Aim: To investigate the changes of insulin resistance (IR), parameters arterial stiffness, concentrations N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and echocardiographic in patients with cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Methods: This study recruited 44 T2D (19 without CAN 25 CAN) 15 healthy volunteers. Arterial immunoreactive insulin, homeostasis mo...

Background: Apelin is an endogenous peptide with positive inotropic property secreted by the heart besides other tissues. Plasma apelin levels are altered in chronic heart failure with left ventricular dysfunction. However, the effect of left atrial hemodynamic overload on plasma apelin levels in mitral stenosis (MS) is unknown. In this observational study, we estimated plasma apelin level in M...

OBJECTIVES The present retrospective analysis of data derived from a population-based study examined the relationship between intake of beta-receptor antagonists and plasma concentrations of the cardiac natriuretic peptides and their second messenger. BACKGROUND Beta-receptor antagonists are widely used for treatment of cardiovascular disease. In addition to direct effects on heart rate and c...

The levels and pathophysiological role of amino terminal C-type natriuretic peptide in heart failure are unknown. The potential of plasma amino-terminal C-type natriuretic peptide (N-CNP) as a marker of cardiac function was investigated in symptomatic patients. In 305 patients with recent-onset dyspnea and/or peripheral edema, presenting to primary care, assay of plasma amino-terminal C-type na...

OBJECTIVE The SAVE study showed that captopril improves mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction and that this benefit occurred even in patients with no clinically overt heart failure. On the basis of this, it seems important to identify correctly which patients have left ventricular dysfunction after a myocardial infarction. The objective was to compa...

It is well-recognized that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) are raised in conditions with ventricular volume and pressure overload. In addition to this established role in left ventricular congestive cardiac failure, there is good evidence that BNP has a diagnostic role in right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). For exam...

We have shown previously that patients with resistant hypertension and hyperaldosteronism have increased brain natriuretic peptide suggestive of increased intravascular volume. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that hyperaldosteronism contributes to cardiac volume overload. Thirty-seven resistant hypertensive patients with hyperaldosteronism (urinary aldosterone 12 g/24 hours and p...

The aim of the current study was to investigate whether alterations in N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) reflect changes in right ventricular structure and function in pulmonary hypertension patients during treatment. The study consisted of 30 pulmonary hypertension patients; 15 newly diagnosed and 15 on long-term treatment. NT-proBNP, right heart catheterisation and cardiac ...

We have shown previously that patients with resistant hypertension and hyperaldosteronism have increased brain natriuretic peptide suggestive of increased intravascular volume. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that hyperaldosteronism contributes to cardiac volume overload. Thirty-seven resistant hypertensive patients with hyperaldosteronism (urinary aldosterone > or = 12 microg/24...

Right ventricular systolic dysfunction (RVSD) at baseline (pre-treatment) predicts early death in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, RVSD can only be detected reliably by prohibitively invasive or expensive techniques. N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide concentration ([NT-proBNP]) correlates with RV function in PH; however, an [NT-proBNP] threshold that indicates RVSD in ind...