American heart journal
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American heart journal · Feb 2014
Comparative StudyPatterns and prognosis of all components of the J-wave pattern in multiethnic athletes and ambulatory patients.
Despite recent concern about the significance of the J-wave pattern (also often referred to as early repolarization) and the importance of screening in athletes, there are limited rigorous prognostic data characterizing the 3 components of the J-wave pattern (ST elevation, J waves, and QRS slurs). We aim to assess the prevalence, patterns, and prognosis of the J-wave pattern among both stable clinical and athlete populations. ⋯ J waves, slurs, or ST elevation was not associated with increased hazard of cardiovascular death in our large multiethnic, ambulatory population. Even subsets of J-wave patterns, recently proposed to pose a risk of arrhythmic death, occurred at such a high prevalence as to negate their utility in screening.
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American heart journal · Feb 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyEPITOME-2: An open-label study assessing the transition to a new formulation of intravenous epoprostenol in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Continuous infusion of epoprostenol is the treatment of choice in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension in functional classes III to IV. However, this treatment's limitations include instability at room temperature. A new epoprostenol formulation offers improved storage conditions and patient convenience. ⋯ Transition from epoprostenol with glycine and mannitol excipients to epoprostenol with arginine and sucrose excipients did not affect treatment efficacy, raised no new safety or tolerability concerns, and provided patients with an increased sense of treatment convenience.
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American heart journal · Feb 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyErectile dysfunction in the cardiology practice-a patients' perspective.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events sharing mutual risk factors with coronary artery disease. Several guidelines for the management of ED in cardiovascular disease have been proposed, recommending cardiologists to routinely inquire about erectile function. However, males' specific needs and wishes regarding sexual health care in cardiology are unknown. We sought to identify male patients' view concerning possible improvements in sexual health care and preferred forms of sexual counseling in the cardiology practice. ⋯ Erectile dysfunction is highly prevalent in patients with a variety of cardiovascular diagnosis and care for sexual function is mandatory. Patients indicated that above consultation with the cardiologist, both consultation with a specialized nurse and written information would be helpful.
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American heart journal · Feb 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyAmsterdam Investigator-initiateD Absorb strategy all-comers trial (AIDA trial): a clinical evaluation comparing the efficacy and performance of ABSORB everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold strategy vs the XIENCE family (XIENCE PRIME or XIENCE Xpedition) everolimus-eluting coronary stent strategy in the treatment of coronary lesions in consecutive all-comers: rationale and study design.
The Absorb everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (AbsorbBVS) is a completely resorbable device engineered to overcome the limitations of permanent metallic stents, providing temporary scaffolding and antiproliferative drug delivery for the treatment of obstructive coronary artery disease. ⋯ The AIDA trial will provide the first randomized direct comparison between the everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold and the everolimus-eluting metallic stent in contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention practice.
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American heart journal · Feb 2014
Comparative StudyGrowth differentiation factor 15 and cardiovascular events in patients with stable ischemic heart disease (The Heart and Soul Study).
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a relatively new biomarker that predicts mortality in patients with chronic stable angina or acute coronary syndrome. However, the association of GDF-15 with cardiovascular (CV) events and the mechanisms of this association are not well understood. ⋯ Higher levels of GDF-15 are associated with major CV events in patients with stable ischemic heart disease. This suggests that GDF-15 is capturing an element of risk not explained by other known risk factors.