Objective To provide the China Essential Drugs List with evidence-based data for selecting the antihypertensive drugs in ARBs category. Methods With following search terms such as losartan, atenolol and clinical trial, the relevant clinical trials on losartan and atenolol for treating hypertension in both Chinese and English languages were collected from the EMbase, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, website of clinicaltrials.gov, CNKI, VIP and CBM. Results A total of 52 studies were pooled in this systematic review, of which most focused on the losartan intervention for endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) study. The main results were that: a) With the same effects in lowering blood pressure, losartan was superior to atenolol in toleration and reducing left ventricular hypertrophy; b) Losartan was more effective than atenolol in preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, especially better in preventing new-onset stroke; c) Losartan was superior to atenolol in the patients complicated with or without diabetes mellitus, with or without atrial fibrillation, and with low hemoglobin or high blood uric acid, as well as in the patients co-treated by aspirin or hydrochlorothiazide; d) No matter either losartan or atenolol used in the aggressive antihypertensive therapy, the risk of sudden cardiac death got increased in hypertensive patients with prolonged QRS duration; e) Losartan was superior to atenolol in treating patients with smoking and drinking habits; and f) There were no significant differences between losartan and atenolol in hypertensive patients of black people, different genders, as well as the patients with mutant angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene. Conclusion Losartan has the same antihypertensive effects as atenolol dose, but it is more effective in reducing left ventricular hypertrophy, and has more benefits to hypertensive patients beyond lowering blood pressure, such as, reducing urine protein and uric acid rather than high density lipoprotein.
Objective To investigate pre-hypertension in aspects of its incidence, accompanied cardiovascular risk factors, and difference between urban and rural areas in Chengdu. Methods By cluster random sampling method, a total of 2 011 patients aged 35-70 years from urban and rural communities in Chengdu were selected as respondents. The investigation was conducted through questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory tests, so as to find out the main cardiovascular risk factors of pre-hypertension. All data were dual input into computer by a specially-assigned person. SPSS 13.0 software was used for analysis, Chi-square test was adopted for categorical data, and Plt;0.05 was taken as an index for significant difference. Results a) The incidence rate of pre-hypertensive in Chengdu was 33.6%, and it was 45.67% and 46.31% in urban and rural areas, respectively. In rural area, more male (51.04%) were affected than female (42.83%). b) The smoking population with pre-hypertension were mainly the male, and the ratio of rural male was 60% (132/220), far higher than that of urban male which was 32.6% (59/181). c) The pre-hypertensive population accompanied with diabetes was higher in urban (27.97%) than rural (14.01%). d) The pre-hypertensive population accompanied with hypercholesterolemia or low HDL was 33.04% (150/454) in urban, as twice as that in rural which was 16.41% (76/471). e) The pre-hypertensive population accompanied with abdominal obesity was far higher in urban (28.41%) than rural (12.74%). Conclusion Smoking is the risk factor which needs to be primarily intervened for male hypertensive patients in rural area. Impaired glucose tolerance is the common risk factor for both urban and rural residents, and hyperlipidemia is the most primarily risk factor for urban pre-hypertensive patients, followed by diabetes, and abdominal obesity.
Clinical endpoint committee (CEC) plays an important role in the process of the endpoint events adjudication in clinical trials. It greatly influences quality control of clinical trials, the importance of which increases especially after the emergency of the definition of clinical endpoint events by Academic Research Consortium (ARC). In this paper, we briefly introduce the role of CEC in the process of the quality control of clinical trials, application of CEC in China and abroad, and its influence to the primary endpoints. We also investigate the application and development of CEC in the field of cardiovascular diseases, and discuss how to reasonably apply CEC and maximize its role in the process of the endpoint events adjudication of clinical trials.
Objective To investigate the prevalence of hyperuricemia and the current status as well as differences of cardiovascular risk factors in hyperuricemia patients between urban and rural areas in Chengdu. Methods We randomly sampled 2 032 patients aged from 35 to 70 years age in urban and rural communities, using a questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory tests. Results a) The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 17.77%, which was higher in urban residents (21.38%) than that in rural residents (14.16%). b) The prevalence of hyperuricemia associated with hypercholesterolemia was higher in urban residents (34.10%) than that in rural residents (13.98%); urban women (39.06%) were higher than rural women (16.13%) and urban men (26.97%) were higher than rural men (12.20%). c) The prevalence of hyperuricemia associated with hypertension which was higher in urban residents (58.06%) than that in rural residents (32.64%); urban women (59.38%) were higher than rural women (35.48%) and urban men (56.18%) were higher than rural men (30.49%). d) The prevalence of hyperuricemia associated with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in urban women (28.91%) were lower than that in rural women (45.16%). Conclusion Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension are the most commonly seen cardiovascular risk factors accompanied in patients with hyperuricemia in urban areas, which has obviously higher prevalence than in rural areas. IGT is the most commonly seen cardiovascular risk factors accompanied in patients with hyperuricemia among rural women. But in aspects of hyperuricemia associated with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density fetoprotein cholesterol, abdominal obesity and obesity, there is no difference between urban and rural areas.
Objective To explore the difference of cardiovascular risk factors and coronary artery lesion between Hui nationality and Han nationality patients with premature coronary heart disease. Methods A total of 316 patients with premature coronary heart disease were divided into two groups, including the Hui group (78 cases) and the Han group (238 cases). Eight risk factors for premature coronary heart disease (including age, gender, body mass index, familial heredity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and smoking history) and coronary artery lesion characteristics were compared between the two groups. Results Compared with the Han group, the Hui group had a higher prevalence of smoking history and myocardial infarction, but a lower prevalence of angina (Plt;0.05). Type A disease was the major type in both Hui and Han groups. Compared with the Han group, the rate of type C were higher. Single-vessel lesion was the major lesion in both Hui and Han groups. The incidence of three-vessel lesion in the Han group was significantly lower than that in the Hui group. Gensini score in the Hui group was higher than that in the Han group, with a significant difference (Plt;0.05). Conclusion Hui patients with premature coronary artery disease are more than Han patients with premature coronary artery disease in proportions of smoking, diabetes, and the lesions of the left anterior descending artery, the right coronary artery disease, three-vessel disease rate, and C-type lesions. The coronary artery disease of the Hui group is more serious.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the use of both celecoxib (Celebrex, Pfizer) and naproxen (Aleve, Bayer) in prevention large clinical trials after discovering that celecoxib and naproxen appeared to increase the risk of cardiovascular events with patients on placebo. FDA also advises patients who are currently taking over the counter naproxen products to carefully follow the instructions on the label. Pfizer suggested that alternatives to celecoxib should be considered based on individual patient needs and risk. The cardiovascular community responds differently.
Objective To assess the effect of B vitamins supplementation on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and also to evaluate the relationship between homocysteine and risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Methods Using the words ‘homocysteine’, ‘cardiovascular disease’, ‘cerebrovascular disease’, ‘B vitamins’, and ‘randomized controlled trial’, we searched PubMed, Ovid, and Springer. We also hand searched relevant journals and conference proceedings. Randomized controlled trials published between 1998 and July 2008 which evaluated the effect of B vitamins supplementation on vascular diseases were collected. Two reviewers independently screened trials, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of included trials. The Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 4.2 software was used for statistical analysis. Results Sixteen trials involving 27,043 patients with vascular disease were included. Results of meta-analyses showed that no significant differences were identified between the B vitamins group and the control group for each of the four endpoints, including the risk of cardiovascular events (RR 0.98, 95%CI 0.94 to 1.03), the risk of coronary heart disease (RR 0.99, 95%CI 0.92 to 1.07), the risk of stroke (RR 0.90, 95%CI 0.80 to 1.02), and the total mortality (RR 0.98, 95%CI 0.92 to 1.05). Sensitivity analyses conducted by a random effect model or with the exclusion of low-quality trials did not change the overall results. Conclusion The trials currently available cannot confirm the causal relationship between homocysteine and risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. More evidence from large-scale randomized controlled trials is needed to confirm this. There is not sufficient evidence to show that B vitamins supplementation can lower the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. B vitamins supplementation should not be recommended for the secondary prevention of such diseases.
Abstract： Arginine vasopressin （AVP） is closely related to the pathogenesis of a variety of cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases. Currently it is often used for the treatment of severe peripheral vasodilatory shock， and particularly beneficial for patients with refractory catecholamine-resistant vasodilatory shock. For some patients who do not have adequate AVP level in plasma after cardiovascular surgery， external low-dose AVP infusion is helpful to decrease the heart rate, and the dosage and duration of catecholamine use. Early initiation of low-dose AVP infusion may be beneficial for postoperative patients’ hemodynamic recovery without adverse complications. More randomized control trials are needed to provide evidence for rational usage， dosage and duration of AVP administration.
In recent years，West China Hospital of Sichuan University actively participated in medical assistance and rescue in Wenchuan，Yushu and Lushan earthquakes. However，professional roles of cardiovascular surgeons in medical assistance and rescue in earthquakes remain unclear because of the particularity of cardiovascular surgery, which often affects the assembly of medical assistance and rescue teams. Thus，we need to explore the necessity for cardiovascular surgeons to join medical rescue teams within 72 hours after earthquake. In this article，medical rescue work of cardiovascular surgeons within 72 hours after 2008 “5•12” Wenchuan earthquake and 2013 “4•20” Lushan earthquake is analyzed and compared to identify professional roles of cardiovascular surgeons in medical rescue within 72 hours after earthquake. It is necessary for cardiovascular surgeons to join medical rescue teams within 72 hours after earthquake.
Objective To introduce a novel approach using parallel placement of another oxygenator in the recirculation line as oxygen supply for oxygenator failure without circulatory arrest in cardiopulmonary bypass （CPB），and confirm its outcomes in an animal experiment. Methods A traditional piglet CPB model was established. Oxygenator failure model was established by reducing fraction of inspired oxygen （FiO2） from 80% to 21% after aortic cross-clamp and cardiac arrest in CPB. Another oxygenator was then parallel placed in the recirculation line to supply 100% oxygen.Dynamic changes in partial pressure of oxygen （PaO2），mixed venous oxygen saturation （SvO2），arterial oxygen saturation（SaO2） and blood pH of blood samples from the arterial perfusion duct were monitored with different blood flow of400 ml/min，800 ml/min and 1 100 ml/min. Results When FiO2 was reduced to 21%，PaO2 decreased to 64-67 mm Hg（P＜0.001），SaO2 decreased significantly to 88%-90% （P＜0.001），SvO2 decreased to 69%-72% （P＜0.001），and blood pH decreased too，all indicating oxygenator failure. After parallel placement of another oxygenator in the recirculation line was performed，PaO2，SaO2 and SvO2 all significantly increased，as well as blood pH. When the blood flow in the recirculation line achieved 33% or above of overall arterial perfusion flow，clinical oxygen demand was generally satisfied. Conclusion Parallel placement of another oxygenator in the recirculation line may be utilized as a treatment strategy for oxygenator failure without circulatory arrest and changeover of failed oxygenator.