Journal of cardiovascular medicine
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Jun 2006
Protective role of chronic statin therapy in reducing myocardial damage during percutaneous coronary intervention.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is frequently associated with troponin I (TnI) elevation. Experimental studies suggest that statins may reduce ischaemia-reperfusion myocardial injury. The study objective was to verify whether chronic treatment with statins might reduce the occurrence and the extent of periprocedural myocardial damage in patients undergoing PCI. ⋯ This study shows that chronic therapy with statins reduces the incidence of periprocedural myocardial damage after PCI. The beneficial effect of statins was independent of either the most important clinical and angiographic characteristics or the use of other cardiovascular drugs including beta-blockers. These data support the specific cardioprotective role of statins.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · May 2006
Plasma levels of metalloproteinases-9 and -2 in the acute and subacute phases of type A and type B aortic dissection.
Aortic dissection is characterized by an acute phase of medial dissection and a subacute-chronic phase of vessel wall repair. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), through degradation of extracellular matrix, may play an important role in these processes. Elevation of MMPs might represent an opportunity to diagnostically characterize acute or chronic aortic processes. We examined the potential diagnostic role of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in different phases of aortic dissection. ⋯ This pilot study suggests that the acute and subacute phase of both type A and type B aortic dissection is characterized by an increase of MMP-9 plasma levels. A marked increase is also evident in the subacute phase of medically treated type B aortic dissection as an expression of aortic wall remodelling. An increase of proteolytic activity could accompany attempts of the dissected aorta to heal itself but such a phenomena might further weaken the aortic wall, predisposing it to dilation and/or rupture.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Mar 2006
Case ReportsD-dimer serum levels in a case of type B aortic dissection. A rapid test for the early diagnosis of acute aortic disease?
This article reports on a case of acute type B aortic dissection presenting with electrocardiographic abnormalities mimicking an acute coronary syndrome, associated with high D-dimer levels in the acute phase and normalization in the chronic phase of the disease process. This case report is consistent with recent data from the literature suggesting that D-dimer levels might be a useful biochemical tool in the diagnostic work-up of patients with suspected acute aortic dissection.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Feb 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyTreatment of pulmonary hypertension in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: a randomized, prospective, double-blind study.
Pulmonary hypertension can already be present in patients undergoing cardiac surgery or can be exacerbated by cardiopulmonary bypass. Postoperative treatment is still a challenge for physicians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of inhaled prostacyclin (iPGI2) and nitric oxide (iNO) compared with those of intravenous vasodilators. ⋯ Our data suggest that both iNO and iPGI2 are effective in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension. iPGI2 has a number of advantages over iNO, including its easy administration and lower cost. Intravenous vasodilator treatment, on the other hand, is effective in terms of mortality but has a higher morbidity rate.
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · Feb 2006
Bridge to transplantation with the MicroMed DeBakey ventricular assist device axial pump: a single centre report.
Left ventricular assist devices (VADs) are an accepted therapy to bridge patients with end-stage heart failure to heart transplantation. The DeBakey VAD, a continuous axial flow pump weighing 93 g, has been introduced into clinical practice as a bridge to transplant. ⋯ In our experience with the continuous axial flow DeBakey VAD, a high success rate was obtained associated with a low risk of complications. All the patients tolerated continuous blood flow for extended periods that makes this device a valuable alternative to pulsatile VADs as a bridge to transplantation.