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Biomedical subjects

L Ekström

Publications and source records attributed to L Ekström.

60 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Felodipine-induced dilatation of epicardial coronary arteries. A randomized, double-blind study.

Dilatation of large coronary arteries is of potential value in the treatment of angina pectoris. In this double-blind study, the acute effect of felodipine or placebo on coronary artery dilatation was studied in patients with severe angina pectoris with the aid of coronary arteriography. There were two parallel groups, one with 9 patients who received felodipine, the other with 12 patients who received placebo. Measurements of vessel diameters were performed at a proximal position of the affected artery, at the site of the stenosis, and distal to the lesion. The mean plasma felodipine concentration was 17+/-6 nmol/l. The systolic blood pressure was reduced from 156+/-15 to 145+/-13 mm Hg after felodipine (p less than 0.05), but was unaffected by placebo. The heart rate and arterial catecholamine levels were basically unchanged in both groups of patients. The proximal arterial segment was dilated 7% after felodipine (p = 0.05), the stenosis area 9% (N.S.) and the distal part of the vessel 7% (p less than 0.05). There were no changes in coronary diameters in the placebo group. In conclusion, felodipine dilates large coronary arteries, and this mode of action may be valuable in the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease, especially in cases where coronary spasm is a prominent feature.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Resuscitation of patients in cardiac arrest outside hospital. Comparison of two different organizations of mobile coronary care in one community.

We have compared the effectiveness of two different mobile coronary care systems with regard to mortality from cardiac arrest (CA) outside hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. In period 1, the mobile coronary care unit (MCCU) was part of a randomized study of the effect of an MCCU versus standard ambulances on early mortality from ischaemic heart disease. The MCCU was single, hospital based and manned by two CCU nurses and two ambulance drivers. The organization ran on workdays 08.00 a.m. to 17.00 p.m. from October, 1973 to May, 1978, corresponding to twelve months of effective time. One-year data for the MCCU have been calculated by extrapolating to a 100% allocation to the MCCU. In period 2, from November, 1980, through December, 1981, also corresponding to twelve months of effective time, the system was reorganized to a mobile intensive care unit (MICU) manned by paramedics 24 h all days of the week, and part of the time by CCU nurses. The MICU was dispatched to all suspected emergencies and the treatment capacity was defibrillation, endotracheal intubation and, part of the time, drugs. Simultaneously with the MICU, the nearest standard ambulance was dispatched and the first crew to arrive started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Comparing the extrapolated data from period 1 with the exact data from period 2, there was an increase in period 2 of dispatches to subjects in CA due to heart disease from 59 to 181. The retrieval of subjects in ventricular fibrillation (VF) increased from 20 to 87 as a result of reduced delay times from the collapse to alarm, start of CPR and defibrillation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Coronary Care Units↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characteristics and outcome among patients with a suspected in-hospital cardiac arrest.

AIM: To describe the characteristics and outcome among patients with a suspected in-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: All the patients who suffered from a suspected in-hospital cardiac arrest during a 14-months period, where the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) team was called, were recorded and described prospectively in terms of characteristics and outcome. RESULTS: There were 278 calls for the CPR team. Of these, 216 suffered a true cardiac arrest, 16 a respiratory arrest and 46 neither. The percentage of patients who were discharged alive from hospital was 42% for cardiac arrest patients, 62% for respiratory arrest and 87% for the remaining patients. Among patients with a cardiac arrest, those found in ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia had a survival rate of 64%, those found in asystole 24% and those found in pulseless electrical activity 10%. Among patients who were being monitored at the time of arrest, the survival rate was 52%, as compared with 27% for non-monitored patients (P= 0.001). Among survivors of cardiac arrest, a cerebral performance category (CPC) of 1 (no major deficit) was observed in 81% at discharge and in 82% on admission to hospital prior to the arrest. CONCLUSION: We conclude that, during a 14-month period at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Göteborg, almost half the patients with a cardiac arrest in which the CPR team was called were discharged from hospital. Among survivors, 81% had a CPC score of 1 at hospital discharge. Survival seems to be closely related to the relative effectiveness of the resuscitation organisation in different parts of the hospital.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

HYOMEX: a miniature universal testing machine for in vivo biomechanical studies.

A miniaturized universal testing machine, HYOMEX, designed for biomechanically testing spinal structures of an anaesthetized research animal, such as a pig, is presented. A variety of mechanical applications such as static and dynamic tests, creep and relaxation tests, and fatigue tests with frequencies up to 20 Hz are possible. The system permits force control as well as displacement control. Continuous surveillance is made possible through interfacing the system to a computer. An application is presented where the viscoelastic behaviour in a porcine lumbar spine was measured.

Animals↗