Kardiol Pol
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Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is the most frequently used device for mechanical circulation support. We report a case of a 65-year-old female patient with myocardial infarction complicated by recurrent pulmonary edema. We decided to use long-term IABP despite lack of clear indication for this therapy, what enable us to stabilise hemodynamic state of our patient and perform coronary artery bypass grafting. Indications for this procedure and risk of long-term conterpulsation is discussed.
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Dilated cardiomyopathy is characterised by significant enlargement of cardiac chambers, which can lead to functional mitral regurgitation. Surgery is a widely accepted treatment of secondary mitral regurgitation. Conventional cardiac surgery has a high procedural risk and therefore new techniques for percutaneous repair of mitral valve are being developed. The CARILLON system is one of devices that is implanted into the coronary venous system, which enables tension of the mitral ring in order to improve coaptation of the leaflets. ⋯ The CARILLON system implantation to the coronary venous system in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation can lead to the improvement of selected echocardiographic indices of mitral regurgitation.
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Case Reports
[Tako-tsubo syndrome - a form of acute coronary syndrome or completely different clinical entity - a case report].
Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, is a temporary left ventricular dysfunction characterised by acute retrosternal rest pain, ST - segment elevation, slight elevation of cardiac necrosis markers, preferential apical akinesia or hypokinesia with basal hypercontractility in echocardiography. Its clinical picture mimics an acute coronary syndrome. ⋯ We report a case of woman admitted to the hospital who presented with symptoms of acute coronary syndrome with ST - segment elevation. Patient clinical presentation and tests results led to a diagnosis of tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy.
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Both in the European and Polish guidelines, the highest priority for preventive cardiology was given to patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD). The Cracovian Program for Secondary Prevention of Ischaemic Heart Disease was introduced in 1996 to assess and improve the quality of clinical care in secondary prevention. Departments of cardiology of five participating hospitals serving the area of the city of Kraków and surrounding districts (former Kraków Voivodship) inhabited by a population of 1 200 000 took part in the surveys. In 1999/2000 and 2006/2007 the same hospitals joined the EUROASPIRE (European Action on Secondary Prevention through Intervention to Reduce Events) II and III surveys. The goal of the EUROASPIRE surveys was to assess to what extent the recommendations of the Joint Task Force of International Scientific Societies were implemented into clinical practice. ⋯ The implementation of CAD prevention guidelines into clinical practice over the decade from 1997/1998 to 2006/2007 changed significantly. The use of cardioprotective drugs increased largely but among risk factors a significant improvement could be found only in the case of hypercholesterolemia. No improvement in the control of hypertension and diabetes, no change in smoking rates and increasing prevalence of obesity suggest insufficient lifestyle modifications in CAD patients.
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The purpose of this article is to discuss the significance of academic collaboration within cardiovascular medicine and surgery, in both clinical and research settings, at a major academic institution in Europe.