ABSTRACT
The reluctance of Brazilian authors to publish in Brazilian journals is historical and no longer justified. Currently, several Brazilian journals are indexed in international databases, of which English versions allow disclosure of our studies to foreign countries. The authors express their views on the importance of publishing in national journals and cite the example of the impact of publications from Instituto do Coração - InCor-HCFMUSP in the past two years.
Subject(s)
Cardiology , Periodicals as Topic/standards , Publishing , Academies and Institutes , Attitude , Brazil , Cultural Characteristics , HumansABSTRACT
Infective endocarditis was a fatal disease three generations ago. Temporal evolution of knowledge made possible important advances in diagnostic techniques, especially in echocardiography, the possibility of cardiac surgery during the active infectious process and new guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis before interventional procedures. Nowadays, infective endocarditis is curable. In this review, we describe historical aspects of endocarditis, from Osler's observations in the 19th century to the change from a "clinically possible" to a "clinically defined" disease.
Subject(s)
Endocarditis, Bacterial/history , Endocarditis, Bacterial/diagnosis , Eponyms , History, 15th Century , History, 16th Century , History, 17th Century , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , HumansABSTRACT
A endocardite infecciosa era fatal até há três gerações. A evolução temporal do conhecimento da doença possibilitou avanços nas técnicas diagnósticas, especialmente na ecocardiografia, a possibilidade de se realizar a cirurgia cardíaca, mesmo com o processo infeccioso em atividade, e novas recomendações de profilaxia por antibióticos antes dos procedimentos de intervenção. Hoje a endocardite infecciosa é curável. Nesta revisão são abordados os aspectos históricos da endocardite, desde as observações de Osler, no século XIX, até a transformação de doença "clinicamente possível" em "clinicamente definida".
Infective endocarditis was a fatal disease three generations ago. Temporal evolution of knowledge made possible important advances in diagnostic techniques, especially in echocardiography, the possibility of cardiac surgery during the active infectious process and new guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis before interventional procedures. Nowadays, infective endocarditis is curable. In this review, we describe historical aspects of endocarditis, from Osler´s observations in the 19th century to the change from a "clinically possible" to a "clinically defined" disease.
Subject(s)
History, 15th Century , History, 16th Century , History, 17th Century , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , Humans , Endocarditis, Bacterial/history , Eponyms , Endocarditis, Bacterial/diagnosisABSTRACT
Heart disease is the first killer of women in the modern era, regardless of age, race and of ethnicity, although its prevalence rises after menopause. Modern women have professional and housewife responsibilities, consume excess of fat and carbohydrates, smoke, do not exercise regularly and do not have enough time to rest. This situation leads to overweight, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes. Women do not often participate in preventive studies and still undergo less intensive and invasive evaluation and treatment for chest pain when compared to men. However, the rate of coronary death is twice higher in women than in men after myocardial infarction and revascularization procedures. The objective of this review is to analyze the main gender differences regarding symptoms, diagnosis, management and prognosis of coronary heart disease and to discuss the influence of hormonal replacement therapy in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.
Subject(s)
Coronary Disease , Women's Health , Coronary Disease/drug therapy , Coronary Disease/etiology , Coronary Disease/prevention & control , Estrogen Replacement Therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Postmenopause , Risk Factors , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
Heart disease is the first killer of women in the modern era, regardless of age, race and of ethnicity, although its prevalence rises after menopause. Modern women have professional and housewife responsibilities, consume excess of fat and carbohydrates, smoke, do not exercise regularly and do not have enough time to rest. This situation leads to overweight, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes. Women do not often participate in preventive studies and still undergo less intensive and invasive evaluation and treatment for chest pain when compared to men. However, the rate of coronary death is twice higher in women than in men after myocardial infarction and revascularization procedures. The objective of this review is to analyze the main gender differences regarding symptoms, diagnosis, management and prognosis of coronary heart disease and to discuss the influence of hormonal replacement therapy in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Coronary Disease , Women's Health , Coronary Disease/drug therapy , Coronary Disease/etiology , Coronary Disease/prevention & control , Estrogen Replacement Therapy , Postmenopause , Risk Factors , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: There is controversy regarding whether obstructive sleep apnea is responsible for triggering myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias and heart rate variability in patients with coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify relationships between sleep apnea, myocardial ischemia and cardiac arrhythmia in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with stable coronary disease underwent simultaneous polysomnography and electrocardiographic Holter recording. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was defined as the number of apneas/hypopneas per hour of sleep. Patients were divided into a Control group (AHI15, n=23 pts) and an Apnea group (AHI>15, n=30 pts). A subgroup of 13 patients with an AHI>30 (Severe Apnea group) was also studied. We analyzed ischemic episodes (ST-segment depressions >1 mm, > 1 min), heart rate variability and the occurrence of arrhythmias during wakefulness and sleep. RESULTS: Baseline clinical characteristics among the groups were similar except for higher blood pressure in the Apnea groups (p<0.05). Myocardial ischemia was recorded in 39 (73.6%) patients. The number and duration of ischemic episodes significantly decreased during sleep in all groups; during wakefulness, patients with severe apnea exhibited fewer and shorter episodes in comparison with the controls. There were no significant differences in heart rate variability or in the occurrence of arrhythmias among the groups. Malignant ventricular arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation/flutter, bradycardia and high-degree atrioventricular blocks were not detected. CONCLUSION: Obstructive sleep apnea was not related to myocardial ischemia, heart rate variability or arrhythmias in patients with stable coronary artery disease and did not alter the circadian pattern of myocardial ischemia.
Subject(s)
Arrhythmias, Cardiac/etiology , Myocardial Ischemia/etiology , Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/complications , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Arrhythmias, Cardiac/physiopathology , Case-Control Studies , Coronary Artery Disease/complications , Electrocardiography, Ambulatory , Female , Heart Rate/physiology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Myocardial Ischemia/physiopathology , Polysomnography , Severity of Illness Index , Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/physiopathologyABSTRACT
There is controversy regarding whether obstructive sleep apnea is responsible for triggering myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias and heart rate variability in patients with coronary artery disease. OBJETIVE: The objective of this study was to identify relationships between sleep apnea, myocardial ischemia and cardiac arrhythmia in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with stable coronary disease underwent simultaneous polysomnography and electrocardiographic Holter recording. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was defined as the number of apneas/hypopneas per hour of sleep. Patients were divided into a Control group (AHI15, n=23 pts) and an Apnea group (AHI>15, n=30 pts). A subgroup of 13 patients with an AHI>30 (Severe Apnea group) was also studied. We analyzed ischemic episodes (ST-segment depressions >1 mm, > 1 min), heart rate variability and the occurrence of arrhythmias during wakefulness and sleep. RESULTS: Baseline clinical characteristics among the groups were similar except for higher blood pressure in the Apnea groups (p<0.05). Myocardial ischemia was recorded in 39 (73.6 percent) patients. The number and duration of ischemic episodes significantly decreased during sleep in all groups; during wakefulness, patients with severe apnea exhibited fewer and shorter episodes in comparison with the controls. There were no significant differences in heart rate variability or in the occurrence of arrhythmias among the groups. Malignant ventricular arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation/flutter, bradycardia and high-degree atrioventricular blocks were not detected. CONCLUSION: Obstructive sleep apnea was not related to myocardial ischemia, heart rate variability or arrhythmias in patients with stable coronary artery disease and did not alter the circadian pattern of myocardial ischemia.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Arrhythmias, Cardiac/etiology , Myocardial Ischemia/etiology , Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/complications , Arrhythmias, Cardiac/physiopathology , Case-Control Studies , Coronary Artery Disease/complications , Electrocardiography, Ambulatory , Heart Rate/physiology , Myocardial Ischemia/physiopathology , Polysomnography , Severity of Illness Index , Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/physiopathologyABSTRACT
A doença arterial coronária pode apresentar-se em um amplo espectro de manifestações clínicas, com quadros de angina estável, angina instável ou infarto do miocárdio. Entretanto, obstruções coronárias podem existir em pacientes que, mesmo apresentando isquemia às atividades habituais, são totalmente assintomáticos, caracterizando a isquemia silenciosa. Várias são as hipóteses para explicar a não percepção da isquemia, mas até hoje as reais causas não são conhecidas. Por outro lado, a presença de isquemia silenciosa está frequentemente associada a obstruções coronárias graves e à ocorrência expressiva de eventos coronários (angina instável, infarto e morte) nesses pacientes, o que tornam necessários o seu diagnóstico e tratamento. Neste trabalho, são discutidos os principais aspectos da fisiopatologia da isquemia silenciosa, os métodos diagnósticos mais comumente utilizados e a conduta terapêutica.
Subject(s)
Humans , Coronary DiseaseABSTRACT
Recent advances in Medical Science and the thechnological improvements in the field of myocardial revascularisation, in surgical procedures and in percutaneous interventions, made attractive the initial option for invasive strategies in the management of coronary heart disease. For this reason, coronary arteriography is nowadays more often indicated. Some concepts in coronary heart disease have been reviewed, specially those related to acute coronary syndromes. Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (previously called non-Q wave myocardial infarction) and unstable angina are now considered "unstable acute coronary syndromes" and both have the same guidelines for management. The main indications for coronary arteriography as the first diagnostic tool are: 1) incapacitating angina, even in stable patients; 2) high-risk patients with unstable coronary syndromes (refractory angina, troponin elevation, new ST- segment deviations, cardiac failure and serious arrythmias); 3) patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction that will be submitted to primary angioplasty or with hemodynamic instability or persistent ischemia. Low-risk patients (angina that promptly subsides after medication, no electrocardiographic or laboratorial changes or atypical chest pain) may be submitted to non-invasive testing for further risk stratification; if no ischemia is detected, coronary arteriography is not indicated and optimized medical treatment is perfectly admitted for a great number of patients. The indications of coronary arteriography for the diagnosis and prognosis of coronary heart disease are not well delimited in clinical practice, and this method is frequently used as the first tool in the investigation of chest pain, even when the characteristics of pain are not exactly those of angina. In this review, the authors discuss the main indications of coronary arteriography in the multiple clinical aspects of coronary heart disease and in the differential diagnosis of chest pain.
