Bmc Cardiovasc Disor
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2014
Using the LACE index to predict hospital readmissions in congestive heart failure patients.
The LACE index has been used to predict the risk of unplanned readmission within 30 days after hospital discharge in both medical and surgical patients. The aim of this study is to validate the accuracy of using the LACE index in CHF patients. ⋯ The LACE index may not accurately predict unplanned readmissions within 30 days from hospital discharge in CHF patients. The LACE high risk index may have utility as a screening tool to predict high risk ED revisits after hospital discharge.
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2014
Cigarette smoke increases cardiomyocyte ceramide accumulation and inhibits mitochondrial respiration.
Cigarette smoking is a common and lethal worldwide habit, with considerable mortality stemming from its deleterious effects on heart function. While current theories posit altered blood lipids and fibrinogen metabolism as likely mediators, none have explored the role of the sphingolipid ceramide in exacerbating heart function with smoke exposure. Ceramide production is a consequence of cigarette smoke in the lung, and considering ceramide's harmful effects on mitochondrial function, we sought to elucidate the role of ceramide in mediating smoke-induced altered heart mitochondrial respiration. ⋯ These results suggest ceramide to be an important mediator of altered myocardial mitochondrial function with cigarette smoke exposure. Thus, anti-ceramide therapies might be considered in the future to protect heart mitochondrial function with smoke exposure.
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEfficacy and safety of alirocumab, a fully human PCSK9 monoclonal antibody, in high cardiovascular risk patients with poorly controlled hypercholesterolemia on maximally tolerated doses of statins: rationale and design of the ODYSSEY COMBO I and II trials.
Alirocumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) under investigation for treatment of hypercholesterolemia and reduction of cardiovascular events. ⋯ In conclusion, the COMBO studies will provide information on the long-term efficacy and safety of alirocumab in high-risk patients when administered in addition to maximally tolerated statin therapy, with a flexible dosing strategy which allows for individualized therapy based on the degree of LDL-C lowering needed to achieve the desired treatment response.
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2014
Multicenter StudyTreatment patterns and their outcomes of acute aortic intramural hematoma in real world: multicenter registry for aortic intramural hematoma.
Intramural hematoma of the aorta (IMH), a variant of classic aortic dissection, shows very dynamic process in the early phase. The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with acute aortic IMH from real world registry data. ⋯ For real world practice in Korea, most of IMH patients were treated medically at presentation and showed favorable outcomes. Thus, even in type A acute IMH, early medical treatment with alternative surgical conversion for selected, complicated cases would be a favorable treatment option.
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Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Jan 2014
Review Meta AnalysisRight ventricular dysfunction as an echocardiographic prognostic factor in hemodynamically stable patients with acute pulmonary embolism: a meta-analysis.
We investigated whether right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) as assessed by echocardiogram can be used as a prognostic factor in hemodynamically stable patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Short-term mortality has been investigated only in small studies and the results have been controversial. ⋯ In hemodynamically stable patients with acute PE, RVD as assessed by echocardiogram increases short-term mortality by 2.29 times. Consideration should be given to obtaining echocardiogram to identify high-risk patients even if they are hemodynamically stable.