Background:Data on the lowering effects of statins in hypertensive patients have been mixed and highly controversial. Some studies shows reductions effects of statins in blood pressure, whereas others do not. The evidence in the literature on the effects of statins on blood pressure raises the possibility that statins may directly lower blood pressure in addition to reduce cholesterol levels–pleiotropic effects of statins.Aim of the study:The role of statins as additional treatment in patients with severe hypertension and advanced aortic atherosclerotic plaques. Methods. We enrolled 62 patients. Study has been approved by Committee of Ethics and patients signed a Term of Free Informed Consent. All patients were studied with transoesophageal echocardiography at baseline and 12 months after enrolment. Inclusion criteria were severe hypertension and presence of aortic atherosclerotic plaques. Patients have been divided into two groups; group A (treated with antihypertenives and statins) and group B (treated, just with antihypertensives).Results:Twenty patients, of totally 38, from group A (20/38 or 52.6%) had significantly plaque reduction. One patient of totally 24 (1/24 or 4.1% ) from group B had significantly atherosclerotic plaque reduction. Difference of plaques reduction between two groups was highly significant. Regarding blood pressure levels, statins users had significantly reduction on systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to statins nonusers.Conclusion:Hypertensive patients with presence of AA plaques treated with antihypertensives and statins have more BP reduction compared will hypertensive patients treated with antihypertensives alone.
Aortopulmonary window in adults without signs of heart failure or pulmonary hypertension is exceptionally rare. We report here a case of a 27-year-old Caucasian male patient who presented with ventricular tachycardia and loud laterosternal systolic murmur due to a 9 mm aortopulmonary septal defect type 1, diagnosed for the first time. Echocardiography examination also revealed moderate pulmonary artery regurgitation. Pulmonary artery regurgitation may have served as the knight in shining armor in this extremely rare asymptomatic adult patient with aortopulmonary window, since a large amount of blood that enters the pulmonary trunk from the aorta redirects toward the right ventricle. Ventricular tachycardia may be the sole clinical presentation in an adult patient with aortopulmonary window and moderate pulmonary window.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.