Clinical cardiology
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Clinical cardiology · Jan 2012
Comparative StudyComparison of aortic and carotid arterial stiffness parameters in patients with verified coronary artery disease.
Arterial stiffness parameters are commonly used to determine the development of atherosclerotic disease. The independent predictive value of aortic stiffness has been demonstrated for coronary events. ⋯ Our results indicate that local and regional arterial stiffness parameters provide similar information on impaired arterial stiffening in patients with verified CAD.
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Clinical cardiology · Jan 2012
Secondary prevention of hyperkalemia with sodium polystyrene sulfonate in cardiac and kidney patients on renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition therapy.
Hyperkalemia, induced by renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition (RAAS-I) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), or cardiac disease often leads to withdrawal of RAAS-I therapy. Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) is a potassium-binding resin used for the treatment of hyperkalemia. Recently, concerns about the safety and efficacy of SPS were raised. We report here a follow-up of 14 patients with CKD and heart disease on RAAS-I treatment who were treated with low-dose daily SPS to prevent recurrence of hyperkalemia. ⋯ Low-dose SPS was safe and effective as a secondary preventive measure for hyperkalemia induced by RAAS-I in CKD patients with heart disease.
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Clinical cardiology · Dec 2011
Postoperative atrial fibrillation is not associated with an increase risk of stroke or the type and number of grafts: a single-center retrospective analysis.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter are the 2 most common types of dysrhythmia in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We sought to explore the association between the type and quantity of bypass grafts and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with postoperative AF (POAF). ⋯ Patients with POAF experienced increased morbidity and mortality as demonstrated by previous studies. Neither the number of grafts nor type of grafts was associated with POAF. Furthermore, the rate of stroke was not associated with POAF.
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Clinical cardiology · Nov 2011
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyThe clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic findings of reverse or inverted takotsubo cardiomyopathy: comparison with mid or apical variant.
Although takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) typically affects the apical and/or midventricular segments, several recent cases have reported a reverse or inverted variant of TTC. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic findings in patients presenting as inverted TTC and compare those parameters to those presenting as mid or apical variant. ⋯ Inverted TTC presents at a younger age and has a higher prevalence of triggering stress, whereas other TTC has a higher prevalence of heart failure symptoms, significant reversible MR, and T-wave inversion and higher NT-proBNP levels despite other clinical features that are mostly similar.