International journal of cardiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Relaxation effects of lavender aromatherapy improve coronary flow velocity reserve in healthy men evaluated by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.
It has been reported that mental stress is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events and impairs coronary circulation. Lavender aromatherapy, one of the most popular complementary treatments, is recognized as a beneficial mental relaxation therapy. However, no study has examined the effect of this therapy on coronary circulation. We aimed to assess the effect of lavender aromatherapy on coronary circulation by measuring coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) with noninvasive transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE). ⋯ Lavender aromatherapy reduced serum cortisol and improved CFVR in healthy men. These findings suggest that lavender aromatherapy has relaxation effects and may have beneficial acute effects on coronary circulation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Effects of levosimendan versus dobutamine on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with cardiogenic shock after primary angioplasty.
Levosimendan is a new calcium sensitizer with positive inotropic properties. In previous studies, it has recently been shown that levosimendan improves the Doppler echocardiographic parameters of the left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in patients with anterior acute myocardial infarction. We sought to evaluate the effects of levosimendan compared to dobutamine on LV diastolic function, using conventional transmitral Doppler, in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who subsequently developed cardiogenic shock. ⋯ Levosimendan seems to be effective in improving the Doppler echocardiographic parameters of LV diastolic function in patients with STEMI revascularised by primary PCI who developed cardiogenic shock.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effect of double dose of omeprazole on the course of angina pectoris and treadmill stress test in patients with coronary artery disease--a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled, crossover trial.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and coronary artery disease (CAD) frequently overlap, making the proper diagnosis of chest pain more difficult. GER symptoms may mistake anginal chest pain, and oesophageal acidification may induce myocardial ischaemia both in the rest and in the effort. Increase of oesophageal pH should prevent these conditions. ⋯ Double dose of omeprazole significantly decreased symptoms severity in 35% of patients with CAD, as well as frequency of some electrocardiographic signs of myocardial ischaemia during stress test.
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Letter Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of levosimendan versus dobutamine on long-term survival of patients with cardiogenic shock after primary coronary angioplasty.
Cardiogenic shock (CS) after ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) worsens patient's outcome. Levosimendan treatment offers short-term survival benefit in acute heart failure but its effect on long-term outcome remains unclear. We sought to assess the effect on long-term survival of levosimendan compared to dobutamine treatment in patients with STEMI revascularized by primary coronary angioplasty (PCI) who subsequently developed CS. ⋯ Levosimendan compared to dobutamine did not improve long-term survival in STEMI patients revascularized by PCI who developed CS.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Value of right ventricular dysfunction for prognosis in pulmonary embolism.
Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) patients with right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) have a worse prognosis. We assessed RVD, deciding the indexes correlating best with prognosis. ⋯ RVD was a discriminator for a poor prognosis in normotensive patients. Early detection of RVD (especially combination of RV dilation and IVC broadening, RVED/LVED>0.67 and/or SPAP>60 mm Hg) was beneficial for identifying high-risk patients. Hemodynamic instability, 14-day clinical outcomes, and SPAP independently predicted 3-month clinical outcomes.