ABSTRACT
Conventional revascularization strategies for ischemic heart disease (IHD) are designed to prompt reperfusion of the coronary artery to the salvaged cardiomyocytes. However, these strategies may cause myocardial reperfusion injuries. Therefore, a safe and effective strategy needs to be developed to improve the conventional strategies. Here, we investigated the pro-angiogenic effect of Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) to provide the experimental basis for angiogenesis-mediated drug therapy of IHD. Thus, Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with either a vehicle or Rb1 at 4, 8, 12 or 16 ?M for 24 h. A model of hindlimb ischemia was established using C57BL/6J mice. In sham-operated mice, only the femoral artery was isolated without ligation whereas the other operations and supplementation control group were consistent. The mice in the supplementation group were injected with Rb1 (50 mg/kg body wt./day) for 7 days. The results indicated that Rb1 promotes cell proliferation, adhesion, migration and tube formation in the HUVECs in a dose-dependent manner. The ED50 of Rb1 to improve cell adhesion is 8 ?M. In mice, Rb1 promoted angiogenesis after the ligation of the femoral artery and ameliorated the ischemic conditions. Intriguingly, more blood flow recovery was observed in the Rb1 supplemented mice than in the vehicle-treated mice (0.85 ± 0.05 vs. 0.71±0.10 on day 3; 0.94±0.10 vs. 0.75±0.08 on day 7). In HUVECs, Rb1 increased the phosphorylation of STAT3 and JAK, which may be the mechanism through which Rb1 mitigates IHD. Moreover, our results confirmed that Rb1mitigates IHD potentially by activating the JAK-STAT3 pathway. Further clinical trials are warranted to verify the clinical implications of Rb1.
ABSTRACT
Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a mixture consisting of a wide range of chemical constituents including carbonaceous aerosols, water soluble ions and inorganic elements, and has become the major air pollutant in most cities in China. Evidence suggests that exposure to ambient PM2.5 induces damage on the cardiovascular system and can increase risk of the development and mortality of ischemic heart diseases (IHD). However, the effects of exposure to specific PM2.5 constituents on IHD remain unclear, and its underlying mechanisms are yet to be investigated. Here we reviewed studies investigating the association of short- and long-term exposure to specific PM2.5 constituents with IHD, which may provide useful clues for future relevant studies.
ABSTRACT
Background: Ischemic heart disease is one of the leading causes of global disease burden. Despite treatment with standard therapy, many patients with chronic stable angina pectoris remain symptomatic making it an urgent necessity to introduce new strategies. Hence this study was planned to compare the efficacy and tolerability of Ivabradine and Ranolazine; the two novel antianginal drugs. Methods: This was a single blind, randomised, controlled trial. Thirty patients each taking IVA 5 mg twice daily or RAN 500 mg twice daily were randomised into two groups. Patients filled a pretested questionnaire on frequency of angina attacks and adverse reactions experienced at baseline and 2, 4 and 8 weeks. The haemodynamic parameters, routine laboratory investigations were evaluated at the baseline and after intervention. Results: There was no significant difference in the frequency of angina attacks per week between the IVA and RAN study groups. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01) in the number of patients reporting ADR from the IVA group as compared to RAN group. In the IVA group, the most common ADR was dizziness (36.6%); whereas nausea (30%) and dizziness (23.3%) was most common in RAN group. The routine haematological and biochemical evaluations did not show any significant difference between the baseline and post intervention. However, IVA significantly decreased the resting heart rate after eight weeks of intervention.. Conclusion: Both IVA and RAN are comparable and efficacious antianginal agents. However, RAN had a better safety and tolerability profile than IVA.
ABSTRACT
MTHFR A1298C and C677T SNPs are now recognised as important genetic mutations which would give rise to hyperhomocysteinemia. In this study, we analysed the prevalence of these two SNPs in 79 ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting and 79 healthy subjects. MHFR polymorphisms were analysed using polymerase chain reaction followed by a restriction fragment analysis. Prevalence rates for MTHFR C677T polymorphism were 72.8%, 24.7%, and 2.5% for CC, CT, and TT genotypes, respectively, for the whole study population with 677CC genotype being the predominant genotype among both the IHD patients and the controls. The 677TT genotype was detected only among the IHD patients. There was no significant difference in MTHFR 677 genotype variations between IHD patients and the control group. Prevalence rates for the MTHFR A1298C polymorphism were 50%, 37.3%, and 12.7% for the AA, AC, and CC genotypes, respectively, for the whole study population with 1298AA genotype being the predominant genotype among controls and 1298AC the predominant genotype among IHD patients. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) between IHD patients and controls when the MTHFR 1298 genotype variations were compared. Allele frequencies for the mutant T allele for C677T mutation at 0.149 are the highest reported from Sri Lanka. The frequency of the C for the A1298C mutation was 0.313. Results of this study indicate that MTHFR A1298C SNP is more prevalent in Sri Lankans when compared to C677T SNP and that the mutant forms of the MTHFR A1298C SNP are associated with ischemic heart disease.
ABSTRACT
Acceleration of emissions reductions in household coal stoves and modest improvements in other sectors, however, have the potential to considerably lower outdoor pollution and reduce total exposures to about 70% of those today (Scenario 1). Reducing total exposures closer to these international benchmark levels will require moving away from coal and wood as household fuels and even more control on other sources (Scenario 2). The first package of moderate control measures (Scenario 1) considered in this assessment will result in a slow decline in impacts(Figure) and a cumulative health savings over trends in 2013, but leave annual per capita health impacts only about 25% lower than today after ten years. A more aggressive set of control measures (Scenario 2), however, will result in more health protection over the period and reduce annual impacts by approximately 60% from current levels in 2025 . In terms of impact per capita,this would represent nearly a 70% reduction over the period taking population growth into account.
ABSTRACT
Introducción: La cardiopatía isquémica es una de las principales causas de muerte en la mujer, tanto en Cuba, como a nivel mundial. Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio fue determinar si las concentraciones bajas de colesterol asociado a las lipoproteínas de alta densidad, representan un factor de riesgo a considerar, en mujeres con cardiopatía isquémica. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, transversal en 727 mujeres, durante el período de enero 2010 a diciembre 2012. Se determinó el por ciento de mujeres sin o con cardiopatía isquémica (CI), con diferentes rangos de c-HDL (normal o patológico). Además se formaron un grupo control (A) y dos grupos con CI sin o con antecedentes de infarto agudo del miocardio (B y C), para comparar el perfil lipídico. Además, diferentes factores de riesgo para la CI se relacionaron con la variable c-HDL. Resultados: Las mujeres con CI presentaron un promedio de edad y un índice cintura-cadera, dentro del rango de riesgo cardiovascular. Los niveles de triglicéridos y VLDL-c fueron significativamente superiores (p< 0,05*), relacionados con una disminución significativa (p< 0,05*) del HDL-c, en las mujeres con CI (grupos B y C) al compararlos con el grupo control. Además, se encontró asociación significativa (p< 0,05*), entre las cifras bajas de HDL-c, con la presencia de cardiopatía isquémica, hipertrigliceridemia y el antecedente de cirugía de revascularización miocárdica. Conclusiones: Las concentraciones bajas de HDL-c están asociadas con la presencia de cardiopatía isquémica e hipertrigliceridemia. Por tanto, el control de los niveles de HDL-c representa un objetivo terapéutico que contribuye a reducir eventos cardiovasculares mayores. Además la presencia de otros factores de riesgo como la edad y el sobrepeso, pudiera influir en el desarrollo de estos eventos.
Background: Ischemic heart disease is one of the main causes of death in women, both in Cuba and in the world. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether low cholesterol concentrations, associated with high density lipoproteins, represent a risk factor to consider in women with ischemic heart disease. Methods: An observational, transversal study was conducted in 727 women during the period from January 2010 to December 2012. The percent of women with or without ischemic heart disease (IHD) and different ranges of HDL - C levels (normal or pathological) was determined. Results: Women with IHD had a mean age and a waist-hip ratio within the range of cardiovascular risk. Triglycerides and VLDL-C levels were significantly higher (p <0.05 *), related to a significant decrease of HDL- C levels (p <0.05 *) in women with IHD (groups B and C) when compared with the control group. Also, a significant association (p<0, 05*) was found between the low levels of HDL- C levels, with presence of ischemic heart disease, hypertriglyceridemia and antecent of myocardial revascularization surgery. Conclusions: Low HDL-C levels are associated with the presence of ischemic heart disease and hypertriglyceridemia. Therefore, the control of HDL- C levels represents a therapeutic target which helps to reduce major cardiovascular events. Moreover, the presence of other risk factors such as age and overweight could influence the development of these events.