| EDITORIAL | 7 |
| FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK | 9 |
| CARDIOVASCULAR TOPICS | 10 |
| Dual effect of quercetin on rat isolated portal vein smooth muscle contractility | 10 |
| Midterm results of left atrial bipolar radiofrequency ablation combined with a mitral valve procedure in persistent atrial fibrillation | 15 |
| Erythromycin as an alternative to reduce interfering extra-cardiac activity in myocardial perfusion imaging | 20 |
| The association between anthropometric parameters, the metabolic syndrome and microalbuminuria in black Africans: the SABPA study | 26 |
| A South African national database in cardiothoracic surgery | 31 |
| CASE REPORTS | 33 |
| Cerebral embolism following thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction: | 33 |
| Reconciling Q waves and late gadolinium enhancement with no angiographic evidence of coronary disease: cardiac sarcoidosis presenting as decompensated heart failure | 36 |
| Persistent left superior vena cava with absent right superior vena cava: a case report and review of the literature | 42 |
| LETTER TO THE EDITOR | 45 |
| YOUR LIFE AND YOUR HEART | 46 |
| DRUG TRENDS | 48 |
| CLARIFY registry launched in South Africa | 48 |
| Boehringer launches first direct thrombin inhibitor: dabigatran (Pradaxa®) | 51 |
| Fibrates consistently lower risk of cardiovascular events across high-risk groups | 52 |
| Tirofiban shows better platelet inhibition in diabetic patients during PCI procedures | 54 |
| Aspirin in primary prevention: USPSTF recommendations | 54 |
| Boehringer Ingelheim launches a more affordable Micardis® | 58 |