International journal of cardiology
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Letter Review Case Reports
Immediate, same-setting paravalvular leak closure following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
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Review Meta Analysis
Lack of efficacy of resveratrol on C-reactive protein and selected cardiovascular risk factors--Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Numerous studies have suggested that oral supplementation with resveratrol exerts cardioprotective effects, but evidence of the effects on C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels and other cardiovascular (CV) risk factors is inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of resveratrol supplementation on plasma CRP concentrations and selected predictors of CV risk. ⋯ This meta-analysis of available RCTs does not suggest any benefit of resveratrol supplementation on CV risk factors. Larger, well-designed trials are necessary to confirm these results.
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In heart failure (HF), activation of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and adrenomedullin (ADM) is adaptive. The activation of these peptides in relation to different HF phenotypes such as HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and heart transplantation (HTx) remains poorly characterized. ⋯ Patterns of the cardiomyocyte stress hormones NT-proBNP and MR-proANP suggest that compared to HFrEF, HFpEF may represent milder disease and LVAD and HTx may represent progressive resolution of HF severity. NT-proBNP and MR-proANP independently predicted prognosis in both HFpEF and HFrEF. In contrast, MR-proADM did not distinguish between HFpEF and HFrEF, did not predict prognosis in either, and may be more non-specific in HF.
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Coronary artery diseases and particularly acute myocardial infarction are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in western countries. Despite the achievements of the last decades with the advent of double antiplatelet therapy, new antithrombotics and reperfusion strategies (either pharmacological or mechanical), many patients still have adverse cardiovascular events after ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction; at least some of these adverse events are related to the no reflow phenomenon that occurs after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. In our review we will discuss the various aspects of this phenomenon.