Heart : official journal of the British Cardiac Society
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To determine the reasons for delay in calling for help during acute myocardial infarction and the reasons for choice of first medical contact. ⋯ Strategies to reduce patient delay times in this deprived urban population must focus on educating the public on the recognition and diversity of coronary symptoms and the benefits of presenting promptly to hospital by way of the emergency ambulance service.
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To quantify the change in door to needle time when delivery of thrombolytic treatment of acute myocardial infarction was changed from the coronary care unit to the emergency department. ⋯ With a collaborative interdepartmental approach, thrombolytic treatment of acute myocardial infarction was more rapid in the emergency department, without compromising patient safety. This should improve the outcome in patients with infarcts treated with thrombolytic agents.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Randomised double blind trial of oral versus intravenous flecainide for the cardioversion of acute atrial fibrillation.
To investigate whether an oral loading dose of flecainide is as safe and effective as intravenous flecainide for the cardioversion of acute atrial fibrillation. ⋯ Intravenous flecainide restored sinus rhythm more rapidly than oral flecainide, but at two hours and eight hours after treatment there was no difference in the proportion of patients cardioverted by the two approaches. These results suggest a role for oral loading doses of flecainide in the treatment of acute or symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Left atrial volume assessed by transthoracic three dimensional echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging: dynamic changes during the heart cycle in children.
To assess the dynamic changes in left atrial volume by transthoracic three dimensional echocardiography and compare the results with those obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ⋯ Three dimensional echocardiography and MRI were both useful methods for studying the physiological volume changes in the left atrium in children. These methods may be used for further study of the systolic and diastolic function of the heart.