Ismet Dindar

Epicardial fat thickness is associated with non-dipper blood pressure pattern in patients with essential hypertension.

Objective. Epicardial fat tissue reflects visceral adiposity and is a suggested cardiometabolic risk factor. Patients with abdominal obesity have an increased prevalence of the non-dipper blood pressure (BP) pattern, but it is unclear whether the same is true of patients with increased epicardial fat thickness (EFT). The association between EFT and circadian BP changes in patients with recently diagnosed essential hypertension was examined. Methods. Sixty hypertensive patients underwent echocardiography, treadmill stress testing, and 24 hours of ambulatory BP monitoring. Epicardial fat thickness and left ventricular mass (LVM) index were measured by using transthoracic echocardiography. The patients were categorized into two groups according to their BP pattern (group 1, non-dippers; group 2, dippers). Results. The mean EFT and LVM of patients in group 1 (n = 24) (EFT, 7.6 ± 2.1 mm; LVM, 130 ± 31.2 g/m2) were significantly greater than those of group 2 (n = 36) (EFT, 5.5 ± 1.2 mm, P = .0001; LVM, 107 ± 23.7 g/m2, P = .002). The average systolic BP over 24 hours (BPs 24) and average diastolic BP over 24 hours (BPd 24) of group 1 (BPs 24, 151.1 ± 17.6 mm Hg; BPd 24, 94.1 ± 16.5 mm Hg) were significantly higher than those of group 2 (BPs 24, 136.7 ± 11.9 mm Hg, P = .0001; BPd 24, 84.6 ± 10.6 mm Hg; P = .008). Multivariate backward logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the non-dipper BP pattern was associated with EFT (standardized β coefficient = 0.87, P = .005) and LVM (standardized β coefficient = 0.43, P = .016). An EFT ≥ 7 mm was associated with the non-dipper BP pattern with 44% sensitivity and 94% specificity (receiver operating characteristic area under curve of 0.72, 95% CI [0.59–0.83], P = .0007). Conclusions. Epicardial fat thickness was above average in newly diagnosed, untreated hypertensive patients with non-dipper BP pattern. The echocardiographic measurement of EFT may be used to indicate increased risk of hypertension-related adverse cardiovascular events.

Acute alcohol consumption is associated with increased interatrial electromechanical delay in healthy men

BACKGROUNDnAcute alcohol consumption can cause atrial fibrillation in patients with, and without, heart disease. Increased atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) has been associated with atrial fibrillation. We evaluated the atrial conduction properties by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) echocardiography in healthy men following acute alcohol intake.nnnMETHODSnThirty healthy male volunteers were included in this study. Baseline ECG, heart rate, blood pressure, and TDI echocardiographic findings were compared to readings taken one hour after drinking six 12-oz cans of beer (76.8 g of ethanol).nnnRESULTSnAlthough the blood pressure and heart rate remained similar before and one hour after alcohol intake, Pmax and Pd values were significantly prolonged (114.2 ± 10.4 vs 100.8 ± 10.6, p = 0.002; 50.6 ± 9.6 vs 34.5 ± 8.8, p < 0.0001). Interatrial EMD was significantly increased after drinking alcohol compared to the baseline (19.8 ± 9.2 vs 14.0 ± 5.5 ms, p < 0.0002).nnnCONCLUSIONSnAcute moderate alcohol intake was associated with an increased interatrial EMD obtained by TDI echocardiography. This finding may help explain how these patients express increased susceptibility to atrial fibrillation.

Echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness is related to altered blood pressure responses to exercise stress testing

Abstract Objective. Hypertensive response at peak exercise and blunted blood pressure (BP) recovery, altered BP responses obtained from exercise stress testing, have been suggested as risk factors for future onset of hypertension in previous studies. Epicardial fat, a new cardiometabolic risk factor, has been linked to hypertension in some recent studies. In this study, we tested the primary hypothesis suggesting that the epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is related to altered BP responses to treadmill exercise testing. We also evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the EFT as a predictor of hypertensive response to peak exercise. Methods. Normotensive subjects underwent to treadmill stress testing and transthoracic echocardiography. Hypertensive response to peak treadmill exercise testing was defined as ≥ 210/105 mmHg and ≥190/105 mmHg at peak exercise in males and females, respectively. BP recovery index (BPRI) was defined as the ratio of the BP at the 3rd minute of the recovery phase to BP at peak exercise. EFT was measured by echocardiography. Thirty-two subjects with hypertensive response to peak exercise constituted Group 1 and 48 subjects with normal response constituted Group 2. Results. The mean EFT of subjects in Group 1 was significantly higher (8.2 ± 1.1 mm vs 5.1 ± 1.5 mm; p = 0.0001) than subjects in Group 2. In correlation analysis performed in Group 1, EFT was found to be significantly correlated with BPRI (r = 0.51, p < 0.003). An EFT of ≥6.5 mm predicted the hypertensive response to peak exercise test with 68.8% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity (receiving operator characteristic area under curve: 0.879, 95% CI 0.793–0.965, p < 0.001). Patients with EFT ≥6.5 mm showed a significantly increased BPRI (0.89 ± 0.07 vs 0.74 ± 0.09, p < 0.0001) and peak systolic BP (198.4 ± 15.3 mmHg vs 169.4 ± 19.8 mmHg, p < 0.0001). There were significant differences in metabolic equivalents, maximum heart rate, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, waist circumference and age values between two patients groups dichotomized according to the cut-off value of EFT. BPRI was the only independent variable related to EFT in the multivariate analysis (odds ratio = 1.4, 95% CI 2.75–7.16, p = 0.001). Conclusions. EFT was found to be related to altered BP responses to exercise stress testing. The echocardiographic measurement of EFT may serve as a useful non-invasive indicator of heightened risk of future hypertension.

Aortic elastic properties in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

BackgroundRecent studies have shown that patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Aortic stiffness, an early marker of arteriosclerosis, is associated with cardiovascular mortality. In this study, the aortic elastic properties of nondiabetic, normotensive NAFLD patients were evaluated. MethodsThirty-five patients with NAFLD and 30 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Aortic distensibility, aortic strain, aortic stiffness index (ASI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and fasting lipid parameters were assessed in both the groups. ResultsASI was higher in NAFLD patients (7.1±2.0) than in the control group (3.8±1.0) (P<0.01). Aortic distensibility and aortic strain were also significantly decreased in NAFLD patients as compared with the control group (2.9±0.7u2009cm2/dyn vs. 6.3±2.4u2009cm2/dyn, P<0.0001 and 7.1±1.7 vs. 14.5±4.0, P<0.0001, respectively). Although ASI was significantly correlated with age, HOMA-IR, waist circumference, body mass index and LVMI, a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that HOMA-IR and LVMI were the only variables associated with ASI index [(standardized β coefficient= 0.41, P=0.004, overall R2=0.17) and (standardized β coefficient=0.31, P=0.02, overall R2=0.10), respectively]. ConclusionOur data suggest that aortic elasticity is significantly impaired and is also associated with insulin resistance and LVMI in NAFLD patients, which may contribute to the relationship between NAFLD and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease among these patients.

Telmisartan decreases atrial electromechanical delay in patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension

BACKGROUNDnAtrial electromechanical delay (EMD) parameters predict the development of atrial fibrillation. We investigated the effect of telmisartan treatment on atrial EMD parameters in patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension.nnnMETHODSnThirty-six patients with essential hypertension were treated with telmisartan (80 mg/day) for 6 months. Baseline electrocardiographic P-wave measurements and echocardiographic atrial EMD parameters were compared with the 6-month follow-up.nnnRESULTSnPmax and Pd were significantly decreased (108.4 ± 6.1 vs 93.9 ± 6.2 milliseconds, 33.4 ± 8.6 vs 19.5 ± 7.0 milliseconds, respectively, P = .0001 for each) after 6-month telmisartan therapy. The atrial EMD parameters were decreased from baseline (mitral EMD, 68.9 ± 4.9 vs 53.8 ± 4.9 milliseconds; septum EMD, 51.6 ± 7.1 vs 42.6 ± 7. milliseconds1; tricuspid EMD, 48 ± 6.9 vs 39 ± 6.9 milliseconds; interatrial EMD, 20.9 ± 5.5 vs 14.8 ± 5.7 milliseconds; P = .0001 for each parameter). The reduction of interatrial EMD was correlated with the reduction in systolic BP nighttime and the increase in mitral E wave velocity/mitral A wave velocity ratio.nnnCONCLUSIONnTelmisartan decreased the atrial EMD parameters in patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension.

Reversible myocardial stunning due to carbon monoxide exposure.

We report on a 37-year-old patient who suffered from myocardial stunning after exposure to carbon monoxide, despite having normal coronary arteries. As myocardial ischaemia may be asymptomatic in these patients, close monitoring with serial electrocardiography and of serum cardiac enzymes and troponins is recommended.