Kyung Pyo Hong

These results suggest that an exaggerated SBP response to exercise is strongly associated with carotid atherosclerosis, independent of established risk factors in healthy men. It may be an important factor in evaluating hypertension related to target-organ damage.

BACKGROUND: Although carina shift and plaque shift are suggested as mechanisms of side branch ostial (SBo) compromise after main vessel (MV) stenting in bifurcation lesions, there are few direct evidence. Our purpose was to confirm the mechanism of SBo compromise after MV stent implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Intravascular ultrasound images of both MV and SB before procedure and immediately after MV stenting were evaluated in 44 bifurcation lesions. Three 5 mm segments of interest were volume

Smaller guiding catheters can help reduce local complications and patient morbidity during transradial coronary intervention (TRI). This study was designed to compare the patient's morbidity, success rate, and the operator's convenience between 5-French (5Fr) and 6-French (6Fr) TRIs. This is a single-center prospective randomized study. Patients who underwent TRI, in 2003, were prospectively randomized to either 5Fr or 6Fr catheter groups (100 patients in each group). Procedure-related patient m

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been used as a primary health outcome in cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP). AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an 8-week CRP on HRQOL and exercise capacity in myocardial infarction (MI) patients in Korea. METHODS: After matching on gender, age, and left ventricular ejection fraction, 60 subjects with a first acute MI were allocated to either a CRP group (n=31) or a Control group (n=29). The 8-week CRP included hospital-bas

The IVC of people who practice abdominal breathing has a greater degree of collapse than those of normal people, suggesting that abdominal-breathing exercise can positively affect venous return via IVC. For those who practice abdominal breathing, the collapsibility of the IVC is the best during slow respiration with inspiratory pause. The SVC did not seem to be affected by abdominal-breathing training.

Dry cough is the most common limiting factor of ACE inhibitor (ACEI) use. Generation of NO, a proinflammatory substance on bronchial epithelial cells, is increased by ACEI. Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we tested the hypothesis that supplementing iron, an inhibitor of NO synthase, may reduce the cough associated with ACEI use. The subjects were 19 patients who had developed ACEI-induced cough. After a 2-week observation period, they were randomized to a daily mornin

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an important marker for the risk stratification of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated the prevalence of PAD in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with CAD and the relationship between ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) and CAD severity. A total of 711 patients undergoing PCI for CAD from August 2009 to August 2011 were enrolled. PAD diagnosis was made using the ABPI. The prevalence of PAD was 12.8%. In PAD p

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate whether upward or downward shifts in socioeconomic status have an effect on cardiovascular mortality. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Among the Korean National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort, 178,812 subjects were selected who were over 20 years of age as of 2002, with available data on routine health check and free of a diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure or cancer at baseline. Cause of d

These results suggest that inflammation may be associated with an EBP response during exercise testing.

BACKGROUND: The N-terminal fragment of pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-pro BNP) is a neuro-hormone synthesized in the cardiac ventricles in response to increased wall tension. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between the NT-pro BNP levels and the New York Heart Association function class (NYHA Fc) of dyspnea and echocardiographic findings for the patients who visited our cardiology departments. METHODS: From October, 2002 to April, 2003, serum NT-pro BNP levels were meas