Cardiology Journal 2011, tom 18, nr 3

Hyperlipidemia, including hypertriglyceridemia, has been shown to be an independent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) [1–5]. Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that lipid-lowering therapy improves all-cause mortality and morbidity in patients with risk factors for, and with established, CAD [6–8]...

Many congenital heart lesions are associated with long-standing right ventricular (RV) volume overload, and it has become apparent that RV volume overload can lead to irreversible RV dysfunction later in life [1, 2]. RV volume overload can be caused by pulmonary regurgitation, which has been found to be the major determinant of long-term outcome in patients after repair of tetralogy of Fallot [3]...

Diastolic heart failure (DHF) is a clinical syndrome defined by the presence of symptoms and signs of heart failure (HF), preserved ejection fraction (EF), and abnormal diastolic function [1]. Diastolic dysfunction refers to an abnormality of diastolicdistensibility, filling, or relaxation of the left ventricle [2]...

Cardiac arrhythmias are an expression of the same fundamental electrophysiological (EP) principles that underlie the normal electrical behavior of the heart. The electrical activity of the heart depends on transmembrane ionic gradients and the time- and voltage-dependent alterations of their conductance...

It has been demonstrated that low grade inflammation can contribute to vascular injury and atherosclerosis [1]. Inflammation also promotes atherosclerotic plaque rupture and thrombosis [2]. The subject has been meta-analyzed recently for high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and total and differential leukocyte counts [3, 4]...

In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), infarct size is correlated with duration of coronary artery occlusion. De Luca et al. [1] demonstrated that every 30 min delay to revascularization will increase annual mortality by 7.5%. Nonetheless, the available evidence suggests that transport for primary angioplasty improves short- and long-term outcomes better than immediate thrombolysis [2, 3]...

Scleroderma is a systemic disease characterized by the involvement of the skin and visceral organs [1]. Cardiac involvement may be present asymptomatically and is observed in 30% of autopsies [1, 2]. It may be a result of the sclerosing inflammatoryprocess. Previous studies have demonstrated diffuse myocardial fibrosis and conduction disturbances [2, 3]...

Microcirculation is one of the major players in the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF). Data from small-scale studies (mainly employing video-capillaroscopy) has shown a relation between degree of derangement in microcirculatory function and indices of left ventricular performance...

Aortic stenosis (AS) determines left myocardial hypertrophy due to chronic systolic pressure overload. Prosthetic aortic valve replacement (AVR) for isolated AS determines a marked left ventricular mass index (LVMI) decrease, with reduction of dimensions and wall thickening of the left ventricle [1]...

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a relatively common finding in elderly people. It has been calculated that 15–55% of the residents of a retirement home may have an abnormal blood pressure (BP) regulation [1–4]. These BP changes can be relatedto many factors...