coronary artery disease

Obesity is a chronic and metabolic disease with a high increasing prevalence worldwide. It has multifactorial pathogenesis including genetic and behavioral factors [1-5]. Overweight and obesity have been defined and classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) [2,3]. A person with a normal weight has Body Mass Index (BMI) of 18.5-24.9. A person with a BMI under 18.5 is called underweight. An adult having a BMI of 25-29.9 is overweight and pre-obese. Class 1 obesity is defined as a BMI between 30.00-34.99. Class 2 (Severe) Obesity is to have a BMI between 35.00-39.99. Morbid (Extreme, Class 3) obesity is to have a BMI over 40 [1-5]. Obesity is significantly associated with enhanced morbidity and mortality rates. It has also various economic, medical and psychological effects and causes health problems including many systemic diseases, economic costs and burdens, social and occupational stigmatization and discrimination and productivity loss [4-6]. Obesity carries the increased risk of development of many systemic and chronic diseases, including sleep apnea, depression, insulin resistance, Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes, Gout and related arthritis, degenerative arthritis, hypertension, dyslipidemia, heart disease such as myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or coronary artery disease, polycystic ovary syndrome and reproductive disorders, Pickwickian syndrome (obesity, red face and hypoventilation), metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cholecystitis, cerebrovascular accident, colonic and renal cancer, rectal and prostatic cancer in males, and gallbladder, uterus and breast cancer in females [6-12]. In recent years, some publications reported that obesity has been strongly associated with some ocular diseases including age-related cataract and maculopathy, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy [13-16]. The recent reports demonstrated that the central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure were increased while as mean thickness of RNFL and retinal ganglion cell and choroidal thickness (CT) were decreased in the morbidly obese subjects [17-19]. However, another study has reported that CT increased in obese children [20]. On the other hand, a recent study reported that all values of the specific tests used to evaluate the ocular surface were within the normal range [21]. In some experimental studies, it has been demonstrated that obesity may cause retinal degeneration [22,23]. Additionally, in a past meeting presentation, it has been speculated that keratoconus is associated with severe obesity [24]. Teorically, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, and papilledema may also be associated with obesity [25]. Obesity may be also a cause of mechanical eyelid abnormalities such as entropion [26]. However, further investigations are needed to detect the significant relationship between these diseases and obesity. On the other hand, the ocular surgeries of obese patients are difficult compared to normal weight-subjects. The posterior capsule rupture and vitreous loss may easily develop during cataract surgery of these patients because obese patients have an elevated vitreous pressure and operating table cannot often be lowered or surgeon’s chair cannot be elevated sufficiently to provide the clear viewing of the operating area and tissues. So, some different surgical manipulations such as standing phacoemulsification technique and reverse Trendelenburg position have been developed. Additionally, the standing vitrectomy technique has been used for vitreoretinal interventions in morbidly obese patients [27,28]. In conclusion, all obese subjects should be subjected to a completed ophthalmological examination and to relevant clinics for the detection of possible comorbidities and diseases

Background: Herbal essential oil contains pharmacological benefits for intervention treatment of various diseases. Studies have demonstrated its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effect involving in vitro cell culture and preclinical animal models. It has been also traditionally used to reduce anxiety and hypertension in human. However, scientific studies elucidating its mechanism of action and pharmacological targets, as well as its effectiveness and safety as phytotherapeutic compounds are still progressing. Recent studies showed its promising effect in depression-cardiovascular disease intervention. However, comprehensive evaluations to enlighten latest advancement and potential of herbal essential oil are still lacking. Objective: In this systematic review, the depression-cardiovascular effects of herbal essential oil on lipid profile, biochemical and physiological parameters (e.g haemodynamic) are presented. The route of delivery and mechanism of action as well as main bioactive compounds present in respective essential oil are discussed. Methods: Article searches are made using NCBI PubMed, PubMed Health, SCOPUS, Wiley Online, tandfonline, ScienceDirect and Espacenet for relevant studies and intellectual properties related to essential oil, depression and cardiovascular disease. Results: In experimentation involving in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials, herbal essential oil showed its effectiveness in reducing coronary artery disease (narrowing of the arteries), heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, heart failure, heart valve disease, congenital heart disease, heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy), pericardial disease, aorta disease, Marfan syndrome and vascular (blood vessel) disease. Conclusion: This review gives a valuable insight on the potential of essential oil in the intervention of depression associated with cardiovascular diseases. Studies showed that herbal essential oil could act as vasodepressor, calcium channel blocker, antihyperlipidemia, anticoagulant, antiatherogenesis and antithrombotic. It can be proposed as an interventional therapy for depression-cardiovascular disease to reduce doses and long-term side-effect of current pharmacological approach.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common disorder whose prevalence increases with age. Over time a strong correlation between erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease has been established as the result of the same pathophysiological process: endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Because small vessels of the penis can be affected by atherosclerotic plaque earlier than coronary arteries, carotids or femoral arteries, men often have symptoms of ED long before the signs of cardiovascular disease appear. For this reason, ED can act as a marker of early atherosclerosis that predicts the onset of cardiovascular disease at a later time.

CAD is the most common type of CVD which is characterized by deposits of lipids within the intima of the coronary artery. CAD is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in many countries worldwide. The investigators adopted a quantitative approach to assess the knowledge on risk factors of CAD among patients in selected OPDs of M.O.S.C Medical College Hospital, Kolenchery. A descriptive design with non-probability convenience sampling technique was used. 120 clients who have given consent and shown willingness to participate were enrolled in the study. Data was collected by using demographic proforma, and structured knowledge questionnaireThe data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The collected data was organized tabulated and analyzed by descriptive [mean, median, mode and standard deviation] and inferential statistics [chi-square test].The data revealed that the level of knowledge on risk factors of cad among subjects attending selected OPDs, out of 120 samples 30 (25%) have good knowledge, 85 (71%) have average knowledge and only 5 (4%) have poor knowledge. There was significant association between knowledge level and education whereas there was no significant association between age, sex, religion, income, marital status, occupation and food habit.

Background: Doubts about the safety of sexual activity are common among cardiac patients and physicians alike, and are often neglected during routine checkups or on discharge from the hospital following a cardiac event or invasive procedure. Although it varies from society to society, it is considered taboo by most patients, so it is reluctant to ask the doctor about sexual activity. Doctors, on the other hand, remain silent due to the lack of clear information about the effect of sexual activity on coronary artery diseases or the presence of doubts. It is ultimately set aside by professionals and their patients. The patient does not ask and the doctor does not answer. This study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of the frequency of sexual intercourse on coronary artery disease. Methods: After applying the exclusion criteria, the remaining 180 patients were included in the study. A self-administered survey was applied to the patients before coronary angiography and patients were assessed according to the presence of additional diseases, their demographic characteristics, and the frequency of sexual intercourse. Two experienced physicians evaluated the angiographic results. Firstly Patients were grouped as 90 patients with normal coronary anatomy and 90 patients with coronary artery disease. After this, Coronary artery disease severity was evaluated according to syntax score. Results: The mean age of the patients was 58 ± 12.5 years. The distribution of age is not reasonable. According to gender, the female/male ratio the proportion of men was higher in patients with coronary artery disease. İncidence of normal coronary anatomy increased as the frequency of sexual intercourse increased. P - value was 0.037 and the result was statistically significant. The frequency of sexual intercourse was found to be 4.2/per month. The relationship between the Syntax score and frequency of sexual intercourse was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was seen that patients with more frequent sexual intercourse had more normal coronary artery anatomy, and those with coronary artery disease had single coronary artery disease than multiple vascular disorders. it was concluded that the incidence of coronary artery disease and coronary artery disease severity decreased as the frequency of sexual intercourse increased. Sexual intercourse might be a preventive factor in the development of coronary artery disease.

Atherosclerosis is the most important factor that leads to the high risk of atherothrombotic cases in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). High morbidity and mortality in these patients are firstly caused by cardiovascular disease, mostly coronary artery disease (CAD) along with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) [1].

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and a major cause of mortality worldwide. This study highlights the significance of hypertension as a risk factor in patients with CAD and compares its prevalence to those of EUROASPIRE IV (EUS-IV), ESC Atlas of Cardiology (Atlas) and Cyprus Survey of Coronary Heart Disease of 2006 (CY-2006). A retrospective, observational study was conducted, by the Registry of Cyprus Heart Survey, where 375 individuals with chronic CAD were examined in Nicosia General Hospital Cardiology Clinics, between the years 2011 and 2014. Their medical history regarding hypertension was noted and the data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel software. The total prevalence of hypertension, based on the past medical history of the patients was 59%.Out of these, 52% were found to have elevated blood pressure on their visit to the Cardiology Clinic. The total mean systolic blood pressure amongst the study group was 136 mmHg, with no significant differences between males and females (136 mmHg and 134 mmHg respectively).The findings of the present study are the same compared to those of the CY-2006 (52% both), but slightly higher than the findings of EUS-IV (52% vs. 42.7%) and significantly higher than those recorded in the Atlas (52% vs. 24.8%). The results show that there is still much potential to improve hypertension management in patients with established CAD.

Cerebrotendinous Xanthamatosis (CTX) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a mutation in the CYP27A1 gene leading to impaired metabolism of cholesterol and accumulation of cholestenol and the cholesterol in various tissues such as the brain, eyes, lungs and bones and reduced formation of cheno-deoxycholic acid (CDCA). The clinical presentation is diverse, starting in the early neonatal period and progressing till adulthood unless treated early. A common neurological manifestation is a spino-cerebellar ataxia followed by spastic paraparesis. Tendon xanthoma is a classical finding that usually helps in clinching the diagnosis but may not be present in all cases. Brain MRI also reveals characteristic abnormalities with cerebellar atrophy and hyper-intensities in the dentate nucleus and surrounding cerebellar white matter on T1weighted images. It is a rare cause of treatable ataxia in young individuals. Treatment is by replacement by CDCA or Urso-deoxycholic acid (UDCA). Supplemented with statins these individuals also have premature atherosclerosis causing death due to athero-sclerotic coronary artery disease. Here a rare case of symptomatic heterologous CYP27A1 mutation is reported with syndrome of spino-cerebellar ataxia treated with UDCA.