Journal of cardiology
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Syncope is one of the most common reasons for emergency department and urgent care clinic visits. The management of syncope continues to be a challenging problem for front-line providers inasmuch as there are a multitude of possible causes for syncope ranging from relatively benign conditions to potentially life-threatening ones. In any event, it is important to identify those syncope patients who are at immediate risk of life-threatening events; these individuals require prompt hospitalization and thorough evaluation. Conversely, it is equally important to avoid unnecessary hospitalization of low-risk patients since unneeded hospital care adds to the healthcare cost burden. ⋯ This review summarizes the findings of various risk-stratification studies and points out key differences between them. While, the existing risk-stratification methods cannot replace critical assessment by an experienced physician, they do provide valuable guidance. In addition, the various risk-assessment schemes highlight the need for careful initial clinical assessment of syncope patients, selective testing, and being mindful of the short- and long-term risks.
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Journal of cardiology · Mar 2014
Comparative StudyComparison of immediate results and mid-term follow-up of surgical and percutaneous closure of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm.
The past decade has witnessed considerable improvement in implantation techniques for percutaneous closure of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm. This study was undertaken to compare the immediate results and mid-term follow-up of traditional surgery and percutaneous closure of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm in China. ⋯ Percutaneous closure is an attractive alternative to surgery in selected patients with ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm for the better clinical advantages and economic benefits.
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Journal of cardiology · Mar 2014
Aortic stiffness is increased in patients with premature coronary artery disease: a tissue Doppler imaging study.
Atherosclerosis and arterial stiffening may coexist and the correlation of these parameters in patients with premature coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been well elucidated. Tissue Doppler imaging of the ascending aorta may be used in the assessment of elastic properties of the great arteries. ⋯ Arterial stiffness is increased in patients with premature CAD. EAo of the anterior wall of ascending aorta measured with pulse-wave TDI echocardiography is correlated with arterial stiffening and is decreased in patients with premature CAD.