Connecticut medicine
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Connecticut medicine · Feb 2007
Case ReportsClenbuterol toxicity: an emerging epidemic. A case report and review.
A 55-year-old Hispanic male found unresponsive at home was brought to our emergency department. The patient was found to have rapid atrial fibrillation and acute inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction on electrocardiogram. Cardiac catheterization failed to reveal any significant stenotic lesions in the coronary arteries. ⋯ Further blood analysis revealed the presence of clenbuterol. Clenbuterol is a long-acting B-2 agonist used in veterinary medicine. Several patients in the Northeast have recently presented with a similar constellation of symptoms attributed to use of heroin adulterated with clenbuterol.
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Connecticut medicine · Jun 2006
Combined thrombolysis and inferior vena caval interruption as a therapeutic approach to massive and submassive pulmonary embolism.
Massive and a submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening emergency. This condition is usually treated urgently with measures to attain hemodynamic stability and anticoagulation. In selected subjects, thrombolysis, inferior vena caval interruption and embolectomy have been used. We report a consecutive case series of subjects with massive and submassive pulmonary embolism treated with both inferior vena caval interruption and thrombolysis. ⋯ The combination of inferior vena caval interruption and thrombolysis seems safe and effective for the treatment of PE. This modality was not associated with mortality in any of our patients. The only complication encountered was bleeding primarily at the sites of vascular access. We conclude that combined vena caval interruption and thrombolysis is a safe means of treating potentially life-threatening pulmonary embolism.