A direct relationship was observed between the burden of coronary atherosclerosis, its progression, and adverse cardiovascular events. The relationship between disease progression and outcomes largely reflected the need for coronary revascularization. These data support the use of atherosclerosis imaging with IVUS in the evaluation of novel antiatherosclerotic therapies.

Background: Many etiologies causing pulmonary hypertension (PH) have been reported, and one of the background disease seen with patients with PH is chronic renal failure (CRF); however, the pathogenesis of PH in this group of patients is not explained satisfactorily. Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of unexplained PH among patients with CRF and to suggest possible etiologic factors. Methods: Two hundred and eleven patients with CRF were evaluated and the ones who have comorbid conditions that cause PH were excluded. Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and cardiac functions were evaluated by Doppler echocardiography. Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) flow was measured by Doppler sonography. The patients were followed for at least 6 months. Results: Forty-eight CRF patients (20 males, 28 females) were included: 23 were predialysis patients, and 25 patients received hemodialysis via AVF. Patients were followed for 7.5 ± 1.01 months. Systolic PAP >35 mm Hg was found in 56% (14/25) of patients receiving hemodialysis (36.8 ± 10.7 mm Hg) and in 39.1% (9/23) of predialysis patients (29.5 ± 9.5 mm Hg). The parathyroid hormone level, cardiac output values and CRF duration were found to be increased in patients with elevated systolic PAP (p < 0.05). AVF flow and AVF duration were positively correlated with systolic PAP in patients receiving hemodialysis (p < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between systolic PAP and residual urine volume (p < 0.05). AVF compression in hemodialysis patients decreased systolic PAP from 36.8 ± 10.7 to 32.8 ± 10.5 mm Hg. Systolic PAP values were increased at the end of the study in the predialysis group, whereas they were decreased at the end of the follow-up in the hemodialysis group (36.9 ± 10.5 and 32.04 ± 10.5 mm Hg, respectively). Conclusions: This study demonstrates a high incidence of PH among patients with CRF. CRF duration, AVF flow, parathyroid hormone level and cardiac output may be involved in the pathogenesis of PH. The effective hemodialysis and dry weight reduction decreased systolic PAP values.

Although accelerated disease progression is observed in the setting of MetS, this is owing to the presence of individual component risk factors rather than to the presence of the syndrome itself.

Residual risk factors are associated with the likelihood of disease progression in patients who achieve very low LDL-C levels. In addition, the association between apolipoprotein B and atheroma progression highlights the potential importance of LDL particle concentration in patients with optimal LDL-C control. This finding highlights the need for intensive modification of global risk in patients with coronary artery disease.

Favorable effects of pioglitazone on the triglyceride/HDL-C ratio correlated with delayed atheroma progression in diabetic patients. This finding highlights the potential importance of targeting atherogenic dyslipidemia in diabetic patients with coronary artery disease.

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Warfarin therapy is associated with progressive coronary atheroma calcification independent of changes in atheroma volume. The impact of these changes on plaque stability and cardiovascular outcomes requires further investigation.

ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate the prevalence of concurrent coronary artery disease in patients who underwent surgery due to severe valvular heart disease. The study also investigated the association of coronary artery disease with the type of valvular heart disease.Materials and methodsA total of 241 patients (123 females [51%]), who had underwent single valvular heart surgery, were included in the study. The patients who underwent valve replacement surgery were divided into four groups: patients with severe mitral stenosis (MS), patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR), patients with severe aortic regurgitation (AR), and patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Age, DM, HT, history of smoking, and LDL values were recorded as the risk factors for CAD.ResultsCoronary artery disease was detected in 26.4% of patients with mitral stenosis and 57.7% of patients with aortic stenosis. Of the patients with mitral insufficiency, 41.9% had CAD, and 44.4% of the patients with aortic insufficiency had CAD.ConclusionThe comparison of MS and AS groups revealed significantly higher prevalence of CAD in the AS group. There was no statistically significant difference between the MR and AR groups in terms of the prevalence of CAD. The comparison of MS and MR groups revealed significantly higher prevalence of CAD in the MR group. Furthermore, the comparison of these groups in terms of the extensiveness of the coronary artery disease revealed significantly higher Gensini score in the MR group.