Cardiovascular Diseases Commons^™

Usefulness Of The Echocardiographic Multi-Parameter Score (Emps) In Evaluating Left Ventricular Global Heart Function, Bingyuan Zhou, Junhua Yang, Xiangjun Yang, Yongming He, Caiming Zhao, Sudan Xu, Huifeng Wang

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

In this study, we established a new index by combining several echocardiographic parameters to quantify heart failure. We selected 233 consecutive patients who underwent both echocardiographic and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) tests within 24 hours after referral for suspected heart failure. The echocardiographic parameters included systolic function, diastolic function, left ventricular chamber remodeling, valvular lesions, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, and regional wall-motion abnormality. Each factor was scored from 1 to 3 points according to its severity. The total point from these 6 factors is the echocardiographic multi-parameter score (EMPS).

The EMPS for 37, 51, 77, and 38 patients from …

Internal Medicine Problems As They Present To The Cardiologist, Ira Martin Grais

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Rosuvastatin Therapy Does Not Affect Serum Mmp-13 Or Timp-1 Levels In Hypercholesterolemic Patients, Cihan Cevik, Kenneth Nugent, Gary Meyerrose, Mohammad Otahbachi, Cemil Izgi, Mark Lyte, R David Fish

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Matrix metalloproteinases degrade the collagen content of atherosclerotic plaque and reduce plaque stability. In tissue sections of atherosclerotic plaque, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases is increased. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) decrease the tissue expression of matrix metalloproteinases-1, -2, -3, and -9 in atheromatous plaque by attenuating the inflammatory process that leads to increased expression. However, it is not known whether statins decrease levels of matrix metalloproteinase-13—an enzyme crucial to the initiation of collagen degradation—as part of their plaque-stabilizing effect.

We prospectively examined the effect of statin therapy on serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-13, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, and …

Prehypertension: A Meta-Analysis Of The Epidemiology, Risk Factors, And Predictors Of Progression, Xiaofan Guo, Liling Zou, Xingang Zhang, Jue Li, Liqiang Zheng, Zhaoqing Sun, Jian Hu, Nathan D Wong, Yingxian Sun

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

We investigated the prevalence and risk factors of prehypertension, as well as the predictors of progression from prehypertension to hypertension. To do this, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, after unrestricted searches of PubMed and The Cochrane Library through September 2010. In addition, we reviewed references, major textbooks, and review articles. Pooled prevalence, standardized mean differences, and odds ratios were estimated by using a random-effects model.

Twenty-six articles met our inclusion criteria; these included 20 cross-sectional and 6 longitudinal studies, with a total sample of 250,741 individuals. The overall pooled prevalence of prehypertension was …

Surgical Management Of Double-Chambered Right Ventricle In Adults, Ahmad K Darwazah, Mohammed Eida, Vivian Bader, Mohammed Khalil

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Double-chambered right ventricle is a congenital anomaly in which the right ventricle is divided into 2 portions by anomalous muscle bundles. These cases often present in children, but rarely in adults.

We discuss 2 cases of double-chambered right ventricle, in patients aged 42 and 35 years. When cases remain asymptomatic until adulthood, they can present with unusual symptoms that lead to incorrect diagnosis. Our cases represent 2 very different manifestations of double-chambered right ventricle, which differ in presentation, in the site of abnormal obstructive muscle bundles, and in the presence of associated lesions. Both of our patients underwent successful surgical …

Cardiovascular Risk Associated With Interactions Among Polymorphisms In Genes From The Renin-Angiotensin, Bradykinin, And Fibrinolytic Systems, John P. Bentley, Folkert W. Asselbergs, Christopher S. Coffey, Patricia R. Hebert, Jason H. Moore, Hans L. Hillege, Wiek H. Van Gilst

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Vascular fibrinolytic balance is maintained primarily by interplay of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1). Previous research has shown that polymorphisms in genes from the renin- angiotensin (RA), bradykinin, and fibrinolytic systems affect plasma concentrations of both t-PA and PAI-1 through a set of gene-gene interactions. In the present study, we extend this finding by exploring the effects of polymorphisms in genes from these systems on incident cardiovascular disease, explicitly examining two-way interactions in a large population- based study.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Data from the population-based PREVEND study in Groningen, The Netherlands (n = 8,138) …

Left Ventricular Noncompaction Mimicking Peripartum Cardiomyopathy., Chetan Patel, Girish S. Shirali, Naveen Pereira

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Prophylactic Defibrillator Implantation In Patients With Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy, Alan H. Kadish, Alan Dyer, James P. Daubert, Rebecca Quigg, N. A. Mark Estes, Kelley P. Anderson, Joseph H. Levine

Office of the President Publications and Research

No abstract provided.