Incidence and etiology of cerebrovascular disease in patients with malignancy

Cerebrovascular disease is common in cancer patients and often arises from mechanisms unique to malignancy. Direct tumor effects include intratumoral hemorrhage, arterial and venous sinus invasion by tumor mass or leptomeningeal infiltrates, and tumor emboli. Complications of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hematopoietic stem-cell transplantion for cancer can occur before, during, or years after treatment. Coagulopathic conditions involve disseminated intravascular coagulation, thrombocytopenia, nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis, and cerebral intravascular coagulation. Finally, septic infarction from fungal or bacterial sepsis and infectious vasculitis manifest in cancer patients immunocompromised by malignancy or cancer therapy. In many cases a combination of mechanisms is causative, and both hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke can occur simultaneously. Stroke type and mechanism, as well as the stage and pathology of the neoplasm, dictate proper management and help delineate prognosis.     

Arterial hypertension in patients with coronary artery disease

Arterial hypertension is the most important risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). There is a high coincidence of both diseases, whereby both impair coronary microcirculatory function synergistically, which can be measured functionally by decreased coronary flow reserve. This dysfunction leads to permanent damage to the left ventricular myocardium. Lifestyle changes play a central role in the primary and secondary prevention of CAD. Additionally, there are well-established options for antihypertensive drug therapy, which should be combined with aspirin and statins. Pharmacological treatment should follow distinctive blood pressure goals in relation to the severity of CAD. Particular attention is paid in this context to the relation between diastolic blood pressure values and cardiovascular endpoints, which displays a j-shaped curve with the lowest risk at levels between 70 and 90?mmHg.     

Incidence of coronary artery disease in patients with valvular heart disease.

The case notes, cardiac catheterisation data, and coronary arteriograms of 239 patients investigated for valvular heart disease during a five year period were reviewed. Angina present in 13 of 95 patients with isolated mitral valve disease, 43 of 90 patients with isolated aortic valve disease, and 18 of 54 patients with combined mitral and aortic valve disease. Significant coronary artery disease was present in 85 per cent of patients with mitral valve disease and angina, but in only 33 per cent of patients with aortic valve disease and angina. Patients with no chest pain still had a high incidence of coronary artery disease, significant coronary obstruction being present in 22 per cent with mitral valve disease, 22 per cent with aortic valve disease, and 11 per cent with combine mitral and aortic valve disease. Several possible clinical markers of coronary artery disease were examined but none was found to be of practical help. There was, however, a significant inverse relation between severity of coronary artery disease and severity of valve disease in patients with aortic valve disease. Asymptomatic coronary artery disease is not uncommon in patients with valvular heart disease and if it is policy to perform coronary artery bypass grafting in such patients, routine coronary arteriography must be part of the preoperative investigation.     

Management of hypertension in patients with coronary artery disease

Hypertension is present in three of four patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) but remains largely uncontrolled in most patients. Treating hypertension in these patients is complicated by the concern of precipitating coronary ischemia when diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is reduced excessively. However, an emerging body of evidence from recent clinical trials in high-risk hypertensive patients with or without CAD demonstrated the benefit of intensive drug therapy, even when DBP fell much lower than 80 mm Hg, in terms of reducing cardiovascular events and progression of coronary and carotid atherosclerosis. Accordingly, the American Heart Association has now set the target BP goal to less than 130/80 mm Hg in hypertensive patients with CAD. Given the enormous gap between current BP levels in patients with CAD and the new target BP goals, multiple drug therapy is essential to achieve BP control and improve cardiovascular outcomes.     

How to treat hypertension in patients with coronary heart disease disease

Following a hypertension symposium in Los Angeles in October 2007, a panel was convened to discuss how to treat hypertension in patients with coronary artery disease or with evidence of multiple major risk factors for coronary heart disease. Marvin Moser, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, moderated the discussion. Jackson T. Wright Jr, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Program Director of William T. Dahms Clinical Research, and Director of the Clinical Hypertension Program at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; Ronald G. Victor, MD, Professor and Division Chief, Hypertension, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX; and Joel Handler, MD, Hypertension Lead, Care Management Institute, Kaiser Permanente, Anaheim, CA, participated in the discussion.     

Combined coronary and mitral annulus calcium detection in the non-invasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease in patients with systemic hypertension

BACKGROUND: Although the presence of coronary calcium (CC) on fast spiral computed tomography (FSCT) is a powerful predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD), both the specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of CC in CAD diagnosis are modest. Since previous studies have shown an association between mitral annular calcification (MAC) and coronary atherosclerosis, we aimed to investigate whether combined coronary and MAC detection could improve the non-invasive diagnosis of CAD. DESIGN AND METHODS: Our study comprised 522 patients (284 men and 238 women, age ranged from 52-80 years, mean 65 +/- 6 years) who underwent FSCT of the coronaries as well as echo-Doppler examination. Among them, 97 patients had prior diagnosis of prevalent proven CAD (CAD group) while 425 patients were without clinically manifested CAD (the No CAD group). RESULTS: The prevalence of CC in the CAD group was 95 versus 68% in the No CAD group (P = 0.001). The prevalence of MAC in CAD group was 63 versus 51% in No CAD group (P = 0.03). Sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of CC as a predictor of CAD were 95 and 96% respectively, but specificity and PPV were low: 32 and 24% respectively. Sensitivity and NPV of MAC as predictors of CAD were 63 and 85% respectively; specificity and PPV, 49 and 22% respectively. Using of combined CC and MAC evaluation in the prediction led to some specificity improvement at the expense of a similar sensitivity reduction, without a considerable gain in the total accuracy of the method. CONCLUSIONS: Coronary calcium detection on FSCT in hypertensive patients yields excellent sensitivity and NPV but relatively low specificity and PPV for clinically manifested CAD. Mitral annular calcification assessment yields a low sensitivity and specificity and its addition to CC evaluation does not improve non-invasive diagnosis of CAD.     

成年人瓣膜病合并冠心病的伴发情况分析

为了评估成年人瓣膜病变患者的冠心病伴发率。我们对本院自１９８８年６月至１９９５年１２月４０岁以上５５０例瓣膜病者的冠状动脉造影进行回顾性研究。男３４３例，女２０７例。年龄４０￣７２岁，平均５４．３岁。二尖瓣、主动脉瓣和联合瓣膜损害分别为２０５例。１０７例，２３８例。１５６例心电图呈ＳＴ－Ｔ改变，１１６例有心绞痛症状。结果：５５０例中７６例冠状动状有单支或多支≥５０％的狭窄病变，占１３．８％，就年龄     

Changes in basic hemodynamic and electrocardiographic parameters in patients with severe vasorenal hypertension

Major hemodynamic and electrocardiographic parameters were examined in 47 patients with severe vasorenal hypertension at rest, and in 20 patients after stress exposure. Three (hyper-, eu- and hypokinetic) types of circulation were demonstrated, like the ones seen in essential hypertension. Hemodynamic values at rest were indicative of relative cardiovascular compensation in severe vasorenal hypertension. Stress testing demonstrated that exercise disrupted that compensation. Arterial blood pressure response to physical stress showed no correlation to baseline values of the parameters examined.     

老年冠心病合并高血压患者的降压治疗策略

老年冠心病患者中60％～70％伴有高血压,血压升高可加速动脉粥样硬化的发生和发展,与冠心病心脏事件发生率、病死率等呈正相关。笔者就血压及降压治疗与动脉粥样硬化的关系、老年冠心病合并高血压患者的降压治疗策略作一介绍。     

冠心病并发高血压病患者的预后较差

目的 观察冠心病并发高血压病患者的近期预后。方法 对我院心血管内科2010年4月~2012年8月收治的220例冠心病患者,按是否并发高血压病,分为:冠心病并发高血压病组(高血压病组,120例)和未并发高血压病组(非高血压病,100例),对2组患者随访观察24个月,统计分析两组主要不良心脑血管事件(MACCE)的发生率。结果 高血压病组的SBP、DBP、脉压(PP)显著高于非高血压病组（P<0.01）;高血压病组的冠脉病变评分显著高于非高血压病组（P<0.01）。高血压病组的再次心肌梗死、心力衰竭、严重心律失常、卒中、病死率均显著高于非高血压病组（均P<0.05）。但是,两组MACCE总发生率(30% vs. 20%)的差异未达到显著水平。高血压病组的无心血管不良事件中位生存期为15.0个月、非高血压病组为22.0个月,两组中位生存期比较差异显著（P<0.05）。结论 冠心病并发高血压病患者近期预后较差,且发生MACCE的时间提前。     

Obesity paradox in patients with hypertension and coronary artery disease

Purpose

An obesity paradox, a “paradoxical” decrease in morbidity and mortality with increasing body mass index (BMI), has been shown in patients with heart failure and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. However, whether this phenomenon exists in patients with hypertension and coronary artery disease is not known.

Methods

A total of 22,576 hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease (follow-up 61,835 patient years, mean age 66 ± 9.8 years) were randomized to a verapamil-SR or atenolol strategy. Dose titration and additional drugs (trandolapril and/or hydrochlorothiazide) were added to achieve target blood pressure control according to the Sixth Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure targets. Patients were classified into 5 groups according to baseline BMI: less than 20 kg/m² (thin), 20 to 25 kg/m² (normal weight), 25 to 30 kg/m² (overweight), 30 to 35 kg/m² (class I obesity), and 35 kg/m² or more (class II-III obesity). The primary outcome was first occurrence of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke.

Results

With patients of normal weight (BMI 20 to <25 kg/m²) as the reference group, the risk of primary outcome was lower in the overweight patients (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70-0.86, P <.001), class I obese patients (adjusted HR 0.68, 95% CI, 0.59-0.78, P <.001), and class II to III obese patients (adjusted HR 0.76, 95% CI, 0.65-0.88, P <.001). Class I obese patients had the lowest rate of primary outcome and death despite having smaller blood pressure reduction compared with patients of normal weight at 24 months (−17.5 ± 21.9 mm Hg/−9.8 ± 12.4 mm Hg vs −20.7 ± 23.1 mm Hg /−10.6 ± 12.5 mm Hg, P <.001).

Conclusion

In a population with hypertension and coronary artery disease, overweight and obese patients had a decreased risk of primary outcome compared with patients of normal weight, which was driven primarily by a decreased risk of all-cause mortality. Our results further suggest a protective effect of obesity in patients with known cardiovascular disease in concordance with data in patients with heart failure and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.     

Features of renal dynamics among patients with vasorenal hypertension according to rheographic findings

Preoperative and late postoperative rheonephrographic findings in 23 patients with vasorenal hypertension are reported. Renal rheography was supplemented with a controlled hypotension test. Diagnostic and predictive value of renal rheography and the controlled hypotension test is explained. Indirect evidence of the irreversible nature of renal angiosclerotic changes on the side of occlusive lesion was demonstrated in patients with poor surgical results and a relatively intact contralateral kidney.     

Renovascular disease in patients with hypertension: detection with duplex ultrasound

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of duplex ultrasound for the diagnosis of renovascular disease in a cohort of hypertensive patients. In 78 patients suspected of renovascular hypertension on clinical grounds duplex ultrasound examination of the renal arteries was performed. Renal angiography was used as the standard of reference. Duplex ultrasound was inconclusive in 11 kidneys (7%). None of the supernumerary renal arteries was detected with duplex ultrasound. The overall prevalence of significant renovascular disease (> or =50% stenosis) was 20%. Based on the combination of parameters at thresholds commonly applied in current literature: ie PSV(max) >180 cm/sec and RAR >3.5 the overall sensitivity of duplex ultrasound for detection of haemodynamically significant renovascular disease was 50.0% with a specificity of 91.3% (PPV: 87.9%; NPV: 59.1). Lowering the thresholds for both parameters improved the test results at the cost of a significant increase of false positive examinations. In a population of hypertensive patients clinically suspected of renovascular hypertension, only limited results for duplex ultrasound could be acquired in the detection of renovascular disease. This result, in combination with the wide range of sensitivities and specificities published in international literature and the relatively large number of incomplete examinations does not support the general application of duplex ultrasound as a screening procedure for detection and assessment of renovascular disease.     

HDL cholesterol in patients with peripheral arteriosclerotic occlusive disease

The HDL-cholesterol level in the blood serum was determined in 40 male control persons and 73 male patients with peripheral arteriosclerotic obstructive disease of the lower extremities. A reduction of the HDL concentration as a whole could not be proved. The influence of the various drugs applied to the therapy of the arteriosclerotic obstructive disease on the HDL-cholesterol level in the blood serum is different. With increasing severity of the arterial obstructive disease the HDL level significantly decreases. Patients with hyperlipoproteinaemias show lower HDL concentrations than test persons with inconspicuous serum lipid concentrations.     

冠心病合并高血压患者的冠状动脉病变与血压昼夜节律的关系研究

目的：探讨冠心病合并高血压患者的冠状动脉病变与血压昼夜节律的关系。方法：选取2013年1月～2015年12月于我院行冠状动脉造影诊断为冠心病且合并高血压的患者154例。通过对所有患者进行24h动态血压监测,分析动态血压参数,根据夜间血压下降率分为勺形高血压组（DH组,n=71）和非勺形高血压组（NDH组,n=83）。比较两组患者基本临床资料、实验室指标。冠脉造影示管腔狭窄≥50%定义为冠脉病变,根据病变累及部位分为单支、双支（累及左主干纳入双支病变）及三支病变组。按照Gensini评分标准对每位患者的冠脉病变程度进行定量评定。结果：NDH组急性冠脉综合征发生率明显高于DH组（P＜0.05）。NDH组患者夜间平均收缩压（nMSBP）、夜间平均舒张压（nMDBP）均明显高于DH组,夜间血压下降率（包括收缩压和舒张压）明显低于DH组（P＜0.001）。两组患者冠状动脉病变部位比较无明显差异（P＞0.05）,但NDH组冠脉三支病变发生率、病变支数、Gensini积分均显著高于DH组（P＜0.05）。结论：冠心病合并非勺形高血压患者相比于勺形高血压患者冠状动脉病变范围更广,病变程度更重,急性冠脉综合征发生率更高,具有更高的致死风险。