Cardiologia (Rome, Italy)
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Early reperfusion with thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction results in myocardial salvage. However, it is apparent that patients remain at substantial risk for vascular reocclusion and residual ischemia (either peri-infarct or at a distance). Vascular reocclusion is promoted by local factors (residual thrombus, high shear rate, exposure of deep arterial tissues) as well as by systemic factors (activation of platelets and coagulation factors). ⋯ The well-acknowledged role of beta-blockers after myocardial infarction holds true even after thrombolytic therapy, since this treatment decreases the occurrence of new ischemic events. The process of left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction is presently investigated and a positive effect has been shown in patients with large myocardial infarction being treated with converting-enzyme inhibitors and/or nitrates. The results of large-scale clinical trials currently underway are eagerly awaited.
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Cardiologia (Rome, Italy) · Dec 1991
[Angina due to anatomical anomalies and to functional changes in the epicardial coronary vessels].
Myocardial ischemia with normal coronary arteries can be due to anatomic or functional reasons. The more severe congenital coronary anomalies in the adulthood are the origin of the left main of the left coronary artery from the right aortic sinus, with a course between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk, and the origin of the left main from the pulmonary trunk. ⋯ We report the hemodynamic, angiographic and stress test data of 30 patients affected by chest pain, with myocardial ischemia and normal coronary arteries. In 8 patients the response of epicardial coronary arteries to intracoronary infusion of acetylcholine was evaluated.
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Cardiologia (Rome, Italy) · Nov 1991
[Arterial blood pressure behavior during progressive muscular exercise in subjects with stable arterial hypertension].
To assess the behaviour of blood pressure (BP) during exercise in hypertensive patients (H), 103 males aged 21 to 59 years (mean 43 years) with essential hypertension WHO class I-II were studied. All H, without antihypertensive therapy for at least 15 days, underwent sitting bicycle exercise (10 W/min). BP was measured on the left arm by a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. ⋯ In conclusion, H had SBP and DBP higher at rest, during exercise and recovery in comparison with N. However, a parallel increase of BP was found in the 2 groups during exercise. Ergometric test showed that 60-85% of H had also excessive increase of systolic and diastolic blood pressure during exercise.
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Cardiologia (Rome, Italy) · Jun 1991
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial[The acute, chronic continuous after treatment and chronic intermittent with a variable therapeutic window (4 and 6 hours) hemodynamic effects induced with transdermal nitroglycerin in patients with congestive heart failure].
The aim of this study was to assess the minimum time interval necessary to avoid the development of tolerance during nitroglycerin patch application. We studied 24 patients, aged 23 to 73 years, with ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (LV EF less than 0.40) and stable clinical conditions during 30 days before the study. All patients had significant reduction of systemic and pulmonary arterial pressure after sublingual nitroglycerin. ⋯ Hemodynamic parameters were significantly changed after the first nitroglycerin patch application: particularly, mean systemic arterial (MAP), right atrial (RAP) and pulmonary wedge pressures (PWP) declined from 96 +/- 10, 8.9 +/- 1.8 and 20.1 +/- 5 to 81 +/- 6, 4.7 +/- 1.5 and 12.2 +/- 3 mmHg (-15.6, -47.2 and -59.3%, respectively); systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and heart rate (HR) were reduced from 1645 +/- 121 to 1288 +/- 89 dyne.s.cm-5 and from 85 +/- 7 to 81 +/- 7 b/min; lastly, cardiac index (CI), stroke volume (SVI) and stroke work index (SWI) increased from 2.3 +/- 0.3, 28.2 +/- 5 and 28.7 +/- 9 to 2.7 +/- 0.3 l/min/m2, 33.3 +/- 5 ml/min/m2 and 31.5 +/- 8 g.m/m2 (+17.4, 18.1 and 9.7%). After 1 month of either continuous or intermittent patch application with 4 hours intervals, hemodynamic parameters returned to control values with no significant change after patch application. In contrast, after intermittent patch application with 6 hours intervals, a persistent hemodynamic response to nitroglycerin patches was still present.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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Cardiologia (Rome, Italy) · May 1991
Multicenter Study Clinical Trial[Hemodynamic and clinical effects and treatment tolerance with low-dose iv amrinone in patients with refractory heart failure: a multicenter study. The Group for Research on Amrinone in the Treatment of Refractory Heart Failure].
We report the results of a multicenter study performed on 70 patients with severe congestive heart failure of different etiology (ischemic, idiopathic, alcoholic, valvular and secondary to antiblastic drugs) to evaluate the clinical and hemodynamic effects and tolerability of low dose amrinone iv (0.75 mg bolus followed by a continuous 48-hour infusion at the dose of 5-10 mcg/kg/min). Forty-one patients underwent invasive hemodynamic monitoring with right heart Swan-Ganz catheterization. Heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), stroke work index (SWI), right atrial pressure (RAP), pulmonary wedge pressure (PWP), mean arterial pulmonary pressure (PAP), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and total pulmonary resistance (TPR) were evaluated before and after 1, 4, 6, 24 and 48 hours of amrinone infusion and 2 and 4 hours after amrinone withdrawal. ⋯ Concomitantly RAP, PAP, PWP, SVR, PVR and TPR were significantly reduced to 36.6, 22, 23.6, 9.4, 39.2 and 37.7% of the basal values, respectively. Two and 4 hours after amrinone withdrawal, hemodynamic changes similar to those observed acutely, were still present. Diuresis increased from 58.25 ml/hr to 113.18 ml/hr after 24 hours (+95%) and to 88.9 ml/hr (+53%) after 48 hours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)