Background: Fasting during the month of Ramadan is of vital significance

Background: Fasting during the month of Ramadan is of vital significance amongst Muslims; however little is known about the effects of this kind of fasting on individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD). gout and insulin-treated diabetes were excluded. Patients experienced the choice of fasting during Ramadan if they so wished and to break their fast as soon as symptoms such as dyspnea and chest pain occurred (fasting group) or not fasting (control group). CCT239065 Results: A total of 148 individuals completed the study. Mean (mean ± SD) age of the individuals was 61.5 ± 11.7 years and 50% were male. Finally 66 individuals (44.6%) accomplished Ramadan fast with an average of 22.27 ± 10.46 days of fasting. CCT239065 Event of chest pain was not significantly different between the fasting and non-fasting organizations (4 out of 66 [6.1%] vs. 8 out of 82 [9.8%] respectively; P = 0.42). In addition individuals who fasted during Ramadan did not experience a higher frequency of a combined endpoint of chest pain and dyspnea (4 out of 66 instances in the fasting group [6.1%] vs. 11 out of 82 in non-fasting group [13.4%]; P = 0.14). Conclusions: In the present study the individuals with CAD were able to observe Ramadan fast safely and their combined endpoint of chest pain and dyspnea was not significantly different from that of the non-fasting ones. We would suggest that individuals with CAD and normal remaining ventricular function could fast during Ramadan. Keywords: Fasting Coronary Artery Disease Ramadan Chest Pain Dyspnea 1 Background Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar mandating healthy adult Muslims to eschew from sinful conversation and behavior and observe abstinence from eating and drinking including taking oral or intravenous medication from dawn to dusk (1). During Ramadan Muslims tend to eat two meals: a pre-fast meal before sunrise (Sahar or Suhoor) and a meal shortly after sunset (Iftaar). This obligatory switch in lifestyle in terms of obtaining the daily calorie CCT239065 intake via two meals in lieu of the customary four or five meals each day or alteration in medication schedule or reduction in daily sleep Rabbit Polyclonal to Dynamin-1 (phospho-Ser774). duration might impact individuals with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Although more than a billion Muslims observe Ramadan fast the world over there is still a great deal of controversy in the medical community on the effect of this important Islamic tenet on CVD (2-4) and there is a dearth of data on its CCT239065 impact on individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD). 2 Objectives The purpose of this prospective observational study was to determine whether fasting in Ramadan offers any effect on the symptoms of individuals with stable CAD. 3 Individuals and Methods thirty days prior to the commencement of Ramadan outpatients with stable CAD recorded by angiography exercise test or solitary photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were consecutively (nonrandomly) selected to participate in the study if they offered written educated consent. Individuals with systolic remaining ventricular dysfunction (ejection portion [EF] < 50%) renal failure gout and diabetes mellitus (DM) requiring insulin or uncontrolled DM were excluded. Among 349 recorded individuals with stable CAD that were went to in the pointed out period 148 individuals signed the written educated consent and were included. The study population were given the choice to fast (fasting group) or not to fast (control group) during Ramadan. In the period of our study (August 12 2010 through September 9 2010 and in our location (Shahroud Iran) Ramadan fell in the summer time of year: the heat was 23℃ to 35℃ during the fasting time and fasting lasted for about 13.5 to 14 hours a day. The fasting individuals were recommended to break their fast CCT239065 as soon as they experienced symptoms such as chest pain dyspnea and severe palpitation and take their medications (eg TNG). All the cardiovascular drugs were adjusted and continued twice daily (at Sahar and Iftaar) and the individuals were went to up to thirty days after the termination of Ramadan and asked about days of fasting and possible symptoms during fasting. If the patient was admitted to hospital or there was a need for visit due to switch in the symptoms during the study period appropriate treatment would be performed relating to current recommendations. The individuals were assigned to five treatment groups: Medical treatment: Those who were candidate for medical treatment because of unsuitable coronary anatomy for revascularization; those who were candidate for medical follow-up because of suitable response to medical treatment; and those appropriate.