Sildenafil improves survival in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IPAH) is a serious disorder of unknown etiology with limited therapeutic options. Sildenafil has been shown to decrease symptoms, improve hemodynamics and quality of life. Its impact on survival is uncertain. We studied the efficacy of sildenafil in improving survival in patients with IPAH. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data on survival of patients with IPAH was collected from prospectively maintained registry at our hospital from January 1999 to December 2005. Thirty nine patients who were treated with conventional therapy including digoxin, diuretics, anticoagulants and calcium channel blockers prior to January 2001 served as historical controls (control group). One hundred and thirty nine patients received sildenafil additionally from January 2001 (sildenafil group). All patients in sildenafil group showed improvement in symptoms. Survival of patients in sildenafil group was significantly better compared to historical controls receiving only conventional therapy. It was 89%, 43% and 19% in the control group Vs 93%, 75% and 54% in the sildenafil group at the end of 1, 3 and 5 years respectively (P Value=0.0002). Sildenafil was well tolerated and none of the patients had to discontinue the treatment. CONCLUSION: Sildenafil when added to conventional therapy improves symptoms as well as survival significantly compared to conventional therapy alone. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate its impact on survival when used either alone or in combination with other drugs.

Clinical Evaluation of an Indigenous Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent in De NovoCoronary Artery Stenosis.

BACKGROUND, Drug-eluting stents have enabled considerable reduction in restenosis in patients subjected to angioplasty. However, in view of high cost of drug-eluting stents, efforts to develop medicated stents at reduced cost using alternative polymers in Indian setting are imperative. Hence a multi-center study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the indigenously developed paclitaxel-eluting RELEASE-T stent. METHODS, The study included 100 patients (male:86, Female:14) who were undergoing angioplasty for various indications at four centres viz. Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune and Warangal. The age range was 29 - 76 years; 37 patients were diabetic. All patients were pre-treated with aspirin 150-325 mg plus clopidogrel 75 mg daily four days before procedure or clopidogrel alone. Aspirin was continued indefinitely. RESULTS, Direct stenting ws done in majority of patients. One patient, in whom stent could not be delivered, received only baloon angioplasty. Sixty-four patients had stenting of left anterior descending artery. The stent diameter ranged from 2.5 to 3.5 mm, and the length, 15 to 20 mm. All patients were followed up at 1,3 and 6 months. There was two deaths: one had subacute thrombosis on both stents, and the other (who was HIV positive) had sudden cardiac death. The 6-month rate of major adverse cardiac events was 4% and target lesion revascularization rate ws 2%. CONCLUSION, This ulti-locational study brings out that the use of indigenously developed paclitaxel-eluting stent is safe and clinically efficacious.

The current practice of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and stent deployment and their long-term results in unstable and stable angina.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with stent implantation is a universally accepted therapeutic option for patients with coronary artery disease. Since introduction in 1977, angioplasty techniques have been greatly improved; the availability of better hardware, greater operator experience, better patient selection and the judicious use of adjunctive therapy like heparin, clopidogrel, platelet receptor antagonists like abciximab and the use of atherectomy/rotablator in given situations has greatly improved procedural outcome today. Angioplasty alleviates symptoms in patients with stable angina and also in unstable angina especially in high risk patients like those with pulmonary oedema, cardiogenic shock or patients refractory to conventional modes of therapy, though cost may be a prohibiting factor. The outcome of angioplasty in diabetic patients is universally poor and bypass surgery is always a better option. Women with coronary artery disease tend to have complex lesions with a sub-optimal outcome and a higher incidence of restenosis. Use of abciximab is always beneficial in both men and women.

Prevalence of risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in a cross-sectional population of Andhra Pradesh.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of risk factors for atherosclerosis is increasing in India due to changing socioeconomic factors and lifestyles. Data for the state of Andhra Pradesh are scanty in this regard. METHODS AND RESULTS: The prevalence of conventional risk factors for atherosclerosis was prospectively assessed in a unique sample of 3307 workers of a political party drawn from all over the state of Andhra Pradesh. Demographic, anthropometric, clinical and laboratory data were collected prospectively over a period of 6 months. The mean age of the subjects was 43.12+/-9.5 years, 2955 (88%) were males and 385 (12%) females. The prevalence of risk factors was as follows: diabetes in 810 (24%); hypertension in 924 (28%); lipid abnormality in 1908 (58%); smoking in 805 (24%) and positive family history in 555 (17%). Obesity was prevalent in 1178 (36%) of the population. All coronary risk factors, excepting family history, were significantly more prevalent in males [diabetes: 777 (26%) v. 34 (9%), p<0.001; hypertension: 833 (28%) v. 72 (19%), p<0.001; lipid abnormality: 1729 (59%) v. 172 (45%), p<0.001; smoking: 801 (27%) v. 7 (2%), p<0.001; and family history: 497 (17%) v. 60 (16%), p=0.54]. Region-wise analysis showed a high prevalence of diabetes in the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, hypertension in the Andhra region, and smoking in the Rayalaseema region. Lipid disorders were equally prevalent in all the regions. CONCLUSIONS: The present report shows a disturbing burden of coronary risk factors in the study population. There is an urgent need to undertake population-based measures to reverse the trend.