Medium term effects of different dosage of diuretic, sodium, and fluid administration on neurohormonal and clinical outcome in patients with recently compensated heart failure.

cardiovascular effects of I/D angiotensin converting enzyme gene polymorphismin healty subjects: Findings after follow-up of six years

Background - An increasing number of studies with conflicting results regarding the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene deletion polymorphism and cardiovascular disease has recently been published. The present prospective long-term study was conducted to evaluate whether the DD genotype could also be associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension in healthy subjects over 6 years of follow-up. We also investigated the effects of the ACE-I/D genotypes on diastolic function by echocardiography in healthy subjects without any risk factors and any events after 6 years of follow-up. Methods - Population: 684 healthy volunteers (aged 25-55 years) normotensive and free…

Novel strategies: challenge loop diuretics and sodium management in heart failure--part II.

Usefulness of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels in predicting residual myocardial ischemia in patients with ST elevation acute myocardial infarction.

N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide (NT pro-BNP) is a neurohormone synthesized predominantly in ventricular myocardium. In patients with symptoms of heart failure, elevation in NT pro-BNP accurately identifies ventricular dysfunction. However, NT pro-BNP levels are not specific for ventricular dysfunction in patients who do not have overt symptoms of heart failure, suggesting that other cardiac processes such as myocardial ischemia may also cause elevation in NT pro-BNP. The study was aimed to determine whether NT pro-BNP elevations are associated with myocardial ischemia.One hundred and thirty patients (104 males, 26 females, mean age 61+12 years), with ST elevation acute myocardial …