International journal of cardiology
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Letter Comparative Study
Benefit of prostaglandin infusion in severe heart failure: preliminary clinical experience of repetitive administration.
Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is a potent vasodilating drug, which has been used in treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension. However intravenous PGE1 infusion may be of benefit and also has been proposed as a therapeutic tool in patients with end-stage heart failure. The aim of this prospective not randomized study was to assess the clinical and instrumental effects of this agent in patients with severe heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. ⋯ These preliminary data suggest that intermittent PGE1 infusion in patients with advanced congestive heart failure and high pulmonary pressure is able to improve NYHA mean class (p<0.05), ventricular contractility (LVEF p<0.001), pulmonary pressure and clinical data. It hasn't been associated to morbid events or increased risk of death.
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Kounis syndrome is the concurrence of acute coronary syndromes with allergic conditions like anaphylaxis or anaphylactoid reactions. Cases of hypersensitivity to drugs-eluting-stent (DES) components able to cause serious clinical sequelae, like stent thrombosis have been reported recently. ⋯ To our knowledge this is the first description of intra-stent thrombosis associated with Kounis syndrome. The clinical implications and physiopathology of this association are discussed.
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Letter Case Reports
A case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a patient with iatrogenic thyrotoxicosis.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a condition caused by intense emotional or physical stress leading to rapid and severe reversible cardiac dysfunction. The etiology and mechanism of this disease are unknown. ⋯ There were some reports of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy with hyperthyroidism, especially Grave's disease. We report a patient who presented chest pain and cardiac arrest, and finally diagnosed as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy caused by iatrogenic thyrotoxicosis.