Smoking and coronary artery disease assessed by routine coronary arteriography.

The association between extent and duration of smoking habit and severity of coronary atheroma was examined in 387 patients undergoing routine coronary ateriography before valve replacement surgery. Total number of cigarettes smoked in life correlated significantly with severity of coronary artery disease (p less than 0.001) and number of coronary arteries with stenoses of 50% or more (p less than 0.001). Severity of coronary artery disease in current smokers was similar to that in former smokers. Multiple regression analysis showed diastolic blood pressure, cigarette consumption, age, ratio of total cholesterol to high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and history of angina to be the important predictors of severity of coronary artery disease. An estimate of the number of cigarettes smoked in life can be useful in identifying patients with coronary artery disease if used in conjunction with data on other important risk factors.     

老年主动脉瓣钙化与冠心病合并心律失常的相关性探讨

目的:探讨老年患者主动脉瓣钙化与冠心病合并心律失常的相关性。方法:纳入解放军总医院疑诊为冠心病的老年住院患者276例,行冠状动脉造影,同期行超声心动图和24 h动态心电图检查,详细记录患者病史。根据超声结果,将患者分成主动脉瓣钙化(AVC)组和非主动脉瓣钙化(NAVC)组,比较两组冠心病合并心律失常的检出率,评价老年患者主动脉瓣钙化对冠心病合并心律失常的预测价值。结果:AVC组和NAVC组的年龄、吸烟史、高血压史、糖尿病史存在显著性差异(P0.05);AVC组冠心病的确诊率为93.7%,而NAVC组为80.6%,两组差异有统计学意义(P=0.002);AVC组冠心病合并心律失常检出率也显著性高于NAVC组(59.2%vs 35.1%,P=0.043)。结论:主动脉瓣钙化与冠心病合并心律失常密切相关,有望作为冠心病合并心律失常的高危患者有效的筛查指标。     

同期行冠状动脉旁路移植和心脏瓣膜置换术治疗冠心病合并心脏瓣膜病的临床研究

目的:总结同期行冠状动脉旁路移植(CABG)和心脏瓣膜置换术治疗冠心病合并心脏瓣膜病的临床经验。方法:回顾性分析我院收治的41例接受冠状动脉旁路移植同期行心脏瓣膜置换术的冠心病合并心脏瓣膜病患者的临床资料,对手术方法、主要并发症和术后处理方法进行分析总结。结果:41例患者中,行二次开胸4例(9.76%),应用IABP 2例(4.88%),发生低心排综合征6例(14.63%)、肾功能不全6例(14.63%)、肺功能不全7例(17.07%)、脑合并症1例(2.44%)、胸腔积液4例(9.77%),死亡6例(13.63%),其余患者康复出院。结论:CABG同期行心脏瓣膜置换术治疗冠心病合并心脏瓣膜病的近期疗效满意。术前改善心功能,成熟的手术技术,完全的心肌再血管化,良好的心肌保护,停机困难者尽早应用主动脉内球囊反搏(IABP)及加强术后处理是提高CABG同期行心脏瓣膜置换术疗效的重要措施。     

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and ischaemic heart disease: an evaluation of the evidence.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the risk of ischaemic heart disease caused by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and to explain why the associated excess risk is almost half that of smoking 20 cigarettes per day when the exposure is only about 1% that of smoking. DESIGN: Meta-analysis of all 19 acceptable published studies of risk of ischaemic heart disease in lifelong non-smokers who live with a smoker and in those who live with a non-smoker, five large prospective studies of smoking and ischaemic heart disease, and studies of platelet aggregation and studies of diet according to exposure to tobacco smoke. RESULTS: The relative risk of ischaemic heart disease associated with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke was 1.30 (95% confidence interval 1.22 to 1.38) at age 65. At the same age the estimated relative risk associated with smoking one cigarette per day was similar (1.39 (1.18 to 1.64)), while for 20 per day it was 1.78 (1.31 to 2.44). Two separate analyses indicated that non-smokers who live with smokers eat a diet that places them at a 6% higher risk of ischaemic heart disease, so the direct effect of environmental tobacco smoke is to increase risk by 23% (14% to 33%), since 1.30/1.06 = 1.23. Platelet aggregation provides a plausible and quantitatively consistent mechanism for the low dose effect. The increase in platelet aggregation produced experimentally by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke would be expected to have acute effects increasing the risk of ischaemic heart disease by 34%. CONCLUSION: Breathing other people''s smoke is an important and avoidable cause of ischaemic heart disease, increasing a person''s risk by a quarter.     

Identifying men at high risk of heart attacks: strategy for use in general practice.

A strategy was devised for identifying men at high risk of acute myocardial infarction or sudden ischaemic death. A risk score was devised using cigarette smoking, mean blood pressure, recall of ischaemic heart disease or diabetes mellitus diagnosed by a doctor, history of parental death from "heart trouble," and the presence of angina reported on a questionnaire. The top fifth of the score distribution identified 53% of ischaemic heart disease cases--that is, men who subsequently experienced major ischaemic heart disease over the next five years. The addition of serum total cholesterol concentration and electrocardiographic evidence only slightly improved prediction (to 59%) and would have considerably increased the cost and effort of screening. Using this risk score on an opportunistic basis could be particularly valuable in general practice. Management of this high risk group is regarded as appropriate medical care and is complementary to the population approach to preventing ischaemic heart disease. Such a strategy for reducing the incidence of and mortality from ischaemic heart disease in men at high risk would also increase professional and public awareness of the need for preventive action.     

慢阻肺伴左心衰竭临床特征与影响因素分析

摘要 目的：探讨慢阻肺伴左心衰竭临床特征与影响因素。方法：回顾性选择2019年1月至2020年12月来我院诊治的慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者150例。根据是否合并心衰,将150例患者分为慢阻肺伴左心衰竭组（A组）与慢阻肺未伴左心衰竭组（B组）。分析150例患者中慢阻肺伴左心衰竭的占比,分析对比两组一般资料、习惯和疾病病史、肺功能、心脏彩超、心电图结果、血液指标水平与动脉血气指标,采用Logistic回归分析慢阻肺伴左心衰竭的影响因素。结果：（1）150例患者中,慢阻肺伴左心衰竭者占比为32.00 %,慢性阻塞性肺疾病未合并左心衰竭者占比为68.00 %。（2）两组性别、年龄、患病时间、糖尿病史、吸烟史、高血压史、冠心病史、FEV1/FVC、左房内径、左心室舒张末内径、左室重量分数、左室后壁厚度、肺动脉压、血小板计数、C反应蛋白、降钙素原、凝血酶原时间、D-二聚体、白蛋白、肌酸激酶同工酶、N末端脑钠肽前体、PaCO₂、PaO₂、SaO₂对比有差异（P<0.05）。（3）Logistic回归分析结果表明、性别、年龄、糖尿病史、吸烟史、高血压史、冠心病史、左心室舒张末内径、肺动脉压是影响慢阻肺合并左心衰竭患者的影响因素（P<0.05）。结论：慢阻肺伴左心衰竭的占比较高,其与性别为男性、年龄偏大、有糖尿病史、吸烟史、高血压史、冠心病史、左心室舒张末内径升高、肺动脉压升高相关,需对以上因素给予积极干预及治疗。     

Ischaemic Heart Disease in Young Women

The mortality rate from ischaemic heart disease (I.H.D.) has increased in young women by about 50% in 12 years, and it is now possible to report the findings in 150 women who developed symptoms and signs of I.H.D. under the age of 45. Data obtained from 145 of these women form the basis of this report: 81 presented with myocardial infarction and 64 with angina. In the remaining five there was a definite nonatherosclerotic cause for the premature onset of I.H.D.Hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, or excessive cigarette smoking each occurred in a large minority, and more than one of these major risk factors was present in most patients. Hypercholesterolaemia was the commonest factor. In women in whom lipoprotein typing was undertaken the type II pattern was more frequent than type IV. The prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia and hypertension was the same in those with myocardial infarction and in those with angina.Excessive cigarette smoking was more common in women with myocardial infarction than in those with angina. The latter did not differ in their cigarette smoking habits from the normal population.A premature menopause had occurred in 20% of these women, but there was no relation between the early onset of I.H.D. with age at menarche, parity, or the incidence of abortion. Oral contraceptives did not increase the risk of myocardial infarction unless one of the major risk factors was also present.Altogether 75% of patients with angina or myocardial infarction survived 12 years. Coexisting hypertension worsened the prognosis. The prognosis after myocardial infarction was similar in these women to that previously described for men under the age of 40.     

Factors in coronary artery disease: cigarette smoking and exercise

A study was made of certain information from studies of the State Department of Public Health which bear upon the hypotheses that cigarette-smoking and physical exercise are factors in coronary artery disease. The data supported an association of the disease with cigarette smoking, but not with exercise. An incidental finding was a strong relationship between coronary heart disease and the beginning of the wearing of reading glasses or bifocals at an early age. In the present state of investigations aimed at determining the etiology of coronary artery disease it appears desirable to give serious consideration to multiple factors rather than seeking to find a single cause.     

Helicobacter pylori infection and coronary artery disease

The aim of this investigation was to determine the seroprevalence of H. pylori in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients with coronary artery disease (n = 90) and control group (n = 90) were enrolled into this randomized, multi-centre study. CAD risk factors analyzed included age, male gender, diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension, cigarette smoking, hypercholesterolemia and socioeconomic status. The results of this study showed a higher seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with CAD compared to controls (78.8% versus 58.3%, p < 0.05). However, Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was not associated with coronary artery risk factors (smoking, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, total cholesterol and socioeconomic status) either in the whole study population or in the patients and control subjects analyzed separately (P > 0.05). Further study are needed to clarify the precise role of Helicobacter pylori infection on the development of coronary artery disease.     

Acquired hemophilia in a patient with myeloma.

The generally accepted indications for stress testing in patients with coronary artery disease include confirming the diagnosis of angina, determining the limitation of activity caused by angina, assessing prognosis in patients with known coronary artery disease, assessing perioperative risk, and evaluating responses to therapy. In patients with a clinical scenario strongly suggestive of angina, testing is not necessary to diagnose coronary artery disease. The exercise treadmill-electrocardiogram test is the oldest and most extensively used stress test and can be reliably performed in patients who are clinically stable and who have an interpretable resting electrocardiogram. The addition of myocardial imaging agents such as thallium 201, technetium Tc 99m sestamibi, and technetium Tc 99m teboroxime increases the sensitivity and specificity for detecting coronary disease. Pharmacologic agents such as dipyridamole, adenosine, and dobutamine may be used in patients who cannot exercise adequately. Myocardial ischemia can also be evaluated by echocardiography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging, especially when additional information such as left ventricular and valvular function is desired. We review the indications for the noninvasive evaluation of coronary artery disease and the rationale for selecting a diagnostic test.     

Natural history of coronary artery disease in relation to angiographic, hemodynamic and clinical factors

Studying the natural history of coronary artery disease could provide a frame of reference for prognosis and appraisal of treatment for patients having this disease. We studied a total of 465 consecutive patients with angiographically significant coronary artery disease, defined as greater than 50% stenosis in at least one principal artery, who were followed with medical treatment only from 1 to 7 years. Excluding patients with left main coronary disease, there were 73 deaths, of whom 63 were cardiac. The 5-year cumulative survival rates were 72% for the entire group, 87% for single vessel disease, 73% for double vessel disease and 51% for triple vessel disease. In single vessel disease, patients with left anterior descending artery involvement tended to have higher mortality. In double vessel disease, survival was worse with the combination of left anterior descending and right coronary artery involvements than the other 2 combinations. A history of myocardial infarction was not significantly different from angina in 5-year survival rate. Nevertheless, an abnormal Q-wave in ECG was associated with lower survival. History of hypertension and electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy did not affect survival. While congestive heart failure, abnormal resting LVEDP and left ventricular asynergy were all associated with reduced survival. The left ventricular ejection fraction had highly prognostic value, only 42% of patients survived with ejection fraction less than 0.3 at the end of 5 years after angiography.     

Snoring as a risk factor for ischaemic heart disease and stroke in men.

The association of snoring with ischaemic heart disease and stroke was studied prospectively in 4388 men aged 40-69. The men were asked, in a questionnaire sent to them, whether they snored habitually, frequently, occasionally, or never. Hospital records and death certificates were checked for the next three years to establish how many of the men developed ischaemic heart disease or stroke: the numbers were 149 and 42, respectively. Three categories of snoring were used for analysis: habitual and frequent snorers (n = 1294), occasional snorers (n = 2614), and non-snorers (n = 480). The age adjusted relative risk of ischaemic heart disease between habitual plus frequent snorers and non-snorers was 1.91 (p less than 0.01) and for ischaemic heart disease or stroke, or both, 2.38 (p less than 0.001). There were no cases of stroke among the non-snorers. Adjustment for age, body mass index, history of hypertension, smoking, and alcohol use did not significantly decrease the relative risks, which were 1.71 (p greater than 0.05) for ischaemic heart disease and 2.08 (p less than 0.01) for ischaemic heart disease and stroke combined. At the beginning of follow up in 1981, 462 men reported a history of angina pectoris or myocardial infarction. For them the relative risk of ischaemic heart disease between habitual plus frequent snorers and non-snorers was 1.30 (NS); for men without previous ischaemic heart disease 2.72 (p less than 0.05). Snoring seems to be a potential determinant of risk of ischaemic heart disease and stroke.     

Identification and treatment of risk factors for coronary heart disease in general practice: a possible screening model

A screening programme for the identification of risk factors for coronary heart disease in all patients aged 25-55 years in a general practice population was studied.The identification of risk factors included measurement of obesity, blood pressure, hypercholesterolaemia, and urinalysis, together with questions about family history, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, and lifestyle. The patients with identified risk factors were invited to attend a lifestyle intervention clinic organised by the practice nurses and run by the health visitors, with the help of the local authority dietitian. Of 2646 (62%) patients who attended for screening, 78 (64%) of the 121 shown to have a high cholesterol concentration experienced a drop in cholesterol concentration. The mean fall in cholesterol concentration in the 78 patients who showed a positive response to intervention was 1·1 mmol/l.The study was intended as a possible flexible model for screening for coronary heart disease in general practice that could be complemented rather than replaced by opportunistic screening. The issues of organisation, cost, manpower, non-attendance, and effectiveness in a busy general practice environment are discussed.     

Changes in risk factors explain changes in mortality from ischaemic heart disease in Finland.

OBJECTIVES--To estimate the extent to which changes in the main coronary risk factors (serum cholesterol concentration, blood pressure, and smoking) explain the decline in mortality from ischaemic heart disease and to evaluate the relative importance of change in each of these risk factors. DESIGN--Predicted changes in ischaemic heart disease mortality were calculated by a logistic regression model using the risk factor levels assessed by cross sectional population surveys, in 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, and 1992. These predicted changes were compared with observed changes in mortality statistics. SETTING--North Karelia and Kuopio provinces, Finland. SUBJECTS--14,257 men and 14,786 women aged 30-59 randomly selected from the national population register. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Levels of the risk factors and predicted and observed changes in mortality from ischaemic heart disease. RESULTS--The observed changes in the risk factors in the population from 1972 to 1992 predicted a decline in mortality from ischaemic heart disease of 44% (95% confidence interval 37% to 50%) in men and 49% (37% to 59%) in women. The observed decline was 55% (51% to 58%) and 68% (61 to 74) respectively. CONCLUSION--An assessment of the data on the risk factors for ischaemic heart disease and mortality suggests that most of the decline in mortality from ischaemic heart disease can be explained by changes in the three main coronary risk factors.     

A relation between HLA antigens and clinical features in patients with acquired valvular heart disease.

Analysis of the HLA antigen patterns in patients with acquired valvular heart disease showed that antigens A29 and AW30/31 occurred more often in those patients whose valvular disease was not preceeded by a history of rheumatic fever or chorea. Patients with no rheumatic history but with antigen A29 or AW30/31 had clinical features that distinguished them from others with valvular disease--namely, (a) isolated mitral valve disease and (b) the need for surgery, often at an early age, after a relatively short duration of symptoms.     

Cocaine: its use in otolaryngology

A review of 120 patients who had a discharge diagnosis of intermediate coronary syndrome showed 12 patients with documented transient ST elevation during spontaneous rest pain consistent with Prinzmetal''s angina. Coronary arteriography showed severe proximal occlusive coronary atherosclerosis in nine of the patients, and normal or minimal disease in the other three patients. In two of these three, there was documented coronary arterial spasm with reproduction of symptoms during arteriography. Although a shorter history of chest pain, presence of an old myocardial infarction and a positive finding on electrocardiogram treadmill test tended to predict the patients with severe occlusive coronary artery disease, these methods were inadequate to select candidates for arteriography. All patients responded well to nitroglycerine while in the hospital. Five of the nine patients with coronary artery disease had coronary bypass operations, with two excellent, two fair and one poor result. One of the three patients with normal findings on coronary arteriograms died with refractory ventricular arrhythmia six months after study. The other two have had good-to-moderate relief of symptoms on long-acting vasodilators and propranolol. Current concepts of the syndrome of Prinzmetal''s angina and ST elevation are reviewed. It appears that this syndrome has a wide spectrum of clinical presentations and coronary arteriographic anatomies.     

The association of metabolic syndrome and Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus type 1: The Persian Gulf Healthy Heart Study

Background

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in industrialized countries and most patients with diabetes die from complications of atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of diabetes mellitus and other conventional coronary heart disease risk factors (cigarette smoking, hypertension and hyperlipidemia) in patients with acute coronary events in an Iranian population.

Methods

The study included 514 patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction (MI) out of 720 patients admitted to CCU ward of a general hospital from March 2003 to March 2005. History of diabetes, hypertension and cigarette smoking, demographic indices, coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus treatment, myocardial enzymes, serum triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol and fasting and non fasting blood glucose levels and HbA1C of diabetics were recorded of admission sheets. The data were structured to appropriate one way ANOVA, T tests, and chi square test with SPSS 13 product for windows.

Results

Out of all patients 35.8% were female, 30% were diabetics (Duration 13.4 ± 8.7 years), 42% were smoker and 91% were hypertensive. Twenty four percent had MI and 76% had unstable angina. MI was significantly higher in diabetic patients (36.4% vs. 19.2%, P < 0.001). Location and extension of MI and myocardial enzymes did not differ between diabetics and non-diabetic patients. Diabetic patients were older than non diabetics (65 ± 11.6 vs. 59.7 ± 12.5 years, p < 0.05). Five (66.7%) out of 9 patients with fatal MI were diabetics (Odds Ratio = 2.98). Age, duration of diabetes and HbA1c levels, did not differ between diabetic patients with or without MI. Hypertension and current smoking was significantly higher in patients with MI compared to patients with unstable angina (p < 0.05). Serum TG, HDL-C, LDL-C and total cholesterol level did not differ between patients with MI and unstable angina. Diabetic patients compare to non diabetic patients were more hypertensive (96% vs. 88.7%, p < 0.005) and had higher serum triglyceride (TG over 200 mg/dl, 35.1% vs. 26.4, p <0.05). Diabetes was more frequent among women than men (36.4% vs. 26.4%, p < 0.05). Women were older than men (65 ± 11.6 vs. 59.2 ± 13 years, p < 0.005) and had higher total serum cholesterol (200 ± 41.8 vs. 192 ± 42.5 mg/dl, p < 0.05) and HDL-C levels (49.7 ± 22 vs. 40 ± 13 mg/dl, p < 0.005). Ninety seven percent of all patients had at least one of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol levels).

Conclusion

In this study 19 out of 20 patients with acute coronary event have at least one of conventional cardiac risk factors. Diabetes and hypertension are leading risk factors, which may directly or indirectly interfere and predict more serious complications of coronary heart disease.     

Diagnostic value of maximal treadmill exercise electrocardiogram in predicting coronary artery disease for asymptomatic Chinese male subjects

The value of maximal treadmill exercise electrocardiogram (TEE) in predicting coronary artery disease was evaluated in a consecutive series of 168 asymptomatic Chinese males, aged 41 to 57 years (mean 53) during annual physical examinations. Their resting electrocardiograms (ECGs) showed no abnormal Q-waves. The end-point of TEE achieved the age-predicted maximal heart rate, and no subjects had classic angina pectoris during or after TEE. Thirty-five subjects had positive electrocardiographic changes defined as reversible horizontal or downsloping ST-segment depression greater than or equal to 1.0 mv which lasted greater than or equal to 0.08 sec. Exercise thallium-201 (T1-201) myocardial imaging was performed on all 35 subjects with positive TEE; 30 subjects (86%) demonstrated normal and 5 abnormal scintigrams. Sixteen of the 30 cases with normal T1-201 scans underwent coronary arteriography, of which 14 showed normal arteriograms and two showed a less than 49% stenosis of the luminal diameter in one major artery. Of the 5 cases with abnormal scintigrams, 4 were found to have greater than 50% stenoses in at least one major artery, and only one case had a less than 49% stenosis of the right coronary artery. We concluded that TEE alone for asymptomatic individuals provided limited value in diagnosing significant coronary artery disease, especially in areas of low prevalence.     

Risks of discontinuing anticoagulant therapy in a selected group of patients with atherosclerotic heart disease: a prospective study

In 134 patients with coronary artery disease, long-term oral anticoagulant therapy (mean duration, 56 months) for acute myocardial infarction (98 patients), acute coronary insufficiency (25 patients) or severe chronic angina (11 patients) was terminated abruptly in 50 patients (group 1) and gradually in 84 (group 2). The 134 patients represented a homogeneous population of patients with coronary artery disease since most patients older than 75 years and those with conditions known to increase the risks of thromboembolic complications were excluded. The two groups were comparable in terms of sex, age, presence of risk factors, duration of anticoagulant therapy, and presence of angina and abnormal resting electrocardiograms during therapy. Patients were evaluated 6 months after cessation of anticoagulant therapy and, since abrupt withdrawal of therapy did not carry a higher risk than gradual discontinuation, data for groups 1 and 2 were tabulated together.Of the 84 patients with angina at the end of therapy 15 experienced an increase in its severity and this symptom appeared in another patient (relapse rate, 18%). Angina progressed to fatal acute myocardial infarction in four (mortality, 3%) and nonfatal infarction in two; however, all six had extensive coronary artery disease and poor left ventricular function. The results of this study suggest that neither abrupt nor gradual cessation of anticoagulant therapy is associated with an inordinate exacerbation of heart disease.     

Hemorheologic findings in patients with ischemic heart disease

The paper deals with the rheological properties of the blood of 38 male patients affected by ischaemic heart diseases (age: 40-75 years) and 19 healthy test persons of comparable age. The following haemorheological properties were measured. 1. Relative plasma viscosity 2. Erythrocyte aggregation 3. Erythrocyte deformability 4. Thrombocyte aggregation and 5. Whole blood viscosity. For the purpose of representing and assessing the results of measurement obtained a division was made into different groups according to the appearances of ischaemic heart disease (chronic ischaemic heart disease, unstable angina pectoris, acute heart infarct) and risk factors (smoking, diabetes mellitus, blood high pressure and hyperlipidaemia). The methods 1-3 proved to be especially suitable for representing gradual differences in the examined rheological parameters. The results obtained are discussed and evaluated.