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Biomedical subjects

C Gopalaswamy

Publications and source records attributed to C Gopalaswamy.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

Effect of oral alcohol on left ventricular ejection fraction, volumes, and segmental wall motion in normals and in patients with recent myocardial infarction.

A first-pass nuclear angiogram and a multiple-gated acquisition study were obtained in 10 normal physicians and in 10 patients with a 7-to-10 day old transmural myocardial infarction. After the scan the subjects drank 2 oz. of whiskey. After 60 minutes, the multiple-gated acquisition study was repeated. In the normal group the left ventricular ejection fraction was 68% before and 72% after alcohol. The left ventricular end-diastolic volume increased from 89 to 97 ml while the left ventricular end-systolic volume decreased from 29 to 27 ml. The stroke volume rose from 61 to 70 ml/beat (p less than 0.05). The cardiac output increased from 4.0 to 5.0 l/min (p less than 0.05). In the infarction group, the left ventricular ejection fraction was 58% before and 56% after alcohol administration. The left ventricular end-diastolic volume fell from 111 to 96 ml, while the left ventricular end-systolic volume declined from 50 to 44 ml. The stroke volume fell from 61 to 52 ml/beat, while the cardiac output fell from 4.5 to 3.8 l/min. In the left ventricular infarction zones, alcohol produced in 9 of the 10 cardiac patients a decline in the left ventricular regional ejection fraction. In the normal group, alcohol produced no significant changes in the regional ejection fraction. The normal and the postinfarction patients responded differently to alcohol.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Infectious endocarditis caused by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is a very uncommon cause of infectious endocarditis. The organism was first described in 1912. Thjotta and Sydnes reported its isolation in pure culture from a long standing abscess which had developed after tooth extraction. Subsequently this organism was found to be part of the normal flora, and the organism was defined as a slow growing, fastidious gram negative bacillus. Carbon dioxide is essential for the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Approximately 50 cases of endocarditis due to A. actinomycetemcomitans have been reported since the first case reported in 1964. The purpose of this report is to document a case of endocarditis due to A. actinomycetemcomitans and to stress the value of the echocardiogram in the assessment of patients with endocarditis.

Actinobacillus↗
PubMed1985

The Osborn wave in hypothermia.

A patient is reported who presented with fatal hypothermia. The electrocardiographic changes of a sinus bradycardia, prolonged QT interval and Osborn waves were documented and correlated with body temperature. The possible genesis of these electrocardiographic changes is reviewed in this article.

Bradycardia↗
PubMed1984

Mitral valve prolapse.

Mitral valve prolapse is a very common condition. It occurs in 4-5% of the population. It may be idiopathic or associated with a number of other conditions. Myxomatous degeneration is the underlying mechanism of mitral valve prolapse. Most patients with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, palpitations, chest pain and dyspnea are the major complaints. The midsystolic click occasionally followed by the late systolic murmur are the typical physical findings. The echocardiogram plays a big role in the diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse. The beta blockers are used in the treatment of the symptomatic patient.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1984

Value of radionuclide angiogram for the diagnosis of Ebstein's anomaly.

A radionuclide angiogram in a patient with Ebstein's anomaly showed a very dilated right atrium with a minimally enlarged right ventricle and a normal sized left ventricle. This study led to the establishment of a definitive diagnosis by means of an echocardiogram. Late close of the tricuspid valve was demonstrated. In addition prolapse of the tricuspid and mitral valves was documented. A tricuspid valve prolapse has never been reported in this condition.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1984

Vasodilator drugs.

This article demonstrates conclusively that systemic vasodilator therapy is an important new medical treatment for acute and chronic heart failure. Initially, vasodilators were used only when digitalis and diuretics could not adequately treat congestive heart failure. Now many clinicians view the vasodilators as equal or even better alternatives than digitalis and diuretics. There is no doubt that vasodilator therapy is one of the major advances in the treatment of heart failure.

Calcium Channel Blockers↗
PubMed1983

One monitored case of sudden death.

A 90-year-old female had a Holter monitoring recording because of a syncopal episode. She developed a fatal cardiac arrest during the recording. A severe bradycardia was the initiating fatal dysrhythmia. This was followed by ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation and finally cardiac standstill.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Noninvasive assessment of left ventricular wall stress in chronic congestive heart failure patients.

Therapy with prazosin can improve the condition of patients with congestive heart failure due to its vasodilating action. Therefore nine patients with volume overloaded left ventricles due to aortic insufficiency and mitral insufficiency received 1 mg. of prazosin four times a day for two weeks. Peak and end-systolic wall stress were estimated using a noninvasive echocardiographic technique. The peak systolic wall stress in this group was 155 x 10(3) dynes/cm2 which is similar to the reported normal value. However, the end systolic wall stress was 101 x 10(3) dynes/cm2 which is much higher than the reported normal values. Following the administration of oral prazosin, the end systolic stress was normalized while the peak systolic stress was reduced below normal. As a result of therapy with prazosin, the ejection fraction, the percentage of change in the minor axis, and the velocity of circumferential fiber shortening significantly increased. Thus, the oral administration of prazosin can improve left ventricular function in patients with mitral insufficiency and aortic insufficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Electrophysiologic properties of ethacrynic acid in man.

Ethacrynic acid is a potent oral diuretic and saluretic agent. It has been used extensively in the treatment of heart failure and its effects on cardiovascular dynamics are well established. The clinical relief of the symptoms of pulmonary congestion frequently precedes any demonstrable diuretic effect suggesting that extra renal factors may also be involved. In spite of ethacrynic acid's wide use in the treatment of heart failure and hypertension, there is no information on the electrophysiologic properties of the drug in man. The present study involving 10 human subjects was undertaken to determine what effect intravenously administered ethacrynic acid has on the human conduction system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Electroconvulsive therapy-induced ECG changes simulating a myocardial infarction.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can produce various cardiac arrhythmias; however, to our knowledge, no other alterations have been described in the ECG. A 75-year-old woman was admitted to the Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, because of depression. She had had no cardiac symptoms and had been in good health. She was not receiving any medications. Physical examination showed no abnormalities. Findings from the routine laboratory tests, a chest roentgenogram, and the initial ECG were normal. In view of the severe depression, a series of ECTs were given to the patient during a two-week period. A repeated ECG showed deep T-wave inversions in leads I, II, III, aVF, and V1 to V6. The patient was completely asymptomatic. Serial enzyme determinations were normal. A brain scan, gated-pool scan, computed tomography scan of the head, and a technetium Tc 99m pyrophosphate scan were all normal. Serial ECGs showed a persistence of the deep T-wave inversions. There were no QRS changes. There was no evidence of a cerebral vascular accident or pericarditis. The T-wave changes in our patient were not due to a myocardial infarction. Thus, ECT can produce striking T-wave abnormalities in the ECG that can simulate an acute myocardial infarction.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Congestive cardiomyopathy and left ventricular thrombus.

A left ventricular thrombus was detected by echocardiography in a 54-year-old man with congestive cardiomyopathy. With the use of anticoagulants, the thrombus completely disappeared. Patients with congestive cardiomyopathy who are at high risk for thrombus formation should be screened with two-dimensional echocardiography. If a thrombus is recognized, anticoagulation therapy can then be instituted.

Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic↗