To develop guidelines for exercise testing soon after uncomplicated myocardial infarction, 93 men completed a heart-rate-limited (HRL) protocol and 107 completed a symptom-limited (SXL) protocol 3 weeks after the acute event. In the HRL protocol, effort terminated at a heart rate of 130 beats/min in the absence of a limiting symptom, exertional hypotension or ventricular tachycardia. Peak heart...

BACKGROUND The aim of our prospective study was to define the impact of renal dysfunction on future cardiovascular events and total mortality in 390 patients suffering from ischemic stroke. METHODS A quantitative measurement of neurologic deficit according to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was performed. Blood parameters were measured. Diabetes, hypertension and smok...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Following transient ischemic attack (TIA), there is increased risk for ischemic stroke. The American Heart Association recommends admission of patients with ABCD2 scores ≥3 for observation, rapid performance of diagnostic tests, and potential acute intervention. We aimed to determine if there is a relationship between ABCD2 scores, in-hospital ischemic events, and in-hosp...

men completed a heart-rate-limited (HRL) protocol and 107 completed a symptom-limited (SXL) protocol 3 weeks after the acute event. In the HRL protocol, effort terminated at a heart rate of 130 beats/min in the absence of a limiting symptom, exertional hypotension or ventricular tachycardia. Peak heart rate was not an end point in the SXL protocol. Despite a higher peak heart rate and work load...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Elevated blood pressure is common in acute stage of ischemic stroke and the strategy to manage this situation is not well established. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing active blood pressure lowering and control groups in early ischemic stroke. METHODS Pubmed, EMBASE, and Clinicaltrials.gov from January 1966 to March 2015 w...

Platelets play central role in thrombotic events in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Platelet activation occurs through various mechanisms and all culminate in expression of the surface GP IIb-IIIa receptors which mediate their aggregation and thrombosis. Glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors (GPI) remain the most powerful antiplatelet agents by in...

OBJECTIVE To correlate blood transfusions and clinical outcomes during hospitalization in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG). METHODS Transfusion, clinical and hematological data were collected for 1,378 patients undergoing isolated or combined CABG between January 2011 and December 2012. The effect of blood transfusions was evaluated through multivariate analysis to predict three...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To aid decisions for thromboprophylaxis in atrial fibrillation (AF), several risk stratification schemes that predict stroke risk according to clinical and echocardiographic features have been published. von Willebrand factor (vWf) is a plasma markers of endothelial damage/dysfunction and is associated with the risk of stroke and vascular events in AF patients. This study...

Background and Objectives: In spite of large number of studies conducted so far, sudden cardiac death remains an enigma and relative importance of acute coronary events as a trigger of sudden death is currently unclear. An autopsy study of heart was therefore planned to observe various histomorphological cardiac changes, and to determine the frequency association of acute coronary events and my...

BACKGROUND Antihypertension medication (antihypertensive) adherence lowers risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); few studies have examined this association among older adults. METHODS AND RESULTS We assessed this association among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 66 to 79 years who were newly diagnosed with hypertension and initiated on antihypertensives in 2008-2009 (n=155 597). W...