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PubMed1992

Antidysrhythmic agents.

Antidysrhythmic therapy is used to suppress supraventricular and ventricular dysrhythmias, thus relieving symptoms and reducing the risk of sudden cardiac death. The Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) found an increased mortality rate in a group of patients treated with two antidysrhythmic agents. This result has had a profound impact on the prescribing and monitoring of antidysrhythmic therapy. Prodysrhythmia is a frequent and serious complication of antidysrhythmics and is unpredictable. Assessment of benefit versus risk of drug therapy for each patient is recommended. The nurse's knowledge of antidysrhythmic pharmacology, including symptoms that indicate adverse reactions, and prodysrhythmia influences the patient outcome.

Anti-Arrhythmia Agents↗

PubMed1979

Relationship of static respiratory muscle pressure and maximum voluntary ventilation in normal subjects.

40 normal subjects performed spirometry, maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), and tests of static inspiratory (Pi max) and expiratory (Pe max) respiratory muscle pressure. Forced expiratory volumes in 0.5 (FEV0.5), in 0.75 (FEV0.75), and 1 sec (FEV1) correlated significantly with MVV (r = 0.805, 0.804, 0.779, respectively). When Pi max was considered as a second independent variable, the probability of predicting MVV from timed forced expiratory volumes was enhanced (r = 0.914, 0.900 and 0.872 for FEV0.5, FEV0.75, and FEV1, respectively). Statistical analysis indicated that multiple regression with Pi max was superior to regression with timed forced expiratory volume alone in the prediction of MVV. For any given FEV1, however, Pi max was widely dispersed (range: -60 to -200 cm H2O). MVV values, expressed as percentage difference between largest and smallest value, varied less than did Pi max. Pe max, vital capacity, height and age did not enhance the ability of timed forced expiratory volumes to predict MVV. These data indicate that while respiratory muscle strength is important for sustaining maximal ventilation, the MVV is not a sensitive indicator of respiratory muscle strength.

Adult↗