Hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease

The authors examine the most recent research concerning the risks and benefits of oestrogen or combined oestrogen-progestin therapy in postmenopausal women.<br /

Contemporary predictors of coronary artery disease in patients referred for angiography

Risk stratification is often used to determine the need and priority for coronary angiography. We investigated the contemporary value of Framingham and SCORE risk models, individual risk factors, B-type natriuretic peptide and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in the current era of intensive risk management

Radial artery pulse wave analysis for non-invasive assessment of coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: Angiographically-normal coronary arteries are reported in 10-20% of patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography despite screening with risk factors and functional tests. We sought to validate and determine the clinical value of radial artery pulse wave analysis (PWA), a simple, quick and non-invasive marker of central artery stiffness and define its ability to predict coronary artery disease in high-risk patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 531 consecutive patients referred for elective coronary angiography, irrespective of previous co-morbidity, were assessed in a prospective, multicenter observational study [the Alternative Risk Markers in Coronary Artery Disease (ARM-CAD) study]. RESULTS: Mean age was 65±11years, 33% were women, 18% had impaired left-ventricular function and 22% a prior myocardial infarction. Angiography demonstrated normal coronary arteries in 20% of participants. The only independent associations with this outcome were younger age, female gender, absence of diabetes and PWA-derived central augmentation pressur