Richardsconnolly3329

Despite its clinical relevance, a subclass of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) with elevated blood pressure, known as hypertensive ADHF (HT-ADHF), has been less intensively evaluated. PLX4032 Raf inhibitor This study aimed to characterize the prognostic nature and pathophysiology of HT-ADHF. A total of 509 consecutive patients with first-time ADHF hospitalization were subjects of the study. Participants were divided into two groups an HT-ADHF group (systolic blood pressure, SBP > 140 mmHg at presentation) and a non-HT-ADHF group (SBP ≤ 140 mmHg). Median follow-up duration measured 253 days. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated both a lower cardiovascular mortality rate in the HT-ADHF group and similar incidences of heart failure rehospitalization in both groups. Adjusted Cox hazard analysis showed an association of elevated SBP at presentation with significantly lower cardiovascular mortality, though no such association was observed with heart failure rehospitalization. Moreover, elevated heart rate in combination with elevated SBP at presentation predicted a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular mortality (Hazard Ratio 0.32, 95% CI 0.14-0.77, P = 0.01). Also, significantly lower cardiovascular mortality was observed in this subtype, compared with other types of ADHF.Sympathetic nerve activity has arrhythmogenic potential for ventricular arrhythmias associated with structural heart diseases. However, a sufficient amount of beta-blockers occasionally cannot be prescribed in some patients.An experimental study was performed to clarify the therapeutic effects of bepridil, a multiple ionic current inhibitor that does not affect beta-adrenergic receptors, for premature beats occurring during enhanced sympathetic nerve activity. Cardio-sympathetic nerve activity was augmented via stellate-ganglion (SG) stimulation in a canine model (n = 8), and the arrhythmogenic potential and anti-arrhythmic effects of bepridil (2 and 4 mg/kg intravenously) were assessed. For safe use, vagal-stimulation-induced slow HR and programmed electrical stimulation were applied to evaluate possible pro-arrhythmic effects of the drug. Heart rate variability (HRV) indexes were used to estimate cardio-autonomic nerve activity.Either side of the SG-stimulation increased BP and HR. Premature beats were induced in 10/16 SG-stimulations and it was more frequent in left (8/8) rather than right stimulation (2/8). Following 2 mg/kg drug administration, premature beats were still inducible in 8/16 stimulations (7/8 in left and 1/8 in right), but burden of the premature beats decreased from 87.1 ± 46.8 to 62.1 ± 42.6 beats. After 4 mg/kg administration, premature beats were inducible in one SG-stimulation. Proarrhythmic effects were not observed in all experiments. Steady-state HRV indexes and percent increases in SG-stimulation-induced BP-elevation and HR-acceleration were similar among the 3 periods (before, 2 and 4 mg/kg of the drug).Bepridil may be an option for ventricular arrhythmias developed during enhanced cardio-sympathetic nerve activity with minimal effect on autonomic nerve responses.For its high occurrence and elevated risks for aortic valve dysfunction and vascular complications, bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) represents a great health challenge. However, the prevalence and clinical features of BAV in the Chinese population are inadequately illustrated.From January 2011 to December 2015, 3,673 BAV patients with 69.1% male predominance were identified among 325,910 recipients of transthoracic echocardiography in our institution, demonstrating 58.4% overt aortic valve dysfunction, 52.5% ascending aortic dilatation, and 19.2% aortic root dilatation. The prevalence of pure aortic stenosis and mixed aortic valve dysfunction rose strikingly with age (both P less then 0.0001), while pure aortic regurgitation showed significant decrease with age (P less then 0.0001). Males showed elevated prevalence of pure aortic regurgitation (OR 3.16, 95% CI 2.55-3.91, P less then 0.0001) and mixed aortic valve dysfunction than females (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.23-2.17, P = 0.0008), but lower prevalence of pure aortic stenosis (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.43-0.60, P less then 0.0001). Aortic root dilatation was associated with male gender (OR 5.02, 95% CI 3.74-6.74, P less then 0.0001), pure aortic regurgitation (OR 2.61, 95% CI 2.15-3.17, P less then 0.0001), and right-left (RL) cusp fusion type (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.64-2.40, P less then 0.0001). Ascending aortic dilatation was associated with an elder age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.04-1.05, P less then 0.0001), pure aortic stenosis (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.16-1.61 P = 0.0002), and mixed aortic valve dysfunction (OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.89-3.33, P less then 0.0001).Bicuspid aortic stenosis and ascending aortic dilatation demonstrate a similar pattern of age escalation, while aortic regurgitation is more prevalent in younger BAV patients. Aortic root dilatation intervenes closely with a unique phenotypic subgroup of male BAV patients with pure aortic regurgitation and RL fusion type.The predictors and prognostic implications of well-matured collaterals in those with a chronic total occlusion (CTO) are unknown. We sought to identify the determinants of collateral maturation and to determine its effects on procedural outcomes and prognosis.Patients presenting for CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between April 2010 and July 2019 were included. Patients with a previous coronary artery bypass (CABG) to the CTO and those with only bridging collaterals were excluded. The degree of collateral maturation was determined by the Rentrop grading classification. Demographic, biochemical, and anatomical factors and procedural and longer-term outcomes were identified.A total of 212 patients were included in the study. Patients with well-matured collaterals were more likely to be females (29.7% versus 15.2% versus 0%, P less then 0.005 for Rentrop grade 3, 2, and 0 or 1, respectively), less likely to have chronic kidney disease (CKD) (8.8% versus 4.5% versus 19.2%, P less then 0.05) and less likely to have had a prior CABG (15.6% versus 18.7% versus 19.2%). Patients with well-matured collaterals had lower neutrophil-to-leukocyte ratio (NLR) (2.8 versus 4.0 versus 5.7, P less then 0.0001). Patients with well-matured collaterals were more likely to have procedural success (90.5% versus 62.5% versus 34.6%, P less then 0.0001). The degree of collateral maturation was not associated with longer-term mortality.Improved collateral maturation was associated with female sex and lower rates of CKD and CABG and a lower NLR. Those with well-matured collaterals had a significantly higher rate of procedural success but not improved prognosis.