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Biomedical subjects

Richard V Milani

Publications and source records attributed to Richard V Milani.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Relation between left ventricular geometry and transmural dispersion of repolarization.

Studies have shown an association between left ventricular (LV) geometry and complex ventricular ectopic activity. Increased transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR), which correlates to the interval from the peak to the end of the T wave (Tpe) on the surface electrocardiogram, is linked to ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The relation between LV geometry and TDR is unknown. The mean Tpe interval, measured from leads V(1) to V(3) of the surface electrocardiogram, was assessed in 300 patients (50% men) who had normal LV systolic function and QRS duration and were categorized into 3 equal groups, which were matched by age and gender, according to echocardiographically determined LV geometry (normal structure, concentric remodeling, and LV hypertrophy). The Tpe interval was corrected for the QT interval using Tpe/QTc and was compared among the 3 groups. Compared with those who had normal LV structure, the Tpe interval was significantly prolonged in those who had LV hypertrophy and significantly shortened in those who had concentric remodeling (p = <0.0001 for the 2 comparisons). Correcting for the QT interval using Tpe/QTc yielded similar results. Thus, TDR was increased in patients who had LV hypertrophy but decreased in concentric remodeling compared with those who had normal cardiac structure. Although LV hypertrophy represents a maladaptive geometric process that results in an unfavorable electrical substrate, concentric remodeling may represent a structural adaptation that has a more favorable electrical milieu.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗
PubMed2005

Prevalence of hostility in young coronary artery disease patients and effects of cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hostility symptoms in young patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), the associated risk factor profile in these patients, and the effects of a formal phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training program. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study included consecutive CAD patients referred for cardiac rehabilitation from May 1999 through December 2000. At baseline and after rehabilitation, behavioral factors and quality of life were assessed by validated questionnaires, and standard CAD risk factors were measured, including exercise capacity. We specifically evaluated detailed data for young patients. RESULTS: A total of 500 patients were included in the study. Hostility scores were 2.5 times higher (P<.001) in the 81 young patients (< 50 years; mean +/- SD age, 45 +/- 5 years) than in the 268 elderly patients (> or = 65 years; mean +/- SD age, 70 +/- 4 years), and the prevalence of hostility symptoms was 3.5 times higher in young patients (28% vs 8%; P<.001). Young patients with hostility symptoms also had more adverse CAD risk profiles, including higher total cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios, fasting glucose levels, and glycosylated hemoglobin levels and lower quality-of-life scores compared with young patients with low hostility scores. After cardiac rehabilitation, young patients with hostility symptoms had marked improvements in CAD risk factors, behavioral characteristics (including hostility), and quality of life, and a nearly 50% (P=.005) reduction in the prevalence of hostility symptoms occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Young CAD patients have a high prevalence of hostility symptoms and adverse CAD risk profiles. Reducing hostility symptoms and other parameters of psychological distress in young CAD patients should be emphasized, and the potential benefits of cardiac rehabilitation programs in the secondary prevention of CAD should be highlighted.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Reaching for aggressive blood pressure goals: role of angiotensin receptor blockade in combination therapy.

Elevated blood pressure, particularly systolic blood pressure, increases the risk of cardiovascular and renal complications in patients with diabetes. Current national guidelines set the blood pressure goal for those with diabetes at < 130/80 mm Hg, which is lower than the goal for the general population (<140/90 mm Hg). Achieving this goal, however, remains difficult, with blood pressure control rates being lower for patients with diabetes than for those without diabetes. Large clinical trials have demonstrated that in most cases, patients will require 2 or more antihypertensive agents to achieve goal blood pressure. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays a key role in regulation of blood pressure. The angiotensin AT1 receptor blockers (ARBs), which block the effects of angiotensin II, not only lower blood pressure but also provide target-organ protection. These agents are generally well-tolerated, with a side effect profile similar to placebo. Clinical comparisons of different drugs within the class have shown that olmesartan, the newest ARB, produced greater reductions in blood pressure than other agents and that a greater percentage of patients treated with olmesartan reached target blood pressure. Combining an ARB with a diuretic may allow more patients to reach goal blood pressure.

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers↗
PubMed2004

Reduction in C-reactive protein through cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the effects of three-month formal phase II cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training programs on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HSCRP) levels in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). BACKGROUND: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is associated with abdominal adiposity and other CHD risk factors and is a potent independent predictor of CHD events. Although weight reduction and statin therapy reduce HSCRP levels, the independent effects of cardiac rehabilitation programs on HSCRP are not well established. METHODS: We analyzed plasma levels of HSCRP in 277 patients with CHD (235 consecutive patients before and after formal phase II cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training programs and 42 "control" patients who did not attend cardiac rehabilitation). Additionally, we determined the effects of cardiac rehabilitation on HSCRP independent of statin therapy and weight loss. RESULTS: Rehabilitation patients improved significantly in body fat, obesity indices, exercise capacity, and other cardiac risk factors. Mean (5.9 +/- 7.7 to 3.8 +/- 5.8 mg/l; -36%; p < 0.0001) and median levels of HSCRP (-41%; p = 0.002) decreased significantly in the rehabilitation group but not in the control population. Similar significant reductions in HSCRP occurred in the rehabilitation patients regardless of whether they received statin therapy or lost weight. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic lifestyle changes effected through a three-month cardiac rehabilitation program significantly improved numerous cardiac risk factors. Through this holistic approach to secondary prevention, we observed significant reductions in HSCRP levels. These findings identify another clinical modality of reducing HSCRP beyond use of statin drugs and suggest an additional benefit of formal phase II cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training programs.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Peak exercise oxygen pulse and prognosis in chronic heart failure.

Cardiopulmonary variables, particularly peak oxygen consumption (peak VO(2)) corrected for total and lean body weight, have been confirmed to predict prognosis in patients with chronic systolic heart failure (HF). Only limited data are available on the prognostic ability of maximal oxygen (O(2)) pulse, an indicator of stroke volume and arteriovenous O(2) difference, especially when corrected for lean body mass. Cardiopulmonary exercise tests were performed in 209 consecutive patients with mild-to-moderate HF (mean ejection fraction 23%), followed for 19 +/- 12 months to determine the impact of maximal O(2) pulse in relation to other cardiopulmonary variables on major clinical events (13 cardiovascular deaths and 15 urgent transplantations). Compared with patients with clinical events, those without major events had a higher peak O(2) pulse (11.4 +/- 4.1 vs 9.2 +/- 2.3 ml/beat, p <0.0001) and body fat-adjusted peak O(2) pulse (15.6 +/- 5.6 vs 11.9 +/- 3.4 ml/beat, p <0.0001). In multivariate analysis, a low peak O(2) pulse was the strongest independent predictor of clinical events (chi-square 10.5, p <0.01). Although peak O(2) pulse was a stronger predictor for clinical events than any other exercise cardiopulmonary variable, including peak VO(2), peak VO(2) lean (defined as the VO(2) corrected for lean body mass), and percentage of predicted peak VO(2), this relation was further strengthened by correcting peak O(2) pulse for percent body fat (chi-square 12.4, p <0.001). In most subgroups (including women, obese subjects, those receiving beta blockers, and those with class III HF), peak O(2) pulse lean was similar to or superior to peak VO(2) lean for predicting major clinical events. Especially in patients who were class III HF and who were receiving beta blockers, peak VO(2) (cutoff 14 ml/kg/min) poorly predicted prognosis; risk stratification was best with peak O(2) pulse lean (cutoff 14 ml/beat). These data indicate the potential usefulness of peak O(2) pulse and lean body mass-adjusted O(2) pulse for predicting prognosis in patients with systolic HF.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Prevalence of anxiety in coronary patients with improvement following cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training.

Numerous studies have indicated that psychological distress, including anxiety, is a significant risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We studied 500 consecutive patients after recent CAD events and demonstrated a very high prevalence of generalized anxiety and moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, particularly in younger patients. In addition, our data demonstrate the abnormal CAD risk profiles in these anxious patients with CAD and the marked improvements in the overall risk profiles, levels of anxiety, and overall quality of life after cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training programs. Greater attention at detecting and treating chronic anxiety, particularly with formal cardiac rehabilitation, is needed for the secondary prevention of CAD.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Exercise capacity in adult African-Americans referred for exercise stress testing: is fitness affected by race?

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the factors associated with exercise capacity. DESIGN: Retrospective evaluation of large stress-testing database. SETTING: Multispecialty tertiary care center. PATIENTS: A total of 5,069 consecutive patients who were referred for exercise stress testing. MEASUREMENTS: We compared levels of fitness in 641 African-Americans (52% male) with 4,428 whites (73% male), and performed univariate and multivariate analyses to determine the predictors of fitness (including race). RESULTS: Compared with African-American men (mean [+/- SD] age, 60 +/- 11 years), white men (mean age, 63 +/- 11 years) have significantly higher exercise capacity (10.7 +/- 3.5 vs 11.4 +/- 3.4 metabolic equivalents [METs], respectively; p < 0.001). The exercise capacity in African-American and white women was similar (8.5 +/- 2.9 vs 8.7 +/- 3.0 METs, respectively). However, body mass indexes (BMIs) were significantly higher in both African-American men (29.1 +/- 4.3 vs 28.2 +/- 4.3 kg/m(2), respectively; p < 0.001) and women (30.2 +/- 5.7 vs 27.9 +/- 5.5 kg/m(2), respectively; p < 0.0001) compared to their white counterparts, as was the prevalence of obesity (men, 44% vs 33%, respectively; women, 37% vs 27%, respectively; both p < 0.001). Although a model containing age, gender, BMI, and race only accounted for 32% of exercise capacity, all independently (p < 0.0001) predicted higher exercise capacity, as follows: younger age (r(2) = 0.14); male gender (r(2) = 0.12); BMI (r(2) = 0.06); and white race (r(2) = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In an adult population of individuals who were referred for exercise stress testing, African-Americans were more obese and had significantly lower exercise capacity than their white counterparts. Emphasis on weight reduction and increasing physical fitness is particularly needed for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in African-Americans.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2003

Effects of cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training on indexes of dispersion of ventricular repolarization in patients after acute myocardial infarction.

We studied 50 consecutive patients with relatively preserved systolic function (ejection fraction >40%, mean 53 +/- 11%) after acute myocardial infarction, and assessed indexes of dispersion of ventricular repolarization before and after a formal, phase II cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training program. After cardiac rehabilitation, statistically significant reductions occurred in QT dispersion, JT dispersion, and in the heart rate corrected indexes. These benefits add to the proven benefits of formal cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training programs and may reduce the subsequent risks of malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.

Electrocardiography↗