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Biomedical subjects

D Vitola

Publications and source records attributed to D Vitola.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

One year follow-up of hormone replacement therapy with percutaneous estradiol and low-dose vaginal natural progesterone in women with mild to moderate hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of natural estradiol and progesterone replacement therapy on lipoprotein and cardiovascular parameters were assessed in 20 postmenopausal women with mild to moderate systemic arterial hypertension. DESIGN: After confirming hypertension in the absence of antihypertensive treatment, blood pressure control was achieved by administration of amlodipine at individually adjusted doses. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was introduced in a cyclic regimen (21 of 28 days) with percutaneous estradiol (1.5 mg/day) and vaginal micronized progesterone (100 mg/day). RESULTS: Blood pressure and mean heart rate remained unchanged during HRT. Serial echocardiograph scans showed no change in left ventricle mass, but a significant reduction in the thickness of the left ventricular posterior wall was observed. During treatment, patients showed little variation in total cholesterol levels (baseline: 199+/-10 mg/dl, 12 months: 202+/-11 mg/dl), as well as in high-density lipoprotein (53+/-2 to 50+/-3 mg/dl), low-density lipoprotein (122+/-10 to 118+/-11 mg/dl), and triglycerides (111+/-13 to 126+/-13 mg/dl). A subgroup of 10 patients with initial total cholesterol levels >200 mg/dl responded to HRT with a slight but significant decrease of cholesterol levels after 12 months (265+/-10 to 237+/-12 mg/dl, p<0.05, repeated measures ANOVA). HRT did not change mean antithrombin III levels and affected neither plasma renin activity nor aldosterone levels. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the proposed HRT regimen with percutaneous estradiol associated with low-dose vaginal micronized progesterone could be a safe alternative for postmenopausal women with hypertension at least during the period required to treat menopausal symptoms.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

Detection of coronary artery disease based on the calcification index obtained by helical computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relation between coronary artery disease and the calcification index on helical computed tomography. METHOD: We studied 22 patients (ages ranging from 40 to 70 years) who underwent coronary angiography because of chest pain suggestive of angina pectoris. Findings on coronary angiography were classified as follows: significant obstructive disease (stenosis > or = 50 %), nonobstructive disease (stenosis <50 %), and no disease. With no previous knowledge of the results of the coronary angiography and within 7 days, helical computed tomography of the chest was performed. Then, data of the coronary angiography were correlated with the calcification index obtained by helical computed tomography. RESULTS: The sensitivity of helical computed tomography to the presence of significant obstructive lesions on coronary angiography was 87.5 %, specificity was 100 %, and negative and positive predictive values were 75 % and 100 %, respectively. The mean calcification index was greater in patients with severe coronary lesions, mainly when involvement of 2 or 3 vessels occurred, than that in patients with no coronary artery disease or with nonobstructive coronary artery lesions (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Helical computed tomography is an effective method for detecting and quantifying coronary artery calcification, and it has proved to be sensitive to and specific for the noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery stenosis.

Adult↗

Percutaneous 17 beta-estradiol replacement therapy in hypertensive postmenopausal women.

The present study evaluated the short-term effects of percutaneous 17 beta-estradiol on blood pressure, metabolic profile and hormonal levels in postmenopausal women with systemic arterial hypertension. After a wash-out period of 15 days, 10 hypertensive patients were treated with guanabenz acetate to control blood pressure, followed by 17 beta-estradiol in the form of hydroalcoholic gel administered for 21 of 28 days of each cycle, for 3 cycles. Patients were evaluated before, during and 2 months after estrogen administration. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure or heart rate did not present any significant change in any patient when compared to those periods with the antihypertensive drug only (pretreatment period and 60 days after estrogen therapy was discontinued). Plasma biological markers of hepatic estrogenic action (plasma renin activity, antithrombin III, triglycerides, total cholesterol and lipoproteins) also remained unchanged during the study. Hormone treatment was effective, as indicated by the relief of menopausal symptoms, a decrease in FSH levels (73.48 +/- 27.21 to 35.09 +/- 20.44 IU/l, P < 0.05), and an increase in estradiol levels (15.06 +/- 8.76 to 78.7 +/- 44.6 pg/ml, P < 0.05). There was no effect on LH (18.0 +/- 9.5 to 14.05 +/- 8.28 IU/l). Hormone levels returned to previous values after estrogen treatment was discontinued. The data indicate that short-term percutaneous 17 beta-estradiol replacement therapy, at the dose used, seems to be a safe hormone therapy for hypertensive menopausal women. Nevertheless, a controlled, prospective, randomized clinical assay with a larger number of subjects is needed to definitely establish both the beneficial and harmful effects of hormone replacement therapy in hypertensive women.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

[Surgical myocardial revascularization in young patients].

PURPOSE: To determine early and late results of surgical myocardial revascularization (SMR) in young patients. METHODS: We studied retrospectively 73 patients aging less than 40 years and submitted to SMR between 1975 and 1989. The method used was patient card review and thelephone contact with the patient or his physician. RESULTS: Follow-up was obtained in all cases in a period of 2 to 185 (59.9 +/- 41.0) months. Of the coronary risk factors smoking was the most frequent. One vessel coronary artery disease was observed in 16 (21.9%) patients, 2 and 3 vessel coronary artery disease in 26 (35.6%) and 32 (43.8%) patients respectively. SMR was considered complete in 68 (93.2%) patients. An associated procedure was performed on 10 cases: Left ventricular aneurysm repair in 9 (12.3%) and mitral valve replacement in one (1.4%). Perioperative myocardial infarction occurred in 7 (9.5%) patients and one of them died (operative mortality: 1.4%). During follow-up, 6 (8.3%) patients died with an actuarial survival rate of 89.1% at 15 years. An event free survival rate of 68.3% was observed at 10 years. From 66 survivors, 53 (80.3%) were asymptomatic at late follow-up and 48 (72.7%) patients returned to work. CONCLUSION: Surgical myocardial revascularization in young patients associated with medical treatment, has good early and late results with a high percentage of patients asymptomatic and reemployed at a late follow-up.

Adult↗

Surgical repair of ventricular aneurysms. Early results with Cooley's technique.

Using bovine pericardium instead of Dacron for grafting, we performed ventricular endoaneurysmorrhaphy (Cooley's technique) in 13 patients with postmyocardial infarction left ventricular aneurysm. Twelve patients were men and 1 was a woman; their ages ranged from 38 to 67 years (mean, 51.2 +/- 11.4 years). Eight patients had large anterolateral aneurysms, 4 had apical aneurysms, and 1 had a false inferior aneurysm. Postoperatively, the mean cardiac index increased from 2.07 +/- 0.50 to 3.09 +/- 0.99 L/min/m2 (p < 0.05), with a mean percentage increase of 50.17% +/- 37.03%. No patient required postoperative mechanical circulatory assistance, and pharmacologic support could be withdrawn soon after surgery. All patients had uncomplicated recoveries and were asymptomatic upon discharge, at a mean time of 9.0 +/- 2.3 days after surgery. We conclude that ventricular endoaneurysmorrhaphy provides excellent initial results, and we believe, through subjective analysis of ventriculograms, that the use of bovine pericardium for grafting produces better functional results than does the use of Dacron.

Adult↗

[Infection of polytetrafluorethylene prosthesis in modified Blalock-Taussig anastomosis].

A 16 month-old baby submitted to systemic-pulmonary shunt with a polytetrafluorethylene prosthesis, who presented hyperthermia, radiologic signs of pulmonary opacifications and positive culture for staphylococcus aureus. Reoperation disclosed a prosthesis pseudoaneurysm, with disconnection of the anastomosis and evidences of infection. This complication has a low diagnostic rate and a high mortality and should always be suspected when signs of systemic infection become apparent in the postoperative period of polytetrafluorethylene systemic-pulmonary shunt.

Female↗

[Modified Cooley technique for surgical repair of left ventricular aneurysms].

PURPOSE: To evaluate early postoperative results of modified Cooley's technique of ventricular endoaneurysmorrhaphy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight patients, seven males, with ages ranging 38.0 to 67.0 years (m = 51.2 +/- 11.4 years) and with postinfarction left ventricular aneurysms were submitted to surgical repair by a modified Cooley's technique of ventricular endoaneurysmorrhaphy. RESULTS: No postoperative complication occurred and all patients were discharged from the hospital asymptomatic on a mean time of 9.0 +/- 2.3 days after surgery. The mean cardiac index increased from 2.1 +/- 0.5 to 3.3 +/- 1.1 l/min (p less than 0.05) with a mean percentual increase of 53.0%. No patient required mechanical circulatory assistance after surgery and the pharmacological support could be interrupted soon. CONCLUSION: Ventricular endoaneurysmorrhaphy searchs to restore shape, contour and volume to the left ventricle and has shown excellent initial results.

Adult↗

[Bedside cardiac catheterization. Advantages and disadvantages].

Three hundred patients submitted to bedside heart catheterization (BHC) from 1973 to 1985 were studied, in order to assess advantages and risks of the procedure. Two-hundred and sixty seven patients (89%) suffered a myocardial infarction (MI) and 146 of them were in functional class (Killip) II, 36 in FC III and 71 in FC IV. Thirty cases were submitted to BHC due to congestive heart failure. BHC was successful in 288 patients (96%) and the wedge pressure (WP) could be measured in 236 cases (78.7%). The WP was less than 18 mmHg in 47.2% of the patients in FC II, in 44.9% of the patients in FC III and in 35.3% of those in FC IV. Minor complications occurred in 33 cases (11.0%); balloon rupture in 12 (4.0%), transient arrhythmias in 11 (3.7%) and lumen obstruction in another 10 cases (3.3%). Forty five patients (15.0%) presented major complications related to the procedure: pulmonary infarction (PI) in 18 cases (6%), phlebitis in 15 cases (5%), sustained arrhythmias in 10 cases (3.3%), pulmonary artery rupture and endocarditis each in 1 case. The mean age between the group of patients with and without complications was similar the maintenance time as greater in the group of patients with complications: 3.4 +/- 0.2 vs 2.7 +/- 0.1 days (p less than 0.05). We concluded that many patients with clinical evidence of heart failure had WP smaller than 18 mmHg, emphasizing the value of the procedure in patients with complicated MI. The maintenance time was associated with the occurrence of complications, mainly PI and phlebitis.

Adult↗

Subaortic fibrous ridge and ventricular septal defect: role of septal malalignment.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the presence of a subaortic ridge associated with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) is related to a malaligned ventricular septum caused by anterior or posterior deviation of the infundibular septum with or without obstructive lesions of the aortic arch. Thirty-two of 295 patients in whom a diagnosis of VSD was made by two-dimensional echocardiography and who were studied from June 1983 to April 1985 presented with a subaortic shelf. Every patient (p less than .00001) had a malalignment type of defect; the defect was produced by anterior deviation of the outlet septum (without compromise of the right ventricular outflow tract) in 28 and by posterior deviation of the infundibular septum in four. The prevalence of a subaortic shelf in the malalignment VSD group was 82% (32/39). Among the 28 patients with a subaortic ridge and anterior deviation of the outlet septum only three had aortic coarctation, but all four patients with subaortic stenosis and posterior infundibular malalignment had obstructive lesions of the aortic arch--coarctation in three and interruption of the aortic arch in one (p less than .001). We conclude that a malalignment type of VSD may be a consistent feature in patients with VSD and associated discrete subaortic stenosis. We also noted a high prevalence of subaortic ridge in the presence of a malalignment VSD and therefore speculate that there may be a common morphogenesis for malalignment VSD, subaortic shelf, and obstructive lesions of the aortic arch.

Adolescent↗