International Cardiovascular Research Journal

BACKGROUND: Primary Hypertension (HT) is the most prevalent cardiovascular disorder worldwide and is accompanied by significant morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to investigate the kinetics of orthostatic Blood Pressure (BP) in primary hypertensive patients during the change from supine position to standing position as well as during the standing position using the Orthostatic Test (OT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study included a group of 107 primary hypertensive patients (mean age: 55...

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Ruptured valsalva sinus aneurysm to pericardium is a rare condition. Here, we described a case presented with tamponade. Initially, hemopericardium was partially drained and then, imaging evaluations were done. Transesophageal echocardiography showed limited dissection of aortic sinus and CT angiography of the ascending aorta showed deformed dilated right coronary sinus. Besides, surgery showed that windsock tract of the right coronary sinus had ruptured into the pericardium with avulsed right coronary aortic cusp...

We report an asymptomatic patient in whom the intravenous pacemaker (PM) lead was inadvertently implanted in LV through the perforated interventricular septum. He had no embolic events during the last 9 years after the implantation. Possible explanation of the uncomplicated follow-up period is that the patient had been taking warfarin because of mechanical mitral valve prosthesis.

BACKGROUND: Increase in the number of patients treated with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) requests more attention regarding its complications. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the generator- and lead-related complications at implantation and during follow-up in the patients who were treated with ICD for primary and secondary prevention reasons. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 255 consecutive patients who underwent transvenous ICD implantation for the first time in a 7-year period and were followed-up for 3 years at Tehran Heart Center...

BACKGROUND: The interest in beating heart surgery is growing since better results can be obtained with this procedure compared to conventional myocardial protection techniques using cardioplegic solutions. This led us to consider mitral valve replacement with beating heart. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of beating heart mitral valve replacement without cross clamp. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on the patients with isolated mitral valve disease requiring mitral valve replacement according to ACC / AHA guidelines...

BACKGROUND: Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital anomaly which represents one of the most common causes of myocardial ischemia and infarction in children. This anomaly, if left untreated, results in a very high mortality rate within the first year of life. Yet, immediate surgical correction can lead to excellent results. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to determine the surgical outcome of ALCAPA...

BACKGROUND: It seems that meal frequency is negatively related to body weight, but the relationship between meal frequency and weight loss is not clearly known yet. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to investigate whether 6 isocaloric meals affected body weight, lipid profiles, leptin, and adiponectin in overweight subjects. METHODS: The present randomized controlled trial was conducted on 90 overweight subjects in 3 months. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups...

BACKGROUND: Most studies on mental health associates of obesity have focused on depression and less is known about the role of anxiety in obesity. OBJECTIVES: This study compared the additive effects of General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) on Body Mass Index (BMI) across sub-populations of Blacks based on the intersection of ethnicity and gender. METHODS: Data came from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), 2001 - 2003...

BACKGROUND: Although many electrocardiographic abnormalities have been reported previously, prolonged QTC interval represented as the most important ECG finding in patients with liver cirrhosis. Echocardiography can detect structural cardiac abnormalities in cirrhotic patients. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to determine the correlation between QTC prolongation and echocardiographic findings in end stage liver cirrhosis. METHODS: The present study was conducted on 100 patients selected through convenient sampling...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Percutaneous pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty as a procedure of choice in adults has been established since the last three decades. Even though the complications are rare, they are scarcely reported in the literature. We report such a case in an adult female patient of severe pulmonary valular stenosis in whom, entrapped catheter across the fossa ovalis was noted in chest x-ray and echocardiogram following unsuccessful percutaneous pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty. Our case emphasizes this rare complication and its successful surgical outcome...

Prosthetic tricuspid valve is an obstacle to implant cardiac devise. Cardiac Resynchronization therapy is one of the most popular therapies for heart failure patients these days. We present this case of prosthetic tricuspid valve and left ventricular dysfunction which we overcome the problem by implanting two leads to coronary sinus branches. Patient improved in few months of follow up.

BACKGROUND: Obstetricians regard maternal age of 20 to 35 years as the optimal age for pregnancy. Adolescent pregnancy and pregnancy at the ages of 35 years and above are associated with higher risks. Pregnancy is pro-arrhythmic and rarely precipitates ventricular arrhythmias. OBJECTIVES: QT dispersion is an index of heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization and a predictor of propensity of ventricular arrhythmias. In this study, this index was used to find any relationship between maternal age and ventricular arrhythmia risk...

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between Left Atrial Volume (LAV), a marker of diastolic dysfunction, and the frequency of malignant ventricular arrhythmia in the patients with left ventricular dysfunction and a previously implanted Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) device. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 32 patients with ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, each having had an ICD device implanted at least 1 year beforehand...

BACKGROUND: Vascular injury poses a serious threat to limb and life. Thus, diagnosis should be made immediately with minimally invasive methods. Doppler is a good aid in diagnosis of vascular injury. METHODS: The present prospective study was conducted on 150 patients who presented with soft signs (the signs which are suggestive but not confirmatory) of vascular injury. They were subjected to color Doppler examination before exploration. The patients with the features of vascular injury on color Doppler were subjected to exploration...

BACKGROUND: Although several studies have been conducted on the association between lipid profile and sexual function among men with coronary artery disease, there is a paucity of knowledge about this association among women with coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to evaluate the link between lipid profile and sexual function in men and women with coronary artery disease. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with documented coronary artery disease were consecutively sampled from an outpatient cardiovascular clinic...

BACKGROUND: Considering the increasing incidence of coronary artery stenosis as well as its related complications, the importance of its etiology, and inconsistent reports, we aimed to determine the relationship between High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) serum levels and severity of coronary atherosclerosis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on the patients who referred to Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran and met the inclusion criteria in 2011...

BACKGROUND: Some patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) have no well-known risk factors of this disease, but are diagnosed with cardiovascular events. The present study aimed to assess the association between Apo A1 and ApoB and the severity of CAD and determine whether these parameters are better predictors of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD). METHODS: In this case control study, 271 individuals who were suspicious of having CAD and had been referred to Arak Amir-al-Momenin hospital underwent coronary angiography...

Vascular access has remained a major challenge for implantation of permanent pacemaker leads. A persistent Left Superior Vena Cava (LSVC), especially with an absent Right Superior Vena Cava (RSVC), is a rare finding during pacemaker implantation and is accompanied by technical difficulties. Herein, we describe a case of sinoatrial node arrest, in which finding a suitable vein for passing the lead was challenging. The patient had a persistent LSVC with an absent RSVC.