Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jan 2007
Influence of blood pressure on the effectiveness of a fixed-dose combination of isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine in the African-American Heart Failure Trial.
This study sought to assess the effect of baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) and changes in SBP on the effectiveness of treatment with fixed-dose combination of isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine (FDC I/H) in patients with heart failure (HF). ⋯ In A-HeFT, patients with lower SBP had a greater risk but a similar relative benefit from the use of FDC I/H as those with higher SBP. The FDC I/H treatment did not reduce SBP in patients with low SBP. An asymptomatic low SBP should not be considered a contraindication to use of FDC I/H in patients with HF.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Dec 2006
GuidelineAmerican College of Cardiology 2006 principles to guide physician pay-for-performance programs: a report of the American College of Cardiology Work Group on Pay for Performance (A Joint Working Group of the ACC Quality Strategic Direction Committee and the ACC Advocacy Committee).
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Dec 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyRandomized double-blind comparison of sirolimus-eluting stent versus bare-metal stent implantation in diseased saphenous vein grafts: six-month angiographic, intravascular ultrasound, and clinical follow-up of the RRISC Trial.
We sought to compare, in a randomized fashion, sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) versus bare-metal stents (BMS) in saphenous vein grafts (SVGs). ⋯ Sirolimus-eluting stents significantly reduce late loss in SVG as opposed to BMS. This is associated with a reduction in restenosis rate and repeated target lesion and vessel revascularization procedures. (The RRISC Study; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show; NCT00263263).
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Dec 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialLate clinical events after clopidogrel discontinuation may limit the benefit of drug-eluting stents: an observational study of drug-eluting versus bare-metal stents.
We sought to define the incidence of late clinical events and late stent thrombosis in patients treated with drug-eluting (DES) versus bare-metal stents (BMS) after the discontinuation of clopidogrel as well as their timing and outcome. ⋯ After the discontinuation of clopidogrel, the benefit of DES in reducing target vessel revascularization is maintained but has to be balanced against an increase in late cardiac death or nonfatal MI, possibly related to late stent thrombosis.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Dec 2006
Comparative StudyHead-to-head comparison of two- and three-dimensional transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in the localization of mitral valve prolapse.
The aim of this study, undertaken in patients who underwent mitral valve (MV) repair surgery, was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of 3-dimensional (3D) transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiography in the evaluation of MV pathology. ⋯ Three-dimensional TTE and TEE are feasible and useful methods in identifying the location of MV prolapse. They were superior in the description of pathology in comparison with the corresponding 2D techniques and should be regarded as an important adjunct to standard 2D examinations in decisions regarding MV repair.