Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Clopidogrel, antiplatelet drug, has been widely used for management of CAD. Arylesterase, the activity of Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), is mainly contributed in the biotransformation of clopidogrel to its active thiol form. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of receiving clopidogrel drug on the arylesterase activities in CAD patients. The effect of receiving clopidogrel drug on the antioxidant activity of arylesterase was also monitored by determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Methods: One hundred CAD patients, who were followed-up for 5 days after reciving clopidogrel, and 50 healthy volunteers were included in our study

treatment decisions for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and/or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in patients with complex coronary artery disease (CAD) and/or unprotected left main stem disease (ULMSD).
Objectives: To assess the agreement between the clinical decisions of the cardiologist and the SS II recommendation regarding the revascularization strategies in patients with complex CAD and/or ULMSD.
Patients and Methods: Prospective data from patients who presented to Baghdad Medical City Catheterization Labs for coronary angiography and were followed up between January 2014 and November 2015 were analyzed. For these patients, SS II was assessed by the two anatomical variables (SS and presence of ULMSD) and six clinica

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be a key event in the development of atherosclerosis. It is a systemic process that simultaneously affects different vascular territories including coronary arteries. It is recommended that noninvasive approaches assessing endothelial function in peripheral vessels like flow mediated dilatation are indirectly representative of coronary vascular function.
Objectives: This study is aimed to assess endothelial dysfunction by using flow mediated dilatation in patients with coronary artery disease
Patients and methods: 82 patients of either sex with an age range of 40-65years are involved in this study. Each patient was subjected to two tests; first test was the flow mediated dilatation

Background: The association between oral microbial infection and systemic disease is not a new concept. A major confounding issue is that oral infections often are only one of the many important factors that can influence systemic diseases .Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the periodontal health status of patients with acquired coronary heart disease. Type of the study: Cross-sectional study.Methods: The study group consisted of 200 patients with an age range (35-70) years, having coronary heart disease .This study group were compared to a control group of non-coronary heart disease (200 individuals ) matching with age and gender. The oral parameters were examined including the periodontal conditions, assessment of periodo

Background : Left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease represents important and serious portion of coronary artery disease(CAD).
Aim: The aim of this study is to estimate the incidence of LMCA disease among patients with CAD undergoing coronary artery angiography and to evaluate clinical characteristics of patients with LMCA disease.
Methods: The study involved review of clinical notes and coronary angiography of 1020 patients with CAD in Ibin Al Bitar hospital for cardiac surgery between April and September 2004.This review included evaluation of electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram(ECHO), ECG exercise test (EET) and coronary angiography.
Results: Among 56 patients proved to have left main corona

Background: Strain imaging assessing regional myocardial deformation and can be used to quantify regional myocardial function and differentiate between ischemic and non ischemic myocardium.

Objectives: to assess sensitivity and specificity of strain imaging in detection of coronary artery disease in comparison with coronary angiography.
Patients and Methods: ninety six patients were referred to Ibn albitar center for cardiac surgery, Baghdad, Iraq with symptoms of coronary artery disease for a period between June 2014 and April 2015, all of whom were evaluated by two dimensional echocardiography and all were found to have good left ventricular systolic function with no regiona

Background:The most principal mechanisms of cardiomyopathies are;high preload and afterload and low myocardial contractility, imbalance of trace elements may cause myocardial metabolic dysfunction and may have a role in aetiology of cardiomyopathy, particulary in IDC. Trace elements are being increasingly recognized as essential mediators of the development and progression of heart diseases.
Methods: Study design Multi case-control study and single center estimation of trace elements concentrations in a number of volunteer settings this study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology, Ibn Albitar Hospital, and in the Physiological Chemistry Department of the College of Medicine, Baghdad University, fr

Background: revascularization therapy for patients with left main (LM) and/or three vessel coronary disease is a matter of argument for long a time whether bypercutaneous coronary angiography orcoronary artery bypass grafting. SYNTAX trial was designed to assess the optimal revascularization strategy between percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting, for patients with left main stem coronary artery disease and/or 3-vessel coronary disease.

Aim: To estimate the complexity of coronary artery disease in patients referred to a tertiary Iraqi cardiac center and its effect on mode of revascularization.

Patients and Method: Ninety nine patients who w

Objectives: To study the prevalence of rs1799964 (-1031 T/C) and rs361525 (- 238 G/A) SNPs and their effect on the disease activity, severity, and cytokines production in newly diagnosed Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Patients and Methods: sixty-three patients were diagnosed by a specialist physician while attending the rheumatology unit and twenty control participated. The inflammatory markers were measured and PCR amplification and sequencing were performed to demonstrate TNF-α SNPs. Results: Regarding (-1031 C/T) SNP, the TT genotype and allele C were significantly present in the controls, and the CT genotype was distributed significantly in the patients. The TT genotype was mostly distributed in the mild-moder

Background:  Imaging has a critical role in the diagnosis and evaluation of cardiac diseases, beginning with chest radiography and fluoro-scopy and progressing to coronary angio-graphy, echocardiography, nuclear medicine and recently  multidetector computed tomo-graphy (MDCT) as well as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging

Objective: To highlight the role of Multi-detector CT in the evaluation of coronary artery disease and its importance of being noninvasive diagnostic technique.

Methods: A cross sectional study for 20 patients. Patients were asked to fast 6 hours prior to the examination and the patients with heart rates above 65 beats per minute were given cardio-