A case of heart failure with an uncommon etiology.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Rosário.
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The so-called nonpathogenic neisseriae are common inhabitants of the upper respiratory tract in humans and are not usually regarded as pathogens. Neisseria meningitidis on the contrary may cause severe disease. These organisms are an uncommon cause of infective endocarditis. The authors report a case of a 64 year-old male, type II diabetic, previously asymptomatic, admitted to hospital because of fever, aphasia and right hemi-paresis. A systolic murmur was heard at the cardiac apex, and three blood cultures were positive for Neisseria meningitidis. The echocardiogram showed a vegetation on the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, allowing the diagnosis of meningococcal endocarditis. The patient's clinical condition improved on intravenous penicillin therapy, and regression of fever, disappearance of the neurological signs and of the mitral valve vegetation were observed.
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A 48 year-old female patient, admitted with an ischemic stroke, had a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) that revealed a dense vegetation in the noncoronary aortic cusp, which was considered the probable source of embolism. The clinical investigation did not identify any other disease or infectious process. However the lack of histologic proof, the absence of fever, the fact that the blood cultures were persistently negative, the patient recovery with no need of antibiotics, and the results of the TEE, are highly suggestive of the presence of a non infectious thrombotic endocarditis. After 18 months of anti-platelet treatment, the patient showed no new embolic episodes and TEE demonstrated the resolution of the vegetation.
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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of infarct related artery lesion morphology on the exercise stress test performed after a first myocardial infarction. METHODS: We reviewed coronary angiography and the exercise stress test performed before discharge from hospital in 105 consecutive patients (91.4% male, mean age 49.6 +/- 9.2 years) with first acute myocardial infarction. Complex coronary lesions were defined by the presence of one of the following characteristics: ulcers, thrombus, shoulders, irregularities and eccentricity. According to either the existence or absence of complex coronary lesions, two groups were considered: Group I--42 patients with complex coronary lesions, and Group II--47 patients without these characteristics in coronary angiogram. Sixteen pts (14%) were excluded because the infarct related artery was occluded or existence of complex lesions in other coronary artery not related to the infarct. Left ventricular systolic function was analyzed using the "CASS score". Exercise stress test performed between the 10th and the 15th day after myocardial infarction, using Bruce protocol, were reviewed. The following parameters were analyzed: exercise time, number of metabolic equivalent units (METS), maximal heart rate attained, double product variation and number of patients with significant ST segment depression and/or angina. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences between the two groups were obtained as far as age, sex, left ventricular function, number of diseased vessels and lesions severity. From the analysis of ergometric parameters we did not find any difference between the two groups of patients about exercise time (Group A--8.37 +/- 2.6 versus (vs) Group B 8.38 +/- 3.18), METS (Group A--8.22 +/- 2.87 vs Group B--8.13 +/- 2.97), maximal heart rate (Group A--88.2% vs Group B--87.5%) and double product variation (Group A--14547 +/- 5492 vs Group B--14553 +/- 5387). However, the number of ischemic response (defined by usual criteria of St-segment depression and/or angina) was significantly greater in patients with complex coronary lesions (ST--segment depression: Group A--26 pts vs Group B--19 pts, p < 0.05/Angina: Group A--16 pts vs Group B--4 pts, p < 0.001). Thus, complex coronary lesions are related to a high incidence of residual ischemic phenomena detected by electrocardiographic exercise stress test performed on predischarge period of acute myocardial infarction. Further studies will be necessary to show the prognostic value of particular angiographic characteristics found in coronary plaques.
UNLABELLED: Although treadmill exercise testing (TET) has been used to identify ischaemia and determine clinical prognosis after myocardial revascularization, considerable controversy remains on its role in the detection of obstructive lesions of the arterial grafts. AIM: To assess the value of TET in determining the patency of arterial conduits after coronary bypass surgery with complete revascularization. METHODS: Twenty five patients - 21 men and 4 women; age 53.7 +/- 8.7 years - submitted to complete myocardial revascularization exclusively with arterial conduits (CABG-A), undergoing coronary angiography and a symptomlimited TET (Bruce protocol) within 9 months after CABG-A. Angiograms were visually classified in 2 groups (Group I - conduits without lesions, n = 14; Group II > 50% stenosis or occlusion of > or = 1 conduit, n = 11). Clinical characteristics and the following parameters of the TET were compared: total exercise time (ETime); metabolic equivalents (METS); % of predicted maximal heart rate (% MHR); exercise-induced ST depression (decreases ST); and occurrence of angina. The arterial conduits used were: left internal mammary artery -24-; right internal mammary artery -11-; gastroepiploic artery -14-. RESULTS: There were no differences in age, gender, left ventricular systolic function, severity of coronary artery disease, and number of conduits per patient. Group I attained superior values for the following parameters: ETime (p < 0.01) and METS (p < 0.01). Among Group II there were more patients with angina (p = 0.03). Fourteen patients exceeded 8 METS (11 from Group I and 3 from Group II - p = 0.002-). There was no statistical difference among the number of patients with ST depression during exercise. CONCLUSIONS: After CABG-A the exercise tolerance seems to be related with the patency of the conduits and may play an important role in the detection of graft abnormalies. On the contrary, exercise-induced ST depression had low specificity in detecting obstructive lesions of the conduits.
OBJECTIVES: To present the initial experience of a surgical team from Santa Marta Hospital using exclusive arterial grafts on coronary bypass surgery. SETTING: Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Departments. POPULATION AND METHODS: From November 1987 to May 1994, 176 consecutive patients were submitted to surgical myocardial revascularization with the exclusive use of arterial grafts. The patients were operated by one cardiothoracic surgical team. A revision of clinical and angiographic characteristics of the patients was done along with the surgical procedure and intrahospital morbidity. After hospital discharge, follow-up was done by direct evaluation and/or by a questionnaire made using phone or letter on a periodical basis. RESULTS: The medium number of coronary bypasses performed were 2.07 +/- 0.8. The left internal mammary artery was the vessel more frequently used, specially to the myocardial area supplied by the left coronary descending artery. The right internal mammary artery was the second arterial graft more currently used. Gastroepiploic artery was utilized preferentially to coronary arteries supplying the inferior wall of the heart. Hospital mortality was 3.4%-6 patients. One hundred twenty patients have a normal life, without physical restrictions, 25% of the patients have symptoms of angina that is severe in 9. Mean follow-up time was 34 +/- 10 months. IN CONCLUSION: Coronary artery bypass surgery with exclusive use of arterial grafts can be executed with an acceptable mortality and low morbidity rates, even in urgent cases, with relieve of cardiac symptoms and good quality of life.
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OBJECTIVE: To analyse early and medium-term results of patients (pts) with acute aortic dissection (DAO) regarding the importance of the different therapeutic modalities adopted. DESIGN: Retrospective study of the cases with DAO admitted in the cardiology intensive care unit of Santa Marta Hospital. POPULATION: 46 pts (aged 25 to 80 years) with the diagnosis of DAO from January/1989 throughout December/1993. RESULTS: early mortality rate (30 days) was 36%. DAO type A Two cases were treated only with medical therapy for they suffer from severe associated pathology. Twenty eight pts were treated surgically. In this group mortality concerning time passed from the beginning of the symptoms throughout the surgery was: < 24 h-31%, 24-72 h-40%, > 72 h-63%. Among 17 discharged pts mortality occurred in 7% during the first year. DAO type B In pts with uncomplicated Stanford type B DAO survival was 90%. Emergency surgery was performed in pts who developed complications such as rupture of the aorta, occlusion of major arteries or extension of dissection. In this particular group mortality was 66%. Among 11 discharged pts with type B DAO 9% died within one year. During the follow-up period of 17.4 +/- 14.8 months one third of the pts discharged from hospital had clinical events. CONCLUSION: despite new advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, DAO still's reported as a relatively high hospital mortality situation. Remove pts to an institution with ability to perform quickly the correct diagnosis and treatment becomes essential. Clinical presentation, type of DAO, surgery timing when indicated and major complications were of particular importance in the prognosis of pts with DAO. The frequency of cardiovascular events in pts who left the hospital alive emphasized the need to maintain blood pressure within normal limits.
The AA describe a clinical case of acute myocardial infarction (A.M.I.) with prodromal angina and an initial diagnosis based exclusively on clinical criteria; the patient was submitted to thrombolysis and had recurrent angina which led to the performance of rescue percutaneous coronary angioplasty (P.T.C.A.) that was successful. The clinical situations that may precede A.M.I. are discussed and the importance of the clinical presentation in its diagnosis are stressed. The indications and benefits of rescue P.T.C.A. are also discussed and the AA. conclude that the patients with prodromata of A.M.I. must be kept under clinical observation, so that prompt necessary therapeutic measures may be undertaken and that rescue P.T.C.A. is a therapeutic option of proven clinical benefit.
In 1960 Holt and Oram reported a family in which upper extremity malformations were associated with a secundum atrial septal defect. Since then, more than 200 cases have been reported with a wide spectrum of phenotypes. The authors present the cases of one mother and daughter with Holt-Oram Syndrome (SHO).
Aortic Dissection seldom affects young women. Nevertheless, the structural changes in the arterial wall, that occur during pregnancy, may predispose women to this complication, particularly in the third trimester and peripartum period. Aortic Dissection in gestation is associated specially with the Marfan's syndrome. The authors report a case of a pregnant woman in the 35th week of gestation, without Marfan's disease, admitted to Hospital on suspicious of type A aortic dissection.