Journal of cardiovascular medicine
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Nov 2012
Comparative StudyThe importance of training in echocardiography: a validation study using pocket echocardiography.
To investigate the training effect in echocardiography by using recent hand-held ultrasound scanners (HANDs). ⋯ Well-grounded training in echocardiography leads to a rapid improvement in image acquisition and interpretation over a period of a few weeks. Basic diagnostic findings could be interpreted with high accuracy after short training. Interpretation of complex findings remained difficult. The time needed to carry out an examination using pocket echocardiography could not be reduced to less than 3-4 min per patient. New educational concepts are warranted.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Nov 2012
ReviewRemote ischemic conditioning: the cardiologist's perspective.
Early and successful restoration of myocardial reperfusion following an ischemic event is the most effective strategy to reduce final infarct size and improve clinical outcome. However, revascularization per se may induce further myocardial damage by myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and worsen clinical outcome. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are required to protect the myocardium against ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients with coronary artery disease. ⋯ Large-scale multicenter clinical trials are needed to establish the role of RIC in the current clinical practice. At present, the use of RIC in acute coronary syndromes seems particularly attractive due to its potential in-ambulance application and apparent dramatic reduction in infarct size in the patients with the largest infarcts. Cardiac arrest and stroke represent ischemia-reperfusion disorders where RIC has further potential to improve outcome beyond rapid revascularization alone.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Nov 2012
Clinical characteristics and risk assessment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients of an Iranian referral center.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the main cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of death and disability in the Iranian population. This prospective comprehensive study aimed to assess the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes with possible correlations between them in patients with AMI. ⋯ Our results provide emphasis on prevention of cardiovascular risk factors and further support to decrease patients' prehospital delay and accelerate in-hospital interventions for patients with AMI.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Nov 2012
α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid in early postoperative period of cardiopulmonary bypass.
To investigate whether α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid have effect on the suppression of inflammation in the early postoperative period after open heart surgery. ⋯ Suppression of the systemic inflammatory response to CPB is a double-edged sword and whether this suppression aids in the attenuation of morbidity and mortality is obscure. In this respect, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol seem to display some anti-inflammatory effect, but further studies are necessary to reveal the actual therapeutic potential and the complex mechanism related to biochemical and inflammatory parameters.