Scandinavian cardiovascular journal : SCJ
-
Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · Dec 2000
Neurologic injury in cardiac surgery: aortic atherosclerosis emerges as the single most important risk factor.
With older and sicker patients undergoing cardiac surgery, neurologic injury has emerged as an increasingly important cause of rising costs, morbidity and mortality. Several studies investigating the relationship between atherosclerotic aortic disease and subsequent adverse clinical outcomes have demonstrated that the single most important risk factor for neurologic injury following cardiac surgery is the presence of aortic atheromatous disease. The results of these studies suggest that atheroemboli are correlated with neurologic injury following cardiac surgery. Surgical techniques to avoid and prevent particulate debris during cardiac surgery may be a major step in preventing severe neurologic injury.
-
Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · Dec 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEffect of allopurinol on myocardial oxygen free radical production in coronary bypass surgery.
Allopurinol protects the heart from reperfusion injury. The aim of this study was to investigate myocardial free radical production during reperfusion with and without allopurinol treatment in coronary artery bypass grafting patients randomized into allopurinol (n = 14) or placebo (n = 13) groups. ⋯ All patients in both groups had an increasing tendency to free radical production during early reperfusion. Patients treated with allopurinol showed less myocardial production of free radicals, indicating that its protective effect may be due to its antioxidative properties.