Prevalence of heart failure (HF) increases over time and is associated with high mortality. Shortness of breath, exercise intolerance, and low quality of life related to health are the common problems in HF patients despite optimum pharmacological therapy. Exercise training counteracts the progression of devastating compensatory mechanisms of HF, leading to improvement in functional capacity and quality of life. Resistance training improves peak oxygen uptake, quality of life, and walking performance in HF patients. Adherence is central to training for the best result. Any exercise training program whether continuous or interval training is sufficient to improve the prognosis, quality of life, and anatomic function.

Background: There is an increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) at modestly elevated levels of blood glucose which is still below the present threshold for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In the present study, we aimed to define impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and T2DM in patients with stable CAD and observe the relationship between clinical and laboratory findings. Materials and Methods: A total of 132 patients who had stable CAD and who had not been diagnosed as glucose intolerance or diabetes were enrolled. In one of the groups, there were patients with IGT or T2DM results and the other one consisted of patients with normal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results. The Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was investigated in patients with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) <100 mg/dl. Results: The prevalance of IGT and T2DM was 30.3%. In IGT + T2DM group, waist/hip ratio and creatinin level were significantly higher and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was low. Only eGFR calculated by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula was a reliable parameter. MDRD eGFR ≤70 ml/dk/m² independently predicted IGT + T2DM diagnosis with 50% sensitivity but with 82% specificity. Although it is insufficient to use it as an optimal screening test because of lower sensitivity, it can be a reliable indicator of IGT + DM in patients who had eGFR ≤70. Insulin resistance was diagnosed in 29% of patients whose pretest values were FPG <100 mg/dl. Conclusion: MDRD eGFR can be an indicator for IGT + T2DM. OGTT irrespective of FPG level should be used to determine the presence of IGT + T2DM in stable CAD.

Background: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease influences young patients as well as the elderly. A large proportion of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have metabolic syndrome (MS), although the frequency and association of its different components are not clear. To the best of our knowledge, there is no any study about the prevalence of MS among young patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to determine the prevalence of MS in patients below 46 years of age who presented with STEMI and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: In the present prospective study, 141 consecutive patients with STEMI <46 years of age admitted to intensive coronary care unit. STEMI was defined according to the ESC guidelines for the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation. All patients were grouped presence of MS. In the second step, the components of MS were analyzed, excluding patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Results: The total prevalence of MS was 46.8% (n = 66). In MS group, the most frequent component of MS was low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (84.8%), followed by elevated triglycerides (TGs) (78.1%). A total of 121 patients did not have DM and 51 (42.1%) of these patients presented with MS. Conclusions: The prevalence of MS in young patients with STEMI is high. Low HDL cholesterol (HDLc) concentrations and high TG levels are cardiovascular risk factors, regardless of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and they are found too often in our study. These results highlight the need to implement preventative strategies for reducing overall cardiovascular risk in young patients as well as elderly.

The coexistence of atrial septal defect (ASD) and mitral stenosis (MS) is defined as Lutembacher's syndrome (LS). LS was originally defined as the development of MS in a patient having a congenital ASD diagnosis. However, as the percutaneous interventions for MS have become widespread, the persistence of associated iatrogenic ASDs caused has given rise to a different form of the disease. LS may occur as spontaneous or iatrogenic ASD concomitant with acquired MS; this form is known as “acquired LS.” This report presents two cases illustrating congenital LS and “acquired LS.”

A double orifice mitral valve (DOMV) represents a rare congenital malformation characterized by two valve orifices with two separate subvalvular apparatus. We present an interesting case of an asymptomatic 1 year and 8 months old male child with DOMV who successfully underwent surgery.