the secondary outcomes were not statistically significant between the FFR < 0.75 and CDP > 27.9 groups. Survival analysis results suggest that the survival time for the CDP > 27.9 group(n = 35) is significantly higher(P = 0.048) in comparison to the survival time for the FFR < 0.75 group(n = 20). The results remained similar for a FFR = 0.80 cut-off. CONCLUSION: Based on the above, CDP could prove to be a better diagnostic end-point for clinical revascularization decision-making in the cardiac catheterization laboratories.
摘要:Malignant ventricular arrhythmias are a major adverse event and worsen the prognosis of patients affected by ischemic and non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.The main parameter currently used to stratify arrhythmic risk and guide decision making towards the implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator is the evaluation of the left ventricular ejection fraction.However,this strategy is characterized by several limitations and consequently additional parameters have been suggested in order to improve arrhythmic risk stratification.The aim of this review is to critically revise the prognostic significance of non-invasive diagnostic tools in order to better stratify the arrhythmic risk prognosis of dilated cardiomyopathy patients.