126 research outputs found
Left ventricular thrombus and stroke after acute myocardial infarction
No full textA left ventricular thrombus develops in approximately 40% of patients following an anterior myocardial infarction. Embolization from these thrombi has been regarded as the most important cause of stroke following a myocardial infarction. The occurrence and characteristics of left ventricular thrombi and stroke after anterior myocardial infarction may, however, have changed after the introduction of aspirin and thrombolytics as standard therapy. The occurrence of left ventricular thrombi was examined in 99 patients with an acute anterior myocardial infarction, 74 of whom were treated with streptokinase. Thrombi were equally common in the thrombolysis group (46%, 95% confidence interval [Cl], 35-57%) as in the non-thrombolysis group (40%, 95% Cl, 21-59%). The risk of thrombus formation was related to the degree of left ventricular segmental dysfunction. Using serial echocardiographic examinations, the formation and resolution of thrombi was found to be highly dynamic. The majority of thrombi diagnosed during the hospital stay had resolved at follow-up one month later, irrespective of treatment with streptokinase or anticoagulants. The development of new thrombi was, however, observed at every follow-up examination interval. One-hundred-and-twenty-four patients suffering a stroke within 28 days of an acute myocardial infarction were identified in the northern Sweden MONICA stroke registry between 1985 and 1994. The overall event rate of ischemic myocardial infarction-related stroke was 1.07%. The risk of a stroke was highest duringt he first 5 days after the infarction. Only approximately half the strokes were preceded by an anterior myocardial infarction. In a case-control analysis, atrial fibrillation (chronic or new onset), ST elevation and a history of a previous stroke were found to be independent predictors of stroke. There was a long-term trend towards a lower incidence and event rate for myocardial infarction-related stroke. Clinical stroke characteristics were examined in 103 patients with a first-ever stroke within 28 days of a myocardial infarction and compared with stroke characteristics in 206 control subjects without a recent myocardial infarction. The sudden onset of neurological symptoms, an impairment of consciousness, a progression in neurological deficits and a stroke of the total anterior circulation infarction subclass were more common in cases than in controls. The risk of a recurrent stroke during one year of follow-up was not influenced by a recent myocardial infarction, but patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction had markedly higher mortality. To conclude, thrombolytic treatment does not reduce the occurrence of left ventricular thrombi after a myocardial infarction. The risk of thrombus formation is related to the extent of the myocardial injury. The development and resolution of thrombi is a highly dynamic process. There is a long-term trend towards a lower incidence and event rate of ischemic stroke after a myocardial infarction. Although the clinical stroke characteristics differ, they are not specific enough to differentiate between patients with and without a recent myocardial infarction.S. 1-84: sammanfattning, s. 85-136: 5 uppsatserdigitalisering@um
[Acetylsalicylic acid does not prevent cardiovascular disease. Poor scientific support for therapeutic guidelines according to primary prevention studies]
No full textThe Prevalence of COPD in Individuals with Acute Coronary Syndrome : A Spirometry-Based Screening Study
No full textBackground: The prevalence of COPD among individuals with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is estimated at 5% to 18%, and COPD appears to be a predictor of poor outcome. Diagnosis of COPD has mostly been based on medical records without spirometry. As COPD is largely undiagnosed and misdiagnosed, the prevalence and clinical significance of COPD in the ACS population has not been reliably assessed. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of COPD in patients with ACS and evaluate the accuracy of medical record-based COPD diagnoses. Methods: This was a single-centre spirometry screening study for COPD in patients admitted for ACS in the county of Jämtland, Sweden. Patient medical records were reviewed to register previous medical history. Spirometry was performed prior to discharge or at the first follow-up outpatient visit after discharge. COPD was defined as a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC of <0.7 or below lower limit of normal. Results: Of 743 eligible patients, 407 performed spirometry. Five percent had COPD according to medical records; 11% and 5% fulfilled spirometric criteria of COPD according to FEV1/FVC of < 0.7 (p = 0.002) and below lower limit of normal definitions, respectively. “COPD according to medical history” had a sensitivity of 23%, specificity of 98%, positive predictive value of 53%, and negative predictive value of 91% compared with spirometric COPD FEV1/FVC of < 0.7 Conclusions: In patients with ACS, COPD is underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. We raise concerns regarding the validity of medical record-based COPD in evaluating the biological and clinical association between COPD and coronary disease. Clinical Trial Registration: ISRCTN number 05697808 (www.controlled-trials.com)</p
The impact of platelet function or C-reactive protein, on cardiovascular events after an acute myocardial infarction
No full textAbstract Background Recurrent cardiovascular events following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are common. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of platelet aggregation, PFA-100 closure times and peak C-reactive protein (CRP), respectively, on the occurrence of death, myocardial infarction and ischemic cerebral events after an AMI. Furthermore, to examine the relationship between the platelet function tests and peak CRP. Methods Three hundred and thirty-four patients with AMI were included in the study. Platelet aggregation was analyzed by an aggregometer using laser light (PA-200). The state of high residual platelet reactivity was defined as normal closure times (PFA-100) during treatment with aspirin. Results The fourth quartile of peak CRP was associated with poorer outcome as compared to the first quartile in a multivariate Cox-regression analysis, with a hazard ratio of 2.0 (95% CI 1.1–3.7) for the occurrence of death, myocardial infarction and ischemic cerebral events. The fourth quartile of peak CRP (>64.6 mg/l) was associated with platelet aggregation (p 2 = 0.13) and high residual platelet reactivity, in a multivariate model, with an odds ratio of 2.9 (CI 95% 1.3–6.8), as compared to the first quartile. Neither the highest quartile of platelet aggregation nor the state of high residual platelet reactivity predicted new cardiovascular events. Conclusion In patients with myocardial infarction, measured peak CRP is associated with new cardiovascular events. Despite an association with peak CRP neither more pronounced platelet aggregation nor PFA-100 closure times independently predict new cardiovascular events.</p
The introduction of ticagrelor is associated with lower rates of recurrent ischemic stroke after myocardial infarction
No full textBackground: Previous ischemic stroke is a predictor of recurrent ischemic stroke after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Dual antiplatelet therapy, including a P2Y12-inhibitor, is important in secondary prevention after AMI. Ticagrelor, a P2Y12-inhibitor, is more potent than the commonly used clopidogrel. Here, we evaluated the impact of ticagrelor on the risk of ischemic stroke following AMI in patients with previous ischemic stroke. Methods: Data for patients with AMI that had a previous ischemic stroke were obtained from the Swedish Registry of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive Care Admissions. Patients were assigned to early and late cohorts, each covering a two-year time period before and after, respectively, the introduction of ticagrelor prescriptions (20 Dec 2011). Patients in the early cohort (n = 1633) were treated with clopidogrel (100%); those in the late cohort (n = 1642) were treated with either clopidogrel (66.3%) or ticagrelor (33.7%). We assessed the risk of ischemic stroke and intracranial bleeding over time with Kaplan-Meier analyses. We identified predictors of ischemic stroke with multivariable Cox regression analyses. Results: Of 3275 patients, 311 experienced ischemic stroke after AMI. Cumulative Kaplan-Meier incidence estimates of ischemic stroke within one year after AMI were 12.1% versus 8.6% for the early and late cohorts, respectively (p<0.01). Intracranial bleeding incidences (1.2% versus 1.5%) were similar between the two cohorts. Conclusions: Ticagrelor introduction was associated with a lower rate of ischemic stroke, with no increase in intracranial bleeding, in an AMI population with a history of ischemic stroke
Hand-held cardiac ultrasound examinations performed in primary care patients by nonexperts to identify reduced ejection fraction
No full textBackgroundEarly identification of patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) could facilitate the care of patients with suspected heart failure (HF). We examined if (1) focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) performed with a hand-held device (Vscan 1.2) could identify patients with LVEF <50%, and (2) the distribution of HF types among patients with suspected HF seen at primary care clinics.MethodsFCU performed by general practitioners (GPs)/GP registrars after a training programme comprising 20 supervised FCU examinations were compared with the corresponding results from conventional cardiac ultrasound by specialists. The agreement between groups of estimated LVEF <50%, after visual assessment of global left ventricular function, was compared. Types of HF were determined according to the outcomes from the reference examinations and serum levels of natriuretic peptides (NT-proBNP).ResultsOne hundred patients were examined by FCU that was performed by 1-4 independent examiners as well as by the reference method, contributing to 140 examinations (false positive rate, 19.0%; false negative rate, 52.6%; sensitivity, 47.4% [95% confidence interval [CI]: 27.3-68.3]; specificity, 81.0% [95% CI: 73.1-87.0]; Cohen's kappa measure for agreement=0.22 [95% CI: 0.03-0.40]). Among patients with false negative examinations, 1/7 had HF with LVEF <40%, while the others had HF with LVEF 40-49% or did not meet the full criteria for HF. In patients with NT-proBNP >125ng/L and fulfilling the criteria for HF (68/94), HF with preserved LVEF (>= 50%) predominated, followed by mid-range (40-49%) or reduced LVEF (<40%) HF types (53.2, 11.7 and 7.4%, respectively).ConclusionsThere was poor agreement between expert examiners using standard ultrasound equipment and non-experts using a handheld ultrasound device to identify patients with reduced LVEF. Asides from possible shortcomings of the training programme, the poor performance of non-experts could be explained by their limited experience in identifying left ventricular dysfunction because of the low percentage of patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction seen in the primary care setting.Trial registrationThe study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02939157). Registered 19 October 2016
Statin treatment after acute coronary syndrome : Adherence and reasons for non-adherence in a randomized controlled intervention trial
No full textStudies of secondary prevention for cardiovascular disease show low fulfilment of guidelinere-commended targets. This study explored whether nurse-led follow-up could increase adherence to statins over time and reasons for discontinuation. All patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome at Ostersund hospital between 2010-2014 were screened for the randomized controlled NAILED-ACS trial. The trial comprises two groups, one with nurse-led annual follow-up and medical titration by telephone to reach set intervention targets and one with usual care. All discontinuations of statins were recorded prospectively for at least 36 months and categorized as avoidable or unavoidable. Kaplan-Meier estimates were conducted for first and permanent discontinuations. Predictors for discontinuation were analysed using multivariate Cox regression, statin type and mean LDL-C at end of follow-up. Female gender was a predictor for discontinuation. Allocation in the intervention group predicted increased risk for a first but decreased risk for permanent discontinuation. A nurse-led telemedical secondary prevention programme in a relatively unselected ACS cohort leads to increased adherence to statins over time, greater percentage on potent treatment and lower LDL-C compared to usual care. An initially increased tendency toward early discontinuation in the intervention group stresses the importance of a longer duration of structured follow-up
Increase in ticagrelor use over time is associated with lower rates of ischemic stroke following myocardial infarction
No full textObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of a rapid change in preferred treatment from clopidogrel to ticagrelor on the risk of ischemic stroke following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).MethodsData for AMI patients treated with either clopidogrel or ticagrelor were obtained from the Swedish Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive Care Admissions (RIKS-HIA). Patients were divided into two cohorts, each covering a two-year time period; the initial prescription of ticagrelor (20 Dec 2011) was used as a cut-off point. Patients in the early cohort (n=23,447) were treated with clopidogrel, while those in the later cohort (n=24,227), were treated with either clopidogrel (47.9%) or ticagrelor (52.1%). Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess the risk of ischemic stroke over time, with multivariable Cox regression analyses used to identify predictors of ischemic stroke.ResultsOf 47,674 patients, there were 1203 cases of ischemic stroke. Cumulative Kaplan-Meier incidence estimates of ischemic stroke after one year were 2.8% vs. 2.4% for the early and late cohorts, respectively (p=0.001). Older age, hypertension, diabetes, previous stroke, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and ST-elevation myocardial infarction were associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Percutaneous coronary intervention and statins at discharge were associated with a decreased risk of ischemic stroke, as was higher estimated glomerular filtration rate. Membership of the late cohort correlated with a 13% reduction in the relative risk of ischemic stroke.ConclusionsThe introduction of ticagrelor as well as an improved management of AMI was associated with a lower rate of ischemic stroke in a relatively unselected AMI population
Incidence, Time Trends, and Predictors of Intracranial Hemorrhage During Long-Term Follow-up After Acute Myocardial Infarction
No full textBACKGROUND: To address the lack of knowledge regarding the long-term risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the aims of this study were to: (1) investigate the incidence, time trends, and predictors of ICH in a large population within 1 year of discharge after AMI; (2) investigate the comparative 1-year risk of ICH in AMI patients and a reference group; and (3) study the impact of previous ischemic stroke on ICH risk in patients treated with various antithrombotic therapies. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data about patients whose first AMI occurred between 1998 and 2010 were collected from the Swedish Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart-Intensive-Care Admissions (RIKS-HIA). Patients with an ICH after discharge were identified in the National Patient Register. Risk was compared against a matched reference population. Of 187 386 patients, 590 had an ICH within 1 year. The 1-year cumulative incidence (0.35%) was approximately twice that of the reference group, and it did not change significantly over time. Advanced age, previous ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, and reduced glomerular filtration rate were associated with increased ICH risk, whereas female sex was associated with a decreased risk. Previous ischemic stroke did not increase risk of ICH associated with single or dual antiplatelet therapy, but increased risk with anticoagulant therapy. CONCLUSION: The 1-year incidence of ICH after AMI remained stable, at ≈0.35%, over the study period. Advanced age, decreased renal function, and previous ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke are predictive of increased ICH risk
Inflammation, platelet aggregation and prognosis in acute myocardial infarction [Elektronisk resurs]
No full textThe incidence of stroke and re-infarction is noticeably high in the first few days following acute myocardial infarction. This finding has raised questions whether the systemic inflammatory reaction secondary to myocardial necrosis is involved. The inflammation might affect the activation of platelets leading to insufficient effect of the antiplatelet treatment given. Furthermore, the importance of platelet reactivity and inflammation in terms of long-term prognosis is not fully understood. The prognostic importance of C-reactive protein (CRP) in relation to clinical variables also needs to be clarified. The present studies are aimed at describing the dynamics of platelet function during the first days of an acute myocardial infarction, in relation to diabetes and inflammation. We also investigated whether increased platelet reactivity or the increased concentration of CRP in blood were related to a worse outcome. Finally, we examined if CRP levels contributed to a predictive model using clinical variables known to affect outcome in patients with AMI. We used two novel platelet function tests to measure platelet reactivity; the PA-200 (a laser light aggregometer) and the PFA-100 (measures primary haemostasis in whole blood). Platelet aggregation increased during the initial course of an acute myocardial infarction. The increase in platelet aggregation was most pronounced in diabetics and in patients showing higher systemic inflammatory reaction, assessed by measuring the concentration of CRP in blood. The pronounced platelet aggregation occurred despite ongoing antiplatelet and antithrombotic treatment. There was a significant association between the levels of CRP and the degree of platelet reactivity. However, while the CRP levels were associated with a worse outcome (AMI, stroke and death), the results of the platelet function tests were not. The importance of CRP in predicting prognosis depended on which adjustments were made for confounding factors. CRP and prognostic variables in a statistical model predicting death, however, showed that CRP was excluded. Thus CRP did not predict outcome beyond clinical prognostic variables. The results of these studies reinforce the importance of clinical variables such as heart failure, age, atrial fibrillation, smoking status, diabetes and impaired kidney function - all of which were associated with worse prognosis in multivariable analysis.</p
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