Bmc Cardiovasc Disor
-
Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Oct 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEvaluation of efficacy, safety and tolerability of Ambrisentan in Chinese adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension: a prospective open label cohort study.
Although several new drugs have been approved in recent years, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a rapidly progressive disease with a poor prognosis. Ambrisentan, a selective endothelin type A antagonist, has been approved for treatment of PAH. This open label study assessed the efficacy and safety of ambrisentan in Chinese subjects with PAH. ⋯ Ambrisentan (5 and 10 mg, orally) significantly improved the exercise capacity in Chinese PAH subjects with a safety profile similar to that observed in global studies.
-
Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Oct 2016
Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 and its binding protein-7: potential novel biomarkers for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7 (IGFBP-7) modulates the biological activities of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Previous studies demonstrated the prognostic value of IGFBP-7 and IGF-1 among patients with systolic heart failure (HF). This study aimed to evaluate the IGF1/IGFBP-7 axis in HF patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). ⋯ In conclusion, this hypothesis-generating pilot study suggests the IGFBP-7/IGF-1 axis correlates with diastolic function and may serve as a novel biomarker in patients with HFpEF. A rise in IGFBP-7 or the IGFBP-7/IGF-1 ratio may reflect worsening diastolic function, adverse cardiac remodeling, and metabolic derangement.
-
Bmc Cardiovasc Disor · Oct 2016
ReviewWhat is the impact of systems of care for heart failure on patients diagnosed with heart failure: a systematic review.
Hospital admissions for heart failure are predicted to rise substantially over the next decade placing increasing pressure on the health care system. There is an urgent need to redesign systems of care for heart failure to improve evidence-based practice and create seamless transitions through the continuum of care. The aim of the review was to examine systems of care for heart failure that reduce hospital readmissions and/or mortality. ⋯ Redesigning systems of care aimed at improving the translation of evidence into clinical practice and transitional care can potentially improve patient outcomes in a cohort of patients known for high readmission rates and mortality.