Journal of cardiology
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Journal of cardiology · Jun 2007
Case Reports[Shoshin beriberi complicating severe pulmonary hypertension: a case report].
A 44-year-old male was admitted to our hospital for dyspnea, associated with severe pulmonary hypertension. The patient fell into a shock state on the next day. ⋯ The rapid recovery after intravenous thiamine administration and the patient's history of improper diet strongly supported the diagnosis. The present case of shoshin beriberi complicating severe pulmonary hypertension shows that history taking is important in elucidating the etiology and selecting the correct treatment.
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Journal of cardiology · Jun 2007
Case ReportsPseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa following infective endocarditis in a patient with acute heart failure: a case report.
A 22-year-old male presented with infective endocarditis and aortic regurgitation with congenital bicuspid aortic valve. Echocardiography revealed vegetation on the aortic valve and a pseudoaneurysm in the region of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (MAIVF) with severe aortic and mitral regurgitation. ⋯ He received successful aortic valve replacement and restoration of normal mitral-aortic continuity. Pseudoaneurysm of the MAIVF is a relatively rare complication of infective endocarditis, but should be considered in patients who are suspected to have vegetation because echocardiography can easily establish the correct diagnosis.
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Journal of cardiology · Apr 2007
Case Reports[Primary effusion lymphoma complicating cardiac tamponade: a case report].
A 76-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of exertional dyspnea and leg edema during the previous month. Her systolic blood pressure on admission was 80 mmHg with 12 mmHg of pulsus paradoxous, and her pulse rate was 110 beats/min. Chest radiography revealed marked cardiomegaly and echocardiography showed massive pericardial effusion mainly behind the left ventricle and collapse of the right ventricle. ⋯ The prognosis of primary effusion lymphoma is generally unfavorable because it is frequently accompanied by immunodeficiency disease. However, there was no human immunodeficiency virus infection in this patient. Fortunately, the effect of chemotherapy was excellent and the patient is doing well 1 year after the diagnosis.
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Journal of cardiology · Mar 2007
Comparative Study[Left ventricular volume and ejection fraction by the axius auto ejection fraction method: comparison with manual trace method and visual assessment of ejection fraction].
Visual assessment of the ejection fraction (EF) is often used in clinical practice, but is subjective and requires training and experience. The auto EF method has been newly developed for automated detection of the left ventricular (LV) endocardial border throughout the cardiac cycle. The clinical feasibility was assessed of the auto EF method for measuring LV volumes and EF in patients. Manually traced EF measured by the biplane modified Simpson's rule was used as the reference standard. ⋯ The auto EF method is a clinically useful tool for the measurement of LV volumes and EF.
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Journal of cardiology · Nov 2006
Case ReportsPostprandial hyperglycemia is a possible contributor to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a case report.
Atrial fibrillation, a major risk factor for stroke, is believed to occur first as paroxysmal episodes, gradually becoming more persistent, and finally progressing to chronic atrial fibrillation. Treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is an important target to prevent chronic atrial fibrillation. We describe a very unique case with postprandial hyperglycemia and obesity associated with drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. ⋯ A 1600 kcal/day diet and walking three times/day for more than 30 min eliminated paroxysmal atrial fibrillation after 6 months. Diet and exercise should be considered as the initial therapy in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who also have postprandial hyperglycemia. This case suggests that postprandial hyperglycemia and insulin resistance might be one of the possible underlying mechanisms of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.