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Biomedical subjects

M Pichler

Publications and source records attributed to M Pichler.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Release of cyclic guanosine monophosphate evaluated as a diagnostic tool in cardiac diseases.

Concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are increased in plasma of patients with impaired cardiac and renal function. The second messenger of ANP, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), is released into the plasma specifically upon stimulation of cells with ANP. Although nitrates can also activate intracellular cGMP synthesis, we detected no increase in plasma cGMP concentrations after infusions of glycerol trinitrate. Because immunoreactive ANP is highly susceptible to degradation and nonspecific influences in blood samples, determinations of ANP require immediate centrifugation and storage of plasma at -20 degrees C. In contrast, we found that cGMP is stable for five days in vitro in blood samples containing EDTA. In 147 healthy blood donors, the upper cutoff value for plasma cGMP was 6.60 nmol/L, not significantly different (P greater than 0.05) from that for 222 patients with disorders other than cardiovascular and renal. In 69 patients with manifest congestive heart failure (NYHA stages II-IV), 65 had increased cGMP values. Using the above cutoff value for cGMP gave diagnostic sensitivity of 94.2% and specificity of 93.7%. Plasma cGMP may thus provide an alternative for routine clinical measurements of ANP in cardiac diseases in the absence of renal disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Expectations of stroke patients and their relatives of rehabilitation].

The expectations towards rehabilitation held by 45 stroke patients and their relatives were investigated. It was found that the expectations held by the relatives are more realistic and not quite as optimistic as those held by the patients. The patients above all hoped for physical-vocational restoration, the relatives on the other hand more for emotional-social recovery. Also dealt with are the expectations and notions of patients and relatives in respect of duration, location and material rank of rehabilitation. Pointed out are the difficulties to be reckoned with on account of the divergent expectancies of patients and relatives toward rehabilitation.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

[Validity of potential support--a pilot study of myocardial infarct patients].

This investigation examines the validity of potential (anticipated) support as an indicator of social action. A comparison of anticipated support with received support in the past is problematic; other research variants have to be found. A comparison of two samples offers possible validation: asking one sample about the potential support, with regard to a possible crisis, and asking the second sample about actually received crisis support. This study examines received social support in a population of 30 myocardial infarction patients, and anticipated social support among 30 healthy individuals (on the assumption that they would suffer from a cardiac-infarct). The findings suggested that patients self-reported support values are lower than the expected support of the disease-free population. In particular, the healthy individuals expected support from their spouses and grown-up children. On the contrary the patients often name their doctors in this context. In general the findings suggested that the expected support with regard to an imagined crisis is a problematical indicator (validity problem). Alternative explanations are possible; the explanation that results are effects of patients perception bias is less likely.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

[Stress management in migraine].

The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological and psychological mechanisms underlying migraine, 21 patients with migraine, 21 healthy controls and a group of 21 asthmatics participated in the investigation. All patients and controls were female. Using flicker frequency analysis we determined unspecific cortical activation, whereas autonomic activation was measured by means of the skin conductance level and the skin conductance response. Furthermore, stress management was objectivated by a self-rating scale (SVF). Our findings suggest the hypothesis of inadequate regulation of autonomic especially sympathetic reactions, which along with inadequate stress overcoming mechanisms appear to be of importance in the triggering of migraine attacks.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

[Clinical prognostic criteria in the rehabilitation of cerebral infarct patients].

79 patients with ischaemic stroke were investigated, with 31 patients showing a pure hemiparesis, 22 an additional depressive syndrome and 26 a dementia. After an average time intervall of 28 months, a follow-up investigation was performed on these 3 groups relative to their course and rehabilitation outcome. No significant differences were present between the 3 groups as regards age and sex distribution as well as hemisyndrome severity. The neurological and psychiatric findings at follow-up differed significantly from the primary findings. Also, significant differences were found in the degree of disability, and in the self- and family ratings of rehabilitation outcome, with a poorer long-term course, i.e. a higher degree of disability, significantly more frequent in the dementia group. Comparison of self- and family-ratings showed that self-ratings given were significantly worse in the dementia and depressive groups, whereas patients with purely neurological symptoms rated themselves better than their relatives did.

Cerebral Infarction↗
PubMed1986

Variable spectrum and prognostic implications of left and right ventricular ejection fractions in patients with and without clinical heart failure after acute myocardial infarction.

To determine the spectrum and prognostic implications of left and right ventricular (LV and RV) ejection fractions (EFs) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), radionuclide ventriculography was performed in 114 consecutive patients, admitted without (Killip class I, 78 patients) or with (killip class II, 36 patients) clinical signs of pulmonary congestion within 24 hours of onset of symptoms of a transmural AMI. Mean LVEF was significantly lower in patients in Killip class II than in those in class I (0.32 +/- 0.11 vs 0.46 +/- 0.15, p less than 0.001) and in patients with anterior than inferior AMI (0.34 +/- 0.11 vs 0.52 +/- 0.14, p less than 0.001). Of the 36 patients with a severely depressed (0.30 or less) LVEF, 15 (42%) were in Killip class I. Mean RVEF did not differ significantly between Killip class I and II patients (0.42 +/- 0.11 vs 0.40 +/- 0.12, difference not significant) but was significantly lower in patients with inferior than anterior AMI (0.38 +/- 0.09 vs 0.44 +/- 0.11, p = 0.005). In patients with inferior AMI, a depressed RVEF (0.38 or less) was associated with a normal LVEF in 30% and a depressed LVEF in 20%, whereas in those with anterior AMI, a depressed RVEF, observed in 25% of patients, occurred only in association with a depressed LVEF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1986

[Complete AV block in a heart catheter study using a Swan-Ganz catheter].

A case of complete heart block during right heart Swan-Ganz balloon-tipped flow-directed catheterization in a patient with intermittent left bundle branch block after aortic valve replacement is reported. After entrance into the right ventricle with the catheter tip as well as after insertion of a temporary balloon-floated pacemaker electrode symptomatic complete heart block occurred. This case demonstrates that in a patient with intermittent left bundle branch block a complete AV block may occur and therefore the possibility of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and temporary pacing has to be taken in account.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

[Course and intensive treatment of acute falciparum malaria (author's transl)].

The case of a nineteen-year-old women with the cerebral form of malaria tropica is reported. She showed hyperpyrexia, abdominal manifestations, haemolysis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Cerebral symptoms amounting to grade IV encephalopathy occurred. The patient responded rapidly to the administration of chloroquine, anticonvulsants, dextran, corticosteroids, antipyretics, blood and antithrombin III and her symptoms had almost completely vanished one week after the onset of therapy.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

[Haemodynamic effects of depot zinc protamine glucagon in heart failure (author's transl)].

In contrast to intravenously-administered crystallene glucagon, which acts for 20 minutes only, the depot form, zinc protamine glucagon, shows a prolonged haemodynamic action. Fourteen patients with pre-existing heart failure received a single dose of 20 mg Zn protamine glucagon intramuscularly. The stroke volume and cardiac output were increased, whereas the mean and end-diastolic pulmonary pressure were decreased, indicating a positive inotropic action of the administered drug. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure remained almost unchanged. The haemodynamic changes started 60 minutes after intramuscular administration of the drug, reached a maximum effect at 3 hours and started to decrease after the fourth hour. Zn protamine glucagon can, therefore, be considered a beneficial drug in the treatment of digitalis-resistant heart failure on the basis of its long duration of action and easy route of administration.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

Photokymography: a noninvasive method of detecting ischemic segmental myocardial wall motion abnormalities.

The photokymograph is a new and simple noninvasive device for assessing epicardial segmental myocardial wall motion utilizing cardiac fluoroscopy and image intensification. The validity of this technique in detecting wall motion changes occurring with ischemia was assessed in seven closed chest dogs undergoing acute balloon occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery. Acute occlusion resulted in a prompt change in the analog signal of the photokymogram, characterized first by a decreased systolic inward motion and late systolic outward movement that later became akinetic and dyskinetic. Systolic amplitude decreased 18 +/- 7 percent (mean +/- standard error of the mean) within 5 seconds of occlusion and progressed to systolic outward motion (- 106 +/- 24 percent) at 2 minutes. The time course and type of morphologic changes observed after occlusion were similar to those previously described using invasive methods. Furthermore, such changes preceded electrocardiographic S-T segment elevation. These data suggest that photokymography is a sensitive technique for noninvasive detection of acute ischemic segmental wall motion abnormalities and holds promise as a simple method of detecting ischemic heart disease in man.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Analysis of regional ischemic left ventricular dysfunction by quantitative cineangiography.

The ability of left ventricular angiography to detect regional ischemic dysfunction was assessed in 10 closed-chest dogs during the course of acute balloon occlusion of the anterior descending coronary artery. During the 2-minute period of occlusion, serial cineangiography revealed a sequence of wall motion abnormalities over the anteroapical region almost identical to that observed using directly implanted gauges. This sequence consisted of progressive reduction in regional systolic shortening with eventual replacement by systolic expansion. These changes preceded both electrocardiographic ST-segment and hemodynamic alterations, and were readily observed by gross subjective inspection of the cineangiograms, but with an intraobserver variability of 22%. Frame-by-frame motional analysis of the ventricular perimeter relative to its centroid of mass allowed more precise characterization of regional dysfunction. These data are consistent with previous studies demonstrating that regional wall motion abnormalities are both sensitive and specific markers of acute ischemia, and support the use of computerized left ventricular angiography for the quantitative assessment of clinical ischemic dysfunction.

Animals↗