Journal of cardiovascular medicine
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Apr 2009
ReviewPostmenopausal hormone therapy and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Sex hormones exert significant effects on the cardiovascular system. Ovarian hormone deficiency associated with menopause plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease in women. The reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), reported in observational studies, has not been subsequently confirmed in randomized clinical trials. ⋯ The benefit of HRT in relieving menopausal symptoms and reducing the occurrence of hip fractures should be weighted against the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. For this purpose, it is crucial to identify the presence of cardiovascular risk factors in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. The cardiovascular effects of sex hormones, the increased risk of cardiovascular disease after menopause, and the effects of HRT on cardiovascular risk are critically reviewed, as well as their impact on the recommendations for clinical practice.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Apr 2009
Case ReportsTranscatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus reverses left ventricular dysfunction in a septuagenarian.
A 70-year-old man was admitted because of a 6-month history of progressive dyspnoea on exertion. The medical history showed that he suffered from patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) that was closed at 35 years of age by surgical ligation. Subsequently, up to year 1992, no evidence of residual left-to-right shunt was found. ⋯ Although this kind of device is frequently used in the paediatric population, adult patients may present different challenges in proper management, such as poor visualization, calcification and pulmonary hypertension. In the description of the case reported here, we show that a PDA can present as congestive heart failure in the elderly. Percutaneous closure can be very effective in ameliorating left ventricular performance as well as symptoms.
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Mitral valve aneurysm is defined as a localized, thin-walled, saccular bulge of the mitral leaflet toward the left atrium. In this study, we report a case of mitral aneurysm of the posterior leaflet (scallop P3) secondary to primary mitral endocarditis in a patient who underwent prosthetic aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Mar 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyPositive end-expiratory pressure during infrarenal aortic clamping limits hemodynamic impairment risk.
Aortic clamping and unclamping abruptly impact hemodynamic assessment. First, vascular resistance and venous blood return increase, causing a cardiac stress; second, when the clamp has been replaced, vascular resistance falls and hypotension with low perfusion pressure risk occurs. We hypothesized that positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) during clamping could limit hemodynamic alterations, then its zeroing just before unclamping could guarantee a more stable blood pressure after restoring total circulation. ⋯ PEEP-mechanical ventilation during the clamping phase of infrarenal aortic aneurismectomy can limit blood pressure variation due to clamping and unclamping.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Mar 2009
Case ReportsUnexplained syncope, Brugada-like ECG and minimal structural right ventricular abnormalities: which is the right diagnosis?
We describe a 65-year-old man with unexplained syncope, Brugada ECG pattern and right ventricular abnormalities. To reach a diagnosis of Brugada syndrome, a variety of diseases have to be excluded. This case report shows how difficult the differential diagnosis is, particularly with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, after documentation of minimal structural RV abnormalities; invasive examination may be required. In this case, three-dimensional electroanatomical bipolar voltage mapping revealed a scar area in the right ventricle in the absence of clear-cut kinetic abnormalities, but the sensitivity of this method and specificity in patients without confirmed arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy have not been defined.