Background: As the prevalence of hypertension increases with age and the proportion of the older population is also on the rise, research on the characteristics of older hypertensive patients and the importance of frailty is necessary. This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics of older hypertension in Korea and to investigate these characteristics based on frailty status. Methods: The HOW to Optimize eLDerly systolic BP (HOWOLD-BP) is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized clinical trial that aims to compare intensive (target systolic blood pressure [SBP] ≤ 130 mmHg) with standard (target SBP ≤ 140 mmHg) treatment to reduce cardiovascular events in older hypertensive Korean patients aged ≥ 65 years. Data were analyzed through a screening assessment of 2,085 patients recruited from 11 university hospitals. Demographic, functional (physical and cognitive), medical history, laboratory data, quality of life, and medication history of antihypertensive drugs were assessed. Results: The mean age was 73.2 years (standard deviation ± 5.60), and 48.0% (n = 1,001) were male. Prevalent conditions included dyslipidemia (66.5%), obesity (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m 2 , 53.6%), and diabetes (28.9%). Dizziness and orthostatic hypotension were self-reported by 1.6% (n = 33) and 1.2% (n = 24), respectively. The majority of patients were on two antihypertensive drugs (48.4%), while 27.5% (n = 574) and 20.8% (n = 433) were on 1 and 3 antihypertensive medications, respectively. Frail to pre-frail patients were older and also tended to have dependent instrumental activities of daily living, slower gait speed, weaker grip strength, lower quality of life, and lower cognitive function. The frail to pre-frail group reported more dizziness (2.6% vs. 1.2%, P < 0.001) and had concerning clinical factors, including lower glomerular filtration rate, more comorbidities such as diabetes, stroke, and a history of admission. Frail to pre-frail older hypertensive patients used slightly more antihypertensive medications than robust older hypertensive patients (1.95 vs. 2.06, P = 0.003). Pre-frail to frail patients often chose beta-blockers as a third medication over diuretics. Conclusion This study described the general clinical characteristics of older hypertensive patients in Korea. Frail hypertensive patients face challenges in achieving positive clinical outcomes because of multifactorial causes: they are older, have more morbidities, decreased function, lower quality of life and cognitive function, and take more antihypertensive medications. Therefore, it is essential to comprehensively evaluate and monitor diseaserelated or drug-related adverse events more frequently during regular check-ups, which is necessary for pre-frail to frail older patients with hypertension.

Background: To make good use of the prognostic value of arterial stiffness, it is important to identify the population with the greatest benefit. In this study, we compared the prognostic value of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) according to various clinical characteristics. Methods: A total of 10,597 subjects who underwent baPWV measurement (mean age, 61.4 ± 9.5 years; female proportion, 42.5%) were retrospectively analyzed. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), defined as a composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and ischemic stroke were assessed during the clinical follow-up period. Results: In the multivariate analysis, clinical variables with more than 4,000 subjects were selected as grouping variables, which were sex (men and women), age (≥ 65 and < 65 years), body mass index (BMI) (≥ 25 and < 25 kg/m 2), hypertension (presence and absence), estimated glomerular filtration rate (≥ 90 and < 90 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ), and statin use (user and non-user). During the median clinical follow-up duration of 3.58 years (interquartile range, 1.43–5.38 years), there were 422 MACEs (4.0%). In total study subjects, baseline higher baPWV was associated with increased risk of MACE occurrence (hazard ratio for baPWV ≥ 1,800 cm/s compared to baPWV < 1,400 cm/s, 4.04; 95% confidence interval, 2.62–6.21; P < 0.001). The prognostic value of baPWV was statistically significant regardless of sex, age, BMI, hypertension, renal function, and statin use. Conclusion Our results suggest that baPWV is not only effective in specific clinical situations, but can be effectively applied to predict cardiovascular prognosis in various clinical situations.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between cardiovascular events and 2 different levels of elevated on-treatment diastolic blood pressures (DBP) in the presence of achieved systolic blood pressure targets (SBP). Methods: A nation-wide population-based cohort study comprised 237,592 patients with hypertension treated. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Elevated DBP was defined according to the Seventh Report of Joint National Committee (JNC7; SBP <140 mmHg, DBP ≥90 mmHg) or to the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) definitions (SBP <130 mmHg, DBP ≥80 mmHg). Results: During a median follow-up of 9 years, elevated on-treatment DBP by the JNC7 definition was associated with an increased risk of the occurrence of primary endpoint compared with achieved both SBP and DBP (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.24) but not in those by the 2017 ACC/AHA definition. Elevated ontreatment DBP by the JNC7 definition was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (aHR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.18–1.70) and stroke (aHR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.08–1.30). Elevated on-treatment DBP by the 2017 ACC/AHA definition was only associated with stroke (aHR, 1.10;95% CI, 1.04–1.16). Similar results were seen in the propensity-score-matched cohort. Conclusion Elevated on-treatment DBP by the JNC7 definition was associated a high risk of major cardiovascular events, while elevated DBP by the 2017 ACC/AHA definition was only associated with a higher risk of stroke. The result of study can provide evidence of DBP targets in subjects who achieved SBP targets.

BACKGROUND: Although coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), there has been no convinced data on the necessity of routine invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in OHCA. We investigated clinical factors associated with obstructive CAD in OHCA. METHODS: Data from 516 OHCA patients (mean age 58 years, 83% men) who underwent ICA after resuscitation was obtained from a nation-wide OHCA registry. Obstructive CAD was defined as the lesions with diameter stenosis ≥ 50% on ICA. Independent clinical predictors for obstructive CAD were evaluated using multiple logistic regression analysis, and their prediction performance was compared using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve with 10,000 repeated random permutations. RESULTS: Among study patients, 254 (49%) had obstructive CAD. Those with obstructive CAD were older (61 vs. 55 years, P < 0.001) and had higher prevalence of hypertension (54% vs. 36%, P < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (29% vs. 21%, P = 0.032), positive cardiac enzyme (84% vs. 74%, P = 0.010) and initial shockable rhythm (70% vs. 61%, P = 0.033). In multiple logistic regression analysis, old age (≥ 60 years) (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36–3.00; P = 0.001), hypertension (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.18–2.57; P = 0.005), positive cardiac enzyme (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.09–2.70; P = 0.019), and initial shockable rhythm (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.16–2.54; P = 0.007) were associated with obstructive CAD. Prediction ability for obstructive CAD increased proportionally when these 4 factors were sequentially combined (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In patients with OHCA, those with old age, hypertension, positive cardiac enzyme and initial shockable rhythm were associated with obstructive CAD. Early ICA should be considered in these patients.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest ; Prevalence ; Resuscitation ; Risk Factors ; ROC Curve

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) has been validated as a novel method to predict the cardiovascular risk in general population, the relevance of baPWV to the traditional risk scores has not been clearly revealed. This study investigated the relationship between baPWV and four different cardiovascular risk-predicting scores in men and women. METHODS: A total of 539 subjects (58.1 ± 12.2 years, 50.1% men) without cardiovascular disease (CVD) who underwent health examinations including baPWV measurement were retrospectively analyzed. Four cardiovascular risk scores (Framingham risk score [FRS; 1998], Adult Treatment Panel [ATP] III revised FRS [2002], generalized FRS [2008], and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association [ACC/AHA] CVD risk [2013]) were calculated in each subject. RESULTS: In a total population, baPWV was moderately correlated with four cardiovascular risk scores (r = 0.577 for FRS; r = 0.594 for ATP III revised FRS; r = 0.589 for generalized FRS; r = 0.571 for ACC/AHA CVD risk; p < 0.001 for each). These correlations were stronger in women than in men (r = 0.649 vs. 0.451 for FRS; r = 0.719 vs. 0.411 for ATP III revised FRS; r = 0.735 vs. 0.540 for generalized FRS; r = 0.699 vs. 0.552 for ACC/AHA CVD risk; p for gender difference ≤ 0.005 for each). CONCLUSIONS In middle-aged and elderly Koreans without CVD, baPWV was identified as having a moderately positive correlation with four different risk scores. The correlation was stronger in women than in men, implying the better performance of baPWV in women for predicting cardiovascular risk of healthy population.

OBJECTIVE: Unrecognized left main coronary artery disease (LMCD) is often fatal; however, accuracy of non-invasive tests for diagnosing LMCD is still unsatisfactory. This study was performed to elucidate single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) detection of LMCD using quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five patients (39 men; mean age, 68.1 ± 10.9 years) diagnosed with significant left main (LM) stenosis (≥ 50%) by invasive coronary angiography (ICA) were retrospectively reviewed. All study patients underwent SPECT with pharmacologic stress within 30 days of ICA. All coronary lesions were quantified via QCA, and SPECT findings were compared with QCA results. RESULTS: Only four patients (7.3%) had isolated LMCD; all others had combined significant stenosis (≥ 70%) of one or more other epicardial coronary arteries. Patients with more severe coronary artery disease tended to have higher values for summed difference scores in a greater number of regions, but the specific pattern was not clearly defined. Summed stress score of SPECT did not differ according to LM stenosis severity. Only three patients (5.4%) had a typical LM pattern of reversible perfusion defect on SPECT. A significant negative linear correlation between stenosis severity and stress perfusion percent was found in the left anterior descending artery region (r = −0.455, p < 0.001) but not in the left circumflex artery. CONCLUSION: Single-photon emission computed tomography findings were heterogeneous, not specific and poorly correlated to QCA data in patients with significant LMCD. This may be due to highly prevalent significant stenosis of other epicardial coronary arteries.
Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Perfusion ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Emission-Computed ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Double right coronary arteries (RCA) are very rare congenital anomalies of coronary artery. We report a case of double RCA with total occlusion, incidentally found by collateral flows. A 71-year-old patient underwent percutaneous coronary intervention of left coronary arteries for angina, and the presence of double RCA was missed at initial coronary angiography (CAG). About 20 months later, second CAG was performed due to recurrent angina, and the CAG showed newly developed collateral flow suggesting the presence of the other missed RCA. There was a total occlusion at missed RCA and the lesion was successfully revascularized with drug eluting stent. If there was no collateral flow, the other RCA could not be found and its critical lesion could not be managed properly. Our case suggests that collateral flow can be a useful clue in detecting coronary anomaly. Besides, it is important to fully understand coronary anatomy, not to miss uncommon coronary lesion.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels* ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Stents

The most feared complication of left ventricular thrombus (LVT) is the occurrence of systemic thromboembolic events, especially in the brain. Herein, we report a patient with severe sepsis who suffered recurrent devastating embolic stroke. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed apical ballooning of the left ventricle with a huge LVT, which had not been observed in chest computed tomography before the stroke. This case emphasizes the importance of serial cardiac evaluation in patients with stroke and severe medical illness.
Brain ; Echocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic* ; Stroke* ; Thorax ; Thrombosis*

Stent migration and loss are rare but can be devastating complications during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary artery disease. We report a unique case of wandering stent from the right coronary artery to the femoral artery via the axillary artery. Initially, the stent was stripped from the delivery catheter and embolized to axillary artery during emergent PCI. An intra-aortic balloon pump might have forced retrograde movement of the stent to axillary artery which have subsequently remobilized to the femoral artery. After stabilization, the stent was successfully removed by a percutaneous approach using a snare. Immediate retrieval of wandering stent is recommended for the prevention of secondary embolization.
Axillary Artery* ; Catheters ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Embolism ; Femoral Artery* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; SNARE Proteins ; Stents*

The most feared complication of left ventricular thrombus (LVT) is the occurrence of systemic thromboembolic events, especially in the brain. Herein, we report a patient with severe sepsis who suffered recurrent devastating embolic stroke. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed apical ballooning of the left ventricle with a huge LVT, which had not been observed in chest computed tomography before the stroke. This case emphasizes the importance of serial cardiac evaluation in patients with stroke and severe medical illness.
Brain ; Echocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic ; Stroke ; Thorax ; Thrombosis