British heart journal
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British heart journal · Jul 1976
Case ReportsArrhythmias in two patients with left ventricular bypass transplants.
Two patients who underwent left ventricular bypass transplants are described. Both patients sustained postoperative rhythm disturbances of their own hearts during sinus rhythm of the donor hearts. ⋯ The patients tolerated all these arrhythmias well during uninterrupted sinus rhythm in the donor heart. The problems in interpretation of arrhythmias in the presence of two hearts are discussed.
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British heart journal · Jul 1976
Case ReportsEchocardiographic findings after acute carbon monoxide poisoning.
Myocardial lesions are frequently seen at necropsy after fatal carbon monoxide poisoning. Clinically, while there have been numerous reports of chest pain and electrocardiographic changes associated with acute carbon monoxide poisoning, other evidence for left ventricular abnormality has not been reported. The echocardiographic findings in five cases of non-fatal poisoning are presented here. ⋯ Motion returned to normal in 2 of the 3 in follow-up tracings. Echocardiograms on 3 of the 5 patients showed mitral valve prolapse. Though the mitral valve prolapse may have been present before the poisoning, the reported high incidence of papillary muscle lesions in fatal cases suggests a possible relation of the prolapse to the effects of the carbon monoxide poisoning.
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British heart journal · Jun 1976
Case ReportsIdiopathic aortitis with calcification of ascending aorta, and aortic and mitral valves.
A young woman with unexplained radiographic calcification of the ascending aorta was found at necropsy to have healed idiopathic aorititis. Calcification also involved the aortic valve which was stenosed and the mitral valve. Death was the result of infective endocarditis of these valves with aortic ring abscess, rupture of aortic root, and cardiac tamponade.
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British heart journal · Jun 1976
Serial 3 orthogonal lead electrocardiographic abnormalities after pulmonary embolism. Computer assisted study.
The 3 orthogonal lead electrocardiogram has been evaluated with computer assisted interpretation in 20 patients with acute pulmonary embolism confirmed by pulmonary angiography. Initial 3-lead electrocardiographic abnormalities were found to be at least as helpful as the 12-lead electrocardiogram in supporting the clinical diagnosis. In addition, however, sequential changes in both the maximum QRS and T vector orientations in frontal and transverse planes were more often apparent than any sequential changes in the 12-lead electrocardiogram. While no specific 3 lead electrocardiographic criterion for pulmonary embolism could be determined, this technique was more helpful than conventional methods in following serial electrocardiographic changes in patients with this condition.
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A girl who presented in childhood with advanced primary pulmonary hypertension and whose condition later improved is described. This is the first time to our knowledge that documented regression of the disease has been reported.