Kardiol Pol
-
As coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains an important myocardial revascularisation strategy, more attention has been paid to the role of numerous factors affecting outcomes after CABG, including depression and depressive symptoms. However, previous studies on this issue gave inconsistent results, the dynamics of depression has been seldom investigated, and only few reports have specifically addressed this problem in Poland. ⋯ During a 2-year prospective follow-up of patients after CABG, cardiac events were significantly more common among patients with chronic depression (but not incidental depression) as compared to patients without depressive symptoms. Hospitalisation rate among patients with chronic depression was significantly higher compared to both patients without depression or with incidental depression. Both chronic and incidental depression was not shown to be to be a risk factor for the combined endpoint of death, MI, coronary angioplasty or redo CABG surgery. Severe depressive symptoms that required the use of antidepressants at baseline were an independent risk factor of recurrent angina. The presence of depressive symptoms at baseline and BDI score at 3 months were independent risk factors for rehospitalisation. This suggests that the dynamics of depressive symptoms may have an effect on rehospitalisations in patients after CABG.
-
Interest in the role of arterial stiffness in the pathomechanism of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction has grown in recent years. ⋯ Carotid IMT as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and PWVβ as an index of carotid arterial stiffness are, besides age, independently associated with LV early diastolic dysfunction occurrence in untreated middle-aged hypertensives.
-
Stress hyperglycaemia on admission is a predictor of mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). ⋯ The best cut-off value for stress hyperglycaemia determined by ROC curve in patients with acute MI treated invasively is 205 mg/dL (11.28 mmol/L). Patients with glucose levels 〉 205 mg/dL (11.28 mmol/L) on admission have significantly higher late mortality compared to those with glucose levels 〈 205 mg/dL (11.28 mmol/L). Our results suggest that hyperglycaemia is a reliable marker of poor outcome in acute MI patients with and without previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus. This level of glucose may be used in risk stratification in patients with acute MI.
-
Patients with inferior wall ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are considered to be at lower risk than patients with anterior wall STEMI. Nonetheless, 30-40% of all acute inferior wall MI cases have a poor prognosis. ⋯ ST segment changes in lead aVR occurred in approximately half of inferior wall STEMI patients. The presence of such ST segment changes was associated with a poorer prognosis during the hospital stay, and the changes were not associated with the type of reperfusion treatment.
-
In order to achieve optimal outcomes when treating ventricular tachyarrhythmias with implantable devices, it is extremely important to identify parameters predisposing to arrhythmia. In view of current restrictions in healthcare funding, there is a growing demand for additional predictors of arrhythmia that would allow better patient selection for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) use for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). ⋯ Factors associated with a significantly increased risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia/appropriate ICD intervention included reduced LVEF, increased resting HR, NYHA class II or higher heart failure, and wide QRS. Patients with low LVEF (< 31%) are at particular risk of SCD due to ventricular arrhythmia and this parameter alone can influence the decision regarding ICD implantation. No effect of ICD interventions on total mortality was observed, although more ICD interventions were observed in patients who died due to heart failure.