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Women make up the minority of cardiologists. Work/life balance, family planning, radiation exposure, and the traditional male demographic among cardiologists have all been cited as barriers preventing women from choosing the cardiovascular field. Perhaps I was fortunate to be sheltered from these

Xanthine oxidase (XO) expression in macrophages has been linked to pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have revealed that macrophages with increased expression of hemoglobin-haptoglobin receptor CD163 promote atherosclerotic plaque instability. We hypothesized that enhanced XO expression

Background: Whether revascularization improves prognosis in stable ischemic heart disease is controversial. Methods: Individual patient-level data from 19 prospective, randomized stent trials were pooled. Rates of 5-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization) were assessed and compared after percutaneous coronary intervention with bare-metal stents (BMS) and first-generation and second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES1 and DES2, respectively). Poisson multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of adverse events. Results: Among 10 987 patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention for stable ischemic heart disease, 1550, 2776, and 6661 received BMS, DES1, and DES2, respectively. The 5-year rates of MACE progressively declined with evolution in stent technology (BMS: 24.1% versus DES1: 17.9% versus DES2: 13.4%, P P =0.02). Conclusions: Patients with stable ischemic heart disease remain at substantial risk for long-term MACE after revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention, even with contemporary DES. New approaches to reduce the ongoing risk of MACE beyond 1 year after stent implantation are necessary.

We examined our institutional experience with mechanical circulatory support (MCS) over nearly a decade in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) to identify temporal trends and the impact of “door-to-unloading” time on in-hospital mortality. Baseline characteristics

Patients undergoing revascularization for left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) may develop non–periprocedural-related myocardial infarction (MI) during long-term follow-up. There is limited information regarding the relative rate and prognostic impact of such spontaneous MI after percutaneous

Endothelial function is a marker for cardiovascular risk. Thus, abnormal endothelial function may be associated with adverse outcome in patients presenting to the emergency department chest pain unit (CPU). Following endothelial function testing, using EndoPAT 2000 in 300 consecutive subjects with

Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and disability worldwide, and the disease burden has progressively increased over the past decades. A rising interest in identifying risk factors for cerebrovascular disease may finally shift the focus to prevention of future events [(1)][1].

Objectives In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) medically managed according to currently accepted guidelines, we tested whether a 1-month dietary intervention with flavanol-containing cocoa leads to an improvement of endothelial dysfunction and whether this is associated with an enhanced number and function of circulating angiogenic cells (CACs). Background Dietary flavanols can improve endothelial dysfunction. The CACs, also termed endothelial progenitor cells, are critical for vascular repair and maintenance of endothelial function. Methods In a randomized, controlled, double-masked, cross-over trial, 16 CAD patients (64 ± 3 years of age) received a dietary high-flavanol intervention (HiFI [375 mg]) and a macronutrient- and micronutrient-matched low-flavanol intervention (LoFI [9 mg]) twice daily in random order over 30 days. Results Endothelium-dependent vasomotor function, as measured by flow-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery, improved by 47% in the HiFI period compared with the LoFI period. After HiFI, the number of CD34+/KDR+-CACs, as measured by flow cytometry, increased 2.2-fold as compared with after LoFI. The CAC functions, as measured by the capacity to survive, differentiate, proliferate, and to migrate were not different between the groups. The HiFI led to a decrease in systolic blood pressure (mean change over LoFI: −4.2 ± 2.7 mm Hg), and increase in plasma nitrite level (mean change over LoFI: 74 ± 32 nM). Applying a mixed-effects linear regression model, the results demonstrated a significant increase in flow-mediated vasodilation and a decrease in systolic blood pressure with increasing levels of CD34+/KDR+-CACs. Conclusions Sustained improvements in endothelial dysfunction by regular dietary intake of flavanols are associated with mobilization of functional CACs. (Effect of Cocoa Flavanols on Vascular Function in Optimally Treated Coronary Artery Disease Patients: Interaction Between Endothelial Progenitor Cells, Reactivity of Micro- and Macrocirculation; NCT00553774).

Short QT syndrome (SQTS) is an uncommon genetic channelopathy that predisposes to sudden cardiac death (SCD). Management of this condition in asymptomatic individuals is controversial. A 22-year-old man presented with a 6-month history of atypical chest pain. His medical history was unremarkable.

Background: Serum uric acid is a marker of oxidative stress, and may predict cardiovascular events/outcomes. We aimed to determine whether elevated serum uric acid levels were predictive of worse outcomes in women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI). Methods: We retrospectively

Although hyponatremia has prognostic implications in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), its influence on patient clinical course, including response to diuretics and renal function, has not been reported. Our objective was to evaluate the incidence of hyponatremia in ADHF and its association

Septal myectomy is the gold standard for medically-refractory patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HCM). There is a subset of patients who have severe exertional symptoms without a resting or provocable left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient on noninvasive testing. These