ABSTRACT:BACKGROUND:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease with characteristic feature of persistant inflammatory synovitis in symmetrical distribution; it has a higher incidence of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events which account for half of all death in RA patients.OBJECTIVE:To study the cardiac involvement in long standing rheumatoid arthritis patients in comparison to healthy persons by electrocardiograph and echocardiograph.PATIENTS AND METHODS:A sample of 100 Iraqi patients with long standing rheumatoid arthritis and 100 healthy individuals who served as control group matched for sex and age were selected after exclusion of risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and previous cardiac problems), both groups were studied by electrocardiograph and echocardiograph under supervision of a cardiologist.RESULTS:There were a significant number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis having abnormal electrocardiographic findings 21(21%) in comparison to healthy persons 7(7%) (P-value 0.004), also there were significant number of rheumatoid arthritis patients with abnormal echocardiographic findings 36(36%) in comparison to healthy individuals 11(11%) (P-value o.ooo).while there were no significant association between disease duration and type of medications with cardiac abnormalities reported in this study.CONCLUSION:There is an increase of asymptomatic cardiac structural abnormalities in chronic rheumatoid arthritis patients in comparison to normal healthy individuals as detected by electrocardiograph and echocardiograph.

Echocardiograph --- Electrocardiograph --- Rheumatoid Arthritis --- IRAQ.

ABSTRACT:BACKGROUND:Modification of lipid subtypes improves the prognosis of ischemic heart disease.OBJECTIVE:Correlating the coronary angiographic finding with the measurement of different plasma lipid parameters.PATIENT AND METHODS:(180) hundred eighty patients admitted in the study, (120) patients were male, (60) patient were female, their age range (29-72 years) were randomly assigned into four groups.Group (1): Patient with myocardial infarction (STEMI).Group (2): Patient with non-STEMI myocardial infarction.Group (3): Patient with unstable angina.Group (4): Patient with ischemic cardiomyopathy.The angiographic findings, were classified according to the guidelines of (ACC/AHA) all patients had lipid parameters correlated to their angiographic finding (A, B, C, respectively).RESULTS:This study showed that there was significantly correlated between the levels of HDL, LDL, triglyceride and the coronary angiographic findings in groups (A, B, C) (0.05, 0.001, 0.001) respective. However the use of Atherogesic index (TG/HDL-c) was highly significant and nave clinical evaluation the severity of extent of coronary artery disease (i.e. the Raton (5.9) in group A, (5.2) in group B, (4.8) croup C).CONCLUSION:Using more than one lipid parameter can assess the severity of coronary artery disease.

angiographic finding --- coronary disease --- lipid parameters

ABSTRACT:BACK GROUND:Psychiatric disorders and coronary heart disease are not uncommonly seen together in the same patient especially in association with myocardial infarction these disorders vary from simple anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder.OBJECTIVE:Studying the depressive disorders in the Iraqi cardiac patients and its prevalence after April 2003. and trying to ascertain any mispractice in management of such patients by ignoring the psychiatric cause.METHODS:260 patients admitted to Baghdad teaching hospital medical departments over the period December 2005- October 2007. Those patients were having cither stable angina unstable angina and myocardial infraction. A uniform questionnaire was used for all patients to find out the prevalence any psychiatric disorders.RESULTS:This study showed the presence of depression during the pre and post cardiac events in 70 cases (27%) anxiety was also a very common problem in about 60 cases (23%), however the percentage of patients whom were had psychiatric disorders after an acute events due to un settled security in the country since 2003 were as follow depression (21% cases 8%) from the total number of cases respectively.CONCLUSION:Psychiatric disorders are becoming a common problem in many Iraqi cardiac patients because of the difficulties of their daily life since 2003 and it represents about 50% of the cases of psychiatrics disorders. This may make it an important issue to use antidepressant drugs in many of those patients

psychiatric disorders --- cardiac patients --- Iraq

Background: The plant (Khat) contains at least 40 types of alkaloids. It has an adrenergic like effect especially on the heart one of these alkaloid is cathedulins group which has molecular height of 600-1200mm.I/L. it is used frequently mainly at the African horn region (e.g. yemen). This plant alkaloids used by people in form of bands (each band is about 50gm, two bands 100gm and so on).Patients and methods: Three groups of Patients have been included in this study. Group A: (30) patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, Group B: (50) patients with history of ischemic heart disease with clinical presentation of ischemic cardiomyopathy and Group C: (80) cases (50 cases of ischemic cardiomyopathy, 30 cases dilated cardiomyopathy). Used as control group to see the difference from stopping the Khat without adding any medication during the follow up peroid this was over a year with monthly checkup. The place of this was Yemen-Sannaa general hospital and Sannaa private international clinic.Results: This study showed that the age range of patients and volunteers was similar, mean age (35-65 years), all were male because this plant is used by most of the males and there was difficulty in discussing this problem with the female these three groups were categorized into two groups according to the amounts of all khat bands consumed.Group1: people using about 50gm of this plant and did comprise 75% of all the cases.Group2: people using about 50-150gm of this plant and comprising 25% of all the cases.This study did not show any significant correlation between the incidence of dilated cardiomyopathy and the chronic use of this plant alkaoild, also there was no correlation between the duration of using this alkaloid and probability of getting these cardiac disorders. Stopping consuming this alkaloid did not change the clinical feature dramatically except reduction of liver enzymes elevation.Conclusion: No significant correlation between using the plant khat and development of ischemic and non ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.Keywords: Khat, Myocardial Disease.

Khat --- Myocardial Disease.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are among the most common cause of death in Developed countries. In addition to traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, nowadays, accumulating evidence indicates that a variety of infectious agents may contribute to pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease.Patients and methods: 125 patients (25 females and 100 males) attending the department of cardiology, Baghdad, teaching hospital over the period December 2008- June 2009were enrolled. Their age range between (39-75 years) compared with 50 healthy individuation (Age & sex matched).The sera were tested for H. pylori antibodies using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results: 80% of patients showed the anti-H. Pylori IgGs (P < 0.05). But there were no significant association between risk factors & H. pylori infection (P > 0.05).Conclusions: These findings raise the possibility that exposure to H. pylori may lead to increased risk of coronary artery disease independent of other risk factors.Keywords: coronary artery disease, Helicobacter pylori, RAO

coronary artery disease --- Helicobacter pylori --- RAO.