Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) without a cardiopulmonary bypass, (CBP), has increasingly become an alternative to the conventional standard (with pump). However, it is still controversial whether there is a decrease in morbidity and mortality between these two techniques. The aim of this study was to compare these two techniques in a high risk population. …
STOP-HF: The use of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) for screening high-risk population decreases the prevalence of heart failure
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) can be a reliable marker for the diagnosis of heart failure (HF). This study aimed to assess whether the use of BNP for screening a population at high risk of developing heart failure, (HF), may lead to a decrease in the prevalence of heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction. We randomized…
RELAX Study: Phosphodieserase-5 inhibitors showed no benefit in heart failure with preserved ventricular function.
Phosphodieserase-5 enzyme is activated in heart failure and can limit the beneficial effects of nitric oxide, (NO), in the vasculature, kidney and myocardium. The benefits of phosphodiesterase inhibitors are well documented in erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Although some studies with sildenafil in heart failure show reduced ejection fraction, their role in heart failure…
ASTRONAUT: Aliskiren failed to show benefits in patients with acute heart failure
Hospitalization for heart failure, (HF), represents a major health problem with high rates of death or early readmission after discharge. The aim of this study was to investigate whether aliskiren, (a direct renin inhibitor), added to standard therapy can reduce the rate of cardiovascular death or re-hospitalization in patients with HF. The study was double-blind…
PARTNER cohort A at three years, the benefit continues
The PARTNER Cohort A randomized 699 elderly patients, (mean age 84.1), with severe aortic stenosis for TAVI or conventional surgery in 26 centers. The group of patients who received TAVI was divided into two groups: trans-femoral procedure, (244 patients), or trans-apical procedure, (104 patients). After one year mortality was similar but stroke and transient ischemic…
MASS COMM: Elective angioplasty can be performed in hospital with or without emergency surgical support.
Increasingly, the frequent performances of elective angioplasties are in hospitals that do not have a cardiac surgery team. The occurrence for the need of emergency surgery varies from 0.1 to 0.4% in the contemporary age. There is an ongoing debate on health policy about whether to perform elective coronary angioplasty at hospitals without cardiac surgery…
CABG off-pump, same results at one year-pump surgery.
The relative benefits and risks of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) as compared with the use of CBP are not clearly defined. The CORONARY trial in 79 centers randomized 4,752 patients in whom CABG was planned with or without CBP. There was no significant difference in the primary end point which was a composite…
GOPCABE: similar results for in-pump or off-pump surgery in elderly patients
Background: There is much debate about a possible benefit of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) compared with on-pump surgery. However, a randomized study could not confirm this benefit. The objective of these studies was to compare the MACCE, (death, MI, stroke, revascularization repeated and a new dialysis), of surgical revascularization with…