Table of contents
May 2008 Volume 5 No 5
Editorial
Viewpoint
Are diuretics overused in the treatment of chronic heart failure?
238Diuretics are used for symptomatic treatment of chronic heart failure; however, no randomized trials have yet assessed the long-term effects of these agents on morbidity and mortality. In this article, Vaz Pérez and colleagues question the assumption that long-term diuretic therapy is beneficial and opine that the currently available data do not support the routine use of diuretics as a cornerstone of long-term medical treatment for patients with chronic heart failure.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1152 | Full Text | PDF (103K)
Research Highlights
Statin therapy is beneficial for almost all patients with diabetes
240Patients with nephrotic syndrome have a high absolute risk of thromboembolic events
240Short-term withdrawal of warfarin carries low risk of thromboembolism
240Statin therapy reduces the risk of stroke related to inflammation following ACS
241Predictors of long-term outcome after tetralogy of Fallot repair
241Polymorphism in KIF6 associated with coronary events in two independent cohorts
242Impaired perfusion after MI is associated with ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation
242In-hospital VTE risk—many patients do not receive appropriate prophylaxis
243Practice Points
Are thiazolidinediones associated with an increased risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death?
244doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1121 | Full Text | PDF (104K)
Is carotid angioplasty followed by cardiac surgery a safe and effective treatment for carotid artery stenosis?
246doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1162 | Full Text | PDF (101K)
Ranolazine: a new antiarrhythmic agent for patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes?
248doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1153 | Full Text | PDF (102K)
Palliative care for patients with acute decompensated heart failure: an underused service?
250doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1154 | Full Text | PDF (101K)
Is prasugrel superior to clopidogrel for patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing PCI?
252doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1164 | Full Text | PDF (102K)
The importance of EXPRESS treatment for transient ischemic attack
254Does parental premature cardiovascular disease predict arterial calcification in offspring?
256doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1147 | Full Text | PDF (100K)
Reviews
Mechanisms of Disease: molecular genetics of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy
258Here, Mark Awad, Hugh Calkins and Daniel Judge tackle the known genetic mutations associated with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy, and examine the complex issues surrounding genetic analysis in the clinical assessment of individuals with this condition.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1182 | Full Text | PDF (246K)
Aortic regurgitation: disease progression and management
269The development of aortic regurgitation is often insidious and rate of disease progression varies between individuals. As such, symptoms do not necessarily correlate with objective evidence of ventricular dysfunction and the most appropriate criteria for risk stratification and optimum medical therapy remain controversial. Here the epidemiology of AR and evolution of practice guidelines regarding diagnosis and treatment are examined.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1179 | Full Text | PDF (235K)
Measurement of carotid intima–media thickness to assess progression and regression of atherosclerosis
280Atherosclerosis can remain below the clinical horizon for a long time. Acute vascular disease, however, can manifest clinically at almost any stage. Brightness ultrasonographic imaging of the carotid arterial walls can depict all stages of atherosclerotic arterial wall changes as a continuous variable. Here de Groot et al. describe the role of carotid IMT measurements as a tool in risk evaluation of individuals and explore how this technique could advance atherosclerosis research.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1163 | Full Text | PDF (278K)
Case Study
Catheter ablation of premature ventricular contraction-induced cardiomyopathy
289Premature ventricular complexes are a common form of arrhythmia and are typically considered to be benign. In this month's Case Study, however, Ezzat and colleagues present a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy which was postulated to be caused by premature ventricular complexes arising from the right ventricular outflow tract. She was successfully treated by electrophysiological mapping and cryoablation of the ectopic focus.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio1180 | Full Text | PDF (306K)
