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Molecular imaging aims at the use of imaging probes to visualize specific cellular or sub cellular processes that occur before changes in morphology and function. This is highly relevant because impairments of such processes often are precursors or earliest stages of cardiovascular disease. They are also involved in the early response to therapy or may identify candidates most suitable for a specific therapy.

The LEADERS (Limus Eluted from A Durable versus ERodable Stent coating) Study randomly assigned 1,707 patients with 2,472 lesions to treatment with either a biolimus-eluting stent with a biodegradable polymer or a sirolimus-eluting stent with a durable polymer. The study involved a broad range of patients for whom a stenting procedure was considered suitable, designed to reflect routine clinical practice.

Annually, approximately 40 million people undergo noncardiac surgery in the European Union. Of these patients approximately 400,000 (1%) will suffer a perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI) while approximately 133,000 (0.3%) die because of cardiac complications. In particular in patients undergoing noncardiac vascular surgery the incidence of perioperative cardiac complications is high with cardiac mortality rates exceeding 2%. Indeed perioperative cardiac events are the major cause of adverse outcome in vascular surgery patients.

Several epidemiological and experimental studies suggested that n-3 PUFA could exert favourable effects on the atherotrombotic cardiovascular disease including arrhythmias. The GISSI team investigated whether n-3 PUFA could improve morbidity and mortality in a large population of patients with symptomatic heart failure of any cause.

Dr. Salim Yusuf and Dr. Koon Teo, professors in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University and clinicians at Hamilton Health Sciences, led the study. Results were presented today at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, Germany.

Such as fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction and coronary revascularisation by one third, even when these patients are already receiving optimal therapy. Commenting after the results presentation, the Chairman of the BEAUTIFUL Executive Committee, Prof Kim Fox said 'Ivabradine was always known to relieve ischemia. With the BEAUTIFUL results, ivabradine is the first antianginal treatment shown to reduce myocardial infarction and revascularisation and to have a good tolerability profile even when used with other drugs. This is the gold standard for any antianginal, anti-ischemic drug'.

Our study was carried out in 15 hospitals in Switzerland and Germany and included 499 heart failure patients with reduced pump function of the heart aged ≥60 years. The study was called TIME-CHF, standing for the Trial of Intensified (BNP-guided) versus standard (symptom-guided) Medical therapy in Elderly patients with Congestive Heart Failure. Patients in both groups were well treated according to current guidelines, but doses of medication were significantly increased in the BNP-guided group.

Patients presenting shortness of breath on arrival at the emergency department (ED) can gain from improved diagnosis allowing physicians to distinguish congestive heart failure patients from those presenting pneumonia.

Myocardial infarction is the major cause of death worldwide. With effective treatment within our grasp, accurate and rapid diagnosis is of major medical and economic importance. With the development of sensitive trials depicting either cardiac troponin I or cardiac troponin T, the only current biomarkers thought to be unique to the heart, the diagnosis of myocardial infarction has been revolutionised. In a patient presenting with chest pain, a rise in cardiac troponin has become a mandatory feature for the clinical diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

September 2, 2008, St. Louis, MO – The consumption of soft drinks is generally considered to be a contributing factor in childhood obesity. Because children spend a substantial amount of time at school, the school food environment plays a central part in shaping eating behaviors.

Two black-footed ferrets at the Smithsonian's National Zoo have each given birth to a kit that was sired by males who died in 1999 and 2000. These endangered ferrets—part of a multi-institutional breeding and reintroduction program—were artificially inseminated in May with frozen semen from the two deceased males, each giving birth to a kit on June 20 and 21 respectively. The sperm samples were collected and frozen in 1997 and 1998. Successful inseminations with frozen semen are extremely rare—until now only three black-footed ferret kits have been born from this method.

Rockville, MD — Typically, drivers gaze along a curve as they negotiate it, but they also look at other parts of the road, the dashboard, traffic signs and oncoming vehicles. A new study finds that when drivers fix their gaze on specific targets placed strategically along a curve, their steering is smoother and more stable than it is in normal conditions.

Compared with bare metal stents, drug-eluting stents substantially reduce the risk of angiographic and clinical recurrence but do not affect mortality or the short term or long term risk of myocardial infarction. The use of drug-eluting stents necessitates extended treatment with dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus thienopyridine) which may cause bleeding complications and interferes with or even precludes surgery in case this is needed.

In addition, from a socioeconomic standpoint, the increased cost associated with drug-eluting stents is a major issue.

Throughout the developed world, cardiac surgery faces increasing challenges from percutaneous intervention, currently with revascularisation, but potentially soon for valve replacement as well. The spectacular growth of PCI in the UK over the last five years is typical for many developed countries [1]. Since 2000 the ratio of PCI: CABG has increased from 1:1 to almost 3:1.

The issue of using or not using DES in patients with diabetes will be debated between Professor Wijns, who discourages DES and Professor Silber, who feels that they should be used.