Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia
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Arq. Bras. Cardiol. · Jun 2010
[Reproducibility of the determination of anaerobic threshold in patients with heart failure].
The anaerobic threshold (AT) provides information on functional capacity in heart failure (HF). However, the visual determination of the AT by ventilatory methods is subjective, being susceptible to differences between examiners. ⋯ AT determination by visual-graphic and V-slope methods showed high and moderate inter- and intra-examiner reproducibility, respectively. Moreover, both methods showed good agreement when compared with each other. These results suggest that both methods can be used in a reproducible way in AT assessment of patients with mild to moderate HF.
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Arq. Bras. Cardiol. · May 2010
[Two-year follow-up of pulmonary arterial hypertension patients treated with sildenafil].
The long-term effects of drugs developed for the control of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are little known, since multicenter studies usually last 12 to 16 weeks. ⋯ In a two-year follow-up, sildenafil proved useful in the control of the functional status of PAH patients, with significant improvement in both groups considered.
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Arq. Bras. Cardiol. · Mar 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialShort-duration transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery.
Respiratory muscle strength has been related to the postoperative outcome of cardiac surgeries. The main documented therapeutic purpose of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is the reduction of pain, which could bring secondary benefits to the respiratory muscles and, consequently, to lung capacities and volumes. ⋯ Short-duration TENS proved effective for the reduction of pain and improvement of respiratory muscle strength, as well as of lung volumes and capacity.
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Arq. Bras. Cardiol. · Mar 2010
Sepsis in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery: problem description.
In spite of the advances in sepsis diagnosis and treatment in the last years, the morbidity and mortality are still high. ⋯ The occurrence of sepsis after cardiac surgery was a rare event; however, its occurrence showed catastrophic clinical outcomes. The high morbidity and mortality showed the need to improve treatment, aiming at patients' better clinical evolution.
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Arq. Bras. Cardiol. · Feb 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial[Incentive spirometry with expiratory positive airway pressure brings benefits after myocardial revascularization].
Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery have higher risk to develop pulmonary complications (PCs) such as atelectasis, pneumonia and pleural effusion. These complications could increase the length of hospital stay, resources utilization and also are associated with reduced quality of life and functional capacity a long term. ⋯ Patients that were submitted to IS+EPAP present reduction of dyspnea and lower effort sensation after the 6-MWT, and also a better quality of life 18 months after CABG.