Medical Management of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Disease
Lifestyle modification is also important for patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm, including restrictions on physical activity, weight lifting, and recommendations about the management of pregnancy. Long-term surveillance of the aorta, even after successful surgery, is necessary for timing of prophylactic surgery and to evaluate for late complications.
Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with Aortic Valve Substitutes
Mechanical valve recipients had the greatest incidence of both cardiac and obstetric complications. In conclusion, pregnancy-associated complications after aortic valve replacement were common, and human tissue valves should be considered in the discussion for the optimal aortic valve substitute in a young woman. However, careful obstetric monitoring is mandatory.
Open Cardiac Surgery in the First Hours of Life Using Autologous Umbilical Cord Blood
The use of autologous umbilical cord blood is feasible in neonatal open heart surgery. Complete surgical repair of complex critical CHD can be applied successfully to neonates within the first hours of life.
Lipids and Cardiovascular Disease: Do the Findings and Therapy Apply Equally to Men and Women
Dyslipoproteinemia is prevalent in women as well as in men. In both, its consequences--premature atherosclerosis and CAD morbidity and mortality--are more common. Although clinical evidence of the benefits of cholesterol lowering is less abundant in women, it is not entirely absent.
Right Atrial Myxoma and Severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction: Which Explanations? Which Management?
A 57 year-old woman with a large right atrial myxoma underwent emergency surgical resection in our institute. It is known that surgical management of such tumours is difficult regarding venous cannulation and embolic risk, but in our patient, the surgery was more challenging because of the severe left ventricular dysfunction.
Cyclosporine A Normalizes Mitochondrial Coupling, Reactive Oxygen Species Production, and Inflammation and Partially Restores Skeletal Muscle Maximal Oxidative Capacity in Experimental Aortic Cross-Clamping
Cyclosporine A normalized ROS production, decreased inflammation, and restored mitochondrial coupling during aortic cross-clamping. Incomplete V(max) protection might be due to low cyclophilin D expression in gastrocnemius, preventing CsA from blocking mPTP opening.
Diabetes Clinical Trials: Helped or Hindered by the Current Shift in Regulatory Requirements
The potential for some agents to increase the risk of cardiovascular events has led to substantial changes in regulatory requirements for new anti-diabetic therapies. These requirements, while key to ensuring the cardiovascular safety of new agents, fail to emphasize the need to show clinical benefits, such as less visual impairment, less need for dialysis, or fewer cardiovascular events and deaths.
Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting–The Current State
The benefits of OPCAB techniques may be more apparent for patients at high risk for complications associated with CPB and aortic manipulation. Recent studies have demonstrated improved outcomes in higher-risk patients undergoing OPCAB, as well as improved neurological outcomes. The purpose of this review is to outline the recent literature comparing OPCAB with ONCAB, and to demonstrate efficacy of OPCAB as a useful technique for coronary revascularization.
Atrial Fibrillation, Blood Loss, and Transfusion in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction: What is the Effect of Cardiopulmonary Bypass
This study examines outcomes in patients with left ventricular dysfunction after revascularization with and without CPB.
Patients Overestimate the Potential Benefits of Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Although percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) reduces mortality in the setting of myocardial infarction (MI), recent studies suggest that the benefits of PCI for chronic Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) are predominantly related to angina relief and improved quality of life. Whether patients in the current era understand these benefits of elective PCI, or perceive that they also derive protection against death and MI is unknown.
Is Menopause a Risk Factor for Ischemic Heart Disease in Women?
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in men and women worldwide. The apparent cardioprotective effects of endogenous estrogens seem to prevent CVD in premenopausal women.
Left-Right Ventricular Interactions in Pediatric Aortic Stenosis: Right Ventricular Myocardial Strain Before and After Aortic Valvuloplasty
Ventricular-ventricular interactions may affect left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function but have not been well characterized in chronic LV afterload in children. The aim of this study was to assess RV myocardial strain in children with aortic stenosis before and after aortic balloon valvuloplasty.