| 1. |
- Aburawi, Elhadi, et al.
(författare)
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Coronary flow before and after surgical versus device closure of atrial septal defect.
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Journal of Cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273. ; 135, s. 14-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) affects coronary flow after the operation. Surgical as compared to device closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) serves as a good model to clarify the effects of surgery with CPB on coronary flow. METHODS: Coronary flow parameters were determined by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography before and after ASD closure. Thirteen children underwent surgery on CPB and fourteen children had device closure of their ASD under interventional cardiac catheterisation. Fourteen age-matched healthy controls were studied. RESULTS: Left ventricular fractional shortening increased and cardiac output increased after the device closure but there were no significant changes after the surgery. After the surgery the mean diameter of left anterior descending coronary artery increased from 1.7+/-0.6 to 2.1 +/-0.4 mm (p=0.03), the peak flow velocity in diastole (PFVd) from 48+/-10 to 70+/-12 cm/s (p=0.0001) and basal blood flow (BF) from 62+/-18 to 105+/-35 ml/min (p=0.0001). Flow parameters in the right coronary artery increased similarly. In contrast, all coronary flow parameters decreased substantially after catheter interventions, but still remained significantly elevated as compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass but not the device closure affects coronary flow beyond the pure effects of anatomical correction. Cardiac output increases after the device closure. The reported decrease of coronary flow reserve is obviously due to increased basal coronary flow.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Alehagen, Urban, et al.
(författare)
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Can NT-proBNP predict risk of cardiovascular mortality within 10 years? Results from an epidemiological study of elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure
- 2009
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Ingår i: International journal of cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273. ; 133:2, s. 233-240
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Heart failure has a serious prognosis. However, among elderly patients the panorama of concomitant diseases makes it difficult to implement the results from epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different clinical variables on cardiovascular mortality during a long-term follow-up. Methods and results: In all, 474 elderly patients (age 65-82 years) in primary health care were evaluated and followed during a 10 year period. All patients had symptoms associated with heart failure and were examined by a cardiologist. Blood samples including NT-proBNP were analyzed, and ECG and Doppler echocardiography were assessed. Both the systolic and diastolic function was evaluated. Functional capacity was evaluated according to the NYHA classification. During the 10 years of follow-up those with the highest quartile of plasma concentration of NT-proBNP had almost four times increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Impaired systolic function, diabetes and reduced functional capacity were all markers of increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. All variables were also evaluated after 5 years, with higher risk ratios for a majority of variables. Conclusion: In this study 474 patients with symptoms of heart failure were followed during 10 years. High plasma concentration of NT-proBNP could predict almost four times increased risk of cardiovascular mortality up to 10 years. Also, impaired cardiac function according to echocardiography, and reduced functional capacity as well as diabetes all had influence on risk of cardiovascular mortality up to 10 years.
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| 6. |
- Andersson, Bert, 1952, et al.
(författare)
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Temporal improvement in heart failure survival related to the use of a nurse-directed clinic and recommended pharmacological treatment
- 2005
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Ingår i: Int J Cardiol. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273. ; 104:3, s. 257-63
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The use of recommended drugs for chronic heart failure (CHF) has been discouragingly low in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate to which extent a nurse-directed heart failure clinic could accomplish drug titration with modern heart failure treatments, with focus on beta-blockers. METHODS: Outcome of drug titration was evaluated for 418 patients referred to the nurse-run clinic from 1995 through 2001, using a prospective, open, non-randomised quality control protocol. RESULTS: Throughout the period, most of the patients were discharged on an ACE inhibitor (during 2001, 86%). The use of beta-blockers increased during the observation (from 43% to 88%). Patients started on an ACE-inhibitor treatment continued in 89% and in 95% when started on a beta-blocker. There was a significant decrease in mortality, relative risk per year 0.84 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.94), P=0.002. Three-year mortality was reduced from 27% to 10%. In a multivariable analysis, survival was significantly associated with ejection fraction, renal function, the use of beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors, and negatively with digitalis treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The nurse-directed titration succeeded in introducing more patients on beta-blockers than on ACE-inhibitors. Mortality was reduced during the study period, associated with more use of documented therapy, beta-blockers in particular. These findings suggest that the observed signs of improvement in CHF prognosis are likely caused by more efficient medical treatment.
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| 7. |
- Aunes-Jansson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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T wave inversions following ablation of 125 posteroseptal accessory pathways
- 2006
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Ingår i: Int J Cardiol. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273. ; 106:1, s. 75-81
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Cardiac memory, electrophysiological remodeling induced by periods of altered ventricular activation, has been observed after resumption of normal activation following ablation of overt accessory pathways. We studied the occurrence and temporal characteristics of cardiac memory (inferior T wave inversions) after ablation of overt posteroseptal accessory pathways. METHODS: T wave changes were assessed in the frontal plane (leads II, aVF, and III) up to one year after the ablation in 125 consecutive patients. T wave polarity immediately after ablation was compared with the pre ablation delta wave polarity and the dominant QRS force in each lead. The number of inferior leads (0-3) with post ablation T wave changes (estimate of degree of cardiac memory) was analyzed in relation to estimates of the degree of preexcitation (accessory pathway refractoriness and QRS duration) prior to ablation. RESULTS: Electrocardiogram (ECG) signs of cardiac memory were present in 123 (98%) of the patients within one day after ablation. The post ablation T wave vector had the same direction as the vector of the pre-excited QRS complex (and delta wave) creating inferior T wave inversions. There was no correlation between the degree of preexcitation pre ablation and the extent of cardiac memory post ablation. A majority (about 90%) of ECGs recorded 3-6 months after the procedure, showed complete or almost complete normalization. CONCLUSIONS: T wave inversions were present in the vast majority of patients, persisted in some patients beyond 3 months, and might be misinterpreted as inferior wall ischemia.
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| 8. |
- Baba, Akiyasu, et al.
(författare)
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Antigen-specific effects of autoantibodies against sarcolemmal Na-K-ATPase pump in immunized cardiomyopathic rabbits.
- 2006
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Ingår i: International journal of cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273. ; 112:1, s. 15-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: We examine antigen-specific actions of autoantibodies directed against sarcolemmal Na-K-ATPase. BACKGROUND: Autoantibodies against some receptors or pumps were detected in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Although immunoglobulin adsorption therapy improved cardiac function in such patients, direct pathogenic effects of autoantibodies remain to be proven. METHODS: Japanese white rabbits were immunized once a month with purified Na-K-ATPase (NKA rabbits, n=10) or a synthetic peptide corresponding to the second extracellular loop of beta1-adrenergic receptors (beta rabbits, n=10), respectively. Control rabbits (n=10) received vehicle in the same manner. RESULTS: At 6 months, cardiac hypertrophy along with increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was observed in both NKA and beta rabbits, and inhibitory G protein level increased in both NKA and beta rabbits. Histological findings showed similar myocyte hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis in both rabbits. Enzymatic activities of Na-K-ATPase were lower in NKA rabbits than in other groups. Immunoblotting showed that alpha3-isoform of Na-K-ATPase was selectively reduced in myocardium from NKA rabbits. CONCLUSIONS: Our present findings suggested that isoform-specific alterations of myocardial Na-K-ATPase activity were induced by immunizing rabbits. This was not secondary change due to cardiac hypertrophy. Thus, autoantibodies against sarcolemmal Na-K-ATPase have antigen-specific effect on the heart in vivo.
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| 9. |
- Bengtson, Ann, 1947, et al.
(författare)
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On the waiting list for possible coronary revascularisation. Symptoms relief during the first year and association between quality of life and the very long-term mortality risk
- 2008
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Ingår i: International Journal of Cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1874-1754 .- 0167-5273. ; 123:3, s. 271-6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIM: To describe: a/ the improvement in quality of life (QoL) among patients on the waiting list for coronary revascularisation and b/ the association between QoL and very long-term mortality. PATIENTS: All patients on the waiting list for possible coronary revascularisation in western Sweden during one week in September 1990. METHODS: QoL was assessed at the start of the survey and one year later among patients who both were and were not revascularised. Survival data were gathered for the subsequent 14 years. RESULTS: From the start, 883 patients were evaluated in the survey. Among patients who were revascularised, an improvement was seen in all the aspects of QoL that were studied during the first year as compared with patients who were not revascularised, in whom only minor changes in QoL were seen during the first year. After one year, there were seven aspects of QoL which were significantly associated with the risk of death during the subsequent 14 years, when adjusting for age, sex, previous history and extent of coronary artery disease. They were: tiredness (OR=1.4), weakness (OR=1.5), lack of energy (OR=1.5), inability to react (OR=1.7), use of sedatives (OR=3.2), dyspnea when dressing (OR=2.1) and chest pain when dressing (OR=1.9). CONCLUSION: Among patients on the waiting list for possible coronary revascularisation, there was a marked improvement in QoL among those who were revascularised. In a variety of aspects of QoL, an association with the very long-term risk of death was observed.
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| 10. |
- Berghammer, Malin, 1970, et al.
(författare)
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Young adults experiences of living with congenitala heart disease
- 2006
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Ingår i: International Journal of Cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273. ; 110:3, s. 340-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Advances in care have improved the longevity and quality of life for children with congenital heart disease; however, many of them need lifelong highly qualified specialist care. The cardiac lesion involved may not always be the patient's main problem; issues related to quality of life may dominate. AIM: To explore and gain a deeper understanding of young adults experiences of living with congenital heart disease in order to enhance the quality of care provided by the health care system. METHOD: Transcribed in-depth interviews were analysed using a phenomenological-hermeneutic method. Six adults with congenital heart disease, aged 22-39 years old, were included in the study. RESULTS: Analyses yielded two themes, having the disease and living with illness, both originating from the main theme of ambivalence. The interviewees were ambivalent in how they viewed themselves, how they faced their daily life and how they dealt with their encounters with the health care system. They had to strike a balance between being different and not being different; being sick and being healthy; revealing their congenital heart disease or hiding it and living with a hidden handicap. They also had to cope with the disease and with the health care system. CONCLUSION: Young adults with congenital heart disease are ambivalent. They have a strong wish to be healthy and they might hide their symptoms from the healthcare personnel and sometimes even from themselves. A psychosocial preparedness when meeting these patients is necessary.
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