Functional capacity is the physical ability to perform a defined task. In humans it can be evaluated by using exercise testing, for instance sub-maximal exercise tests. Walking tests are widely used variations of submaximal exercise tests and in human medicine are considered to be realistically related to daily physical activity and prognosis in patients with heart failure. The aim of this stud...

As the percentage of seniors continues to rise in many populations around the world, the already challenging burden of valvular heart disease will become even greater. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of patients with moderate-to-severe valve disease are refused or denied valve surgery based on age and/or accompanying comorbidities. Furthermore, because of advances in pediatric cardiolog...

BACKGROUND Heart valve disease is a significant and increasing global problem in the developing world. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of postoperative complications and mortality in patients who underwent heart valve replacement. METHODS In this prospective study, 320 adult cases (186 females and 134 males, mean age of: 45.7 ± 15.0) with valvular heart diseases who underwe...

RATIONALE Calcification of heart valve structures is the most common form of valvular disease and is characterized by the appearance of bone-like phenotypes within affected structures. Despite the clinical significance, the underlying etiology of disease onset and progression is largely unknown and valve replacement remains the most effective treatment. The SRY-related transcription factor Sox9...

The patient was a 19 year-old woman with the diagnosis of resistant hypertension, although she was under treatment of three classes of anti-hypertensive drugs (beta blocker, angiotensin receptor blocker, diuretic) for more than one year. In physical examination there was only a significant difference between the systolic blood pressure of upper and lower extremities (200 vs. 120 mmHg), without ...

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation was developed to offer a therapeutic solution to patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who are not candidates for conventional aortic valve replacement. The improvement in transcatheter aortic valve implantation outcomes is still of concern in the areas of stroke, vascular injury, heart block, paravalvular regurgitation and valve durability. Co...

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become a valuable investigative tool in many areas of cardiac medicine. Its value in heart valve disease is less well appreciated however, particularly as echocardiography is a powerful and widely available technique in valve disease. This review highlights the added value that CMR can bring in valve disease, complementing echocardiography in many are...

BACKGROUND Specialist clinics are recommended for the assessment and follow-up of patients with heart valve disease. We sought to identify the current provision of specialist valve clinics in UK. METHODS A database of all UK National Health Service hospitals was created. An online survey was distributed to each hospital to examine the model of heart valve clinic, patient population, provision...