Cardiology
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Left atrial appendage function determined by transesophageal echocardiography in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease.
Left atrial thrombi have been considered to be the major source of systemic arterial embolization in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease. Almost half of the left atrial thrombi are found in the left atrial appendage (LAA). To investigate LAA size and LAA contractile function in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease, transesophageal echocardiographic and Doppler studies were performed in 61 patients. ⋯ LAA ejection fraction and LAA peak emptying velocity were lower in this group, too. A higher incidence of LAA SEC formation was found in these patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease (4/15 vs. 0/22; p = 0.021). There was no significant difference, however, in LAA thrombus formation between group 2 and its control group (1/15 vs. 1/22; p = NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in pediatric patients is usually associated with a better prognosis than that in adults. However, late recurrence of SVT has been recently described. A total of 90 patients who had their initial SVT episode before 15 years of age were retrospectively studied (2-228 follow-up months; median, 215 months). ⋯ Even though, about 40% of the patients whose initial attacks occurred during infancy had recurrences 5 years later. Only those who had the initial attacks during the prenatal period remained free from SVT recurrences. Patients with initial SVT episodes during infancy have a longer period without SVT attacks and a lower chance of recurrences; nonetheless, a substantial number of them had recurrence at later childhood except those with initial SVT attacks during the prenatal period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Electrophysiological studies were performed in 26 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Thirteen patients had the Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome (group A), and another 13 patients did not have the WPW syndrome (group B). ⋯ The wavelength index which was defined as the ratio of the refractory period to the conduction delay was significantly lower in group A than in group B. Accordingly, patients in group A had a greater tendency to produce atrial reentry than those in group B.
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Emergency cardiopulmonary support has been used in the United States since 1986, mainly by physicians at participating centers for the National Registry of Elective Supported Angioplasty. Data from the National Registry as well as the experience in three institutions from a number of operators were analyzed to assess the benefits of the emergency cardiopulmonary support application in patients with hemodynamic collapse. Patients who had experienced either cardiac arrest or hemodynamic collapse with cardiogenic shock unresponsive to pressors were placed emergently on cardiopulmonary support. ⋯ A two-center experience has demonstrated a 69% survival rate. Patients treated with emergency cardiopulmonary support who have experienced hemodynamic collapse have improved survivorship over any other hemodynamic support system. With increasing experience by the operators, the results have improved for survivorship, particularly in the early application group.
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This study evaluates the prognostic value of ST-segment depression and angina pectoris occurring alone or in combination during exercise testing performed 3 weeks after myocardial infarction in 281 of 570 consecutive survivors of acute myocardial infarction. Neither angina pectoris (36 patients) nor ST-segment depression of at least 1 mm (46 patients) correlated with the occurrence of acute coronary events (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris requiring hospitalization) during the subsequent year. ⋯ However, the presence of angina and/or ST-segment depression was strongly correlated with the subsequent performance of coronary arteriography. This study indicates that acute coronary events cannot be predicted by clinical or ECG evidence of myocardial ischemia during exercise tests performed 3 weeks after acute myocardial infarction.