Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and dysfunction due to hypertension have been established as risk markers for stroke in hypertensive patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in LV hypertrophy and dysfunction between patients with cerebral hemorrhage and those with cerebral infarction. The study enrolled 23 hypertensive patients with cerebral infarction, 25 hypertensi...

of classical echocardiographic indexes for the estimation of systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) function. The ejection fraction (EF, an index of systolic function) and LV volumes are subject to large errors when the ellipsoid shape of the heart becomes spherical. Age, rhythm and conduction disturbances, and changes in loading all affect the Doppler signal of transmitral flow, which is...

OBJECTIVE A recent study concerning high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), a non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, suggested that it is initially a hydrostatic-type pulmonary edema. We suspect that some extent of cardiac insufficiency may likely relate to the mechanism of the development of this disease. METHODS By Doppler echocardiography, the Tei index (a new quantitative index proposed for the e...

BACKGROUND The metabolic syndrome (MS) represents a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors that act synergistically. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine which parameters were independently associated with the global left ventricular (LV) function in subjects with MS estimated with the Tei index. METHODS The study included 234 subjects with MS and 96 controls adjusted by age. MS...

AIMS The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether yoga training in addition to standard medical therapy can improve cardiac function and reduce N terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT pro BNP) in heart failure (HF). METHODS 130 patients were recruited and randomized into two groups: Control Group (CG) (n = 65), Yoga Group (YG). In YG, 44 patients and in CG, 48 patients completed th...

background: sickle-cell disease (scd) is an inherited hemoglobin childhood disorder, frequently complicated by pulmonary hypertension and cardiac involvement. cardiovascular events and complications are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with scd. tissue doppler imaging and the myocardial performance index (tei index), are simple indices for the assessment of the cardiac f...

BACKGROUND Sickle-cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobin childhood disorder, frequently complicated by pulmonary hypertension and cardiac involvement. Cardiovascular events and complications are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with SCD. Tissue Doppler imaging and the myocardial performance index (Tei index), are simple indices for the assessment of the cardiac fu...