Articles

Potassium is an important ion capable to maintain intra-extracellular electric gradient. Variations in the intra-extracellular ionic flow may alter cells functions, skeletal and smooth muscle contractility and electric activity of myocardial cells. In this study we demonstrated that high level of serum potassium may be associated with cardiac and neurological life-threatening diseases. We describe two case reports in which one patient, chronic hemodialysed, presented with cardiogenic shock in setting of hyperkalemia; the other, with end-stage kidney disease, showed a flaccid paralysis associated to high level of serum potassium during potassium sparing diuretic therapy. Emergency haemodialysis was performed with a complete remission of the clinical manifestations. Indeed, the use of simply diagnostic instruments such as serum electrolyte assay and electrocardiographic study (ECG) are helpful in clinical practice solving in timely serious complications due to hyperkalemia.

The results of the 20 years studies of the presence in blood serum and other body fluids of endogenous modulators of adrenergic and M-cholinergic impact as a component of humoral link of autonomic nervous system. The article is devoted to the endogenous sensitizer of beta-adrenergic receptor (ESBAR) - water-soluble low molecular weight substances, analogs of which are histidine, tryptophan, tyrosine, mildronat and preductal. It is shown, that separate dilutions of human serum and animal (as a source of ESBAR) and analogs of ESBAR ways to enhance the effectiveness of activation of beta-adrenoceptors (AR) of smooth muscle (uterus, coronary and renal arteries, trachea, stomach), myocardium, erythrocytes and platelets (respectively influenced of histidine and tryptophan). It is reported that content of ESBAR in human serum (according to the titers of its dilution) depends on the sex and the presence of somatic diseases, and at women are also on the stage of reproduction and obstetric complications It is discussed possible mechanisms of ESBAR action, its physiological role, including as a component of beta-adrenoceptor inhibitory mechanism for myometrium, as well as the prospect of the use of analogs of ESBAR, including for the prevention of preterm labor, and for the treatment of bronchial asthma, coronary heart disease, hypertension and heart failure.

Background: Patients with myocardial infarction (MI) often experience anxiety, depression and poor quality of life (QoL) compared with a normative population. Mood disturbances and QoL have been extensively investigated, but only a few studies have examined the long-term effects of MI on these complex phenomena. Aims: To examine the levels and associated predictors of anxiety, depression, and QoL in patients 2 years after MI. Methods: This was a single center, observational study of patients with MI (n=377, 22% women, median age 66 years). Two years after MI (2012-2014), the patients were asked to answer the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaires. Results: Most patients experienced neither anxiety (87%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 83-90%) nor depression (94%, 95% CI: 92-97%) 2 years post-MI. Elderly patients experienced more depression than younger patients (p=0.003) and women had higher anxiety levels than men (p=0.009). Most patients had “no problems” with any of the EQ-5D-3L dimensions (72-98%), but 48% (95% CI: 43%-53%) self-reported at least “some problems” with pain/discomfort. In a multiple logistic regression model (EQ-5D-3L) higher age (p<0.001) and female sex (p<0.001) were associated with more pain/discomfort. Female sex (p=0.047) and prior MI (p=0.038) were associated with anxiety/depression. History of heart failure was associated with worse mobility (p=0.005) and problems with usual activities (p=0.006). The median total health status of the patients (EQ-VAS) was 78 (95% CI: 75-80)

Patients with chronic kidney disease are at increased risk of thromboembolic complications and are therefore often managed with anticoagulation therapy [1]. While these patients are traditionally treated with Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), the Non-Vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs), such as rivaroxaban and apixaban are being used with increasing frequency. Relatively new to the anticoagulant treatment arsenal, both compounds are direct Factor Xa inhibitors and represent an alternative to traditional VKA treatments, such as warfarin. However, because these compounds are at least partially renally eliminated, achieving safe and effective anticoagulation in this vulnerable population has proven to be a challenge [2,3]. With limited published data, there is often uncertainty surrounding which of the NOACs can be safely used.

Introduction: Systemic lupus is a disseminated inflammation of the conjunctive tissue. Cardiovascular lesions are the first cause of morbidity and mortality in the course of that disease. These lesions are prevalent in 30 to 62% of cases, depending on whether the diagnostic tool is clinical, echocardiographic, or autopsic. Any part of the heart can be affected, yielding manifestations of pericarditis, endocarditis, coronary heart disease, conduction disorders, and rarely myocarditis. Objective: Describe cardiac manifestations during the follow up of patients diagnosed with systemic lupus. Patients and Methods: We conducted a transversal descriptive study over a period of 27 months, in the departments of Internal Medicine, Dermatology, and Cardiology of Yalgado Ouedraogo University Hospital of Ouagadougou. All patients diagnosed with systemic lupus according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria, and having done an EKG, a Holter EKG, or a transthoracic echocardiography, were included in the study. Data were collected from inpatient medical records, outpatient follow up registry and booklets. Results: Cardiovascular lesions were prevalent in 7 cases (43.75%) out of 16 patients diagnosed with systemic lupus. Mean age of patients was 36 years, with extremes of 23 and 51 years. Only female patients were affected in our study. Cardiac manifestations were mainly benign pericarditis, heart failure, and conduction disorders. Conclusions: Cardiovascular manifestations are frequent during the course of systemic lupus, and occur after few years of disease progression. Transthoracic echocardiography and EKG remain useful non-invasive explorations for the assessment of cardiovascular lesions, despite minor shortcomings.

Objectives: The prime focus of the present study was to evaluate the most occluded coronary artery (OCA) among non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients, and risk factors associated with occluded and non-occluded NSTEMI. Also, major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) were evaluated among patients during index hospitalization. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in Multan Institute of Cardiology, Pakistan between 1st February, 2017, and 31st September, 2017. The data were collected from medical records of the outpatients and inpatients who were index hospitalized. Data were analyzed by using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) And Microsoft Excel (MS Office 2010). Results: Among 624 patients, angiographic findings revealed that 63.9% were suffering from non-occlusive NSTEMI while 36.1% of the patients had occluded NSTEMI. In occluded NSTEMI patients, 30.3% were having single vessel occlusion while 5.8% were having multi-vessel occlusion. Also, 49.8% were having occlusion of right coronary artery (CA) while 44% were having occluded left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Multivariate analysis revealed that age (p=0.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p=0.001) had a statistically significant association. The incidence of MACE was high among non-OCA patients as compared to OCA patients but no statistically significant association was found (p=0.44). Conclusions: Angiography confirmed that most of the NSTEMI patients had OCA. But the MACE rate was not significantly differ among OCA and non-OCA patients. The risk factors associated with OCA were low LVEF and age.

Introduction: The high morbidity and mortality by hypertensive cardiopathy demand the construction and validation of tools to stratify the risk of developing this condition. Objective: To design and validate an index, based on risk factors, that permits to predict the development of hypertensive cardiopathy in patients with a diagnosis of essential arterial hypertension. Methods: A prospective cohort study was done in hypertensive patients assisted at the specialized arterial hypertension physicians’ office of the “Carlos Manuel de Céspedes” Specialty Policlinic attached to the General University Hospital, Bayamo Municipality, Granma Province, Cuba from January 1st, 2010 to December 31, 2016. Internal and external validity and the internal consistency of the index were determined. Results: The index sensitivity was of 97, 20 (IC: 93, 93-94.09) and specificity of 65, 38 (IC: 76, 25-76, 20). Both the index discriminative capacity (area under the ROC curve= 0,944; interval of confidence: 0.932-0.956; p<0.0005) and calibration (p=0.751) were adequate. Conclusions: The present study proposes an index to predict the risk of developing hypertensive cardiopathy, with adequate discriminative capacity and calibration (external validity). The index can be used as a tool of clinical and epidemiological surveillance since it permits to identify subjects with greater probability of developing the condition and to stratify the risk.

Founder mutations are rare causes in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy including TMEM43 und phospholamban mutations. The incidence is approximately 1%. P.S358L TMEM43 mutations cause aggressive, in most cases biventricular arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy [1], with the necessity of primary prophylactic ICD implantation in men and in women>30 years for sudden cardiac death prevention.

In order to suggest new pathogenetic hypothesis in some heart disease we think is interesting to observe some biomedical literature: Can we think some endogenus toxicologic movens in some heart pathologies?

Tortuous microvessels alter blood flow and stimulate thrombosis but the physical mechanisms are poorly understood. Both tortuous microvessels and abnormally large platelets are seen in diabetic patients. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the physical effects of arteriole tortuosity and platelet size on the microscale processes of thrombotic occlusion in microvessels. A new lattice-Boltzmann method-based discrete element model was developed to simulate the fluid flow field with fluid-platelet coupling, platelet interactions, thrombus formation, and thrombotic occlusion in tortuous arterioles. Our results show that vessel tortuosity creates high shear stress zones that activate platelets and stimulate thrombus formation. The growth rate depends on the level of tortuosity and the pressure and flow boundary conditions. Once thrombi began to form, platelet collisions with thrombi and subsequent activations were more important than tortuosity level. Thrombus growth narrowed the channel and reduced the flow rate. Larger platelet size leads to quicker decrease of flow rate due to larger thrombi that occluded the arteriole. This study elucidated the important roles that tortuosity and platelet size play in thrombus formation and occlusion in arterioles.