JTCS Click here to go to SJM website.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Author home page(s):
Mario Gaudino
Nicola Luciani
Giuseppe Nasso
Andrea Salica
Gianfederico Possati
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gaudino, M.
Right arrow Articles by Possati, G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gaudino, M.
Right arrow Articles by Possati, G.
Related Collections
Right arrow Coronary disease

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2005;129:532-535
© 2005 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery

Surgery for Acquired Cardiovascular Disease

Is postoperative calcium channel blocker therapy needed in patients with radial artery grafts?

Mario Gaudino, MD*, Nicola Luciani, MD, Giuseppe Nasso, MD, Andrea Salica, MD, Carlo Canosa, MD, Gianfederico Possati, MD

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Catholic University, Rome, Italy

Received for publication June 3, 2004; revisions received July 10, 2004; accepted for publication July 21, 2004.

* Address for reprints: Mario Gaudino, MD, Divisione di Cardiochirurgia, Policlinico Universitario, A. Gemelli, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy (E-mail: mgaudino{at}tiscali.it).

BACKGROUND: Chronic calcium channel blocker therapy has traditionally been considered necessary in patients carrying a radial artery graft, even in the absence of objective data to support it. This report was conceived to evaluate the angiographic and clinical effects of calcium channel blocker therapy during the first postoperative year.

PATIENTS AND RESULTS: A total of 100 consecutive patients who received a radial artery graft at our institution were randomly assigned to receive (n = 53) or not receive (n = 47) calcium channel blocker therapy with oral diltiazem 120 mg/daily started in the early postoperative period. At 1-year follow-up, all patients were reassessed clinically and by Tl201 myocardial scintigraphy, and 83 of them underwent control angiography. In 12 cases we also evaluated the response of the radial artery to the endovascular infusion of serotonin. No difference in terms of clinical outcome, scintigraphic results, and patency rate was found between patients who received or did not receive calcium channel blocker therapy. Endovascular serotonin infusion evoked an evident spastic reaction of radial artery grafts, not attenuated by calcium channel blocker therapy.

CONCLUSION: Calcium channel blocker therapy started immediately after surgery and continued for the first postoperative year does not affect radial artery graft patency and clinical and scintigraphic outcomes. On the basis of these data, the prophylactic use of calcium channel blocker therapy in patients with radial artery grafts seems unsubstantiated.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg.Home page
R. Ding, W. Feng, H. Li, L. Wang, D. Li, Z. Cheng, J. Guo, and D. Hu
A comparative study on in vitro and in vivo effects of topical vasodilators in human internal mammary, radial artery and great saphenous vein
Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., September 1, 2008; 34(3): 536 - 541.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Asian Cardiovasc. Thorac. Ann.Home page
A. T Gurbuz, O. Findik, H. Cui, and A. Aytac
Radial Artery Graft Use and Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Outcome
Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann, April 1, 2007; 15(2): 106 - 112.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg.Home page
D. G. Nezic, A. M. Knezevic, P. S. Milojevic, B. P. Dukanovic, M. D. Jovic, M. D. Borzanovic, and A. N. Neskovic
The fate of the radial artery conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.
Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., August 1, 2006; 30(2): 341 - 346.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Cardiovasc ResHome page
Y. Zhang, T. Tazzeo, V. Chu, and L. J. Janssen
Membrane potassium currents in human radial artery and their regulation by nitric oxide donor
Cardiovasc Res, July 15, 2006; 71(2): 383 - 392.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 MMCTSHome page
M. Gaudino, F. Prati, and G. Possati
Radial artery grafting
MMCTS, January 9, 2006; 2006(0109): 752.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
ANN THORAC SURG ASIAN CARDIOVASC THORAC ANN EUR J CARDIOTHORAC SURG
J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG ICVTS ALL CTSNet JOURNALS
Copyright © 2005 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery.