0000000000043415
AUTHOR
Giancarlo Messalli
Prevalence and characteristics of coronary artery disease in a population with suspected ischaemic heart disease using CT coronary angiography: correlations with cardiovascular risk factors and clinical presentation
Purpose. This study was undertaken to describe the correlation between the distribution of coronary artery disease (CAD) in a symptomatic population with suspected ischaemic heart disease, cardiovascular risk factors (RF) and clinical presentation. Materials and methods. We studied 163 patients (mean age 65.5 years; 101 men and 62 women) referred for multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography (MDCT-CA) to rule out CAD. The patients had no prior history of revascularisation or myocardial infarction. We analysed how the characteristics of CAD (severity and type of plaque) can change with the increase in RF and how they are related to different clinical presentations. Results. Pati…
Evaluation of Cardiac Volumetric and Functional Parameters
The milestone definition of “Cardiac Function” has to be attributed to William Harvey, the discoverer of the circulation, who in 1628 stated: “The movement of the blood is constantly in a circle, and is brought about by the beat of the heart” [1, 2]. From a modern point of view, the main function of the heart is the delivery of oxygen to metabolizing tissues. Since oxygen delivery is dependent on (1) the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, (2) the flow output from the heart, and (3) regional distribution of flow, then the heart is nowadays regarded as a pump with the function of supplying flow in blood vessels [2].