British medical journal
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During 1965-9 22 women aged 41 years or less have been seen with myocardial infarction. Eleven had been taking oral contraceptives. This prevalence of oral contraception (50%) is appreciably greater than that estimated for women of the same age in the general population. ⋯ Details of 15 women of comparable age seen during 1960-4 before oral contraceptives were widely used are also presented, and they had similar characteristics. Oral contraceptives do not appear on their own to increase the risk of developing myocardial infarction, but they may do so in women otherwise prone to ischaemic heart disease. Suggestions are made for the identification of these women.
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British medical journal · Mar 1970
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialClinical trials of different concentrations of oxygen and nitrous oxide for obstetric analgesia. Report to the Medical Research Council of the Committee on Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen Analgesia in Midwifery.
Trials have been organized by a Medical Research Council committee to assess the effectiveness and safety for analgesia in labour of oxygen and nitrous oxide mixtures in different proportions. In a preliminary trial concentrations of 50% and 60% v/v nitrous oxide were compared, but, as the replies of 409 mothers revealed little difference between the two, the results of administering either 50% or 70% nitrous oxide to 778 mothers were then compared. The data relating to normal labour, obtained on 501 of the mothers in this main trial, showed that the relief of pain given was much the same. ⋯ The proportion of mothers with normal deliveries who lost consciousness, though very small, was significantly higher with 70% nitrous oxide than with the lower concentration. Ninety-two per cent. of mothers found the gas and oxygen machine helpful, and midwives reported complete or good co-operation by 77% of those using it. It is concluded that the 50% oxygen and 50% nitrous oxide mixture can safely be used by unsupervised midwives.
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British medical journal · Jan 1970
Malignant hyperpyrexia during anaesthesia: possible association with subclinical myopathy.
The members of a family in whom three malignant hyperpyrexial deaths occurred during anaesthesia were studied by means of serum creatine phosphokinase estimations. Abnormally high levels were found in many asymptomatic relatives. ⋯ Possibly sudden unexplained deaths under varying circumstances are a further expression of this underlying abnormality. A possible clue to the anticipation of future cases of malignant hyperpyrexia has been found, and it is suggested that relatives of previous cases be investigated.