Treatment of Hypertension Because of Immunosuppressive Therapy After Solid Organ Transplantation-Pharmacological Approach.

ABSTRACT: Solid organs transplantation procedures have been performed for more than half a century. Growing knowledge of immune response and development of new immunosuppressive regimens guarantee more and more successful outcomes. However, many of the applied drugs lead to cardiovascular complications, the most frequent of which is hypertension. This article describes epidemiology, pathogenetic mechanisms, and treatment of hypertension induced by immunosuppressive medication. The main impact is focused on drugs belonging to the following groups: calcineurin inhibitors, the inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin, and glucocorticosteroids. We analyze the mechanism of action of the main hypertensive drugs and their influence on the reversing hypertonic action of the immunosuppressive agents. In the absence of current guidelines addressing this problem, this article is an attempt to fill the gap, helping clinicians to choose proper medication.

Resveratrol and cardiovascular system-the unfulfilled hopes.

INTRODUCTION: Resveratrol is a natural polyphenolic compound with a stilbene structure endowed with multiple health-promoting effects. Among phenolic compounds, resveratrol is assigned a leading role in the health-promoting effects of red wine. METHODS: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of resveratrol on the cardiovascular system in the experimental and clinical studies conducted so far. Moreover, the paper discusses the results of the most recent meta-analyses assessing resveratrol's therapeutic effect on the cardiovascular system in humans. RESULTS: In animal and preclinical studies, resveratrol has demonstrated a wide physiological and biochemical spectrum of activity, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, and anticoagulant activities, which translated into its health-promoting effects on the cardiovascular system. The performed meta-analyses allow to confirm such an impact, however, after the assessment with the use of the SYRCLE's tool, these studies are burdened with a high risk of bias, and the results are not clearly presented. CONCLUSION: Despite numerous articles and clinical studies, the convincing beneficial mechanisms of resveratrol as well as its health-promoting effects in cardiovascular diseases have not been clearly confirmed in humans. Therefore, there is a need for further clinical studies, especially randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to objectively confirm the possible health-promoting effects of this substance and to determine both the efficacy and safety, and possible therapeutic potential.

[Percutaneous closure of mitral perivalvular leak]. / Przezskórne zamkniecie mitralnego przecieku okolozastawkowego.

Paravalvular leak (PVL) is a complication observed in patients after prosthetic valve replacement. The incidence of PVL is estimated as 2-3%. The cause of PVL may be paravalvular infection, suture continuity disruption, damage of tissues around the annulus or limitation of disc mobility by thrombus or vegetation. The preferable method of treatment of PVL is surgery. Recently, percutaneous closure of PVL became an alternative method. We present a case of successfully completed percutaneous closure of PVL with the use of Amplatzer occluder device in a patient with mitral PVL.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in patients with long QT syndrome: a multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy has been proven effective in the prevention of sudden cardiac death, but data on outcomes of ICD therapy in the young and otherwise healthy patients with long QT syndrome (LQTS) are limited. AIM: We sought to collect data on appropriate and inappropriate ICD discharges, risk factors, and ICD-related complications. METHODS: All LQTS patients implanted with an ICD in 14 centres were investigated. Demographic, clinical, and ICD therapy data were collected. RESULTS: The study included 67 patients (88% female). Median age at ICD implantation was 31 years (12-77 years). ICD indication was based on resuscitated cardiac arrest in 46 patients, syncope in 18 patients, and malignant family history in three patients. During a median follow-up of 48 months, 39 (58%) patients received one or more ICD therapies. Time to first appropriate discharge was up to 55 months. Inappropriate therapies were triggered by fast sinus rhythm, atrial fibrillation, and T-wave oversensing. No predictors of inappropriate shocks were identified. Risk factors for appropriate ICD therapy were: (1) recurrent syncope despite b-blocker treatment before ICD implantation, (2) pacemaker therapy before ICD implantation, (3) single-chamber ICD, and (4) noncompliance to b-blockers. In 38 (57%) patients, at least one complication occurred. CONCLUSIONS: ICD therapy is effective in nearly half the patient population; however, the rates of early and late complica-tions are high. Although the number of unnecessary ICD shocks and reimplantation procedures may be lowered by modern programming and increased longevity of newer ICD generators, other adverse events are less likely to be reduced.

[Cardiac resynchronisation therapy as a cause of the electrical storm]. / Stymulacja resynchronizujaca jako czynnik przyczynowy burzy elektrycznej.

We report a case of young patient with dilated cardiomyopathy and implanted cardioverter-defibrillator in which resynchronisation therapy (CRT-D) induced an electrical storm. One month after implantation of a cardiac resynchronisation pacemaker (CRT-P) the patient suffered from ventricular tachycardia with poor haemodynamic status and was treated by implantation of a CRT-D with a Y adaptor. After replacement of the CRT-D due to Y adaptor damage (new device without a Y adaptor) we observed an electrical storm during ventricular pacing (biventricular, right and left ventricular pacing respectively). Changing pacing mode from DDDR to AAIR resolved ventricular tachycardias in that patient.

[Remodeling of coronary arteries examined by arteries intravascular ultrasonography]. / Remodeling tetnic wiencowych badany za pomoca ultrasonografii wewnatrznaczyniowej.

UNLABELLED: In most papers atherosclerotic remodelling was assessed in one segment of each studied artery. Such mode of study makes impossible to investigate the homogeneity of the remodelling. The aim of the study was intravital assessment by means of intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) of the incidence of positive and negative remodelling in coronary artery segments and verification of the hypothesis that remodelling is inhomogeneous within the same artery. METHOD: Remodelling was assessed quantitatively by IVUS (3.5 F; 20 MHz Visions Five-64 F/X catheters, Oracle In-Vision Imaging System, Endosonics Corp. USA) in 48 segments of 27 coronary arteries. On the base of the difference between total vessel area (TA) at lesion site and reference cross-section (plaque area < 35%) remodelling was classified as negative, positive or absent. In 13 arteries out of 27 studied arteries more than 1 segment was assessed, containing both cross-section with > 50% stenosis and reference cross-section. RESULTS: Positive, negative and absent remodelling was observed in 54%, 29% and 17% of segments, respectively. The analysis revealed two different types of remodelling in 7 out of 13 arteries with several analysed segments. This finding demonstrates that remodelling is inhomogenous within the artery (p < 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Compensatory enlargement is the most common response of coronary arteries to atherosclerotic plaque development followed by negative remodelling and absence of remodelling. Not homogenous remodelling within the same artery suggests a prominent role of local factors in determining the type of response of the artery to plaque accumulation.

Influence of cardiac resynchronization therapy on oxidative stress markers in patients with chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess changes of substances of oxidative stress in patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). METHODS: The study comprised 51 patients with median age of 66 years. The presence, severity, and changes of oxidative stress during CRT were assessed and expressed as malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in plasma or in red blood cells. Antioxidant activity was assessed by the activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in red blood cells. The concentration and activities were analyzed directly prior to implantation, 2-5 days after the procedure and after 6 months. Follow-up (6 months) included clinical, echocardiographic and implanted device assessments. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 14% patients died. The median percentage of biventricular pacing was 99.29%. After 6 months 88% of patients improved NYHA, 12% remained as non-responders. Left ventricular ejection fraction increased from median 21.5% to 29% (p < 0.05). Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased significantly from a median of 69.5 mm to 63 mm (p < 0.05). After a 6-month study, MDA plasma concentration and the activity levels of each antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GPx) showed a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.05). Changes concerning MDA concentrations in red blood cells remained statistically insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Resynchronization effect oxidative stress by reducing plasma concentration of MDA, CAT, SOD and GPX.

[Percutaneous closure of the coronary artery fistula connecting left main coronary artery and the right atrium in a 61 year-old woman]. / Przezskórne zamkniecie przetoki wiencowejmiedzy pniem lewej tetnicy wiencoweja prawym przedsionkiem u 61−letniej pacjentki.

The case of 61 year-old woman with congenital coronary artery fistula connecting left main coronary artery and the right atrium is presented. The patient was admitted to the Cardiology Department because of the first atrial fibrillation episode. During hospitalisation the congenital heart defect was diagnosed thanks echocardiography and multi-slice computed tomography. Three months later the percutaneous closure of the fistula with Amplatzer Duct Occluder was performed. The direct and 6-months results were very good.