Postgraduate medicine
-
Methods and devices for permanent cardiac pacing remained relatively stable for over two decades with use of the single-chamber ventricular demand (VVI) pacemaker. However, changes have occurred in the 1980s and are expected to continue with the availability of more advanced technology and with increasing knowledge about cardiac pacing. The physiologic benefit of the newer dual-chamber atrial synchronous (VDD) and fully automatic, universal (DDD) pacemakers over the VVI pacemaker in patients with permanent complete heart block and normal sinus node function has been established. ⋯ Whether these patients have severe sinus node dysfunction all the time or adequate sinus node function most of the time during follow-up, the DDD pacemaker will function as a noncommitted DVI with atrial sensing (DDI). The early report of DVI pacemaker-induced atrial fibrillation during follow-up has been refuted by more recent works. If the DDD pacemaker is significantly more expensive than the DVI pacemaker, the latter type may be a good alternative for this condition.
-
Postgraduate medicine · Mar 1986
Case ReportsHypnotherapy in children. New approach to solving common pediatric problems.
Physicians have long used the power of suggestion informally in their practice as a means of motivating patients and boosting compliance. Recent research shows that formal use of hypnosis can be a valuable primary or adjunctive therapy, especially in children. ⋯ The cases reported here illustrate the effectiveness of this process in children. Before hypnotherapy can be used clinically, the physician should become certified by an association approved by the American Medical Association and know when hypnotherapy is indicated and how long it should be continued.
-
Knowledge of the pathophysiology of myocardial ischemia has been greatly enhanced recently by new information on coronary artery spasm. This phenomenon accounts for the mechanism underlying the attacks of resting chest pain in Prinzmetal's angina and plays a role in almost all aspects of ischemic heart disease. The diagnosis of coronary artery spasm can be made presumptively with noninvasive methods, but definitive documentation is usually obtained in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. The nitrate derivatives and the calcium antagonists provide a safe and effective approach to therapy.
-
The bite of the Gila monster may cause significant symptoms, including constitutional symptoms, pain, edema, mild hypotension, and less frequently, shock (as in the case reported here). Envenomations may be life-threatening but generally are easily managed by symptomatic and supportive measures and appear to be less toxic than envenomations by other poisonous reptiles. Prudent handling of captive animals could probably prevent the majority of these already uncommon bites.