Our aim was to investigate the changes in the myocardium stiffness index for patients suffering from systemic hypertension, and to assess their left ventricular performance. We studied 263 hypertensive patients and 166 healthy subjects as a control group. By using conventional Doppler echocardiography, the following parameters were measured—Left ventricular end diastolic diameter, left ventricular end systolic diameter, transmitral early velocity, isovolumic relaxation time, and isovolumic contraction time. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) was used in the measurements of the early mitral annular velocity (Ea) and the diastolic stiffness was obtained by calculating the ratio E\Ea\LVIDd. Index myocardial performance (IMP) was calculated

Background : Coronary artery disease is theunderlying cause in approximately two thirds of
patients with systolic heart failure ;
Coronary artery angiogriphy may be useful to
define the presence ,
Anatomical characteristics ,and functional
significance of Coronary artery disease in
selected heart failure patients with or without signs
and aymptoms of Coronary artery disease.
Objectives: to verify the clinical usefulness of
coronary angiography (CA) in congestive heart
failure (CHF) patients with no history of ischemic
heart disease and to identify predictive factors for
performing coronary angiography to patients with
congestive heart failure with no obvious ischemia.
Methods :this is a cross-ses

Background: The use of the chest x-ray measurements which includes the cardiothoracic ratio(C-T) and frontal area (FA) of the heart by the CXR are useful measures for primary assessment of the cardiac dysfunction.
Patients and Methods: A Prospective study was done from the 1st of January 2005 to the 1st of October in the same year on a 120 consecutive patients who have been admitted for coronary and L.V angiogram at IBN-AL-BITAR hospital. The C-T ratio and the frontal area were measured.
Results: The study comprised 120 subjects who were admitted for coronary and L.V angiogram for diagnostic reasons. 89subjects (74.2%) are male and 31subjects (25.8%) are female .17(14%) subjects have left ventricular d

Objectives: (I) to describe the hemodynamic and electrocardiograph (ECG) responses in patients with acute myocardial infraction (AMI) to a low level treadmill test (2) to assess the safety of low-level treadmill testing after AMI (3) to determine if information gained from the test can be used for discharge planning.
Methods: 50 consecutive patients with AMI were subjected for symptoms limited treadmill testing in the CCU of University Teaching Hospital Iraqi medical College, their age range was from 30-70 with mean age of 55 years. Blood pressure, heart rate, and ECG during a low level treadmill test studied 6 days after AML They were divided into two groups, group I those who could finish the test and group 2 those who couldn't fini

Background: Obesity is a public health concern worldwide associated with significant health risks and comorbid conditions. Obesity might be a strong factor that can induce left ventricular systolic dysfunction and eventually cause heart failure independent to coronary artery disease or other morbidities. In uncomplicated obese subjects, diastolic dysfunction is caused by hemodynamic and metabolic factors.
Objectives: To assess the left ventricular (systolic and diastolic) function in a sample of overweight and obese subjects using different Echocardiographic tools and exploring the percentage and type of diastolic dysfunction in those people.
Subjects and methods: one hundred seven (107) normal adult males subjects with a mean age

Multiple studies support a role for inflammation in the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis and unstable cardiac syndromes. However, of the known pro-inflammatory cytokines, only elevated plasma levels of interleukin-6(IL-6) have been linked to Unstable Angina. We sought to examine the plasma levels of other major proinflammatory cytokines in similar clinical settings patients with unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction and the relationship extent between them. This study aimed to investigate and compare the level of IL-1 in Unstable Angina and Acute Myocardial Infarction patients. Thirty patients with unstable angina and thirty patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction, also thirty healthy individual as control were included

Background : It has been suggested that pretreatment with a statin agent prior to
myocardial infarction limits myocardial
creatine kinase release, and thus may act to
limit myocardial infarct size in humans.
Objective : To examine the effect of very
early statin initiation for acute myocardial
infarction (AMI), to the extent of
myonecrosis as manifested by peak serum
creatine kinase levels.
Methods : Patients with AMI admitted to AlKindy teaching hospital cardiac care unit
from 1st February 2007 to 28th February
2008, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria
cited in the present study, were randomly
assigned into two study groups. The statin
group patients have received a single oral
dose of 40 mg

Background: Despite the fact that the exact architecture and orientation of ventricular myocardium are critical to cardiac functions either in health or disease, it is still debated.

Objectives: Anatomical demonstration of the ventricle myocardium (VM)as a single, long and continuous muscular sheet and this muscular sheet can be dived into 3-segments. As a new anatomical concept the left ventricle is a triple layers wall; whether the right ventricle is a single layer wall.Histological demonstration of different directions of muscle-fibers at each layer of ventricular myocardium.

Type of the study: Cross- sectional study.

Methods: In this study 100

Background: Extreme obesity is recognized to be a risk factor for coronary heart disease. It is unclear whether overweight and normal weight also poses a risk.
Objective: The study aims to determine the effect of the body mass index on coronary arteries and left ventricular functions in patients with post myocardial infarction (MI) angina
Method: The study included 50 patients with the diagnosis of post MI angina consecutively admitted to the medical ward of Iraqi Center for Heart Disease. All patients underwent
coronary artery catheterization and Echocardiography for assessment of coronary artery and left ventricular functions 
Results: The results of the study showed that there is a significant diff