European heart journal
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European heart journal · May 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyAngiotensin II receptor blocker-based vs. non-angiotensin II receptor blocker-based therapy in patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease and hypertension: the Heart Institute of Japan Candesartan Randomized Trial for Evaluation in Coronary Artery Disease (HIJ-CREATE).
To test whether angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) therapy can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events compared with non-ARB-based standard pharmacotherapy in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with hypertension. ⋯ Although candesartan showed no significant differences in MACE compared with the non-ARB treatment group, the drug significantly reduced the incidence of new-onset diabetes and was better tolerated. This study is registered as International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial No. UMIN000000790.
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European heart journal · May 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyC-terminal provasopressin (copeptin) is a strong prognostic marker in patients with heart failure after an acute myocardial infarction: results from the OPTIMAAL study.
The aim of the present study was to compare the prognostic value of a novel and promising marker, copeptin, with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP), on death or a composite cardiovascular endpoint in patients who developed heart failure after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). ⋯ Copeptin is a strong and novel marker for mortality and morbidity in patients with heart failure after AMI. In this population, the predictive value of copeptin was even stronger than BNP and NT-proBNP.
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European heart journal · May 2009
Middle-aged men with increased waist circumference and elevated C-reactive protein level are at higher risk for postoperative atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.
We recently demonstrated that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an independent risk factor for postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In the present work, we sought to determine which feature of the MetS is associated with POAF. ⋯ Patients with increased WC combined with elevated C-reactive protein levels are at higher risk for POAF. Thus, interventions targeting inflammation related to visceral obesity might help reducing the incidence of POAF.