Bradykinin level in the great cardiac vein during balloon angioplasty of the left anterior descending coronary artery.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Eldar.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the immediate and long-term clinical and prognostic significance of primary ventricular tachycardia, defined as tachycardia of ventricular origin occurring within 48 hours of acute myocardial infarction in patients without hemodynamic compromise (Killip class I). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Intensive coronary care units in eight regional, referral, and university hospitals. PATIENTS: A total of 162 patients with primary ventricular tachycardia, both sustained and nonsustained (study group), and 2578 counterparts without ventricular tachycardia (reference group). MEASUREMENTS: In-hospital rates of atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block, congestive heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and cardiac arrest. In-hospital and 1-year follow-up rates of sudden death, nonsudden cardiac death, and noncardiac death. RESULTS: The study and reference groups had similar mortality (in-hospital, 6.8% and 9.6%, P greater than 0.2 and at 1 year after discharge, 3.7% and 5.4%, P greater than 0.2, respectively) and in-hospital complication rates (atrioventricular block, 13.0% and 9.7%, P greater than 0.2; cardiogenic shock, 3.7% and 3.0%, P greater than 0.2; cardiac arrest, 1.8% and 4.4%, P greater than 0.2, respectively). Patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia (28 patients) compared with those with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (134 patients) had higher rates of polymorphic tachycardia (50% compared with 6%, P = 0.001), in-hospital total cardiac mortality (21% compared with 4%, P = 0.003) and sudden-death mortality (14% compared with 2%, P = 0.001); they also showed a trend toward a higher in-hospital mortality than the reference group (21.4% compared with 9.6%, P = 0.15) but had no increased mortality 1 year after discharge (4.6% compared with 5.4%, P greater than 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: As a group, patients with primary ventricular tachycardia do not differ from counterparts without primary ventricular tachycardia in their in-hospital clinical course and 1-year prognosis. Primary sustained ventricular tachycardia is often polymorphic and carries worse in-hospital prognosis than nonsustained tachycardia. However, it does not predict recurrent ventricular tachycardia or increased sudden-death rates during the next year.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to review our current experience using a combination of beta-adrenergic blocking agents and long-term cardiac pacing to treat patients with the idiopathic long QT syndrome. BACKGROUND: Patients with the idiopathic long QT syndrome are at high risk for sudden cardiac death. Before combination therapy, 20 of the 21 study patients experienced either cardiac arrest (n = 8) or syncope (n = 18) and 11 had documented polymorphous ventricular tachycardia. Nine of these patients had not responded to isolated beta-blocker therapy and five had not responded to isolated left cervicothoracic sympathectomy. METHOD: All patients were treated with combined beta-blocker therapy and long-term cardiac pacing at a rate designed to normalize the QT interval. RESULTS: Cardiac pacing at rates of 70 to 125 beats/min resulted in shortening of the QT and corrected QT (QTc) intervals from 517 +/- 78 and 541 +/- 62 ms to 404 +/- 37 and 479 +/- 41 ms, respectively. The mean follow-up interval after institution of pacing was 55 +/- 45 months. The only sudden death occurred in a patient who had discontinued beta-blocker therapy. Syncope occurred in four patients, two of whom had interrupted pacemaker function due to lead fracture. Pacemaker problems, partly attributable to the specific rate required for QT interval shortening and to avoidance of T wave sensing, were relatively common. No patient who continued the combination therapy died, but 10% of these patients had a recurrence of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with a beta-blocker and cardiac pacing appears to be a highly effective primary therapy for symptomatic patients with the long QT syndrome and to provide excellent adjunctive therapy for patients who require insertion of an automatic internal defibrillator.
Platelet activating factor (PAF) is a mediator of ischemia and reperfusion-induced tissue damage which was found to be synthesized in culture by endothelial cells. We hypothesized that PAF levels may be increased in the coronary system following coronary angioplasty. PAF levels were measured in the great cardiac vein of 16 patients before, during and following angioplasty of the left anterior coronary artery. PAF concentration was significantly higher in the cardiac vein than in the peripheral circulation at all time points. Interestingly, while PAF levels tended to decrease in the periphery they tended to increase in the coronary system over time. We conclude that PAF levels are higher in the coronary system than in the peripheral circulation in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty and that PAF may be released into the coronary artery following the procedure.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The blood levels of several "stress indicators" (prolactin [PRL], growth hormone [hGH], total catecholamines, and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate [cAMP]) were measured in men during the first 2 weeks of uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and during a 3-month follow-up period. PRL levels were significantly elevated during the first day, and hGH was elevated during the week after the AMI. The levels returned to the control baseline values thereafter. The levels of the total catecholamines and cAMP in blood remained normal throughout the study period. Sexual function during the 3-month follow-up was measured in 29 patients, using a specially designed questionnaire. Impotence was found in five patients and decreased libido in four. No correlation was noted between PRL values, the other stress indicators, and sexual dysfunction. A trend toward increased incidence of sexual dysfunction was found among patients with recurrent AMI.