OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of silent ischaemia in diabetic subjects in the population, to compare the prevalence of silent ischaemia in diabetics and non-diabetics and to attempt to predict the presence of silent ischaemia in diabetic subjects. METHODS A random sample of 120 users of insulin and 120 users of oral hypoglycaemic agents aged 40-75 years living...

Endothelial dysfunction may contribute to the extent of ischaemia/reperfusion injury. ET (endothelin)-1 receptor antagonism protects against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury in animal models. The present study investigated whether oral administration of an ET(A)/ET(B) receptor antagonist protects against ischaemia/reperfusion-induced endothelial dysfunction in humans. FBF (forearm blood ...

Ischaemia, like muscle contraction, has been reported to induce skeletal muscle glucose uptake in in vitro models. This stimulating effect appears independent of insulin and is probably mediated by activation of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase). In the present study, we hypothesized that in vivo in humans ischaemia- and insulin-induced glucose uptake are additive, and that the combined impac...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of physiological ischaemia training on the quantity and activity of endothelial progenitor cells in rabbits with intermittent myocardial ischaemia. METHODS A reversible coronary artery water balloon occluder (5.0 mm inner diameter) was placed around the proximal left ventricular branch and intermittent myocardial ischaemia was induced by deflation and infl...

BACKGROUND We wanted to evaluate the presense of myocardial ischaemia in asymptomatic patients with high cardiovascular risk, the influencing clinical and laboratory factors and the impact of ischaemia on final management decision. MATERIAL AND METHODS We evaluated 60 asymptomatic patients with high CV risk, who underwent SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) for detection of suspected CAD...

BACKGROUND It has been reported that delta-opioid (DOP) receptor agonists may be neuroprotective in the central nervous system. However, the DOP agonist [d-Ala(2), d-Leu(5)]enkephalin (DADLE) does not produce neuroprotection in severe forebrain ischaemia. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of DADLE on hippocampal neurone survival against less severe forebrain ischaemia. METHODS ...

Background. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is implicated in left ventricular dysfunction after ischaemia-reperfusion. ETA and ETB receptors mediate diverse actions, but it is unknown whether these actions depend on ischaemia type and duration. We investigated the role of ETB receptors after four ischaemia-reperfusion protocols in isolated rat hearts. Methods. Left ventricular haemodynamic variables were m...

Around half of the patients undergoing an elective coronary angiogram to investigate typical stable angina symptoms are found have non-obstructive arteries (defined as < 50% stenosis). These younger with a female predilection. While underlying mechanisms responsible for these presentations heterogeneous, structural and functional abnormalities microvasculature highly prevalent. Thus, microva...

Whether reversible ischaemia in patients referred for exercise stress testing and MPI (myocardial perfusion imaging) is associated with changes in circulating cTn (cardiac troponin) levels is controversial. We measured cTnT with a sensitive assay before, immediately after peak exercise and 1.5 and 4.5 h after exercise stress testing in 198 patients referred for MPI. In total, 19 patients were c...