Circulation. 2005;111:2711
(Circulation. 2005;111:2711.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.
Issue Highlights
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RHO-KINASE INHIBITOR IMPROVES INCREASED VASCULAR RESISTANCE AND IMPAIRED VASODILATION OF THE FOREARM IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE, by Kishi et al.
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Although increased vascular tone is a well-recognized feature
in heart failure, the mechanisms responsible are incompletely
understood. When activated by the small GTPase Rho, Rho-kinase
inhibits the activity of myosin light chain phosphatase, thereby
increasing vascular smooth muscle contraction. A Rho-kinase
inhibitor, fasudil, was administered via the brachial artery
to 26 patients with NYHA functional class II and III heart failure
and to 26 control subjects, and forearm vascular resistance
was determined by using plethesmography. Fasudil caused vasodilation
and improved the vasodilation induced by reactive hyperemia
in the patients with heart failure but not in the control subjects.
By comparison, nitroprusside caused vasodilation in both groups.
These observations suggest the involvement of Rho-kinase in
mediating increased vascular tone in heart failure and raise
the possibility of a new therapeutic approach. See p
2741.
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PRESENCE OF INTRAPLAQUE HEMORRHAGE STIMULATES PROGRESSION OF CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUES: A HIGH-RESOLUTION MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING STUDY, by Takaya et al.
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Hemorrhage into atherosclerotic plaques has been recently reported
in histopathologic studies, associated with larger plaque necrotic
cores, as well as greater lipid content and macrophage infiltration.
Whether intraplaque hemorrhage is simply associated with larger
or more complex plaques or indeed stimulates plaque progression
has not been clarified. In this issue, Takaya and colleagues
use serial cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging studies
of the carotid arteries over 18 months in patients with carotid
atherosclerosis to demonstrate that the presence of intraplaque
hemorrhage on the initial examination was associated with greater
progression of plaque atherosclerosis. Those with hemorrhage
at baseline had greater progression of lipid-rich necrotic core
volume as well as wall volume, independent of the volume of
hemorrhage components, and were also more likely to have recurrent
plaque hemorrhage. These important data suggest that intraplaque
hemorrhage contributes significantly to the acceleration of
atherosclerosis in this vascular bed. See p
2768.
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EXPRESSION OF HUMAN MYELOPEROXIDASE BY MACROPHAGES PROMOTES ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN MICE, by McMillen et al.
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The relation between oxidative stress and atherosclerosis is
complex. Recent developments suggest that myeloperoxidase, a
neutrophil enzyme, may mediate oxidative events important to
atherosclerosis. Early studies examining how this enzyme may
promote atherosclerosis were hampered by the lack of an appropriate
animal model. This hurdle to studying myeloperoxidase has now
been overcome by the development of a mouse expressing the human
myeloperoxidase gene. McMillen and colleagues report this new
finding and demonstrate how bone marrow-derived human myeloperoxidase
can accelerate atherosclerosis. See p
2798.
Visit http://www.circ.ahajournals.org:
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Cardiology Patient Page
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Treatment of Elevated Cholesterol. See p
e360.
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Images in Cardiovascular Medicine
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A Case of Transient Constrictive Pericarditis. See p
e364.
Constrictive Epicarditis as an Unusual Cause of Constrictive Physiology: Typical Presentation With Unusual Pathology. See p e365. 
Two-Dimensional and Real-Time Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Fetal Diagnosis of Aorto-Ventricular Tunnel. See p e367.
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Correspondence
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See p
e369.
Related Articles:
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Rho-Kinase Inhibitor Improves Increased Vascular Resistance and Impaired Vasodilation of the Forearm in Patients With Heart Failure
- Takuya Kishi, Yoshitaka Hirooka, Akihiro Masumoto, Koji Ito, Yoshikuni Kimura, Kosuke Inokuchi, Tatsuya Tagawa, Hiroaki Shimokawa, Akira Takeshita, and Kenji Sunagawa
Circulation 2005 111: 2741-2747.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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Treatment of Elevated Cholesterol
- Benjamin M. Scirica and Christopher P. Cannon
Circulation 2005 111: e360-e363.
[Full Text]
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A Case of Transient Constrictive Pericarditis
- Cindy W. Tom and Jae K. Oh
Circulation 2005 111: e364.
[Full Text]
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Constrictive Epicarditis as an Unusual Cause of Constrictive Physiology: Typical Presentation With Unusual Pathology
- Jong-Won Ha, Byung-Chul Chang, Byoung-Wook Choi, Namsik Chung, Won-Heum Shim, Seung-Yun Cho, and Sung-Soon Kim
Circulation 2005 111: e365-e366.
[Full Text]
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Two-Dimensional and Real-Time Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Fetal Diagnosis of Aorto-Ventricular Tunnel
- R. Biffanti, E. Reffo, S.P. Sanders, N. Maschietto, G. Stellin, and O. Milanesi
Circulation 2005 111: e367-e368.
[Full Text]
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Letter Regarding Article by Wang et al, "Coronary Artery Spatial Distribution of Acute Myocardial Infarction Occlusions" • Response
- Adnan Abaci, Richard E. Kuntz, Laura Mauri, John C. Wang, and Sharon-Lise T. Normand
Circulation 2005 111: e369.
[Full Text]
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Presence of Intraplaque Hemorrhage Stimulates Progression of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques: A High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
- Norihide Takaya, Chun Yuan, Baocheng Chu, Tobias Saam, Nayak L. Polissar, Gail P. Jarvik, Carol Isaac, Judith McDonough, Cynthia Natiello, Randy Small, Marina S. Ferguson, and Thomas S. Hatsukami
Circulation 2005 111: 2768-2775.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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Expression of Human Myeloperoxidase by Macrophages Promotes Atherosclerosis in Mice
- Timothy S. McMillen, Jay W. Heinecke, and Renee C. LeBoeuf
Circulation 2005 111: 2798-2804.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
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RHO-KINASE INHIBITOR IMPROVES...
PRESENCE OF INTRAPLAQUE...