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W Koenig

Publications and source records attributed to W Koenig.

153 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

[Significance of pulmonary artery diastolic pressure after myocardial infarction for physical training (author's transl)].

Functional disorders of the left ventricle after myocardial infarction at rest and with exercise can be evaluated with right heart floating catheter by measuring pulmonary artery diastolic pressure. 45% of 200 patients with myocardial infarctions did not tolerate bicycle exercise test with a work load of 50 Watt during 6 minutes. A routine digitalisation of these patients without strict indication did not improve the results. The upper borderline to admit a physical training program is a pulmonary artery diastolic pressure of 20 mm Hg; this should be realised otherwise additional complications have to be expected in long term follow up. The effects of digitalis should be controlled with floating catheter observations in these patients too. There are some indications, that it is possible with the same technique to evaluate hemodynamic responses on psychological strain. Measurements of pulmonary artery diastolic pressure after myocardial infarction open a wide field for individual therapy from drugs to physical training and even to behaviour therapy for stressfull situations.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatic zinc content in patients with various stages of alcoholic liver disease and in patients with chronic active and chronic persistent hepatitis.

The hepatic zinc content was determined in liver biopsies of patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver disease using proton-induced X-ray emission. The values obtained in postmortem specimens of the liver from 27 patients with no evidence of acute or chronic liver disease served as controls. The mean value and the range of the zinc content in the controls (75 +/- 24 ppm wet weight) are in good agreement with those reported in the literature. The hepatic zinc content in the control group showed no significant age or sex dependence. The mean zinc content was significantly decreased in all groups of patients with alcoholic liver disease. The decrease was comparable in biopsies from patients with alcoholic fatty liver (-56.7%, n = 12), mild alcoholic hepatitis (-50.5%, n = 6) and alcoholic cirrhosis (-45.6%, n = 10). The hepatic zinc content was also distinctly reduced in patients with chronic active hepatitis (-60.3%, n = 15) and in those with chronic persistent hepatitis (-44.9%, n = 8). The estimation of the zinc content in subcellular fractions of the liver performed in postmortem specimens from seven patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and in six controls revealed a significant reduction in the zinc content in the fraction containing cell nuclei and membranes and in the mitochondrial fraction. A similar decrease was seen in the 100,000 g supernatant; however, the difference did not attain statistical difference. The zinc content of the microsomal fraction in the controls was lower than in the other three cell fractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inflammation and coronary heart disease: an overview.

About half of the patients presenting with myocardial infarction do not have the classic risk factors. This finding has stimulated a search for other factors that may be responsible and, when present, may help to predict which patients are at greatest risk for myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular events. With improved understanding of the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease, new insights into potential markers of underlying atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk have been gained. In recent years, data have accumulated demonstrating that certain markers of inflammation--both systemic and local--play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis. Specifically, elevated levels of one systemic marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease events. Moreover, potentially important associations have been established between elevated markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein and increased efficacy of established therapies; and, in particular, lipid-lowering therapy with the hepatic hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor pravastatin. This article discusses the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the role of endothelial dysfunction and plaque rupture, and evidence for the role of inflammation and reviews how therapy might reduce vascular inflammation.

C-Reactive Protein↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Blood rheology in healthy cigarette smokers. Results from the MONICA project, Augsburg.

To investigate the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and the fluidity of blood, a random sample of the population consisting of 4022 persons ages 25 to 64 years was investigated for plasma viscosity, hemoglobin, and total serum protein. A total of 567 healthy nonsmokers and 287 healthy smokers were identified and compared. Plasma viscosity was found to be elevated in male smokers; this was related to both the degree and the duration of cigarette abuse. Plasma viscosity proved to be age-dependent in smokers, but did not change with age in nonsmokers. Total serum protein decreased with age in nonsmokers, while it did not change in smokers. Hemoglobin increased only in female smokers. These findings suggest that blood fluidity is jeopardized in smokers. In men the hemorheological deficit is mostly due to a rise of plasma viscosity, which, in turn, may be caused by an elevation of plasma fibrinogen levels. In women it is predominantly due to an increase in hemoglobin. These alterations in hemorheological variables may be a marker for increased cardiovascular risk in smokers and could reduce blood flow and hinder microcirculatory function.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The vigor of drug treatment in the control of hypertension: results from the Munich Blood Pressure Study.

The strength of antihypertensive drug treatment was investigated in a representative sample of the population of Munich. The Munich Blood Pressure Study, a cross-sectional study (MBS I) with follow-up one year later (MBS II) of a random sample of 3,198 citizens aged 30-69 years (response rate 69.3 percent) served as the data base. Using an empirical scale of the relative potency of antihypertensive drugs, the vigor of drug therapy was estimated. One unit of vigor was defined as the equivalent of the recommended average daily dose of the specific drug for long-term treatment. This index of therapeutic vigor was then applied to two groups, treated but uncontrolled hypertensives and controlled hypertensives. We found that 85 percent of the treated uncontrolled hypertensives and 90 percent of those with controlled hypertension were taking only small amounts of medication (less than two units of vigor). Particularly striking was the result that approximately 50 percent of each group received less than one unit of vigor. Based on these data it is concluded that physicians failed to prescribe adequate doses of antihypertensive agents for uncontrolled hypertensives. Furthermore, since a large number of patients had their blood pressure controlled by only very small doses of antihypertensive agents, it may be assumed that at least some of them did not require drug treatment or could have their blood pressure controlled by nonpharmacologic measures alone.

Adult↗