Variant angina is characterized by repeated attack at rest associated with ST-segment elevation on ECG and caused by the spasm of coronary artery. But, the pathogenesis of spasm is not well known. A 44-year old man was transferred for the management of intramural hematoma at descending thoracic aorta and uncontrolled hypertension. We started to control hypertension with nitroprusside, propranolol, amlodipine, and doxazocin. At 4th hospital day, severe chest pain, dizziness, and diaphoresis were developed, and ECG showed not only ST-segment elevation on lead II, III, aVF but also 2 degree AV block(Mobitz type II). CK-MB revealed 52.3 ng/dl. When coronary angiography performed emergently, it showed total occlusion of right coronary artery (RCA) and diffuse minimal narrowing of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). After nitroglycerin was infused via right coronary catheter, the RCA was opened completely, and reperfusion arrhythmia was developed. Medication were changed to nifedipine, diltiazem, nicorandil, isosorbide mononitrate and he had no more chest pain.
Adult ; Amlodipine ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Diltiazem ; Dizziness ; Electrocardiography ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Isosorbide ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Nicorandil ; Nifedipine ; Nitroglycerin ; Nitroprusside ; Propranolol ; Reperfusion ; Spasm

No abstract available.
*Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Coronary Artery Disease/*drug therapy ; Coronary Vessels/*drug effects/pathology ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/*pharmacology ; Metals ; Simvastatin/*pharmacology ; *Stents ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

PURPOSE: Accurate evaluation of side branch (SB) ostium could be critical to the treatment of bifurcation lesions. We compared measured and calculated values of side branch ostial length (SBOL) in coronary bifurcation lesions with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre-intervention and post-intervention IVUS was performed in 113 patients who underwent stent implantation of bifurcation lesions. For the IVUS longitudinal reconstruction of the bifurcation lesions, SBOL, SB diameter, and the angle between the distal portion of the main vessel (MV) and SB were directly measured. In addition, SBOL was calculated as: SB diameter/sin (angle between distal MV and SB). The relationship between measured and calculated SBOL was then evaluated. RESULTS: The angled between the distal MV and SB were 57.3+/-12.4degrees at pre-intervention and 59.4+/-12.6degrees at post-intervention. The mean measured and calculated SBOL values were 2.91+/-0.86 mm and 3.06+/-0.77 mm at pre-intervention and 2.79+/-0.82 mm and 2.92+/-0.69 mm at post-intervention, respectively. Differences between measured and calculated SBOL were 0.15+/-0.44 mm at pre-intervention and 0.13+/-0.41 mm at post-intervention. We found that calculated SBOL was correlated with measured SBOL (pre-intervention r=0.863, p<0.001; post-intervention r=0.868, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: There was a good correlation between measured and calculated SBOLs of the bifurcation lesions in IVUS longitudinal reconstruction. SBOL in the bifurcation lesions can therefore be estimated using the SB diameter and the angle between distal MV and SB.
Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease/surgery/*ultrasonography ; Coronary Vessels/*ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

PURPOSE: Although inconsistent, reports have shown fibrinogen levels to be associated with atherosclerosis. Accordingly, since cigarette smoking is associated with increased levels of fibrinogen and atherosclerosis, it may also affect the association between fibrinogen and atherosclerosis. We investigated the associations between fibrinogen and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) according to smoking status in a Korean male population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasma fibrinogen levels were measured in 277 men aged 40-87 years without a history of myocardial infarction or stroke. High-resolution B-mode ultrasonography was used to examine the common carotid arteries. IMT level was analyzed both as a continuous (IMT-max, maximum value; IMT-tpm, 3-point mean value) and categorical variable (higher IMT; presence of plaque). Serial linear and logistic regression models were employed to examine the association between fibrinogen and IMT according to smoking status. RESULTS: Fibrinogen levels were positively associated with IMT-max (standardized beta=0.25, p=0.021) and IMT-tpm (standardized beta=0.21, p=0.038), even after adjusting for age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in current smokers (n=75). No significant association between fibrinogen and IMT, however, was noted in former smokers (n=80) or nonsmokers (n=122). Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for having plaque per one standard deviation higher fibrinogen level were 2.06 (1.09-3.89) for current smokers, 0.68 (0.43-1.10) for former smokers, and 1.06 (0.60-1.87) for nonsmokers. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that cigarette smoking may modify the association between fibrinogen and carotid atherosclerosis. Further studies are required to confirm this finding in different populations.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*statistics & numerical data ; Atherosclerosis/*ultrasonography ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Carotid Artery Diseases/*blood/epidemiology/ultrasonography ; Carotid Artery, Common ; *Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Cholesterol/blood ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fibrinogen/*analysis ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, HDL/blood ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Smoking/*adverse effects/blood/epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Previous pathologic, intravascular imaging, and clinical studies have investigated the association between adverse cardiac events and stent malapposition, including acute stent malapposition (ASM, that is detected at index procedure) and late stent malapposition (LSM, that is detected during follow-up) that can be further classified into late-persistent stent malapposition (LPSM, ASM that remains at follow-up) or late-acquired stent malapposition (LASM, newly developed stent malapposition at follow-up that was not present immediately after index stent implantation). ASM has not been associated with adverse cardiac events compared with non-ASM, even in lesions with large-sized malapposition. The clinical outcomes of LSM may depend on its subtype. The recent intravascular ultrasound studies with long-term follow-up have consistently demonstrated that LASM steadily increased the risk of thrombotic events in patients with first-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs). This association has not yet been identified in LPSM. Accordingly, it is reasonable that approaches to stent malapposition should be based on its relationship with clinical outcomes. ASM may be tolerable after successful stent implantation, whereas prolonged anti-thrombotic medications and/or percutaneous interventions to modify LASM may be considered in selected patients with first-generation DESs. However, these treatments are still questionable due to lack of firm evidences.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether a new generic rosuvastatin is non-inferior to a proprietary one in terms of lipid-lowering efficacy. We also evaluated its non-lipid effects including adverse events. Methods: One-hundred and fifty-eight patients with cardiovascular risks requiring pharmacological lipid-lowering therapy were screened. After a 4-week run-in period, 126 individuals who met the lipid criteria for drug therapy were randomly assigned to receive the new generic or proprietary rosuvastatin 10 mg daily for 8 weeks. The primary outcome variables were low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction and LDL-C target achievement. Hematological and biochemical parameters and adverse events were assessed. Results: After 8 weeks of drug treatment, the mean percentage change in LDL-C was not different between the groups (−45.5%±19.9% and −45.1%±19.0% for generic and proprietary rosuvastatin, respectively; p=0.38). The LDL-C target achievement rate was similar between the groups (75.0% and 77.1% for generic and proprietary rosuvastatin, respectively; p=0.79). The percentage change in the other lipid profiles was not significantly different. Although generic- and proprietary rosuvastatins modestly affected creatine kinase and blood pressure, respectively, the changes were all within normal ranges. Incidence of adverse events did not differ between the receivers of the 2 formulations. Conclusion The new generic rosuvastatin was non-inferior to the proprietary rosuvastatin in terms of lipid-lowering efficacy. The rosuvastatin formulations did not exhibit clinically significant non-lipid effects with good safety profiles. Our study provides comprehensive data regarding 2 rosuvastatin formulations in East Asian subjects.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality worldwide, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is particularly fatal condition. We evaluated the incidence and case fatality rates of AMI in Korea from 2011 to 2020. METHODS: We utilized data from the National Health Insurance Services to calculate crude, age-standardized, and age-specific incidence rates, along with 30-day and 1-year case fatality rates, of AMI from 2011 to 2020. Age-standardized incidence rates were determined using direct standardization to the 2005 population. RESULTS: The crude incidence rate of AMI per 100,000 person-years consistently increased from 44.7 in 2011 to 68.3 in 2019, before decreasing slightly to 66.2 in 2020. The age-standardized incidence rate of AMI displayed a 19% rise from 2011 to 2019, followed by a slight decline in 2020. The increasing trend for AMI incidence was more pronounced in males than in females. Both 30-day and 1-year case fatality rates remained stable among younger individuals but showed a decrease among older individuals. There was a minor surge in case fatality in 2020, particularly among recurrent AMI cases. CONCLUSIONS Over the past decade, the AMI incidence rate in Korea has consistently increased, with a slight downturn in 2020. The case fatality rate has remained relatively stable except for a minor increase in 2020. This study provides data for continuous surveillance, the implementation of targeted interventions, and the advancement of research aimed at AMI in Korea.

PURPOSE: Data comparing the clinical benefits of medical treatment with those of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in an elderly population with angina pectoris are limited. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of elective PCI versus optimal medical treatment (OMT) in elderly patients (between 75 and 84 years old) with angina pectoris. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred seventy-seven patients with significant coronary artery stenosis were randomly assigned to either the PCI group (n=90) or the OMT group (n=87). The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse events in the 1-year follow-up period that included cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and stroke. RESULTS: Major adverse events occurred in 5 patients (5.6%) of the PCI group and in 17 patents (19.5%) of the OMT group (p=0.015). There were no significant differences between the PCI group and the OMT group in cardiac death [hazard ratio (HR) for the PCI group 0.454; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.041-5.019, p=0.520], myocardial infarction (HR 0.399; 95% CI 0.039-4.050, p=0.437), or stroke (HR 0.919; 95% CI 0.057-14.709, p=0.952). However, the PCI group showed a significant preventive effect of the composite of major adverse events (HR 0.288; 95% CI 0.106-0.785, p=0.015) and against the need for coronary revascularization (HR 0.157; 95% CI 0.035-0.703, p=0.016). CONCLUSION: Elective PCI reduced major adverse events and was found to be an effective treatment modality in elderly patients with angina pectoris and significant coronary artery stenosis, compared to OMT.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angina Pectoris/mortality/*therapy ; Coronary Stenosis/therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction/prevention & control/*therapy ; *Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies ; Republic of Korea ; Stroke/epidemiology ; Treatment Outcome

Stent fracture is a complication following implantation of drug eluting stents and is recognized as one of the risk factors for in-stent restenosis. We present the first case of successfully managing a stent fracture and subsequent migration of the fractured stent into the ascending aorta that occurred during repeat revascularization for in-stent restenosis of an ostium of saphenous vein graft after implantation of a zotarolimus-eluting stent. Although the fractured stent segment had migrated into the ascending aorta with a pulled balloon catheter, it was successfully repositioned in the saphenous vein graft using an inflated balloon catheter. Then, the fractured stent segment was successfully connected to the residual segment of the zotarolimus-eluting stent by covering it with an additional sirolimuseluting stent.
Aorta ; Catheters ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Risk Factors ; Saphenous Vein ; Stents ; Transplants

An 80-year old woman suffered from sudden onset of chest pain and dyspnea, and visited the emergency room. She received stent implantation with a biolimus A9-eluting stent (Nobori(R) 3.0x24 mm) at a the mid-portion of the left anterior descending artery 5 months prior to admission. The emergency 5-month follow-up angiogram was performed under the impression of late stent thrombosis. The follow-up angiogram showed subtotal occlusion at the mid-portion of the left anterior descending artery, which was the same segment of previous stent implantation 5 months ago. Immediately after thrombus aspiration with the thrombus aspiration catheter, the optical coherence tomography showed layered appearance of neointimal hyperplasia and neointimal rupture within the previously stented segment. Thus, neointimal rupture within accelerated growth of neointimal tissue was observed within a relatively shorter period (i.e., about 5 months) after stent implantation.
Arteries ; Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Dyspnea ; Emergencies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Neointima ; Rupture ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Tomography, Optical Coherence