Table of contents
December 2007 Volume 4 No 12
Editorial
Viewpoint
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection: where is the tear?
636The Case Study by Satoda and colleagues, published in this issue of Nature Clinical Practice Cardiovascular Medicine, provides Paolo Angelini with an intriguing introduction to his Viewpoint on spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). Dr Angelini discusses our current understanding of this condition, and highlights recent progress in refining the diagnosis and definition of SCAD, made possible by new imaging modalities.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1039 | Full Text | PDF (163K)
Research Highlights
Early statin therapy beneficial for familial hypercholesterolemia
638Interleukin 1 receptor family member ST2 has prognostic value in dyspnea
638Interactions between anti-thrombotic drugs increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding
638Benefits of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators maintained in clinical setting
639Heart failure with preserved left ventricular systolic function: is it being overlooked?
639Optical coherence tomography permits detailed characterization of vulnerable plaques
640Autopsy study demonstrates clustering of vulnerable coronary plaques
64018FDG-PET imaging of atherosclerotic plaque inflammation
640Benefits of fondaparinux over enoxaparin in patients with renal dysfunction: OASIS 5 data
641Dronedarone successfully maintains sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation
641OP CABG surgery: good short-term outcomes, increased risk for subsequent revascularization
642Premature parental CVD associated with increased risk of vascular calcification
642Endothelial progenitor cells predict mortality in patients with congestive heart failure
643Practice Points
Can tissue Doppler imaging detect myocardial viability in patients with left ventricular dysfunction?
644doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1031 | Full Text | PDF (167K)
Total erythrocyte membrane cholesterol: a marker of plaque instability?
646doi:10.1038/ncpcardio0986 | Full Text | PDF (165K)
Is rosiglitazone associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events?
648doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1030 | Full Text | PDF (167K)
Long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm
650doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1004 | Full Text | PDF (162K)
Does NT-proBNP testing reduce costs and improve accuracy in the diagnosis of heart failure?
652doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1014 | Full Text | PDF (168K)
Does estrogen therapy reduce coronary artery calcification in postmenopausal women?
654doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1011 | Full Text | PDF (166K)
Reviews
Patient-centered prevention strategies for cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes
656In this Review, Kathryn Taubert, Nathaniel Clark and Robert Smith explore the common features and risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes—disease which together are responsible for more than 25 million deaths in the world each year. They examine the important role of cardiology health-care providers with regards to risks for other chronic conditions and occult disease.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1029 | Full Text | PDF (561K)
Risk stratification of sudden cardiac death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
667Identifying high-risk individuals with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is paramount as the first clinical expression is often the most devastating—sudden cardiac death. Miller and colleagues review the established or 'major' risk factors used to identify high-risk patients, and discuss the possible and future risk factors for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-related sudden cardiac death.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1057 | Full Text | PDF (363K)

Technology Insight: magnetic resonance angiography for the evaluation of patients with peripheral artery disease
677In this instructive Therapy Insight, Dellegrottaglie et al. examine the role of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in the initial diagnosis and subsequent management of patients with peripheral arterial disease, comparing this technique with other diagnostic modalities. They explain, in simple terms, current MRA methodologies and ongoing technical improvements as they apply to the evaluation of lower extremity vessels.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1035 | Full Text | PDF (609K)
Case Study

Acute myocardial infarction caused by spontaneous postpartum coronary artery dissection
688In this month's Case Study, Satoda et al. describe a patient who presented with an acute myocardial infarction 5 weeks after giving birth. Angiography revealed a severe diffuse lesion of the left anterior descending artery, which was later confirmed to be a spiral dissection. The lesion resolved after two months of medical therapy, and the patient recovered well.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1055 | Full Text | PDF (344K)


