Cardiol J
-
Distortion of the terminal portion of the QRS in the initial electrocardiogram (ECG) is a strong predictor of adverse outcome in myocardial infarction. Our purpose is to assess the relationship of distortion of QRS and other ECG characteristics with older age. ⋯ The distortion of the terminal portion of the QRS in myocardial infarction is more frequent in elderly people, and is significantly related to adverse prognosis. This ECG finding can be helpful to promptly stratify the risk in elderly patients.
-
The aim of this study was to assess the effect of left ventricular dysfunction on right ventricular ejection fraction during exercise in heart failure patients and its implications in functional capacity and blood pressure response. ⋯ Biventricular systolic dysfunction during exercise is associated with higher rest and stress blood pressure and worse functional capacity.
-
We report a 57 year-old male patient admitted with a diagnosis of non-ST elevation acute myocardial infarction. He had suffered from chest pain, diaphoresis and intense asthenia for three days. The electrocardiogram on admission showed a high frequency sinus tachycardia. ⋯ An echocardiogram suggested an antero-lateral myocardial infarction. Eventually, a left adrenal pheochromocytoma was discovered. Left ventricular function, severely depressed, returned to normal after medical and surgical therapy.
-
Wellens' syndrome is a pattern of electrocardiography T-wave changes associated with critical proximal left anterior descending artery lesion. Patients with Wellens' syndrome are at high risk of the development of extensive myocardial infarction of the anterior wall and death. Thus, it is vital that this finding is recognized promptly. We present a patient with Wellens' syndrome in this article.
-
In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, functional and structural changes of the respiratory system greatly influence cardiovascular autonomic functions. Determining autonomic balance may be important in understanding the pathophysiology of COPD and useful clinically in the treatment of COPD patients. Heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) are useful tools in assessing the autonomic neurovegetative function. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the HRV and HRT variables in COPD patients. Twenty five moderate to severe COPD patients and 25 healthy subjects were included in this study. ⋯ In addition to HRV parameters, HRT onset was significantly different in COPD patients. In our opinion, the combination of HRV variables and HRT onset may be simple and elegant ways of evaluating cardiac autonomic functions. New investigations of HRT and HRV in COPD patients have a potential importance for improving risk stratification and therapeutic approaches, and understanding the autonomic outcomes of the disease process.