Journal of cardiovascular medicine
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Nov 2009
Aortic valve re-implantation technique with Gelweave Valsalva prosthesis: safety, reproducibility and pitfalls of a geometric reconstruction.
To evaluate the safety, reproducibility and pitfalls of an aortic valve re-implantation (AVRei) technique. ⋯ AVRei with Valsalva conduit is a well-tolerated procedure both in elective and emergency situations. In well-selected patients, good functional and clinical results can be achieved, regardless of the cause of the aortic root disease. Application of simple surgical manoeuvres allows durable clinical efficacy to be obtained without the risk of major complications.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Oct 2009
Case ReportsBuerger's disease and anticardiolipin antibodies.
Thromboangiitis obliterans or Buerger's disease is an occlusive, inflammatory, nonatherosclerotic vascular disease of unknown etiology, which affects mainly the small and medium arteries, veins and nerves. Anticardiolipin antibodies are associated with arterial and venous thrombosis, repetitive miscarriages and thrombocytopenia. The aim of this study is to bring to attention the diagnosis of Buerger's disease when found in conjunction with anticardiolipin antibodies. ⋯ Shionoya's criteria for Buerger's disease were compatible with the two diseases: anticardiolipin antibody syndrome and Buerger's disease, both of which can occur in isolation or associated, thereby complicating the diagnosis. It is concluded that anticardiolipin can be associated with Buerger's disease and may worsen the thrombotic event of the disease but the two entities are separate. The diagnosis is not complicated.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Sep 2009
Diagnostic accuracy and clinical relevance of brain natriuretic peptide assay in pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases.
The clinical usefulness of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) assay in congenital heart diseases is still controversial. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and clinical relevance of this assay in different cardiovascular hemodynamic conditions in pediatric patients with congenital heart diseases. ⋯ BNP assay showed a good diagnostic accuracy in discriminating between healthy individuals and patients. Congenital heart disease with left ventricular pressure overload and biventricular volume overload has higher BNP values than that with right ventricular pressure overload.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Sep 2009
Editorial Case ReportsAcute inferior myocardial infarction due to cannabis smoking in a young man.
Cannabis smoking, which has euphoric effects, is consistently increasing in Europe. Smoking cannabis is a rare trigger of acute myocardial infarction (MI) by inducing coronary artery spasm. ⋯ Although some cases were reported with MI after cannabis smoking, only two case reports with inferior MI after cannabis smoking were reported in the literature. The present report is of a young male patient who was affected by acute inferior MI half an hour after cannabis smoking.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Sep 2009
Pharmacological treatment after acute myocardial infarction from 2001 to 2006: a survey in Italian primary care.
Pharmacological preventive therapy after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is strictly recommended because of its great efficacy. Little is known about long-term utilization of drugs related to cardiovascular secondary prevention in everyday practice. ⋯ The prescription of recommended drugs after AMI has increased from 2001 to 2006 in Italy, but the prescription rate remains largely unsatisfactory. Therapeutic continuity is also suboptimal.