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A Labovitz

Publications and source records attributed to A Labovitz.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Concept, development, administration, and analysis of a certifying examination in echocardiography for physicians.

In 1993, the American Society of Echocardiography appointed a committee to develop an objective examination in echocardiography. In 1995, a pilot of this examination was administered, with operational examinations offered each year from 1996 to 1999. This report describes the development of the examination, including its underlying philosophy, the test itself, and the scoring process, and includes results from the first 4 examinations. To date, 1266 physicians have taken the examination, and roughly 60% of those have passed. The number of echocardiograms performed or interpreted each week had the largest effect on examination scores; the effects of both the amount of training and the practice discipline were small but significant. The evolution of the original committee and new directions for the testing organization are also discussed.

Certification↗
PubMed2000

Benefits of lipid lowering on vascular reactivity in patients with coronary artery disease and average cholesterol levels: a mechanism for reducing clinical events?

BACKGROUND: The favorable effects of lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol on reducing clinical events in patients with coronary disease have been well established. The mechanisms responsible for this benefit, however, have not been fully understood. This study examined the impact of lipid-lowering therapy on endothelium-dependent vasoreactivity in a subgroup of patients after myocardial infarction with average cholesterol levels who participated in the Cholesterol Recurrent Events (CARE) study to determine whether an effect on endothelial function is a viable mechanism for the observed reduction in clinical events. METHODS AND RESULTS: Participants were recruited from among volunteers in the CARE trial at 2 university-based outpatient cardiology clinics. Patients were randomly assigned to pravastatin or placebo. Plasma lipids were measured at baseline and semiannually thereafter. During the final 6 months of the trial, vasoreactivity was assessed by change in ultrasound-determined brachial artery diameter in response to blood pressure cuff-induced ischemia (endothelium-dependent) and to nitroglycerin, a direct vasodilator. Differences in response were examined between the 2 randomized groups. The relation between change in LDL-cholesterol from baseline to year 5 and the magnitude of endothelium-dependent vasodilation also was examined. There was significantly greater endothelium-dependent vasodilation observed in the pravastatin group compared with the placebo group (13% vs 8%, P =.0002), with no difference between the groups in their response to the endothelium-independent vasodilator nitroglycerin. The magnitude of the endothelium-dependent vasodilation was significantly correlated with the percent change in LDL-cholesterol from baseline to final visit (r = 0.49, P =.015). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the use of pravastatin in patients after myocardial infarction with average cholesterol levels is associated with greater endothelium-dependent vasodilation compared with those who received placebo. The magnitude of this vasodilatory response is correlated to the reduction in LDL-cholesterol. This improvement in endothelium-dependent vasoreactivity may be a likely mechanism, at least in part, for the reduction in recurrent clinical events observed and reported in the CARE study.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Aortic plaque in atrial fibrillation: prevalence, predictors, and thromboembolic implications.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Thoracic aortic plaque identified by transesophageal echocardiography heightens the risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to identify the prevalence, predictors, and implications of aortic plaque in patients with nonvalvular AF. METHODS: Thoracic aortic plaque was prospectively sought in 770 persons with AF with the use of transesophageal echocardiography and classified as simple or complex on the basis of thickness >/=4 mm, ulceration, or mobility. Clinical and echocardiographic features of thromboembolism were correlated by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Aortic plaque was detected in 57% of the cohort, and complex plaque was detected in 25%. Both were found more frequently in the descending than in the proximal aorta. Potentially etiologic patient characteristics independently associated with complex plaque included advanced age, history of hypertension, diabetes, and past or present tobacco use. Comorbidities associated with aortic plaque were prior thromboembolism, increased pulse pressure, ischemic heart disease, stenosis or sclerosis of the aortic valve, mitral annular calcification (>10%), elevated serum creatinine concentration, spontaneous echo contrast in the left atrium or appendage, and left atrial appendage thrombus. The prevalence of complex plaque in patients aged <70 years with <10% mitral annular calcification, without ischemic heart disease, or without pulse pressure >/=65 mm Hg was 4% (95% CI, 1% to 6%). CONCLUSIONS: Aortic plaque is prevalent in patients with AF and is associated with atherosclerosis risk factors and with left atrial stasis or thrombosis, which are themselves independent stroke risk factors. Since the predominant location of complex plaque was in the descending aorta, the role of aortic plaque as a source of embolism in AF is uncertain.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Gender differences in left ventricle geometry and function in patients undergoing balloon dilatation of the aortic valve for isolated aortic stenosis. NHLBI Balloon Valvuloplasty Registry.

BACKGROUND: Gender differences in cardiac size have been described in normal humans and animals and in response to pressure overload. To examine the influence of gender on the left ventricular response to pressure overload, clinical, haemodynamic, and echocardiographic data were analysed in the 232 adults with isolated aortic stenosis enrolled in the Balloon Valvuloplasty Registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: There were 92 men (mean (SD) age 75 (11) years) and 140 women (79 (9) years; P = 0.002). Women had similar symptoms (New York Heart Association class) but lower overall functional status than men (P = 0.008). Catheterisation data showed similar valve area indices (mean (SD) (0.30 (0.09) in men and 0.31 (0.13) cm/m2 in women) but higher peak and mean gradients in women (peak 74 (30) v 63 (22) mm Hg; mean 61 (21) v 54 (18) mm Hg; both P < or = 0.01). On M mode echocardiography women had greater septal and posterior wall thickness but similar cavity diameter, after normalising dimensions to body surface area, resulting in higher relative wall thickness (0.60 (0.20) v 0.50 (0.15); P = 0.0002). Left ventricular mass index was similar in women and men (166 (59) v 159 (50) gm/m2 respectively), however, the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy according to sex specific criteria was 54% in men and 81% in women (P = 0.0001). Multiple logistic regression models that adjusted for age, functional status, fractional shortening, and left ventricular systolic pressure found the presence or absence of hypertrophy to be independently associated with gender (P < or = 0.002). Left ventricular systolic function tended to be better in women, who had a higher cardiac index (2.5 (0.8) v 2.3 (0.6) 1/min/m2; P = 0.01), left ventricular peak systolic pressure (211 (36) v 192 (35) mm Hg; P = 0.0001), and echo fractional shortening (32 (13) v 28 (12)%; P = 0.05); however, these differences were reduced when patients with regional wall motion abnormalities were excluded. CONCLUSIONS: In this population of elderly patients undergoing balloon dilatation of isolated aortic stenosis, left ventricular chamber geometry was different in men and women. Because this was a selected population, gender should be further evaluated as a possible determinant of the cardiac adaptation to chronic pressure overload.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Influence of mitral valve morphology on mitral balloon commissurotomy: immediate and six-month results from the NHLBI Balloon Valvuloplasty Registry.

Echocardiographic data were analyzed in 555 patients undergoing mitral balloon commissurotomy (MBC). Patients were enrolled in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Balloon Valvuloplasty Registry from 24 centers. There were 456 women and 99 men with a mean age of 54 years. Before MBC the two-dimensional echocardiographic variables of mitral valve thickness, mobility, calcification, and subvalvular disease were evaluated and assigned scores of 1 to 4. The mitral valve morphology score was related to mitral valve area (MVA) measured after MBC by cardiac catheterization. The leaflet mobility score was related to the immediate post-MBC MVA: 2.2 +/- 0.8 cm2 for grade 1, 1.9 +/- 0.7 cm2 for grade 2, 1.7 +/- 0.7 cm2 for grade 3, and 1.9 +/- 0.9 cm2 for grade 4 (p less than 0.001). Results of the MVA after MBC showed a similar relationship for each echocardiographic variable. The total morphology score (sum of the four variables) showed a weak relationship to MVA immediately after MBC (r = 0.24), which was persistent at 6 months after MBC (r = -0.25). Multiple regression analysis showed that the MVA after MBC is predicted by pre-MBC MVA (p less than 0.001), left atrial size (p = 0.01), balloon diameter (p = 0.02), cardiac output (p = 0.004), and leaflet mobility (p = 0.01). The R2 of the model was 0.31 (p less than 0.001). Total morphology score, leaflet thickness, calcification, and subvalvular disease were not important univariate or multivariate predictors of the results of MBC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Variability in the quantitation of mitral regurgitation by Doppler color flow mapping: comparison of transthoracic and transesophageal studies.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the most accurate and reproducible methods to quantitate mitral regurgitation by color flow transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. BACKGROUND: Quantitative measurements of mitral regurgitant jets have resulted in an intraobserver and interobserver variability of up to 20%. Few data are available evaluating the various techniques by which mitral regurgitant jets are quantitated. METHODS: Forty patients who underwent cardiac catheterization and both transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography within 1 week were studied. Two boundaries of the color regurgitant jet area were identified and quantitated: 1) the central aliased core of the regurgitant jet with the mosaic pattern excluding any swirling low velocity flow; and 2) the largest definable area of the regurgitant flow, including low velocity flow considered to be part of the regurgitant jet. RESULTS: The total regurgitant areas obtained by transthoracic and transesophageal studies did not differ (5.7 +/- 4.6 vs. 5.7 +/- 3.7 cm2; p = NS). However, the transesophageal mosaics were significantly larger than those obtained by transthoracic echocardiography (3.6 +/- 3.1 vs. 2.8 +/- 3.4 cm2; p less than 0.01). In transthoracic studies observer variability was higher when the mosaic aspect of the regurgitant jet rather than the total regurgitant area was measured (24 +/- 20 vs. 16 +/- 11%; p less than 0.05). In contrast, in transesophageal studies variability was lower when the mosaic area rather than the total regurgitant area was measured (11 +/- 12% vs. 18 +/- 18%; p less than 0.05). The best correlations with left ventriculography were obtained by using the absolute total regurgitant area (r = 0.72) for transthoracic studies and the mosaic area of the jets (r = 0.87) for transesophageal studies. CONCLUSIONS: Doppler color flow jet areas correlate closely with angiographic results in the evaluation of mitral regurgitation. The total regurgitant area (including the surrounding swirling flow) in transthoracic studies and the aliased core of the regurgitant jet (mosaic) in transesophageal studies appear to be the most accurate and reproducible measurements for evaluating mitral regurgitation.

Cardiac Catheterization↗
PubMed1991

Failure of adjuvant heparin to reduce myocardial ischemia in the early treatment of patients with unstable angina.

Although the efficacy of long-term administration of antithrombotic agents in unstable angina has been established, short-term effects on myocardial ischemia are unknown. A retrospective analysis was performed in 47 patients undergoing three-channel continuous ST segment monitoring as part of a multicenter trial using esmolol in unstable angina, in which 20 patients received a continuous heparin infusion during the initial assessment of chest pain. Concomitant medications included calcium channel blockers, beta-adrenergic blockers, nitrates, and aspirin in the majority of patients. Clinical variables between the heparin and no heparin groups were similar, except for fewer males and fewer total artery occlusions in the heparin group. No significant differences in the incidence or duration of ischemia were found in a 36 +/- 16 hour monitoring period. Forty percent of the heparin group had 35 episodes of ischemia with a mean of 11 +/- 10 minutes per episode and a total ischemic time of 48 +/- 39 minutes per patient with ischemia. Forty-four percent of the no heparin group had 47 episodes of ischemia with a mean of 13 +/- 13 minutes per episode and a total ischemic time of 58 +/- 47 minutes per patient with ischemia. Multiple linear regression analysis to adjust for intergroup differences did not alter the results. Eighty-five percent of all episodes were asymptomatic. Clinical events, such as episodes of chest pain, emergency coronary arteriography, or coronary revascularization, were also similar between groups. Thus the short-term administration of heparin did not alter the incidence or duration of ischemia in patients with unstable angina.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1991

Cardiovascular evaluation in blunt thoracic trauma using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)

Blunt chest trauma can result in significant cardiothoracic injury, which can include cardiac contusion, aortic injury, and myocardial valvular injury. Nineteen patients with no prior history of cardiac abnormalities who sustained severe blunt chest trauma and had widening of the mediastinum on chest radiographs were prospectively evaluated using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). In each instance TEE was performed without difficulty, excellent images were obtained of the aorta and heart, and no complications were noted. Abnormalities were seen in 12 (63%) patients, with hypokinetic regional wall motion consistent with cardiac contusion demonstrated in five (26%) patients. Tricuspid regurgitation was found in three (16%) patients, and aortic and mitral regurgitation in one (5%) patient each. Aortic wall hematomas were seen in two patients, one of whom had an intimal tear on aortography, and a pericardial effusion was seen in one patient with an aortic intimal tear confirmed angiographically. Thus TEE can be performed safely in the acute setting of patients sustaining severe blunt chest trauma and yield useful information with respect to cardiovascular function and the aorta.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effects of diltiazem and nifedipine on systemic and coronary hemodynamics and ischemic responses during transient coronary artery occlusion in patients.

Diltiazem and nifedipine improve coronary blood flow and reduce peripheral determinants of myocardial oxygen demand through activation of similar but distinct cellular mechanisms. To identify differences during myocardial ischemia, systemic and coronary hemodynamics were measured continuously before and during brief periods of left anterior descending coronary balloon occlusion in 23 patients undergoing single-vessel angioplasty. Data were compared for two matched ischemic periods, one control and one "drug" period. In 13 patients, diltiazem, 10 mg (intravenous bolus with continuous 500 mg/min infusion), was given; in 10 patients, nifedipine, 10 mg sublingual, was given and after 15 minutes, ischemia was reinduced. Both drugs significantly reduced systolic and mean arterial pressure (for diltiazem, 108 +/- 15 to 93 +/- 10 mm Hg; and for nifedipine, 117 +/- 20 to 96 +/- 8 mm Hg, both p less than 0.01). Diltiazem significantly reduced heart rate-pressure product (with heart rate unchanged), while both drugs maintained the resting great vein blood flow (for diltiazem, 97 +/- 25 to 91 +/- 34 ml/min; for nifedipine, 115 +/- 49 to 98 +/- 58 ml/min, p = ns) with reduced arterial pressure. Coronary flow during occlusion was unchanged (for control versus diltiazem, 63 +/- 21 versus 59 +/- 14 ml/min; for nifedipine, 66 +/- 33 versus 73 +/- 38 ml/min, both p = ns). Neither drug improved collateral hemodynamics or resistance index during ischemia. Both diltiazem and nifedipine prolonged the time to ischemic ST segment alteration (for diltiazem, 27 +/- 10 to 40 +/- 16 seconds, p less than 0.05; for nifedipine, 24 +/- 14 to 38 +/- 14 seconds, p = ns) during transient coronary occlusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angiography↗
PubMed1989

Hemodynamic and echocardiographic assessment of the effects of diltiazem during transient occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

The effects of diltiazem during transient myocardial ischemia were studied in 17 patients (age 58 +/- 11 years, 12 men, 5 women) undergoing 1-vessel left anterior descending percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). After hemodynamic, echocardiographic and electrocardiographic data were obtained during the control ischemic periods, diltiazem (10 mg intravenous bolus with 500 micrograms/min infusion) was given and 15 minutes later ischemia reinduced. Diltiazem reduced mean arterial pressure (113 +/- 16 to 95 +/- 15 mm Hg, p less than 0.05) and heart rate-pressure product (p less than 0.05) with no change in heart rate, pulmonary pressures or coronary (sinus, thermodilution technique) blood flow at rest. After diltiazem, times to ischemia-induced 1.0 mm ST-segment elevation (28 +/- 10 to 42 +/- 17 seconds, p less than 0.05) and new left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (by 2-dimensional echocardiography, 24 +/- 8 to 36 +/- 12 seconds, p less than 0.001) were prolonged without significant augmentation of great cardiac vein flow during coronary occlusion. Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction decreased from 51 +/- 7 to 41 +/- 12% (p less than 0.05) during control ischemia, but declined less after diltiazem (54 +/- 12 to 47 +/- 14%, difference not significant; 47 +/- 14 vs 41 +/- 12%, p less than 0.01). Diltiazem can attenuate, but not abolish, some of the effects of myocardial ischemia on LV function during transient coronary artery occlusion. These data support the use of diltiazem as a beneficial adjunct that may be used acutely and safely during routine PTCA.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Impaired coronary vasodilator reserve in the immediate postcoronary angioplasty period: analysis of coronary artery flow velocity indexes and regional cardiac venous efflux.

The ratio of peak hyperemic/basal mean coronary flow velocity, an index of coronary vasodilator reserve, immediately after coronary angioplasty normalizes in less than 50% of patients. To evaluate other indexes of coronary vasodilator capacity, both intracoronary arterial velocity and cardiac venous efflux were measured at rest and during vasodilator-induced coronary hyperemia (intracoronary nitroglycerin and papaverine) before and after angioplasty in 27 patients; 17 patients had measurements of intracoronary velocity alone and 10 had thermodilution measurements of great cardiac vein flow. Coronary flow velocity responses were also measured in 6 angiographically normal segments in patients undergoing angioplasty and in 10 normal left coronary artery segments in patients with normal coronary arteries or isolated right coronary artery disease. Despite significant angiographic (72 +/- 12 to 23 +/- 11% diameter narrowing) and hemodynamic (49 +/- 12 to 19 +/- 12 mm Hg aortocoronary gradient) improvement, coronary vasodilator reserve ratios for both arterial velocity and venous flow after angioplasty were only minimally affected. Angioplasty did not significantly increase rest coronary vein flow or artery flow velocities, but did result in significantly higher papaverine responses after angioplasty. Mean and phasic coronary velocity, diastolic coronary flow velocity integral and measured great cardiac vein flow ratios were significantly lower when compared with those in 16 angiographically normal coronary artery segments. These data indicate that maximal hyperemic coronary flow velocity is increased after angioplasty, but the reserve ratios, calculated by any of several flow velocity indexes, remain minimally improved. Angiographic correlations (percent coronary diameter, absolute diameter or cross-sectional area) with variables of coronary blood flow or velocity suggest that no single variable is useful in assessing angioplasty results. However, postangioplasty arterial mean velocity and diastolic flow velocity integral are nearly normalized in most patients, whereas relative changes remain attenuated. These findings are important in studies assessing coronary vasomotor responses in patients with atherosclerotic coronary disease, especially after angioplasty.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Acute myocardial infarction during percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty.

Balloon valvuloplasty has been shown to be a relatively safe and effective intervention in palliating the symptoms of severe calcific aortic stenosis in the elderly [1-7]. Although the mechanism of balloon valvuloplasty is plastic deformation and fracture of the calcified valve tissue [2], complications such as embolic events or acute myocardial infarction due to aortic balloon valvuloplasty are very rare. Previously published reports mentioned only one case of cerebral embolism [5] and two patients with late fatal myocardial infarction [4]. In this report we present an elderly patient with calcific aortic stenosis who developed an acute lateral myocardial infarction during percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Effects of nitroglycerin and nifedipine on coronary and systemic hemodynamics during transient coronary artery occlusion.

Nitroglycerin (NTG) and nifedipine (NIF) have the potential to augment coronary blood flow in addition to reducing peripheral determinants of myocardial oxygen demand as a synergistic protective mechanism during ischemia. To examine these effects, systemic and coronary hemodynamic responses were measured continuously before and during brief periods of myocardial ischemia induced by left anterior descending coronary balloon occlusion in 26 patients undergoing angioplasty (PTCA). Data were compared for two matched occlusion periods, one control and one "drug" occlusion. In 17 patients (NTG group), 200 micrograms of intracoronary NTG was given immediately before coronary occlusion. In nine patients (NIF group), 10 mg of sublingual NIF was given 15 minutes before the "drug" occlusion. NTG significantly but transiently reduced mean arterial pressure (91 +/- 11 to 82 +/- 15 mm Hg, p less than 0.05) and augmented basal coronary blood flow (95 +/- 38 to 127 +/- 54 ml/min, p less than 0.05) but did not alter great vein blood flow (59 +/- 29 vs 61 +/- 29 ml/min) or coronary occlusion pressure (25 +/- 7 to 24 +/- 7 mm Hg) during ischemia. NIF significantly reduced systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure (119 +/- 21 to 95 +/- 8 mm Hg, p less than 0.001) and heart rate-pressure product from control. NIF maintained basal great vein blood flow (125 +/- 41 to 106 +/- 57 ml/min) during reduced myocardial oxygen demand, but did not affect great vein blood flow (73 +/- 29 to 79 +/- 37 ml/min) or coronary occlusion pressures during ischemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗