Table of contents
May 2005 Volume 2 No 5
Editorial
Viewpoint
Anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: what is the right rate and where do we go from here?
226Atrial fibrillation affects millions of people worldwide and significantly increases the risk of ischemic stroke. In this month's Viewpoint, Alan Go examines the use of anticoagulant therapy, the problems faced and future therapeutic options for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Research Highlights
Does distal microcirculatory protection improve PCI results?
228Does aspirin protect women against cardiovascular disease?
228Predicting outcome in patients with asymptomatic mitral regurgitation
229High-risk acute coronary syndromes: cost-effectiveness of clopidogrel plus aspirin
229Right-ventricular function after acute myocardial infarction
230Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea and cardiovascular risk
230Acute myocardial infarction: invasive versus medical treatment
231Value of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms
232Leukocyte count in cardiovascular risk assessment
232Do thiazide diuretics increase the risk of gallbladder disease?
232Practice Points
Can niacin slow the development of atherosclerosis in coronary artery disease patients already taking statins?
234Does losartan reduce the risk of stroke in patients with hypertension?
236Can the measurement of impaired flow-mediated dilation predict in-stent restenosis?
238Is self-management of oral anticoagulation a feasible and safe option?
240Can intravascular ultrasound detect left main coronary artery disease accurately?
242Reviews
Atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta as a major determinant of the outcome of cardiac surgery
246Stroke is an important complication of cardiac surgery. The degree of risk is significantly influenced by the presence, extent and location of atherosclerosis in the ascending aorta. Per Bergman and Jan van der Linden provide an overview of the current perioperative measures that can be taken to lessen this risk.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio0192 | Full Text | PDF (113K)
Therapy Insight: heart disease and the insulin-resistant patient
252Patients with insulin resistance syndromes are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This review discusses the relationship between insulin resistance and heart disease, and describes how aggressive risk factor management and multifactoral treatment approaches are being used to improve the clinical outcomes of these patients.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio0194 | Full Text | PDF (203K)
Technology Insight: randomized trials of off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery
261Coronary artery bypass grafting can now be performed without the use of the cardiopulmonary bypass pump, a technique known as "off-pump" coronary bypass. Despite data from nonrandomized retrospective trials showing a benefit to the off-pump technique, skepticism remains. This review discusses the evidence to date, focusing on data from prospectively randomized studies.
doi:10.1038/ncpcardio0190 | Full Text | PDF (127K)
