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Biomedical subjects

D Akins

Publications and source records attributed to D Akins.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1984

Acute myocardial infarction in elderly patients.

We conducted a retrospective chart review on 50 patients under age 65 (average age 52.9 years) and 55 patients over 65 (average age 75.6 years). The older patients were much more likely to have atypical pain or no pain (38% vs 4%, P less than .0001). They were less likely to have electrocardiographic QRS changes (47% vs 72%), but more likely to have congestive heart failure (44% vs 16%, P less than .01). In 25% of the older patients, no diagnosis was made in the first 24 hours, as compared to 8% of the younger group. The increased mortality in the older group (16% vs 4%) approached statistical significance (P = .08). We conclude that the manifestations of acute myocardial infarction are more subtle in the elderly, with a higher proportion of atypical chest pain and nondiagnostic electrocardiograms, but the elderly are more likely to have congestive heart failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

A geriatric rehabilitation and assessment unit in a community hospital.

This report describes functional status at admission, discharge, and six months later for 100 elderly persons treated at a community hospital assessment and rehabilitation unit. The goal of the unit is to prevent institutionalization of frail elderly persons considered at risk for nursing home placement. Characteristics of the first 100 admissions include the following: average age, 79 years; female, 77 per cent; length of stay, 23 days; average number of admitting diagnoses, 3.4. Ninety-one new diagnoses of treatable conditions were made. On admission, 81 per cent of patients were confined to bed or chair or needed assistance with ambulation, compared with 27 per cent at discharge and 22 per cent at six months. Activities showing significant improvement include dressing, housekeeping, use of toilet, and ambulation. At six months, 15 per cent had died, 67 per cent were living in the community, and 19 per cent were institutionalized. It is concluded that care at the geriatric unit probably resulted in improved function and decreased nursing home placement.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1981

Marijuana and second-degree AV block.

A 21-year-old black man without history of heart disease had severe sinus bradycardia and intermittent second-degree AV block after the use of marijuana. After he had abstained from marijuana for 72 hours, the AV block disappeared. We have discussed possible effects of marijuana on the cardiovascular system.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Localization of atherosclerotic lesions in the human basilar artery.

The topography of atherosclerotic lesions in the human basilar arteries has been studied quantitatively by digitizing images of the excised vessels and producing contour probability maps. Fifteen basilar arteries were obtained at autopsy (age--61 +/- 2; males--6, females--9; black--6, white--9), fixed in formalin, opened along the ventral aspect and stained grossly with Sudan IV to delineate fat-containing lesions. Photographs of the flattened arteries were analyzed and the presence or absence of sudanophilic lesions was determined at approximately 1000 identical sites on all vessels. The probability of finding a lesion at each site was determined and a contour probability map was constructed. Fifty-two percent of the area of the mean contour map was involved with lesions. The extent of the sudanophilic lesions decreased as one proceeded distally from the origin of the basilar artery at the confluence of the vertebral branches (i.e. proximal 1/3--56%; middle 1/3--49%; distal 1/3--43%; P less than 0.04). Significantly more sudanophilic material was observed on the ventral (outer curvature) as opposed to the dorsal (inner curvature) surfaces (55%, 43% respectively; P less than 0.03). These data suggest that hemodynamic forces associated with confluent flow and curvature may be important in the localization of sudanophilic lesions in the proximal and ventral aspects of the human basilar artery.

Adolescent↗