Atsushi Hirayama

..The aim of this study was to compare the effect of atorvastatin treatment on high-grade yellow coronary plaques (grade ≥ 2, group H) vs. low-grade yellow plaques (grade ≤ 1, group L)...

..The aim of this study was to elucidate the time course of atorvastatin-induced changes in vulnerable plaque using angioscopy and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)...

..Both abnormal interatrial conduction and steep restitution of action potential duration may contribute to the atrial arrhythmogenicity in Brugada syndrome...

..6% showed the increase of the plaque volume (2.6%). In view of the inflammatory nature of atherosclerosis, the model constructed using the two predictors may be a useful model for the prediction of plaque regression...

..It was hypothesized that atrial premature contractions (APCs) originating in the pulmonary veins (PVs) or superior vena cava (SVC) can be localized by evaluating characteristics of the P wave...

..Slow conduction at the RVOT may contribute to the induction of VF by PVS in Brugada syndrome. Various pathomorphologic changes may contribute to slow conduction at the RVOT...

..Continuous low-dose infusion of human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) inhibits the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and compensates for the adverse effects of CPB...

..Therefore, we investigated whether EAT locations were associated with high dominant frequency (DF) sites or complicated fractionated atrial electrogram sites during AF...

..However, the incidence of steam pop tended to be increased with bipolar ablation.Bipolar ablation of the CS appears to be highly effective for creating a transmural LA-CS lesion...

..Ablation of ventricular tachycardia originating from the left ventricular (LV) epicardium is often limited by the radiofrequency power delivery. We compared the effect of bipolar vs. unipolar epicardial ablation on lesion size...

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..GP can be identified by endocardial stimulation. The AF recurrence rate is decreased when a vagal response is achieved by radiofrequency ablation...

..No coagulum formation was observed after RF energy delivery. A long lesion can be created in the right atrium by using an irrigated balloon catheter, but continuous lesion formation was achieved only in a minority of animals...

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..9 + or - 1.1 mm, and lesion volume was 281 + or - 210 mm(3).Temperature controlled RFCA is feasible with a cooled-tip catheter and an RF generator that slowly increases the RF power until the preset catheter-tip temperature is reached...

..Our data suggest that regional endocardial conduction slowing based on structural abnormalities exists at the RVOT in Brugada syndrome...

..Further studies are needed to determine whether such an ablation technique and the parameters used will facilitate successful completion of the catheter-based maze procedure...

..AF is associated with inflammation and subsequent myocardial fibrosis. We therefore examined the possibility of determining the postablation prognosis of patients with AF using biomarkers of inflammation and collagen turnover...

..0008). Conclusions: EAT volume increases in AF patients independent of conventional risk factors and is greater in patients with lone AF than in non-AF patients. EAT volume might be useful for predicting AF recurrence after CA...

..In the present study rates of future cardiac events (nonfatal acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cardiac death (CD) and severe heart failure (HF) requiring hospitalization) were compared in patients with and without DM...

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..In the present study the clinical effects of this "hANP shot" were examined...

..Therefore, RA linear lesions in addition to the PVI and LA lesions may have additional effects on the catheter ablation for the persistent AF...

..In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of increasing the dose and administration period of landiolol for prevention of postoperative AF, as well as the effect of oral bisoprolol in the early postoperative period...

..The endoscopic pericardial procedure was successful and may increase the efficacy and safety of epicardial irrigated radiofrequency catheter ablation...

..AV conduction disturbances associated with inferior myocardial infarction may be related in part to endogenously released adenosine, and trapidil may be useful in treating AV block associated with acute AV node ischemia...

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..The influence of inter-electrode spacing (IES) on complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs) and dominant frequency (DF) detection was assessed...

..Similar trends occurred in group 2. These results indicate a potentially fatal interaction between DP and EM administered in clinically relevant doses...

..Such monitoring is particularly important in patients with elevated serum TG levels, which is associated with smaller sizes of LDL-particles...

..High-speed rotational coronary venous (CV) angiography (RCVA) permits dynamic, multi-angle visualization of the CV anatomy...

..The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of lifestyle modification, mainly daily aerobic exercise, on coronary atherosclerosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD)...

..0023). In conclusion, our results have indicated that the decrease in the apoB/apoA-I ratio is a simple predictor for coronary atherosclerotic regression: the lower the apoB/apoA-I ratio, the lower the risk of coronary atherosclerosis...

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..It suppressed EADs, decreased the incidence of PVCs, and abolished PVT. Nicorandil may be clinically useful for treatment of PVCs and PVTs accompanying acquired long QT syndrome...

..Monophasic action potentials (MAPs) recorded from the RVOT at a BCL of 400 ms showed MAP alternans and VF was only induced when extrastimuli were applied after a shorter MAP of the alternans...

..An imaging technique that accurately portrays the pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy would be valuable during and after catheter ablation procedures...

..In conclusion, the decrease in monocyte count as a nonlipid-lowering effect of statins may be used as a novel marker of coronary atherosclerotic regression...

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..Prolonged QRS duration as measured on a standard 12-lead ECG is associated with ventricular arrhythmia and could serve as a simple noninvasive marker of vulnerability to life-threatening cardiac events in patients with Brugada syndrome...

..The majority of the patients with Brugada syndrome showed repetitive VT originating from the RVOT that degenerated into VF. The RVOT may be an arrhythmogenic focus in patients with Brugada syndrome...

..However, the role of the CETP mass in the development of atherosclerosis is still unclear...

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..We investigated whether landiolol hydrochloride, an ultrashort-acting beta-blocker, could reduce postoperative atrial fibrillation in a randomized controlled trial...

..9 ± 12.9°, n = 6, versus 38.7 ± 16.5°, n = 13; P = 0.009). This ECG-based method successfully discriminates between the ordinary iRBBB pattern and drug-induced evolution toward a type 1 Brugada ECG...

..The aim of this study was to determine the upper turnaround site of the AFL circuit by means of three-dimensional (3D) mapping and entrainment pacing...

..However, 2:1 HV block developed at a pacing cycle length of 500 milliseconds. Intravenous administration of mexiletine decreased the cycle length of developing HV block to 360 milliseconds...

..We describe, for the first time, three-dimensional, whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiographic findings of double left anterior descending artery...

..It remains unknown why atrial flutter (AFL) occurs as either a chronic or paroxysmal arrhythmia...

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..A point ablation at that LV site could successfully terminate the VT, suggesting that a critical isthmus was located on the LV side of the interventricular septum despite the demonstration of an LBBB-type VT...

..The purpose of this comparative study is to prove the efficacy of the human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG)...

..We compared the efficacy of bipolar ablation vs. sequential unipolar ablation in creating a transmural lesion across the porcine IVS...

..Our data reveal anatomic distortion of 3D images, providing important information for improving the safety and efficacy of 3D mapping-guided AF ablation. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 24, pp. 259-266, March 2013)...

..There appears to be an increased prevalence of J-wave syndrome among patients with a history of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation...

..We evaluated whether the calcium channel blocker confers cardiac protection through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP)...

..The effects of quinidine gluconate, a potent inhibitor of I(to), on RVOT action potential duration (APD) restitution kinetics in patients with Brugada syndrome were evaluated...

..In this study we studied various factors in addition to trying to identify a marker that would predict the potential for atrial fibrillation before surgical intervention to prevent its occurrence...

..The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on renal function...

..A Purkinje potential preceded onset of the local ventricular potential by 120-130 ms in this VT. Radiofrequency ablation guided by the Purkinje potential terminated the VT2...

..The effect of rosuvastatin on plaque volume in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), including those receiving prior lipid-lowering therapy, was examined in the present study...

..5 for preventing postcoronary bypass (CABG) saphenous vein graft (SVG) diseases by using intracoronary angioscopy...

..4 versus 1.0). Such spatial heterogeneity of the MAPD and of its restitution may facilitate wavebreak and functional reentry, predisposing to VF...

..Echocardiography revealed asymmetric septal hypertrophy and mid-ventricular obstruction with pressure gradient within the left ventricle and cine magnetic resonance imaging showed an apical aneurysm in both cases...

..We examined the effects of transplantation of peripheral MNCs expressing an exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene in a pig model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI)...

..The PVC/VT focus might have served as an abnormal automatic trigger and driver for the ventricular fibrillation...

..An increased lesion size if the cryoablation catheter profile and catheter tip length were increased was hypothesized...

..The best results are obtained by combining good surgical technique and perioperative management with the long-term outcome in mind...

..ATS Medical, Inc, developed a mechanical heart valve that has been in use since 1992. In this article, we present the results of 15 years of follow-up of patients who have undergone ATS heart valve replacement at our hospital...

..Further studies of larger multicenter trials would give us insight into the specific mechanisms of stent thrombosis among different generations of DES...

..The results showed that improvement of lipid metabolism, especially an increase of HDL cholesterol level and a reduction of MDA-LDL, may inhibit vascular contractility...

..The International Conference on Harmonization E14 Guideline specifies detailed assessment of QT interval or corrected QT interval prolongation when developing new drugs. We recently devised new software to precisely measure the QT interval...

..8 µmol/L or higher was a risk factor for the development of heart failure (HR: 7.175, P < 0.01). The plasma homocysteine level in patients with AMI may be related to the development of heart failure...

..However, MAP at a coupling interval of 210 milliseconds was 112 milliseconds, and local activation of S2 failed to spread to the rest of atrium...

..In this report, we describe a patient with INVM in whom cardiac resynchronization and cardioverter defibrillation therapy was effective for the improvement of left ventricular function and for the prevention of ventricular arrhythmias...

..Coronary vein leads enable a minimally invasive approach, improve safety, and give effective stimulation for patients with a prosthetic tricuspid valve. This is the first case report in Japan of left ventricular pacing in such a patient...

..Circ J 2010; 74: 34 - 40)...

..The conversion effect of bepridil alone is not always satisfactory, however. The efficacy of pharmacological cardioversion by the combination of bepridil and a class Ic antiarrhythmic drug for persistent AF is studied...

..The mechanism of alcohol-induced syncope is unknown...

..Previous studies have shown that oxidative stress plays an important role in coronary heart disease. Polymorphisms in key enzymes that regulate oxidative stress may play a role in atherogenicity and were investigated in this study...

..Therefore, the enhancement of sympathoexcitatory vasomotor drive evoked from the CPA may, at least in part, support elevated AP and regulate sympathetic tone in this hypertensive model...

..In the present study, the efficacy of the therapy during emergent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is investigated...

..CONCLUSIONS: The J-RHYTHM II study will follow 400 patients with PAF and hypertension who were treated at approximately 50 sites throughout Japan, and will provide clinically important information...

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..The study examined the electrocardiographic and electrophysiologic characteristics in relation to programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS)-induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) in patients with Brugada syndrome...

..Anomalous right coronary arteries (RCA) arising from the left sinus of Valsalva may cause myocardial ischemia...

..In conclusion, a reduction of the leukocyte count as one of the non-lipid-lowering effects of pravastatin may be a novel marker of regression of coronary atherosclerosis...

..Distal protection device has been attracted attention to new trend for ACS patients. Coronary stent is going to new generation and stenting for ACS is also changing in near future...

..The aim of this study was to investigate the role of slow conduction for the initiation of VF by PVS in these patients...