BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of salt and water accumulation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is unclear and may differ from that in patients with congestive heart failure due to myocardial disease. This study was undertaken to investigate some of the mechanisms involved. METHODS AND RESULTS Hemodynamics, water and electrolyte spaces, renal function, and plasma hormone con...

AIMS Atrial and brain natriuretic peptide levels closely reflect impaired left ventricular function in patients with heart failure. In the present study we assessed the determinants and the clinical significance of atrial and brain natriuretic peptide plasma levels in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. METHODS AND RESULTS In 44 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (40+/-15 years) we evaluated:...

????????Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD????????????????????COPD?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????/????????? COPD?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????COPD???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????COPD??????????????

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) leads to cardiovascular complications such as coronary artery disease, left/right ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction, heart failure, systemic and pulmonary hypertension, arrhythmias and stroke; and these all cardiovascular complications increase morbidity and mortality of OSAS. However, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, central and obstructive apneas may oc...

STUDY OBJECTIVES In dyspneic patients without left ventricular enlargement, it may be difficult to differentiate between obstructive lung disease and diastolic heart failure. Determination of plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, known to increase with ventricular stretch, may be of clinical relevance in this situation. We compared the discriminant power of BNP blood levels and of echo...

Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) is a chronic multisystem disease with a considerable burden. One of its most common complications is pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). It has been demonstrated that the development of PAH is correlated with decreased quality of life and survival. Different medications have been proposed for the treatment of PAH, among which one can name statins. Howeve...

????????Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD????????????????????COPD?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????/????????? COPD?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????COPD???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????COPD??????????????

????????Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD????????????????????COPD?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????/????????? COPD?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????COPD???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????COPD??????????????

????????Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD????????????????????COPD?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????/????????? COPD?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????COPD???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????COPD??????????????