Two new culprits in cardiovascular disease: QT dispersion and aldosterone.
Two new culprits have arisen in chronic heart failure (CHF). QT dispersion, which is the maximum QT interval minus the minimum QT interval in an ECG, may well predict sudden cardiac death. Aldosterone produces many harmful effects: magnesium loss, myocardial fibrosis, sympathetic activation, baroreflex dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmias. The RALES study is currently examining whether spironolactone improves mortality in CHF.
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.
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Struthers
D000450:Aldosterone / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
D000450:Aldosterone