The American journal of cardiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Effect of sildenafil on cardiac performance in patients with heart failure.
Sildenafil is rarely used in patients with heart failure despite a high prevalence of erectile dysfunction, and the theoretic possibility that by increasing nitric oxide availability, it may improve left ventricular (LV) load and performance. This study aimed to determine the peak effects of sildenafil on LV load and performance in patients with heart failure caused by systolic LV dysfunction. Twenty patients with controlled LV failure and ejection fractions <35% received sildenafil 50 mg or a matching placebo when not receiving regular medication for > or =12 hours, in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, 2-way crossover fashion. ⋯ Aortic and lower limb PWV decreased significantly (by 0.89 and 1.14 m/s, respectively, p <0.0001 for both), as did AIx (by 3.6% absolute, p <0.0001); these remained significant after adjustment for mean pressure and heart rate changes. In conclusion, sildenafil improves cardiac performance because of a decrease in LV load, which is caused by decreases in peripheral resistance, in aortic and large artery stiffness, and in wave reflection from peripheral sites. This can explain the increase in cardiac output and in exercise capacity with sildenafil in patients with heart failure.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Neurological complications following percutaneous coronary interventions (a report from the 2000-2001 New York State Angioplasty Registry).
Stroke is 1 of the most devastating complications associated with percutaneous coronary intervention. The present study used the combined 2000 to 2001 New York State Angioplasty Registry to compare the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients with and without stroke after percutaneous coronary intervention. Of the 76,903 patients who underwent angioplasty, 140 (0.18%) experienced stroke. Multivariate regression analysis revealed age, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor use, acute myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure on admission, history of carotid disease, chronic renal disease, and placement of an intra-aortic balloon pump as independent predictors for stroke complicating percutaneous coronary intervention.