It is likely that a close association exists between findings obtained by two methods: dobutamine stress echocardiography and 123I-MIBG scintigraphy. Both of these methods are associated with beta-adrenergic receptor mechanisms. This study was conducted to demonstrate the relation between myocardial response to dobutamine stress and sympathetic nerve release of norepinephrine in the failing hea...

The purpose of this study was to test a new prototype pulsed CO2 laser to be used for transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR). We wanted to determine whether it can reduce thermal damage and mitigate induced ischemia with improvement in contractile reserve of the heart as evidenced by contrast echocardiography at rest and under dobutamine stress. TMR is an emerging surgical strategy for t...

Background The aim of this study was to compare the results of dipyridamole-echocardiography test (DET: twodimensional echo monitoring during dipyridamole infusion up to 0.84 mg/kg over a period of 10 minutes) with both anatomic and physiological parameters of coronary artery disease severity, assessed by computer-assisted quantitative coronary arteriography, and regional coronary flow reserve,...

BACKGROUND Exercise echocardiography (EE) is an established method to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD). Chronotropic incompetence (CI) during the EE may be a marker of myocardial ischemia. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the additive value of CI during EE in CAD diagnosis. METHODS Between 2000 and 2006, 4042 patients (1900 men with a mean age of 56 +/- 11 years) were e...

BackgroundCoronary artery disease is the most common etiology of disability and death in the world. We evaluated the efficacy of echocardiography in patients after myocardial infarction, as a diagnostic means for identifying risk of future cardiac events. MethodsThis is a cross –sectional study on 150 patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction who were followed for three months. We comp...

BACKGROUND The estimation of left ventricular (LV) filling pressure from the ratio of transmitral and annular velocities (E/e') after exercise echocardiography may identify diastolic dysfunction in patients who complain of exertional dyspnea. This study sought to determine the relative contributions of exercise E/e' and ischemia to outcomes in patients referred for exercise echocardiography. ...

AIMS The microvasculature damage after myocardial infarction has important implications. The hypothesis of the study was that wall motion abnormalities and microcirculation status do not necessarily match after myocardial infarction, and therefore the study of only myocardial wall motion could offer an incomplete evaluation in these patients. METHODS Wall motion and myocardial perfusion asses...

Background The aim of this study was to compare the results of dipyridamole-echocardiography test (DET: twodimensional echo monitoring during dipyridamole infusion up to 0.84 mg/kg over a period of 10 minutes) with both anatomic and physiological parameters of coronary artery disease severity, assessed by computer-assisted quantitative coronary arteriography, and regional coronary flow reserve,...