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S Polić

Publications and source records attributed to S Polić.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Early cardiac rupture following streptokinase in patients with acute myocardial infarction: retrospective cohort study.

AIM: To assess the incidence and timing of cardiac rupture following streptokinase (SK) administration in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively the clinical sheets of AMI patients treated at the Coronary Care Unit in University Hospital Split, Croatia, between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 1998. We selected the patients who died after SK administration (1.5 million U in a 30 min iv. infusion), with a discharge diagnosis of "AMI" and "cardiac tamponade - ventricular rupture". AMI was defined by typical chest pain, ECG, and/or enzymatic changes. Echo or autopsy verified diagnosis of cardiac tamponade and/or rupture, as well as pericardial effusion and/or free-wall rupture. RESULTS: Out of 726 AMI patients, 136 (18.7%) were treated with SK, and 6 had cardiac rupture (4 men and 2 women; 4.4%). Autopsy revealed that 1 patient had ischemic and 2 had transmural hemorrhagic AMI. Three out of 6 patients died 2-4, and 3 died 5-7 hours after SK administration. Six patients who died from cardiac rupture (mean age 72.3+/-9.0) were significantly older than AMI survivors treated with SK (121 patients, mean age 60.5+/-12.0 years, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In case of unexplained clinical deterioration in AMI patients over 70 during the first hours after SK administration, cardiac tamponade due to a free-wall rupture should be suspected. SK administration in patients with AMI over 70 years should be a selective and not a routine treatment.

Aged↗

Comparison of chlorthalidone, propranolol and bopindolol in six-month treatment of arterial hypertension.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that prolonged treatment of mild to moderate hypertension with low-dose thiazide diuretics or beta blockers does not induce any of the major untoward biochemical changes, such as hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperuricemia and electrolyte imbalances. The effect of these drugs was analyzed in 100 outpatients (52 males and 48 females) aged 52.0 +/- 7.9 years with mild to moderate hypertension, in a prospective 6-month study. After an appropriate workup, the patients were randomized to either 25 mg chlorthalidone (40 patients), 120 mg propranolol (30 patients), or 2 mg per day bopindolol (30 patients). A significant reduction of approximately 10% in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was recorded in all the groups. At the end of the 6th month, in the chlorthalidone group triglycerides increased to 3.0 +/- 2.1 mmol/l from 2.8 +/- 1.6 mmol/l, while cholesterol after an initial increase to 6.6 +/- 1.6 from 6.4 +/- 1.6 mmol/l returned to the baseline level. Uricemia and serum potassium concentration decreased by 4%. The body weight was reduced to 83.8 +/- 13.4 kg from 86.1 +/- 13.4 kg. There was no change in serum glucose level. In the propranolol group, as expected, heart rate decreased by 20%, but there were no significant changes in glucose and potassium plasma concentration. Triglycerides did not change significantly, while cholesterol, after a small increase, returned to the initial levels. Similar results were obtained in the bopindolol group, apart from the triglycerides, which increased significantly (to 2.5 +/- 1.1 from 2.2 +/- 0.4 mmol/l), probably because of the lower baseline concentration. We conclude that in prolonged treatment, chlorthalidone, propranolol and bopindolol do not induce significant untoward biochemical changes that alone might increase cardiovascular risk.

Adult↗

Diuretic effects of furosemide infusion versus bolus injection in congestive heart failure.

In a randomized, single-blind, crossover clinical trial, the diuretic efficacy of the same total dose of furosemide (2 x 40 mg) administered in either conventional intravenous bolus injection or continuous infusion was studied in 20 patients (nine males and 11 females), aged 37-75 years, with congestive heart failure. Furosemide infusion, administered first, produced a significantly greater diuresis than the bolus when compared with baseline (86%: 29.6%; p = 0.029). This was followed by a similar increase in 24-h urinary sodium, potassium and chloride excretion, with no significant difference from the bolus effect. The following day, diuretic and saluretic effects of furosemide did not differ significantly between the study groups. Nevertheless, when continuous furosemide infusion was administered first, it produced a greater increase in urinary volume, 24-h urinary sodium, potassium and chloride than when bolus injection was applied the next day. Conversely, when furosemide bolus was administered first, followed by the infusions the next day, the effects were almost equal, regardless of the mode of administration. It is concluded that in the treatment of refractory edema in patients with congestive heart failure, continuous intravenous infusion of furosemide is superior to the conventional intermittent bolus injection, especially if it is administered at the very beginning of the hospital treatment, and presumably is even better with higher dosage and longer infusion time span.

Adult↗

Peculiarities of myocardial infarction at young age in Southern Croatia.

The aim of this study was to assess whether acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in younger patients (< 45 years) differs from that in the older individuals (> 45 years). We have studied the records of all patients admitted to the Department of Medicine, Clinical Hospital of Split, Croatia, because of AMI from January 1st, 1987 to December 31st, 1991. The study group consisted of 1406 patients, 130 (9.2%) below, and 1276 (90.8%) above the age of 45. In the ¿young¿ subgroup there were only 9 females (6.9%), significantly less than in the ¿old¿ one (399 out of 1276 or 31.3%, p < 0.001). There were many more smokers among the younger (100 out of 130 or 76.9%) than among the older patients (524 out of 1276 or 41.1%, p < 0.001). The location of myocardial necrosis was also different: inferior infarction occurred in 65 out of 130 or 50% young patients and in 442 out of 1276 or 34.6% old patients; p < 0.001). Finally, the hospital mortality rate among the younger AMI patients was quite low (8 out of 130 or 6.2%) when compared to that of the older patients (282 out of 1276 or 22.1%, p < 0.001). In conclusion, AMI in younger individuals shows relevant peculiarities: the background of such patients almost invariably includes cigarette smoking; the female gender is about five times less affected, the diaphragmatic location is nearly two times more frequent, and the hospital mortality rate of these patients is almost four times lower than that of older patients.

Adult↗

[Comparison of the antihypertensive effects of bopindolol and metoprolol in the treatment of arterial hypertension].

A randomized, double blind clinical trial included 40 hypertension patients of both sexes, aged 18-70 years, with diastolic blood pressure persistently above 100 (13.33 kPa) and below 120 mm Hg (15.99 kPa). After a run-in period on placebo, one half of them was treated with bopindolol (single daily dose 1-3 mg), and the other half with metoprolol (100-300 mg daily in two divided doses). After 4 weeks of formal trial both beta blockaders had significantly decreased the elevated arterial pressure, e.g. the mean arterial pressure in the bopindolol group dropped from an average of 129.1 +/- 6.9 (17.20 +/- 0.92) to 111.6 +/- 6.1 mm Hg (14.87 +/- 0.81 kPa) or by 13.6% and in the metoprolol group from 129.8 +/- 7.1 (17.30 +/- 0.94 kPa) to 114.5 +/- 6.4 mm Hg (15.26 +/- 0.85 kPa) or by 11.8% (p less than 0.02). After 12 weeks the mean pressure was ulteriorly lowered to some 104.3 mm Hg (13.90 kPa) on bopindolol and to some 106.0 mm Hg (14.12 kPa) on metoprolol. The heart rate was expectedly slowed down, from an average of 95 to 69 b.p.m. with bopindolol (27.4% decrease, p less than 0.001) and from 99 to 67 b.p.m. with metoprolol (32.3% decrease, p less than 0.001). The other parameters, including the laboratory results did not change appreciably during this study. Clinically relevant side-effects were not registered, and the observed between-group differences did not reach the level of statistical significance. It is concluded that bopindolol and metoprolol are beta-adrenergic blockaders of comparable antihypertensive efficacy.

Adolescent↗

Role of digoxin in right ventricular failure due to chronic cor pulmonale.

The effect of digoxin in the treatment of decompensated chronic cor pulmonale was investigated in a randomized double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 34 successive patients with evident right heart failure were included in the study. The mean maintenance daily dose of digoxin was 0.30 +/- 0.03 mg with the mean serum level of 1.7 +/- 0.7 nmol/L. The severity of heart failure was assessed according to a clinicoradiographic scoring system (Heart Failure Score). The heart failure worsened during the placebo-period in eight (23.5%) patients (four with atrial fibrillation, two with a third heart sound (S3), one with a cardiothoracic ratio of more than 0.5 and one with sinus rhythm). By regression analysis, the heart failure significantly worsened only in the subgroup of patients with atrial fibrillation. Digoxin was successfully (without worsening of the heart failure) discontinued in 26 (76.5%) patients. No significant improvement was observed in the patients with S3 gallop. It was concluded that digoxin had no beneficial effect in chronic cor pulmonale patients with heart failure, except in those with atrial fibrillation.

Aged↗

Rapid dissolution of right atrial thrombus in a patient with congestive cardiomyopathy.

The AA describe a patient with congestive cardiomyopathy, probably alcoholic, who exhibited signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure and a pericardial rub, due to a right atrial thrombus (4 X 2 cm). The thrombus dissolved completely and the symptoms decreased markedly after 14 days of oral anticoagulant therapy alone. We suggest that anticoagulant therapy should be considered before surgery, if an intracardiac mass with no signs of pulmonary embolism is found in a patient with cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗

[Fibrosarcoma as a cause of cardiac tamponade].

Primary malignant tumours of the heart are exceptionally rare, what makes them particularly interesting for their research; on the other hand, clinical diagnosing of these tumours is even rarer. The authors present a patient with fibrosarcoma of the heart, which provoked the acute pericardial tamponade. The patient was successfully operated upon. The diagnosis was confirmed during the surgery itself with temporary biopsy. After the surgery the authors administered chemotherapy according to the VAC scheme (vincristine++, actinomycin D and cyclophosphamide ).

Cardiac Tamponade↗

[Diagnostic characteristics of myxoma of the left atrium].

Three middle-aged patients (38, 40 and 41 years old; two women and one man) with left atrial myxoma diagnosed by echocardiography and successfully operated on are presented. Two patients had tumor embolus as the dominant presenting symptom. The time span between the first symptoms and the echocardiographic diagnosis was 6 months, 12 months, and 12 days, respectively. From that moment to surgery the average lag was 6.3 days only, including the complex transportation to distant surgical centres. All the patients are now alive, all with normal findings more than 2 years after the operation.

Adult↗

[Changes in left ventricular function and structure in hypertensive patients treated with methyldopa and urapidil].

In a randomized cross-over and double-blind trial twenty mild-to-moderate hypertensives (11 males, 9 females, mean age 48.4 +/- 7.6 years) were receiving methyldopa (250 mg b.i.d.) or urapidil (30 mg b.i.d.) for 7 weeks and then treated with alternative drug for additional 7 weeks, separated by one week of wash-out period. Both antihypertensives induced significant reduction (P less than 0.01) in systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, while no significant changes (P greater than 0.20) in the body weight and the heart rate were observed. The echocardiographic features of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) did not decrease significantly (P greater than 0.05) on either drug, except for the left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWd), which decreased on methyldopa from 10.4 +/- 1.3 to 9.8 +/- 1.4 mm (P less than 0.05). The drugs under study did not change significantly the echocardiographic indices of left ventricular function. Echocardiography resulted to be more sensitive in detecting LVH than electrocardiography. It is concluded that methyldopa might successfully reduce LVH, while direct and indirect vasodilators (such as urapidil) are less effective.

Adult↗

[Comparison of single and double doses of hydrochlorothiazide in the treatment of arterial hypertension with special emphasis on changes in vascular reactivity].

The hypotensive effects of 100 and 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide (HTZ) were evaluated in 30 mild-to-moderate hypertensives, divided into two groups, with diastolic pressure between 95 and 110 mmHg. In both groups, the average MAP reduction was 15% (P less than 0.05). There were no significant differences in antihypertensive effects between single (50 or 100 mg o.d.) and double (25 or 50 mg b.i.d.) doses of the same drug. Blood pressure control was better after two than after one month on each of the various dosing schedules. Side-effects were mild and well tolerated: observed was a significant increase in triglyceride level from 3.0 +/- 1.8 to 4.8 +/- 2.4 mmol/L under the treatment with 100 mg HTZ o.d. and a statistically significant decrease in potassium level from 4.4 +/- 0.3 mmol/L to 4.1 +/- 0.3 mmol/L after two months treatment with 50 mg HTZ o.d. Unexpectedly, these changes were not dose-related. The venous reflexes showed atenuated response to norepinephrine after HTZ treatment, while arterial inflow, venous capacity and venous outflow increased significantly (P less than 0.05). It is concluded that HTZ exhibits some direct vasodilator activity and that the pharmacokinetic features of this drug do not correlate with the pharmacodynamic ones. At least in the management of mild-to-moderate arterial hypertension single daily dosage is quite adequate.

Adult↗