Acute Coronary Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Humans

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; methods ; Humans ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

Vulnerable plaque rupture is the main cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a representative cardiovascular thrombotic disease. Considering that the Western medical pathogenetic recognition on vulnerable plaque inflammatory reaction and thrombus formation is similar to the etiopathogenesis and clinical characteristics of toxin and stasis as well as the clinical manifestation of toxic-stasis in TCM, the authors believe that it is necessary to expand the previous TCM thinking on taking blood stasis as the main etiopathogenesis for ACS to that ACS is caused by the toxic-stasis induced vulnerable plaque rupture. Therefore to make sense, depending evidence-based medical principle, the relationship between toxic-stasis and vulnerable plaque forming and rupturing, and to form the clinical norm for diagnosis and treatment of toxic-stasis should be helpful for the prevention and control of ACS.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Coronary Thrombosis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans

Diabetes mellitus is one of the major causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and its prevalence is increasing. Although there have been great efforts regarding the early diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease in diabetic patients with the development of non-invasive imaging modalities, many diabetic patients are still managed with invasive coronary therapies such as percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft in clinical practice. Coronary angiography is a gold standard method for detecting and treating coronary artery disease; however, this method is invasive and thus can elicit a relatively higher prevalence of procedure-related complications than non-invasive diagnostic methods. Accordingly, the appropriate use of coronary angiography could play an important role in the reduction of unnecessary complications as well as physician decision making. Recently, appropriate use criteria for coronary angiography in many types of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease have been documented. This article demonstrates several aspects to be considered when performing coronary angiography and the appropriate use criteria of coronary angiography in diabetic patients.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Decision Making ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Prevalence ; Transplants

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a TWI in the lead aVL of 12-lead ECG for predicting the left ascending artery (LAD) lesion, high risk, and 30-days mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: A total of 275 patients who underwent coronary angiography under the diagnosis of ACS were analyzed retrospectively from Jan 2012 to December 2013. RESULTS: A total of 355 patients underwent coronary angiography. Of these, 275 patients (77.5%) were diagnosed with ACS. Of these, 187 patients (68.0%) had a left LAD lesion. Of these, 111 patients (59.3%) had a mid-LAD lesion. Of these, only 23 patients (22.5%) showed a TWI in the aVL lead. However, regarding the prediction of the high risk group, if there is a TWI in the aVL, when compared with patients without a TWI in the aVL, the high risk rate is four times higher in the univariable logistic regression analysis and 2.687 times higher in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: A TWI in the lead aVL of ECG of patients with chest pain in the ER was closely associated with high risk of ACS patients.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Arteries ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Electrocardiography* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Pheochromocytoma ; diagnosis ; physiopathology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Possible correlations between the serologic status concerning Cytomegalovirus(CMV), Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP), Helicobacter pylori(HP), their related markers of C-reactive protein(CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), and the restenosis(RS) in patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) were analyzed. Materials and METHODS: The 142 patients(58.010.9 year-old, M;F=116:26) with 189 coronary lesions, who underwent follow-up angiography after PCI, were evaluated. RESULTS: The overall RS rate was 47.1%(89/189), and the RS rate according to clinical diagnosis was 50.6% in acute myocardial infarction(MI), 41.8% in unstable angina(UA), 6.3% in stable angina(SA), and 1.3% in old MI. The values of RS rate in acute MI and UA were higher than those of old MI and SA(p=0.02). Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction(TIMI) flow was significantly lower in group with RS than without RS(p=0.039). Seropositivities of CMV, CP, HP were not different between groups with and without RS. Titers of CMV and HP were not different between two groups. Positivity of CRP was 56.3% in group with RS and 30.2% in group without RS(p=0.005). Titers of ESR and CRP were higher in group with RS than without RS(20.322.4 mm/hr, 2.24.5 mg/dL vs. 11.811.6 mm/hr, 0.70.8 mg/dL, p=0.007, p=0.010 respectively). CONCLUSION: RS rate after PCI is higher in patients with acute coronary syndrome and low TIMI flow. Inflammatory markers, such as CRP and ESR, might be associated with the RS after PCI.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Angiography ; Blood Sedimentation ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; Coronary Restenosis* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Helicobacter ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention*

The panic attack is able to mimic the clinical presentation of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), to the point of being clinically indistinguishable without appropriate investigations. However, the literature actually demonstrates that the 2 conditions are more related than just being differential diagnoses. Through a review of the literature involving epidemiological studies, randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses found on a Medline search, the relation between panic disorder and ACS is explored in greater depth. Panic disorder, a psychiatric condition with recurrent panic attacks, has been found to be an independent risk factor for subsequent coronary events. This has prognostic bearing and higher mortality rates. Through activation of the sympathetic system by differing upstream mechanisms, the 2 conditions have similar presentations. Another psychiatric differential diagnosis would be that of akathisia, as an adverse effect to antidepressant medications. An overview on the investigations, diagnostic process, treatment modalities and prognoses of the two conditions is presented. Panic disorders remain under-diagnosed, but various interviews are shown to allow physicians without psychiatric training to accurately pick up the condition. Comprehensive multidisciplinary approaches are needed to help patients with both coronary heart disease and anxiety disorder.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Humans ; Panic Disorder ; complications ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Risk Factors

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Takayasu Arteritis ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

Coronary artery vasospasm (CVS) is an important mechanism of myocardial ischemia and produces any of the manifestations of coronary artery disease from silent myocardial ischemia, to effort-induced angina and variant angina, to acute coronary syndrome including myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death. The pathogenesis, characteristic clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of CVS are summarized. Emphasis is placed on correct diagnosis of CVS using pharmacological spasm provocation test, either during coronary angiography or with echocardiographic monitoring of ventricular wall motion. Current underutilization of pharmacologic provocative test at the time of coronary angiography cannot be justified, as there is no evidence supporting that the incidence of CVS is declining. Physicians' vigilance for objective documentation of CVS is necessary for appropriate management of patients with various clinical presentations of ischemic heart disease.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vasospasm ; Coronary Vessels ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Spasm