cardiovascular-agents and Rupture

Understanding of the pathophysiology of atherogenesis has evolved substantially during the last few decades. Atherosclerosis was once identified as a lipid-storage disease, but is now recognized as a subacute inflammatory condition of the vessel wall, characterized by infiltration of macrophages and T cells, which interact with one another and with cells of the arterial wall. The pathological mechanisms of obesity recapitulate many features of the inflammatory processes at work in atherosclerosis. Our current appreciation of the similarities between obesity and atherosclerosis has already fostered innovations for the diagnosis, prognosis, and prevention of these two conditions.

Topics: Adipocytes; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Apoptosis; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular Agents; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Immunologic Factors; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators; Insulin Resistance; Lipid Metabolism; Macrophages; Obesity; Prognosis; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Rupture; T-Lymphocytes

The slow progression over decades of coronary atheroma is often compensated for by arterial remodeling and collateral circulation. Coronary artery disease is therefore often asymptomatic. Sudden rupture of unstable atheromatous plaque always leads to endocoronary thrombus formation. The magnitude and the time frame of this endovascular thrombotic process determine the severity of its clinical consequences: no symptoms, exercise angina, unstable angina, acute transmural myocardial infarction, or sudden death. Two amply validated treatments have the potential to decrease both the probability and the severity of plaque rupture: statins and platelet inhibitors, which are both indicated in all cases of coronary disease. The other therapeutic tools - anti-ischemic drugs, ACE inhibitors, angioplasty, and coronary bypass - are widely used in the management of coronary disease, but their indications should be tailored to each individual clinical situation.

Topics: Cardiovascular Agents; Coronary Disease; Coronary Thrombosis; Disease Progression; Humans; Inflammation; Myocardial Revascularization; Risk Factors; Rupture

A 58-year-old man underwent an elective coronary bypass graft for severe four-vessel stenosis. Cardiogenic shock developed just after coronary bypass grafting with a left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending (LAD) artery and superficial venous graft to 1st and 2nd obtuse marginal (OM1/OM2) arteries the posterior descending artery (PDA) was too small to graft. Despite significant inotropes and an intra-aortic balloon pump, the patient deteriorated in intensive care unit with cardiogenic shock and ventricular arrhythmia. Urgent coronary angiography revealed a rupture or torn LIMA graft with extravasation of contrast into the left pleural cavity. There was no distal LIMA to LAD flow probably due to graft thrombosis. Revascularisation was performed on the severe ostial native LAD stenosis with a drug eluting stent. The rupture graft was then stented with a polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stent, which stopped the bleeding, and latter, led to total graft thrombosis. The patient improved significantly and supportive inotropes could be weaned down. At 11 month follow-up, the patient had mild left ventricular dysfunction, widely patent ostial LAD stent and thrombosed LIMA graft.

Topics: Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; Cardiovascular Agents; Coated Materials, Biocompatible; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Artery Bypass; Coronary Stenosis; Drug-Eluting Stents; Everolimus; Humans; Male; Mammary Arteries; Middle Aged; Polytetrafluoroethylene; Prosthesis Design; Rupture; Severity of Illness Index; Shock, Cardiogenic; Sirolimus; Treatment Outcome; Vascular System Injuries

The aim of the present study was to compare lesion morphologies after sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) implantation between patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and stable angina pectoris (SAP) with the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT).. The lesion morphologies before and after coronary stenting have been proposed as important predictors of clinical outcome. The high resolution of OCT provides detailed information of coronary vessel wall.. We enrolled 55 patients (UAP: n = 24, SAP: n = 31), and examined lesion morphologies by using OCT at pre- and post-SES implantation and 9 months' follow-up.. The incidence of plaque rupture (42% vs. 3%, p < 0.001), intracoronary thrombus (67% vs. 3%, p < or = 0.001) and thin-capped fibroatheroma (cap thickness <65 microm; 46% vs. 3%, p < 0.001) at pre-intervention was significantly greater in UAP than that in SAP. Although stent profiles and procedural characteristics were not different between the 2 groups, inadequate stent apposition (67% vs. 32%, p = 0.038) and tissue protrusion (79% vs. 42%, p = 0.005) after percutaneous coronary intervention were observed more frequently in patients with UAP. Plaque rupture was significantly increased after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with UAP (42% to 75%, p = 0.018), and the persistence of core cavity after plaque rupture (28% vs. 4%, p = 0.031) at 9 months' follow-up was observed more frequently in UAP patients compared with SAP patients. At 9 months' follow-up, the incidence of inadequately apposed stent (33% vs. 4%, p = 0.012) and partially uncovered stent by neointima (72% vs. 37%, p = 0.019) was significantly greater in UAP patients than that in SAP patients. All patients took aspirin and ticlopidine during follow-up period, and no patients had stent thrombosis or adverse coronary events.. Serial OCT examinations demonstrated markedly different vascular response up to 9 months after SES implantation between UAP and SAP patients. Although the inadequate lesion morphologies after stenting were observed more frequently in UAP patients, these findings were not associated with adverse outcomes in patients with antiplatelet therapy.

Topics: Aged; Angina Pectoris; Angina, Unstable; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; Cardiovascular Agents; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Artery Disease; Coronary Vessels; Drug-Eluting Stents; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Observer Variation; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Rupture; Sirolimus; Thrombosis; Time Factors; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Angina Pectoris; Angina, Unstable; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; Cardiovascular Agents; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Artery Disease; Coronary Vessels; Drug-Eluting Stents; Humans; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Predictive Value of Tests; Rupture; Sirolimus; Thrombosis; Time Factors; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Treatment Outcome; Wound Healing