Intensive multifactorial intervention for stable coronary artery disease: optimal medical therapy in the COURAGE (Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation) trial.

OBJECTIVES: This paper describes the medical therapy used in the COURAGE (Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation) trial and its effect on risk factors. BACKGROUND: Most cardiovascular clinical trials test a single intervention. The COURAGE trial tested multiple lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions (optimal medical therapy) with or without percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with stable coronary disease. METHODS: All patients, regardless of treatment assignment, received equivalent lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions for secondary prevention. Most medications were provided at no cost. Therapy was administered by nurse case managers according to protocols designed to achieve predefined lifestyle and risk factor goals. RESULTS: The patients (n = 2,287) were followed for 4.6 years. There were no significant differences between treatment groups in proportion of patients achieving therapeutic goals. The proportion of smokers decreased from 23% to 19% (p = 0.025), those who reported <7% of calories from saturated fat increased from 46% to 80% (p < 0.001), and those who walked >or=150 min/week increased from 58% to 66% (p < 0.001). Body mass index increased from 28.8 +/- 0.13 kg/m(2) to 29.3 +/- 0.23 kg/m(2) (p < 0.001). Appropriate medication use increased from pre-randomization to 5 years as follows: antiplatelets 87% to 96%; beta-blockers 69% to 85%; renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors 46% to 72%; and statins 64% to 93%. Systolic blood pressure decreased from a median of 131 +/- 0.49 mm Hg to 123 +/- 0.88 mm Hg. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased from a median of 101 +/- 0.83 mg/dl to 72 +/- 0.88 mg/dl. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary prevention was applied equally and intensively to both treatment groups in the COURAGE trial by nurse case managers with treatment protocols and resulted in significant improvement in risk factors. Optimal medical therapy in the COURAGE trial provides an effective model for secondary prevention among patients with chronic coronary disease. (Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation; NCT00007657).

Electrocardiographic intervals in the healthy geriatric population--what are the "normals"?

The authors compared the average electrocardiographic (ECG) intervals in a population of patients 80 years and older with published "normal" values. The medical records of patients who presented to the Mayo Clinic for health maintenance examinations and who had a routine ECG performed (N=702) were selected. Age; sex; rhythm; PR, QRS, and QTc intervals; incidence of cardiac disease; and presence of interval-prolonging medication were recorded. Reference ranges were estimated from the data and compared with standard cutoffs for prolonged intervals. Interval values were significantly higher in men. Reference ranges were established separately for both sexes based on the subset of 578 patients without a history of cardiac disease and not taking interval-prolonging medication. In all instances, the ranges were higher than the recommended cutoffs. The upper limits for prolonged PR, QRS, and QTc intervals were found to be significantly higher in a population of patients older than 80 years.

Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of dyslipidemia.

Atherosclerosis is a systemic diffuse disease that may manifest as an anglographically localized coronary, cerebral, mesenteric, renal, and/or peripheral arterial stenosis or as diffuse atherosclerosis. While relief of organ ischemia is frequently possible with percutaneous or surgical revascularization, this in itself does not alleviate the long-term risks of disease recurrence or modify the metabolic derangements that promote atherosclerosis. It is critically important to recognize the need for treatment of dyslipidemia and to institute necessary therapies. The complex role of lipoprotein abnormalities is well understood and the use of lipid-lowering agents (90% statins) is reviewed in both primary and secondary prevention. The clinical interaction with novel risk factors and the practical problems in patient management are discussed.

Effects of beta-blocker therapy on ventilatory responses to exercise in patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Ventilatory efficiency is the increase in ventilation relative to carbon dioxide production during exercise. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is associated with decreased ventilatory efficiency. beta-blockers improve hemodynamics, prolong survival, and improve functional class in patients with CHF, though peak exercise performance may not improve. We hypothesized beta-blockers increase ventilatory efficiency in patients with CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study group comprised 614 subjects with left ventricular ejection fraction < or = 40% referred for cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Clinical and exercise data were reviewed and recorded. For comparison, subjects were divided into those treated with beta-blockers (n = 195) and those not treated (n = 419). Subjects on beta-blockers had lower minute ventilation (12 +/- 4 versus 14 +/- 4 L/min, P < .001) at rest, which remained lower during submaximal and maximal exercise, by 4 and 6 L/min, respectively (P = .001). Ventilatory efficiency was increased in subjects treated with beta-blockers at submaximal (32 +/- 6 versus 34 +/- 7, P = .002) and maximal (34 +/- 7 versus 37 +/- 10, P = .005) exercise. Differences between treatment subgroups remained significant by covariate analysis; beta-blockers were also independently associated with decreased minute ventilation by multiple regression. CONCLUSION: Beta-blockers may be associated with increased ventilatory efficiency in CHF patients, which may contribute to improved functional class and quality of life.

Colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de alta densidad

Numerosos estudios indican que el colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de alta densidad (colesterol-HDL) es un factor importante para la evaluación del riesgo de enfermedad coronaria quizá más importante que el colesterol total o incluso que el colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de baja densidad. Los autores abogan por la medición del frecuente colesterol HDL en adultos y por la terapia a la mayoría de los pacientes con niveles bajos.