Atherosclerosis of the carotid and coronary arteries in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Aim    To study the relationship between severities of the carotid artery injury and the atherosclerotic process in coronary arteries of elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Material and methods    The study included 110 patients aged >75 years. Based on the degree of maximal carotid stenosis according to data of duplex scanning (DS), all patients were divided into group I, (>50% stenosis) and group II (<50% stenosis).Results    According to coronary angiographic data, multivessel disease was observed in 63.6 % of patients. Patients of group I more frequently had three-vessel coronary artery disease than patients of group II (35.8 and 5.3 %, р<0.001). Coronary angiography and DS showed that 82.7 % patients (in group II, not all carotid stenoses were hemodynamically significant) had a combined damage of coronary and carotid arteries; carotid artery stenoses of >50% were associated with three-vessel coronary artery disease. A correlation between atherosclerosis of carotid and coronary arteries was found. Considering this correlation, a scale was introduced that suggested the severity of coronary atherosclerosis based on DS of carotid arteries. The score was assigned by assessing the degree of maximal stenoses in carotid arteries. A ROC analysis has determined a threshold score suggestive of the severity of coronary atherosclerosis: score <6, absence of >70% coronary stenosis; score >6, likely presence of >70% coronary stenosis (sensitivity, 70 %; specificity, 89 %).Conclusion    Combined coronary and carotid artery disease was detected in 82.7% of elderly patients with ACS. A correlation between the severity of atherosclerosis in carotid and coronary arteries was found. DS of carotid arteries can be extensively used in evaluation of elderly patients with ACS, which will allow additional stratification of patients at high risk of cerebrovascular and recurrent cardiovascular diseases.

[Cardiovascular magnetic resonance in myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries].

AIM: To analyze diagnostic performance of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients, presented with myocardial infarction with nonobstructed coronary arteries (MINOCA). Materials ant methods. 46 consecutives patients presented with myocardial infarction without evidence of obstructive coronary disease on angiography between January, 1 2018 and October 1, 2019 were included in the study. All patients underwent CMR within 10 days after admission. MRI was performed on 1.5 T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) using comprehensive protocol (T2-images, Cine-CMR, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE)). RESULTS: CMR revealed myocardial infarction (MI) pattern in 14 patients (30.4%), myocarditis in 12 (26.1%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 6 (13.1%). In 14 patients (30.4%) no LGE was observed. Notably in 2 patients without LGE features of takotsubo syndrome were noted. Mean age was significantly lower in patients with MI versus patient with non-ischemic causes of MINOCA (56.112.3 vs 64.612.8; p=0.04). ST elevation at admission frequency didnt differ between MI and non-ischemic patients (35.7% vs 25.0%; p=0.76). However MI patients had significantly increased troponin level, 0.87 [0.22; 1.85] vs 0.22 [0.07; 0.38]; p=0.008. CMR allowed to establish the prcised clinical diagnosis in 73.9% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Clinical data doesnt allow to differentiate ischemic or non-ischemic causes of MINOCA. However, CMR establish the correct diagnosis in most cases.

[Tachicardia-induced cardiomyopathy. Case report].

The tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy is a rare case of reversible heart failure and left ventricle disfunction. The diagnostic approach and treatment strategy are described in this article. Also the clinical case of heart failure compensation in the patient with left ventricle dilatation and atrial flutter after the reverse to sinus rhythm is after catheter ablation presented.

[The Clinical Value of no-Reflow Phenomenon in the Routing Operation of The Regional Vascular Center].

Coronary no-reflow phenomenon (CNR) is a complication of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). According to different reports, CNR occurs in 10 to 60 % of cases. Despite the long history of studying this phenomenon many issues remain unsolved. This article presents a clinical case of electrocardiographically confirmed ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. In this case, the CNR phenomenon occurred during PCI and was associated with heart rhythm disorders, left ventricular (LV) cavity dilatation with a decrease in LV contractility, and formation of intracavitary thrombus. The patient asked for medical care late, which could influence the development of CNR. This case demonstrates the clinical significance, diagnostic characteristics, and successful drug correction of the no-reflow phenomenon.

[Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries].

The review focused on a relatively new issue, myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). According to current ideas, almost 6% of all myocardial infarction (MI) cases may be MINOCA. This term can be used both as a "working diagnosis" at the time of further evaluation and a final diagnosis after establishing a cause for each specific case. Since some variants of cardiac, including non-coronary, pathology may be similar to MI in a number of signs, each individual case of MINOCA requires specification. Among major causes for this condition are vasospasm, CA embolism, spontaneous CA dissection, rupture of an eccentric atherosclerotic plaque in a CA, etc. Diagnostics of MINOCA includes both a set of diagnostic tests for verification of the MI diagnosis according to the Fourth Universal Definition of MI and specific studies for elaboration of the disease etiology. A special role in differential diagnostics belongs to gadolinium-enhanced magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) of the myocardium, which allows to distinguish between MI and non-ischemic myocardial injury of different genesis. Methods of intravascular visualization, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound are also important. Commonly accepted guidelines on the treatment of this pathology consistent with current ideas are not available. However, it is obvious that therapeutic possibilities and prognosis for MINOCA depend on the identified cause in each individual case.

[Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy as a Consequence of Myocardial Infarction. It is Possible?]

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a well-known complication of many conditions associated with emotional or physical stress. Abnormal catecholamine release has been hypothesized to be the main cause of TCM. Myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with release of large amounts of catecholamines. We present here two cases in which patients simultaneously suffered from acute MI and TCM. In these elderly women without prior history of severe somatic diseases we have not revealed any external stressing factor responsible for the initiation of the disease. Therefore, we have considered primary coronary event (acute MI) to be a triggering factor of TCM manifestation.

[Neurological disorders in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss syndrome)]. / Nevrologicheskie rasstroistva pri éozinofil'nom granulematoze s poliangiitom (sindrom Cherdzha-Strossa).

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis - EGPA (Churg-Strauss syndrome) is a rare autoimmune disorder. The pathogenesis of the disease includes production of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies directed against myeloperoxidase with the development of small-vessel necrotizing vasculitis and eosinophilic infiltration of organs. The involvement of peripheral and central nervous system is observed in more than 3/4 of cases. The authors describe three patients with EGPA. In a 53-year-old male patient, EGPA manifested with multiple neuropathies, which regressed after treatment with corticosteroids and cytostatics. In a 34-year-old woman, cerebral sinus thrombosis and cerebral infarction developed in the non-active period of long-term EGPA. The patient was treated with anticoagulants. A 77-year-old woman with a newly diagnosed EGPA, confirmed by bone marrow examination for eosinophilia, developed ischemic stroke and polyneuropathy. The causes and mechanisms of development as well as dynamics and outcomes of neurological disorders, differential diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis are discussed.

[Left ventricular noncompaction concurrent with bronchoectatic disease complicated by secondary AA-amyloidosis with renal involvement].

The paper describes a clinical case of congenital cardiomyopathy (left ventricular noncompaction) concurrent with secondary amyloidosis and renal involvement that develops at the outcome of long existing brochoectatic disease.

[Interval training in patients with chronic heart failure].

Training sessions with constant level of work load are most often used in cardiological rehabilitation. They are beneficial in secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease and to some or other extent are familiar to practical physicians. At the same time interval training appearing as sequence of short periods of high and low intensity work or pauses are rarely used due to their relative novelty. This variant of training has advantages and can be a method of choice for patients with CHF. In this review we summarized data on interval training available at present, considered problems of methodology, efficacy, and safety of this training, compared its various parameters with those of training with loads of continuous intensity.

[Cardiorehabilitation of patients with stable ischemic heart disease: compliance with treatment].

AIM: To study correlation between compliance with treatment (attendance of training sessions) and clinical symptoms in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) in the course of 12-week program of physical training. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ergospirometry before and after training was performed in 71 patients with stable IHD (21.1% females, 78.9% males, mean age 56.5 +/- 10.0 years) for estimation of exercise intensity and efficacy. A total of 36 training sessions were conducted for 12 weeks. Compliance with treatment was assessed by attendance of training sessions. RESULTS: A direct correlation was found between the attendance and duration of IHD (r = 0.364), number of cardiovascular complications (r = 0.526), functional class of angina pectoris (r = 0.643), plasma cholesterol (r = 0.475). Negative correlation was seen between the attendance and age of the patients (r = 0.327), body mass (r = 0.311), systolic arterial pressure at rest (r = 0.756), VO+AEA-2 peak by ergospirometry before training (r = 0.543) and time of walk to the clinic (r = 0.711). No correlation was found between the attendance and gender of the patients (r = 0.107). CONCLUSION: Some clinical features of patients with stable IHD which may indicate low compliance with treatment were identified. These features should be taken into consideration for optimization of cardiorehabilitation programs based on dose-adjusted loads.

[The effects of beta-adrenoblocker therapy on the physical working capacity of patients with chronic heart failure of various origin].

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of metoprolol succinate and carvedilol on the physical ability (FA) of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) of different etiologies. The subjects of the study were 108 patients with postinfarction cardiosclerosis and 39 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy with I to V functional class (FC) CHF and left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 45%. The dynamics of functional parameters were assessed after 6 to 12 months of carvedilol therapy (57 patients) or metoprolol (81 patients) therapy. Therapy with beta-adrenoblockers resulted in a significant decrease in CHF FC (by 0.80 +/- 0.57; p < 0.05), an increase in the distance of six-minute walking test (by 110.7 +/- 86.5 m; p < 0.001) and everyday activity according to DASI questionnaire. The improvement was more substantial in patients with non-ischemic CHF. Peak oxygen consumption during treadmill test did not change, but CO2 ventilatory equivalent increased. The results demonstrate that carvedilol and metoprolol improve subjective and submaximum parameters of the functional status of patients with CHF without changing maximal FA.

[Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in patients with ischemic heart disease].

The aim of the study was to elucidate influence of alpha1A adrenoblocker tamsulosine (omnique) on ischemic heart disease (IHD) symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As shown by Holter monitoring, 15 patients of group 1 having IHD, BPH and impaired miction, demonstrated ECG changes before voiding (ST depression, higher rate of supraventricular and ventricular extrasystoles); 28 patients of group 2 had ECG changes unrelated to miction. Subjective and objective effects were registered in a month in all the patients. ECG parameters improved in 11 and 20 patients of group 1 and 2, respectively. Patients without ECG improvement had severe cardial pathology (three-vessel affection of the coronary arteries, effort angina of a high functional class, cardiac failure). Thus, miction impairment due to BPH aggravate IHD. Early administration of tamsulosine (omnique) for BPH improves the course of concomitant IHD in 72% patients.