Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society
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Asymmetrical septal hypertrophy and impaired left ventricular (LV) diastolic function are common echocardiographic features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, it is difficult to differentiate nonobstructive HCM from hypertensive LV hypertrophy (H-LVH). ⋯ Endomyocardial radial strain imaging may prove informative for discriminating between HCM and H-LVH.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of preoperative atorvastatin therapy on atrial fibrillation following off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is still the most common postoperative arrhythmic complication. Previous studies report that patients undergoing preoperative statin therapy had a lower incidence of postoperative AF. This study aimed to assess the effect of preoperative atorvastatin therapy on preventing AF following off-pump CABG in a randomized, controlled trial. ⋯ Administration of atorvastatin 20 mg/day, initiated 1 week before elective off-pump CABG and continued in the postoperative period, significantly decreases postoperative AF.
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This study aimed to reveal the incremental prognostic implications of perfusion/function variables by stress/rest gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) over clinical risks in patients with known coronary artery disease (CAD). ⋯ Perfusion/function measures by stress/rest gated SPECT contribute to a significant improvement in risk stratification and secondary prevention strategy in combination with pre-scan clinical risks in patients with known CAD.