Heart and vessels
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Single high-dose bolus tirofiban with high-loading-dose clopidogrel in primary coronary angioplasty.
Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor therapy during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) decreases the incidence of major adverse cardiac events. These effects directly result from the level of platelet inhibition. It was shown that standard dosing of tirofiban is insufficient for optimal platelet inhibition. ⋯ However, after the first dose between 2 and 24 h, PFA closure times were significantly prolonged in patients with tirofiban infusion. High-dose bolus of tirofiban seems to be safe and more effective than conventional dose at the periprocedural time, whereas continuous infusion of tirofiban may be necessary in the first 24 h before stable and safe antiplatelet status is reached with clopidogrel. However, safety and efficacy of HDB tirofiban and high-loading-dose clopidogrel together with tirofiban infusion requires further studies with a larger population.
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Case Reports
Successful treatment of massive pulmonary embolism with prolonged catheter-directed thrombolysis.
This is a case report of a young woman who presented with an extensive pulmonary embolism and echocardiographic evidence of right ventricular dysfunction. Although hemodynamically stable, the patient's clinical condition failed to improve with standard heparin anticoagulation. Successful local catheter-directed thrombolysis was performed over an extended period of 48 h with regular monitoring of response to therapy by computed tomography-pulmonary angiography and echocardiography. To our knowledge, treatment of a pulmonary embolism by catheter-directed thrombolytic infusion over an extended period of 48 h has not previously been described.
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Total arterial myocardial revascularization (TAMR) is advisable because of the excellent long-term patency of arterial conduits. We present early and midterm outcomes of five different surgical configurations for TAMR. Between January 1998 and May 2004, 112 patients (aged 56.5 +/- 4.5 years, 20% female) with three-vessel disease underwent TAMR. ⋯ Total arterial myocardial revascularization using different surgical configurations is safe and effective. The use of composite arterial grafts provides excellent clinical and angiographic results, with a low rate of angina recurrence and late cardiac events. These configurations allow for complete arterial revascularization.