Analysis of the Nursing Effect of Continuity of Care on Elderly Patients with Coronary Heart Disease Unstable Angina and its Impact on Quality of Life

Objective:To analyze the effect of using continuity of care for elderly patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)with unstable angina pectoris(UAP)and its impact on their quality of life.Methods:100 cases of elderly patients with CHD with UAP admitted to our hospital from March 2022 to March 2023 were selected and grouped into an observation group and a control group of 50 cases each according to the randomized number table method.The nursing effect and quality of life of the observation group(continuity nursing)and the control group(routine nursing)were compared.Results:The total effective rate of nursing care was 96.00%observation group and 80.00%for the control group,and the differences were significant(χ2=6.061,P<0.05).Patients in the observation group had fewer episodes(1.42±0.21)times/week and a shorter duration(5.46±0.39)min,which were better than the control group(t=3.465,2.973;P<0.05).The depression self-rating depression scale(SDS)score(42.16±6.64)and anxiety self-rating scale(SAS)score(32.26±7.35)in the observation group were lower and the quality of life was higher as compared to that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Continuous nursing care improved the nursing effect of elderly CHD with UAP patients,promoted the alleviation of UAP symptoms,improved patient mentality,and improved their quality of life.Hence,continuous nursing care possesses significant clinical application value.

Effectiveness of Atorvastatin Combined with Trimetazidine in the Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease in the Elderly and Their Effect on Cardiac Function

Objective:To analyze the effect of atorvastatin combined with trimetazidine in the treatment of elderly coronary artery disease and the effect on patients’cardiac function.Methods:60 cases of elderly coronary artery disease patients were divided into 2 groups by randomization method,and all of them received conventional symptomatic treatment,while atorvastatin was added to the control group and trimetazidine was combined with atorvastatin in the observation group,and the clinical indexes were compared.Results:After treatment,the angina attack,cardiac function indexes,and inflammatory factor levels of the observation group were better than those of the control group(P<0.05),and the differences in adverse reactions between the two groups were not significant(P>0.05).Conclusion:Combined treatment of coronary heart disease in the elderly with atorvastatin and trimetazidine can positively reduce angina symptoms,improve cardiac function,and reduce inflammatory reactions,and the effect is definite.

Analysis of the Effectiveness of Clopidogrel Combined with Aspirin in the Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease in Community-Dwelling Elderly

Objective:To analyze the combined therapeutic effect of clopidogrel(CLO)and aspirin(ASP)on coronary heart disease(CHD)in community-dwelling elderly.Methods:Thirty elderly patients with CHD who were admitted to the Xinxin Community Health Service Station,Pangzhuang Street,Quanshan District,Xuzhou City,from November 2020 to November 2022 were selected and randomly grouped into an observation group and a control group,with 15 cases in each group.The observation group was given the combination of CLO and ASP and the reference group was given only ASP.The total effective rate and other treatment indicators between the two groups were compared.Results:The total effective rate of the observation group(93.33%)was higher than that of the reference group(60.00%)(P<0.05).The adverse drug reaction rate(13.33%)and long-term cardiovascular adverse event rate(6.67%)of the observation group were lower than those of the reference group at 46.67%and 40.00%respectively,(P<0.05).Before treatment,the two groups had no difference in the quality-of-life scores(P>0.05).After treatment,the quality-of-life scores of the observation group were higher than those of the reference group(P<0.05).Conclusion:CLO combined with ASP improved the therapeutic effect of community-dwelling elderly patients with CHD,reduced adverse reactions during medication,prevented adverse cardiovascular events,and comprehensively improved the patient’s quality of life.

Rheumatic Heart Disease in Children: Epidemiological Aspects. Diagnostic and Evolutive at the Dakar Chu

Rheumatic heart disease is the ultimate consequence of acute articular rheumatism. It remains a public health problem in developing countries. It is a pathology found in all countries of the world, with a clear predominance in developing countries. In Senegal, the hospital prevalence of rheumatic heart disease is 30.5%. Its seriousness lies in the risk of valvular sequel responsible for cardiac dysfunction that can lead to death. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, diagnostic and evolutionary aspects of rheumatic heart disease at the Albert Royer National Hospital Center of child (CHNEAR). We had carried out a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study lasting 3 years from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019. All children aged 4 to 17 hospitalized at CHNEAR for rheumatic heart disease were included. The hospital prevalence was 0.8%. The average age was 10.9 years with a sex ratio of 0.875 in favor of girls. 85.47% of cases came from parents who had a low economic level of life. The history of repeated angina and acute articular rhumatism (AAR) was found respectively in 22.69 and 15.13% of cases. The clinical symptomatology was dominated by heart failure with 58.3% of cases, arthralgia in 7.5% of cases. The biological inflammatory syndrome was found in 86.1%. 73% of the patients had a positive antistreptolysin O antibody (ASLO). Cardiomegaly was found in 89.7%. Heart doppler ultrasound found polyvalvular involvement in more than half of the cases. Mitral insufficiency was the predominant valve disease in 98.20% of cases. The evolution was favorable in the majority of cases but 9.32% of deaths were observed.

Rheumatic valvular heart disease treated with traditional Chinese medicine:A case report

BACKGROUND Rheumatic heart disease(RHD)is an autoimmune disease that leads to irreversible valve damage and heart failure.Surgery is an effective treatment;however,it is invasive and carries risks,restricting its broad application.Therefore,it is essential to find alternative nonsurgical treatments for RHD.CASE SUMMARY A 57-year-old woman was assessed with cardiac color Doppler ultrasound,left heart function tests,and tissue Doppler imaging evaluation at Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University.The results showed mild mitral valve stenosis with mild to moderate mitral and aortic regurgitation,confirming a diagnosis of rheumatic valve disease.After her symptoms became severe,with frequent ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia>200 beats per minute,her physicians recommended surgery.During a 10-day preoperative waiting period,the patient asked to be treated with traditional Chinese medicine.After 1 week of this treatment,her symptoms improved significantly,including resolution of the ventricular tachycardia,and the surgery was postponed pending further follow-up.At 3-month follow-up,color Doppler ultrasound showed mild mitral valve stenosis with mild mitral and aortic regurgitation.Therefore,it was determined that no surgical treatment was required.CONCLUSION Traditional Chinese medicine treatment effectively relieves symptoms of RHD,particularly mitral valve stenosis and mitral and aortic regurgitation.

Relationship between the Self-Efficacy and Mental Health of Elderly Patients with Coronary Heart Disease in Rural Hebei Province

Objective:To investigate the self-efficacy and mental health of elderly patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)in rural Hebei Province as well as to analyze the relationship between them.Methods:From June 2021 to December 2021,480 elderly patients with CHD from rural areas,who had been discharged by the Department of Cardiology from three tertiary hospitals in three cities with different economic levels in Hebei Province for more than a year,were selected as the research subjects.The general self-efficacy scale(GSES)and symptom self-rating scale(SCL-90)were used to investigate the self-efficacy and mental health of these patients.SPSS 25.0 was used for data analysis.Results:The total mean self-efficacy score of elderly patients with CHD in rural Hebei Province was 17.18±4.68,which is lower than the international norm(t=-32.067,P=0.000)and the national norm(t=-28.783,P=0.000);the total average SCL-90 score was 148.64±55.13,which is higher than the national norm for adults and the reference norm for ordinary elderly people;except for hostility and psychosis,the other dimensions were significantly higher than the national norm for adults(P<0.05);except for psychosis,the other dimensions were significantly higher than the reference norm for ordinary elderly people(P<0.05);the self-efficacy score was found to be negatively correlated with the total SCL-90 score and the score for each dimension(P<0.05).Conclusion:Elderly CHD patients with higher self-efficacy in rural Hebei Province have higher mental health level.It is suggested that the mental health of elderly patients with CHD in rural areas can be improved by improving their self-efficacy.

Effect of Psychological Education Combined with Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training on the Symptom Cluster and Rehospitalization Rate of Elderly Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Objective:To investigate the effect of psychological education combined with progressive muscle relaxation training on the symptom cluster and rehospitalization of elderly patients with coronary heart disease.Methods:This study is a longitudinal randomized controlled study involving 140 elderly patients with coronary heart disease.The patients were divided into two groups:an intervention group and a control group,with 70 cases in each group,via random number table.The patients in the control group received routine nursing,whereas those in the intervention group received psychological education combined with progressive muscle relaxation training for 4 weeks on the basis of routine nursing.The effect of the intervention was evaluated before intervention,at the end of 1 month,3 months,and 6 months after intervention.Results:At the end of 1 month,3 months,and 6 months,the sleep,fatigue,anxiety,and functional status of the patients in the intervention group were significantly better than those of the control group,with statistical significance difference(P<0.05).The rehospitalization rate of the intervention group was lower than that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(X2=10.685,P=0.001).Conclusion:Psychological education combined with progressive muscle relaxation training is effective in alleviating the symptom cluster of elderly patients with coronary heart disease and reducing their rehospitalization rate;thus,it should be popularized.

Current Status of Acute Rheumatic Fever and Relationship with Acute Rheumatic Heart Disease at the University Teaching Hospital of Brazzaville (Congo)

Aim: To determine the epidemiological findings of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and relationship with acute rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Patients and method: This cross sectional study was conducted from January 2012 to December 2016 (5 years) in the Department of Pediatrics. We had included patients aged from 5 to15 years old, admitted for ARF. Results: Twenty-nine black African children, 15 boys (51.7%) were included. The incidence was 5.8 cases/year. The mean age was 10.4 ± 2.7 years. The mean age of parents was 34.5 ± 6.9 years (range: 24-48) for mother and 41.2 ± 6.9 years (range: 28 - 56) for father. Parents were low-income 10 (34.5%), the delay of consultation was 17.7 ± 19.5 days. The medical history was: frequent pharyngitis 22 (76%), previous ARF 17 (58.6%), previous hospitalization 11 (38%). Signs were: polyarthralgia (n = 28, 96.6%), fever (n = 24, 82.8%), asthenia (n = 18, 62%), migratory polyarthritis (n = 12, 41.4%). Organic heart murmur has been reported in 13 cases (44.8%), and heart failure in 7 cases. The anomalies of blood analysis were inflammatory syndrome (100%), elevation of streptococcal enzymes (n = 27, 93%), and anemia (n = 16, 55.2%). In cardiac ultrasound, anomalies were: thickened valve (n = 13, 44.8%), mitral regurgitation (n = 13, 44.8%), dilatation of left ventricle (n = 9, 31%), aortic regurgitation (n = 5, 17.2%). The nosology of pathology was acute RHD (n = 15, 51.7%), ARF only (n = 14, 48.3%). Associated factors of acute RHD were: female sex (OR 1.52, 95%CI 0.35 - 6.6), low-income (OR 1.33, 95%CI 0.24 - 7.4), previous hospitalization (OR 2.7, 95%CI 0.58 - 13) and migratory polyarthritis (OR 1.12, 95%CI 0.25 - 4.9). Conclusion: The ARF remains prevalent in our countries. Its complications lead to sequelae that are difficult to treat, because of the lack of cardiac surgery centers in many sub-Saharan African countries including Congo. Prevention and effective treatment of angina should be applied by practitioners.

Clinical perspective on C-reactive protein in prognostication of major adverse cardiac events in the elderly with established coronary heart disease

The systemic response to tissue injury, regardless of cause is characterized by a cytokine-mediated alteration in the hepatic synthesis of a number of different plasma proteins,known collectively as 'acute phase reactants'. These proteins include C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A protein, alphal glycoprotein, ceruloplasmin, alpha macroglobulins, complement components (C1-C4, factor B, C9, C11), alpha1antitrypsin, alpha1 antichymotrypsin, fibrinogen, prothrombin,factor Ⅷ, plasminogen, haptoglobin, ferritin, immunoglobulins and lipoproteins. The initiation of the acute phase response is linked to the production of hormone-like polypeptide mediators now called cytokines, namedly, interleukin 1(IL-1),tumor necrosis factor, interferon gamma, interleukin 6 (IL-6),leukemia inhibitory factor, ciliary neurotropic factor, oncostatin M, and interleukin 11 (IL- 11).……

Evaluation of the Effect of Irbesartan Combined with PMA on Arrhythmia and Cardiac Function in Patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of irbesartan combined with potassium magnesium aspartate(PMA)in the treatment of rheumatic heart disease.Methods:A total of 316 patients with rheumatic heart disease who were treated in our hospital during the period of March 2018 to January 2021 were selected as the research objects.According to the different treatment methods,they were divided into group A(treatment with irbesartan only)and group B(Using Irbesartan combined with PMA treatment),analyze and compare the cardiac function,diastolic blood pressure,systolic blood pressure,heart rate and clinical treatment effect of the two groups of patients after treatment.Results:After treatment,the left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVESD),left atrial diameter(LAD),and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD)of the two groups were significantly lower than before treatment,and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)was significantly higher than after treatment,(P<0.05),and the improvement of the above indicators in group B was significantly better than that of group A,(P<0.05).After treatment,the diastolic blood pressure,systolic blood pressure and heart rate of group B were significantly lower than those of group A,(P<0.05);the total effective rate of treatment in group B(87.4%)was higher than that of group A(76.3%),(P<0.05).Conclusion:Irbesartan combined with PMA in the treatment of rheumatic heart disease has a better clinical effect than irbesartan alone.It can promote the reconstruction of ventricular function,improve the clinical symptoms of patients,prevent heart failure,and can effectively promote the recovery of cardiac function in patients.

Effect of Psychological Nursing on the Mental State and Quality of Life of Patients After Heart Valve Replacement for Rheumatic Heart Disease

Objective:To explore the effect of psychological nursing on the mental state and quality of life of patients after heart valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease.Methods:Seventy-four patients with rheumatic heart disease that underwent heart valve replacement in Zhenjiang First People's Hospital from January 2017 to May 2020 were selected as the research subjects.Thirty-seven patients that were treated from January 2017 to September 2018 were included in the control group.Routine care was provided for the patients in the control group.From October 2018 to May 2020,the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery improved their preoperative and postoperative psychological care.Thirty-seven patients that were treated during this period were included in the research group.The research group received psychological nursing care in addition to routine care.The efiects of different nursing modes on the quality of life and postoperative mental state of the patients were determined.Results:The scores for depression,anxiety,somatization,and compulsion in the research group were significantly lower than those in the control group(p<0.05);the scores for the quality of life of patients in the research group were significantly higher than those in the control group(p<0.05).Conclusions:Strengthening psychological nursing for patients with rheumatic heart disease is helpful to improve their quality of life and mental state after heart valve replacement.

Isolated mitral valve replacement with Guangdong-Ⅰ porcine bioprostheses in rheumatic heart valve disease: analysis of 166 cases with long-term follow-up

Objective To study the long-term effects of mitral valve replacement with bioprostheses in rheumatic heart valve disease. Methods 166 patients with rheumatic heart valve disease underwent isolated mitral valve replacement from Jan. 1978 to Dec. 1985. 79 Patients were male and 87 female. Patients’ age ranged from 11 to 53 years [mean (29.4 ± 9.9) years]. The patients were classified into two groups: group 1 (age【 30 years) included 84 patients, group 2 (age≥30 years) 82 cases. Mean CTR is 0.68 *0.08. Most patients were in NYHA function class Ⅲ-Ⅳ. 76. 3% of patients had atrial fibrillation. 6 patients had pre-operative cerebral vascular accidents. Postoperative deaths were excluded. Follow-up extended from 0.4 year to 19.4 years. Results Actuarial estimate of survival rate at 14 years is (52.5 ± 7.0)%. Heart function was improved to class Ⅰ - Ⅱ in most of patients. Late structural valve deterioration occurred in 89 patients. Among them, 59 were re-operated. Actuarial estimate of freedom from

Prognostic Role of Preoperative Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) in Mitral Valve Replacement (MVR) for Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis Patients

Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion has been proposed as a simple and reproducible parameter for quantitative assessment of the right ventricular ejection fraction. The prognostic importance of preoperative TAPSE in patients with mitral valve replacement for rheumatic mitral stenosis patients is still under focused. Therefore, the objective of the study was to predict the outcome after MVR in rheumatic mitral stenosis patients in relation to preoperative TAPSE. This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute. A total of 72 patients of rheumatic mitral stenosis patients who underwent mitral valve replacement were included in the study. They were divided into two groups: Group A and B. Group A included 36 patients with TAPSE 0.05) except for the preoperative TAPSE. Mean TAPSE of Group A was 13.17 (±1.40) and Group B was 18.61 (±1.57), the difference was statistically significant (p 0.05). Among the postoperative complications, including postoperative atrial fibrillation was higher in Group A (30.56%) than Group B (11.11%), mean ventilation time was higher in Group A (27.78%) than Group B (5.56%), length of intensive care was higher in Group A (33.33%) than Group B (11.12%), and hospital stay was higher in Group A (25.0%) than Group B (5.56%), (p < 0.05). Higher preoperative TASPE could be used as a prognostic tool for MVR in rheumatic mitral stenosis patients in our settings.

Correlation between serum free fatty acids levels and Gensini score in elderly patients with coronary heart disease

Objectives To investigate the relationship between serum fxee fatty acids （FFAs） levels and the severity of coronary artery lesions in elderly patients with coronary heart disease （CAD）. Methods A total of 172 elderly patients who underwent coronary angiography were divided into CAD group （n = 128） and non-CAD group （n = 44） according to the results of coronary angiography. Serum FFAs and lipid levels were measured and the Gensini score were calculated. Results No matter the differences between age, gender and the usage of stat- ins or not, there was no statistical significance in FFAs levels （P 〉 0.05）. In terms of the Gensini score, it was higher in patients aged 70-79 years than in patients 60-69 years old [15.00 （5.00, 34.00） vs. 10.00 （2.00, 24.00）, P 〈 0.05], higher in men than women [14.00 （4.00, 34.00） vs. 7.00 （2.50, 19.75）, P 〈 0.05], and higher in patients on statins [13.50 （4.25, 33.50）vs. 6.50 （2.00, 18.00）, P 〈 0.05]. The serum FFAs lev- els [449.50 （299.00, 624.75） mEq/L vs. 388.00 （258.50, 495.25） mEq/L, P 〈 0.05J and Gensini score [17.50 （8.00, 41.75） vs. 1.00 （0, 5.00）, P 〈 0.05] were higher in the CAD group than in the non-CAD group. In the CAD group, there was no statistical significance in FFAs levels among patients with different numbers of diseased coronary vessels （P 〉 0.05）. Furthermore, the FFAs levels were positively correlated with the Gensini score （r = 0.394, P = 0.005）. Regression analysis showed that the FFAs levels were related to the Gensini score independently after adjusting for the other risk factors. Conclusions The serum FFAs levels were associated with the Gensini score in elderly patients with CAD. It might indicate FFAs as a biomarker predicting the severity of coronary artery lesions.

Sex Hormones and Androgen Receptor:Risk Factors of Coronary Heart Disease in Elderly Men

Objective To investigate the variation of sex hormone and its receptor level in elderly male patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and to evaluate the correlations between CHD and sex hormone as well as sex hormone receptor. Methods Altogether 139 male CHD patients (CHD group) aged 60-92 years and 400 healthy men (control group) aged 60-90 years were included in this cross sectional study. The plasma concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS),total testosterone (TT),free testosterone (FT),estradiol (E2),sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG),luteinizing hormone (LH),and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured. The androgen receptor (AR) was tested by flow cytometry. Correlations between CHD and levels of sex hormones and AR were analyzed. Results Compared with the control group,the levels of DHEAS,TT,FT,SHBG,and the fluorescence intensity of AR in the CHD group significantly reduced (P<0.05),while the levels of FSH and E2 significantly increased (P<0.01). Age was negatively correlated with TT (r=-0.28,P=0.00) and FT (r=-0.17,P=0.01),while it was positively correlated with SHBG (r=0.14,P=0.04) and E2 (r=0.33,P=0.00). AR fluorescence intensity was negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure (r=-0.12,P=0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that TT,SHBG,and AR were all negatively correlated with CHD (P<0.05). Conclusions Elderly male patients with CHD are found to have low levels of DHEAS,TT,FT,SHBG,and AR,while high concentrations of E2 and FSH. Low levels of TT and SHBG may be the potential risk factors of CHD in elderly men.

Validation of Veterans Specific Activity Questionnaire to assess exercise tolerance of Chinese elderly with coronary heart disease

Objective The Veterans Specific Activity Questionnaire （VSAQ） has been used to assess exercise tolerance. Nevertheless, there is no val- idated Chinese version. The aim of this study is to determine whether a questionnaire-based method using the Chinese version of VSAQ （the modified VSAQ） is a practical tool to assess exercise tolerance of Chinese elderly with coronary heart disease. Methods One hundred thirty consecutive elderly patients who were diagnosed with coronary heart disease （CHD） （mean age 68.9 -4- 6.0 years） referred for treadmill exercise testing （TET） for clinical reasons were included in the study. They were asked to complete a questionnaire for clinical characteristics information on age, sex, history, exercise habits, medications, the original VSAQ and the modified VSAQ. We investigated the relationship between exer- cise tolerance in metabolic equivalents （METs） estimated by VSAQ and that obtained by TET. Results The METs by the original VSAQ and the modified VSAQ did not difference significantly （P = 0.528）. The modified VSAQ scores were significantly correlated with the METs oh- mined by TET （r = 0.819, 95% CI： 0.7534）.873, P 〈 0.01）, and the scores of original VSAQ also correlated with the METs by TET （r = 0.804, 95% CI： 0.7454）.854, P 〈 0.01）. The Bland-Altman graph analysis showed few values outside the limits of agrcement, suggesting good precision between the METs estimated by questionnaire and the METs obtained by TET. Conclusions The Chinese version of the VSAQ confirmed its validity and equivalence to the original version, especially when evaluating individuals with coronary heart disease and older adults. The results showed that the VSAQ is a valuable tool to assess the exercise tolerance.

Heart valve disease in elderly Chinese population： effect of advanced age and comorbidities on treatment decision-making and outcomes

Background A considerable proportion of elderly patients with symptomatic severe heart valve disease are treated conservatively de- spite clear indications for surgical intervention. However, little is known about how advanced age and comorbidities affect treatment deci-sion-making and therapeutic outcomes. Methods Patients （n = 234, mean age： 78.5 ± 3.7 years） with symptomatic severe heart valve dis- ease hospitalized in our center were included. One hundred and fifty-one patients （65%） were treated surgically （surgical group） and 83 （35%） were treated conservatively （conservative group）. Factors that affected therapeutic decision-making and treatment outcomes were investi- gated and long-term survival was explored. Results Isolated aortic valve disease, female sex, chronic renal insufficiency, aged _〉 80 years, pneumonia, and emergent status were independent factors associated with therapeutic decision-making. In-hospital mortality for the surgical group was 5.3% （8/151）. Three patients （3.6%） in the conservative group died during initial hospitalization. Low cardiac output syndrome and chronic renal insufficiency were identified as predictors of in-hospital mortality in the surgical group. Conservative treatment was identi- fied as the single risk factor for late death in the entire study population. The surgical group had better 5-year （77.2% vs. 45.4%, P 〈 0.0001） and 10-year （34.5% vs. 8.9%, P 〈 0.0001） survival rates than the conservative group, even when adjusted by propensity score-matched analysis. Conclusions Advanced age and geriatric comorbidities profoundly affect treatment decision-making for severe heart valve disease. Valve surgery in the elderly was not only safe but was also associated with good long-term survival while conservative treatment was unfavorable for patients with symptomatic severe valve disease.

Severe mitral annular calcifi cation in rheumatic heart disease:A rare presentation

Severe mitral annular calcification(MAC)is frequently seen in patients with advanced age and chronic kidney disease,but it is rare in rheumatic heart disease(RHD).We hereby report a case of 45-year-old female with chronic RHD,who had severe MAC and mitral regurgitation.Fluoroscopy revealed a "crown"-like severe calcification of the mitral annulus.Autopsy of the heart revealed a calcified posterior mitral annulus,fused commissures,and calcified nodules at the atrial aspect of the mitral valve.

Pathological study on right atrium myocardium in rheumatic heart disease patients with atrial fibrillation

Objective: To study the pathological basis of right atrial fibrillation in rheumatic heart disease (RHD) patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: Twenty-nine patients with mitral valve replacement of RHD were divided into AF group (n=13) and sinus rhythm group (SN group) (n=16). There was no significant statistical difference in clinical factors between the 2 groups. During the operation of valve replace-ment, the samples of right atrial appendages were taken and the qualitative and quantitative study were made by light microscopy and electron microscopy. Results: (1) Light microscope: The interstitial fibrosis and the arrangement of myocardium was more disordered in AF group than that in SN group. However, no statistic difference was found in interstitial fibrosis and cellar hypertrophy degree between the 2 groups. (2) Electron microscope: Mitochondrial crosta broke and dissolved obviously in AF group. The mitochondrial volume in AF group was smaller than that in SN group. Volume density, average area and average perimeter in AF group were less than that in SN group ; specific surface in AF group was bigger than that in SN group. There was significant difference of above factors between the 2 groups; but there was no significant difference of surface density and numerical density on area in the 2 groups. Volume density of myofibril in AF group and SN group were less than that in SN group. (3)Split of Intercalated disc(ID) gap was found in AF group, and there was marrowing and floccular substance in ID gap. Conclusion : There were significant differences in the pathological changes of right atrial myocardium between AF and SN with RHD, these changes may be the im-portant pathological basis for RA fibrillation of AF patients with RHD.

Stable Ischemic Heart Disease in the Older Adult

Demographic trends worldwide show a progressively aging population and an increase in the overall medical complexity of elderly patients with cardiovascular disease.Elderly patients,especially those aged 75 or older,are relatively underrepresented in many of the clinical trials that helped create major society guidelines for evaluation and management of ischemic heart disease.Consequently,risk benefi t ratios of a guideline-based approach in these patients are not well defi ned,especially with regards to pharmacotherapies and percutaneous coronary interventions.In this article we offer a practical approach to defi ning the elderly population,and provide an evidenced based review of the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of advanced age in the evaluation and management of ischemic heart disease.