Introduction Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and presents a great social and financial burden for healthcare systems. Although the entire process of atherosclerotic plaque formation and progression to myocardial infarction is driven by inflammation, few therapies targeting this mechanism are available (e.g., colchicine)., In this context, foods with bioactive properties, such as chocolate, have drawn interest for their potential cardiovascular benefits. Prospective studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that chocolate consumption may reduce the incidence of […]

Abstract Background Previous studies have demonstrated an association between larger platelet volume and coronary thrombus formation in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Objectives We aimed to investigate the association of platelet distribution width (PDW) levels with both the clinical severity and the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients diagnosed with ACS. Methods A retrospective evaluation was conducted on 1043 consecutive patients diagnosed with ACS. Patients were stratified into two groups based on their PDW values: group 1 (PDW > […]

Abstract Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Adequate management of risk factors is directly correlated with better outcomes. Objectives This study aims to identify risk factors and evaluate the indicated medical treatment (both pharmacological and non-pharmacological) in patients with CAD. Methods Epidemiological data were collected from electronic medical records of patients treated at Cardiology outpatient clinics of a Tertiary Hospital and a descriptive analysis of the data was performed. Results Patients with documented CAD […]

Abstract Background: The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is known to indicate conditions such as metabolic syndrome and atherosclerotic process. SYNergy between PCI with TAXUS (SYNTAX) and Cardiac Surgery scoring systems (SS) can show coronary anatomic severity and complexity because it is a quantitative and reproducible basic measurement before revascularization. There is no study in the literature investigating the relationship between the TyG index and the SYNTAX SS. Objective: This study aims to investigate a potential association between the TyG index […]

Abstract Background: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a gut microbiota metabolite, is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. TMAO can trigger an inflammatory response by inducing the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling cascade and increasing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, contributing to the worsening of CVD. This study aimed to evaluate the association between TMAO plasma levels and inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out including 29 patients with CAD. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells […]

Abstract Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of cardiac disease with high morbidity and mortality rates. Objectives: In this study, we evaluated the expression of miR-27a and miR-27b as biomarkers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with CAD and investigated its correlation with cholesterol-efflux transporter, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). Method: This study was performed on 54 men with CAD and 51 healthy, sex- and age-matched control participants. The expression of miR-27a/b and ABCA1 […]

Abstract Background: Ischemic heart disease is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. There are few data in the literature about the association of clinical profile and coronary angiography results in the Brazilian population. Objectives: To assess clinical variables and their associations with the results of coronary angiography and to evaluate the safety of coronary angiography in a public university hospital. Methods: From August 2015 to April 2018, 1 844 patients submitted to coronary angiography at the Pedro […]

Abstract Background: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined by focal enlargement of the coronary artery exceeding 1.5 times the adjacent normal segment. CAE can often cause arrhythmias, heart failure, sudden death, and myocardial ischemia. Ischemia due to microvascular dysfunction may be responsible for the ventricular heterogeneity in CAE. Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate the frontal QRS-T angle in patients with CAE. Methods: Our study included 55 patients with CAE and 50 individuals in the control group. […]