Clinical cardiology
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Clinical cardiology · Oct 2011
Mildly decreased glomerular filtration rate is associated with poor coronary collateral circulation in patients with coronary artery disease.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between mildly decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and coronary collateral circulation (CCC). ⋯ We found that CCC was worse in patients with mildly decreased GFR compared to patients with normal GFR in patients with coronary artery disease.
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Clinical cardiology · Oct 2011
Comparative StudyComparison of ventricular tachyarrhythmia characteristics in patients with idiopathic dilated or ischemic cardiomyopathy and defibrillators implanted for primary prevention.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy for primary prevention is well established in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Data on the role of ICDs in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and no history of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT/VF) are more limited. ⋯ DCM patients with prophylactic ICDs implanted due to heart failure and patients fulfilling MADIT criteria reveal comparable patterns of VT/VF/ES events during long-term follow-up. Incidence, mean number of events, and time to first event did not differ significantly. Findings support the current guidelines for prophylactic ICD therapy in DCM patients with heart failure.
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Clinical cardiology · Oct 2011
Prevalence and predictors of warfarin use in patients with atrial fibrillation at low or intermediate risk and relation to thromboembolic events.
According to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/European Society of Cardiology guidelines, the choice of aspirin or warfarin to prevent thromboembolic events (TEs) in patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation (AF) should be based on the CHADS(2) score. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of warfarin use in patients with AF at low (CHADS(2) =0) or intermediate (CHADS(2) =1) risk for TEs. ⋯ Although either aspirin or warfarin is recommended to prevent TEs in patients with AF at intermediate risk for TEs, warfarin is preferred in the majority of patients in general practice. Lack of warfarin use is associated with a higher risk of TEs in intermediate-risk patients with AF. The adoption of new oral anticoagulants that have lower risk of major hemorrhage than warfarin for low- or intermediate-risk AF patients remains to be determined.