Cardiology Letters, 2014 (vol. 23), issue 2
Original article
The impact of atrial fibrillation ablation on symptoms and arrhythmia burden: The role of pre and post-ablation continuou
Urban Ľ, Hatala R, Hlivák P, De Melis M, Garutti C
Cardiology Letters 2014, 23(2):104-114 
Background: Symptoms and/or intermittent ECG monitoring have limited diagnostic yield for accurate atrial fibrillation (AF) detection after ablation (ABL) procedure. The aim of the single-centre pilot study was to investigate the impact of AF ABL on symptoms and AF burden (AF%), comparing pre-ABL and post-ABL clinical and ECG data collected by implantable leadless loop recorder (ILR) with AF diagnostics. Methods and results: We prospectively enrolled 52 patients with history of symptomatic, drug refractory paroxysmal and/or persistent AF in whom ILR was implanted 3±2 months before ABL. We analyzed pre-ABL data and those at the 6 month follow-up...
Current trends in management of NSTE-ACS patients in the Slovak Republic. Analysis of the SLOVAKS-2 registry from 2011.
Kovář F, Studenčan M, Hricák V, Kurray P, Alberty R, Gonçalvesová E, Kamenský G
Cardiology Letters 2014, 23(2):115-125
Introduction: Acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation (NSTE-ACS) is a prognostically serious disease with potentially high lethality. The Slovak registry of acute coronary syndromes - SLOVAKSserves to collect data on NSTE-ACS patients in Slovakia. Objective: To analyze and evaluate data on the management of NSTE-ACS in Slovakia, and assess implementation of the up-to-date guidelines in real clinical practice. Methods: Data for the analysis were collected during two months (August and September) 2011. Electronic reports of hospitalizations of patients with NSTE-ACS were sent from 68 departments (i.e. 88% of total) in Slovakia. Selected...
Long-term outcome and complications after catheter closure of persistent arterial duct
Tittel P, Kaldarárová M, Brucknerová I, Mašura M
Cardiology Letters 2014, 23(2):126-132
Introduction: Catheter closure is the world-wide method of choice in the management of persis tent arterial duct beyond newborn age. According to the size and duct morphology the type of device is chosen during the procedure. The aim of the study was to analyze the long-term outcome and complications according to different devices used. Patients and methods: Presented are 456 patients (67.3% female/32.7% male) after catheter closure of persistent arterial duct in NÚSCH - Children´s Cardiac Center between 1996-2012. Patients were grouped as follows: 150 patients with the coil closure (COIL), 178 patients with Amplatzer ductal occluder (ADO) and 128...
Experimental study
The effect of neuronal NO-synthase inhibition on the cardiovascular system of Wistar rats from the prenatal period to adulthood
Drobná M, Čačányiová S, Berényiová A, Kristek F
Cardiology Letters 2014, 23(2):133-138
Aim: The long-term decrease of nitric oxide (NO) production evokes serious alterations in the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of neuronal NO-synthase (nNOS) inhibition with 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) on blood pressure, heart, kidneys, thoracic aorta and carotid artery of normotensive Wistar rats from the prenatal period to early adulthood. Methods: In the experimental group 4-week-old males (n=10) were treated with 7-NI (10 mg/kg/day, in drinking water) for six weeks. The animals were offspring of mothers who had been administered 7-NI (10 mg/kg/ day) in drinking water from two weeks before pregnancy...