Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2012
β-blocker withdrawal among patients presenting for surgery from home.
This study sought to measure the prevalence of perioperative β-blocker noncompliance by patients who were prescribed long-term β-blocker therapy and presented for surgery from home. The effect of patient noncompliance on the presenting heart rate on the day of surgery also was examined. ⋯ Patient self-report and physiologic data documented a failure to take β-blockers and possible β-blocker withdrawal in 20% of patients who presented for surgery from home. If these findings are confirmed in larger studies, improved patient understanding of and compliance with medication instructions during preoperative visits should be a focus of future quality improvement initiatives.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2012
Development and validation of a cerebral oximeter capable of absolute accuracy.
Cerebral oximetry may be a valuable monitor, but few validation data are available, and most report the change from baseline rather than absolute accuracy, which may be affected by individuals whose oximetric values are outside the expected range. The authors sought to develop and validate a cerebral oximeter capable of absolute accuracy. ⋯ The Nonin cerebral oximeter using the 8004CA sensor can provide absolute data on regional cerebral saturation compared with arteriovenous saturation, even in subjects previously shown to have values outside the normal population distribution curves.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2012
Evaluation of the neuroprotective effect of minocycline in a rabbit spinal cord ischemia model.
To investigate whether postischemic administration of minocycline attenuates hind-limb motor dysfunction and gray and white matter injuries after spinal cord ischemia. ⋯ Minocycline administration beginning at 1 hour after reperfusion improved hind-limb motor dysfunction and attenuated gray matter injury in a rabbit spinal cord ischemia model.