Scandinavian cardiovascular journal : SCJ
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Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · May 2004
Comparative StudyGenuine effects of ventricular fibrillation upon myocardial blood flow, metabolism and catecholamines in patients with aortic stenosis.
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is life-threatening because of its haemodynamic and metabolic effects. The purpose was to examine if VF also has primary effects per se. We therefore investigated the early effects of VF on myocardial blood flow, metabolic characteristics and catecholamine concentrations in patients undergoing surgery for aortic stenosis. ⋯ VF in patients with aortic stenosis was rapidly followed by myocardial ischaemia, acidosis and a transient increase in the myocardial noradrenaline net release despite sufficient coronary perfusion and unchanged global myocardial oxygen consumption. The VF instantly induced equilibration of left ventricular and aortic pressure and probably caused a relative underperfusion of the subendocardium. These factors all support persistence of VF.
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Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · May 2004
Comparative StudyPulmonary artery blood temperature at admission to the intensive care unit is predictive of outcome after on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.
To evaluate whether pulmonary artery blood (PA) temperature on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) is predictive of postoperative outcome after isolated on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). ⋯ Patients having a PA temperature > or =36.4 degrees C at admission to the ICU after CABG seem to be at higher risk of poor postoperative outcome.
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Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · May 2004
Comparative StudyThe calcium sensitizer levosimendan and cardiac arrhythmias: an analysis of the safety database of heart failure treatment studies.
Levosimendan is a calcium sensitizer that increases the contractility of the myofilaments and is considered not to affect cardiac electrophysiology. We assessed its potential to generate cardiac arrhythmias by analysing ECG recordings from clinical studies on intravenously administered levosimendan in heart failure patients. ⋯ Short-term levosimendan therapy of heart failure showed no tendency to increase cardiac arrhythmias. Although assessing only surrogates of prognostically significant arrhythmias, the findings together with previously observed reduction of mortality in heart failure therapy studies support the presumption that levosimendan has an electrophysiologically neutral profile.
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Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · May 2004
Comparative StudyRespiratory movements are altered three months and one year following cardiac surgery.
Pulmonary complications following cardiac surgery through sternotomy are well known, but little is known about the proposed alterations of the chest wall mechanism. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in chest wall motion and pulmonary function after cardiac surgery. ⋯ The motor system of the respiratory organs suffers considerable injury from cardiac surgery, which in part at least can explain the restrictive breathing 3 months postoperatively.
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Scand. Cardiovasc. J. · Mar 2004
Comparative StudyComparison of pulsatile and non-pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass on regional renal blood flow in sheep.
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on sheep regional renal blood flow by comparing pulsatile and non-pulsatile perfusion at two different flow rates. ⋯ The regional renal blood flow was significantly higher in both outer and middle cortices of pulsatile CPB compared with the non-pulsatile CPB.