Kardiol Pol
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Proper selection of patients at high risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) and increasing use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) may contribute to improved survival among patients at the highest SCD risk. ⋯ Death rate was higher in patients with LVEF <30%, NYHA class III or IV, no DFT performed and no statin treatment. In these patients, indications for cardiac resynchronisation therapy should be considered. HR <78 bpm and QRS width <118 ms are independent protective factors. HR >78 bpm was observed in all SCD patients. Sicker ICD patients live for a shorter time. The presence of atrial fibrillation, number of antiarrhythmic ICD interventions, ICD type and revascularisation approach did not affect survival/mortality.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids improve responsiveness to clopidogrel after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with cytochrome P450 2C19 loss-of-function polymorphism.
Antiplatelet properties of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been demonstrated in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). It is unknown whether omega-3 PUFA can enhance platelet inhibition on standard aspirin and clopidogrel treatment in the setting of CYP2C19 loss-of-function polymorphism. ⋯ The addition of omega-3 ethyl esters significantly potentiates platelet response to clopidogrel after PCI mostly in patients with CYP2C19 loss-of-function polymorphism.
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Despite significant progress on the diagnosis work-up of patients with suspented acute pulmonary embolism (APE), several therapeutic and prognostic issues have not yet been well established. ⋯ Despite adequate treatment there is a possibility of haemodynamic collapse and the need for thrombolysis in approximately 9% of intermediate risk APE patients. Not only age and compromised haemodynamic status but also plasma creatinine, NT-proBNP, and troponin I levels are prognostic factors of early in-hospital mortality in patients with APE. Due to high mortality rate among non-thrombolysed high risk patients, their therapy should be more aggressive and contraindications for thrombolysis should be less restrictive.
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Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy with significant hypertrophy of the basal septum is the most frequently reported cause of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) in the mechanism of systolic anterior movement (SAM). Additionally, other conditions such as dehydration, vasodilatation, mitral valve repair, dobutamine stress echocardiography and pheochromocytoma have been associated with LVOTO. In this report, we present a case of a patient without hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who developed severe LVOTO in the SAM mechanism. The presented case serves as a reminder that hypovolaemia together with hyperdynamic state resulting from increased catecholemines may result in the development of dynamic LVOTO.