45 research outputs found
Immediate and six months clinical and angiographic results of intracoronary paclitaxel-coated stent implantation – the Meo:DrugStar-1 study
The study was conducted to evaluate the clinical and angiographic results of the implantation of the paclitaxel-eluting stent Meo:DrugStar ST in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease. The Meo:DrugStar ST stent has a stainless steel stent platform with a homogenous non-biodegradable coating of paclitaxel mixed with a polyether-based biostable, monophase, and hemocompatible coating. Sixty patients with native coronary artery disease were included in the study. The Meo:DrugStar ST stents were implanted in 60 de novo lesions detected in these patients. Immediate and long-term clinical and angiographic follow-up results were evaluated. There was a high proportion of patients with hypertension (55%) according to JNC-VII. Mean stenosis ratio was 78 ± 13 %, mean implanted stent diameter was 3.0 ± 0.4 mm and mean length was 22 ± 5 mm. Restenosis was detected in 4 (10%) of those patients and 11 (27.5%) of 40 patients had insignificant amount of restenosis. The results of this study indicate a potential benefit of the Meo:DrugStar ST stent for the prevention of stent thrombosis and restenosis in these relatively high-risk patients
Dissection of the ascending thoracic aorta as a complication of percutaneous coronary intervention
Acute aortic dissection is a medical emergency with high morbidity and mortality requiring emergent diagnosis and therapy. A 79-year-old woman with acute aortic dissection due to percutaneous coronary intervention was presented. Aortic dissection is an uncommon but potentially lethal illness that can present in an occult manner making the initial diagnosis difficult. Aggressive medical management is mandatory, as well as urgent diagnostic testing and cardiothoracic consultation
Heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Background: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, functional and structural
changes of the respiratory system greatly influence cardiovascular autonomic functions.
Determining autonomic balance may be important in understanding the pathophysiology of COPD
and useful clinically in the treatment of COPD patients. Heart rate variability (HRV) and heart
rate turbulence (HRT) are useful tools in assessing the autonomic neurovegetative function. Our
aim in this study was to evaluate the HRV and HRT variables in COPD patients. Twenty five
moderate to severe COPD patients and 25 healthy subjects were included in this study.
Methods: Pulmonary function tests and echocardiographic examination, arterial blood gases
analysis were performed, HRV and HRT analysis were assessed from a 24-hour Holter recording.
Results: When HRV and HRT parameters were compared, COPD patients had significantly
decreased sNN50 total, pNN50, SDANN, SDNN, SDNNI, rMSDD in time domain HRV parameters,
and the values of the HRT onset was significantly less negative in COPD patients. Although
the values of the HRT slope were lower in COPD patients, there was no significant difference
between the two groups. We also found a correlation between HRT and HRV parameters.
Conclusions: In addition to HRV parameters, HRT onset was significantly different in
COPD patients. In our opinion, the combination of HRV variables and HRT onset may be
simple and elegant ways of evaluating cardiac autonomic functions. New investigations of
HRT and HRV in COPD patients have a potential importance for improving risk stratification
and therapeutic approaches, and understanding the autonomic outcomes of the disease process
Dissection of the ascending thoracic aorta as a complication of percutaneous coronary intervention
Immediate and six months clinical and angiographic results of intracoronary paclitaxel-coated stent implantation – the Meo:DrugStar-1 study
Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm as a cause of right proximal coronary artery spasm
WOS: 000181381000022PubMed: 12659998Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is an infrequent cardiac anomaly. Variations in the origin and course or distribution of the epicardial coronary arteries are rarely found in the population. SVA can be acquired, secondary to infectious, degenerative or traumatic processes. This paper describes congenital right SVA and abnormal origin of conus branch of right coronary artery as a cause of acute coronary syndrome. After surgical repair of the SVA, the prognosis is usually good, and the risk of recurrence is rare. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Paradoxical embolism in Ebstein’s anomaly
A 26-year-old man with Ebstein’s anomaly had cerebellar infarction due to paradoxical embolism. Ebstein’s anomaly is characterized by a downward displacement of the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle due to anomalous attachment of the tricuspid leaflets. Echocardiography is the method of choice to diagnose Ebstein’s anomaly on its own or in association with other heart defects. Paradoxical embolism is a potential complication whenever a right to left shunt exists (for example, atrial septal defect). Ebstein’s anomaly diagnosed in adult life is a benign and stable disease, particularly if the patient is asymptomatic; surgical correction must be performed if the patient becomes symptomatic because of either paradoxical embolism or worsening of the tricuspid regurgitation