It has long been known that platelet activation is involved in the genesis of several cardiovascular diseases, especially acute coronary syndromes and other atherosclerotic diseases. Studies carried out in the 1970s already showed that the endothelial lesion was capable of triggering a cascade of inflammatory events leading to platelet activation and consequent vascular thrombosis. Activated platelets have a larger size due to their increased enzymatic and metabolic activity. These observations led to a series of studies that evaluated the correlation […]

Since the first publication of Framingham Risk Score in late 1950’s, derived from data obtained in an observational study to investigate cardiovascular risk factors, several other risk scores were created around the globe and they have been increasingly popular particularly in the last 10-20 years in cardiovascular medicine. The objective of a risk score is to individualize the risk for an individual patient with the use of functional equations based on multiple risk factors. Patients at high risk should be […]

Acute ischemic syndromes (myocardial infarction, unstable angina) may occur de novo in previously asymptomatic patients or may occur in the course of chronic diseases. After hospital-based acute care therapy, with or without percutaneous or surgical intervention, patients are discharged and receive advice for long-term therapy. However, some patients develop symptoms again in the short-term course and are readmitted to the hospital due to clinical as well as non-clinical causes and with clinical and other non-clinical consequences. Hospital readmissions deserve studies […]

“Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when he is called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason” Oscar Wilde […]

Cohort studies assessing mortality predictors are extremely important to determine public health priorities and are a central issue in clinical decision making. These studies are particularly relevant in low-to-middle income countries whereas resources addressed to health care are limited and can be better managed. Nevertheless, traditionally epidemiological studies assessing the impact of different risk factors on mortality have historically been conducted in high-income countries. Results from cohort studies conducted in the developed world have been extrapolated and widely used in […]