1/54. A depressed myocardium.BACKGROUND: Venlafaxine is a potent neuronal serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor, and to a lesser extent an inhibitor of dopamine reuptake. paroxetine is a potent selective inhibitor of serotonin reuptake. CASE REPORT: A 27-year-old man ingested 1987.5 mg of venlafaxine and 360 mg of paroxetine. He subsequently developed systolic and diastolic hypertension, transient electrocardiographic abnormalities, and an area of persistent myocardial damage. He recovered from his overdose with his blood pressure and electrocardiogram returning to normal. The area of myocardial damage was documented on echocardiogram as an area of marked hypokinesia at the basal anterior septum. Despite the absence of confirming blood levels or the absolute exclusion of cocaine, this case indicates that venlafaxine and paroxetine have the potential for serious cardiotoxicity when taken in overdose.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/54. exercise training with a heart device: a hemodynamic, metabolic, and hormonal study.PURPOSE: The mechanisms of the training-induced improvements in left ventricular assist (LVAD) patients are unknown. methods: We measured the hemodynamic, gas exchange, and metabolic and hormonal effects of 6-wk exercise training in a cardiogenic shock patient who was assisted by an LVAD. RESULTS: After training, the peak power and VO2 increased by 166% and 56%, respectively (80 W and 16.1 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1)), whereas the ventilatory drive decreased. Although the LVAD output increased little with exercise, the systemic cardiac output rose (adequately for the VO2) from 5.91 and 4.90 L x min(-1) at rest to 9.75 and 9.47 L x min(-1) at peak work rate, before and after training, respectively. Thus, the left ventricle ejected again through the aortic valve. Unloading and/or retraining resulted in a left ventricular filling pressure decrease. Although the right ventricular ejection fraction increased with exercise, it decreased again at the maximal load after training. For a given work rate the arterial lactate, the norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) concentrations fell after training, but the enhanced maximal work rate elicited higher NE and E concentrations (4396 and 1848 pg x mL(-1), respectively). The lack of right ventricular unloading might have kept the atrial natriuretic peptide higher after training, but the blood cyclic gmp and endothelin were lower after training. CONCLUSION: In an LVAD patient, retraining returns the exercise capacity to the class III level by peripheral and left ventricular hemodynamic improvements, but the safety of maximal exercise remains to be proven in terms of right ventricular function and orthosympathetic drive.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/54. Outpatient management of heart failure.The outpatient treatment of heart failure can be divided into 2 broad categories: older therapies, which improve hemodynamics, and newer therapies, which increase survival and improve function. Hemodynamic "triple" therapy includes digoxin to increase cardiac inotropy, antihypertensives to lower systolic pressure, and diuretics to remove fluid and decrease filling pressures. disease-modifying therapy requires the use of specific agents to lower blood pressure (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin ii blockers, spironolactone, or hydralazine and nitrates) and beta-adrenergic blockade with carvedilol. The success of these newer therapies suggests that the standard triple therapy for heart failure should be expanded to "quadruple" therapy that includes carvedilol.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/54. Transient left ventricular apical ballooning without coronary artery stenosis: a novel heart syndrome mimicking acute myocardial infarction. angina pectoris-myocardial infarction Investigations in japan.OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical features of a novel heart syndrome with transient left ventricular (LV) apical ballooning, but without coronary artery stenosis, that mimics acute myocardial infarction, we performed a multicenter retrospective enrollment study. BACKGROUND: Only several case presentations have been reported with regard to this syndrome. methods: We analyzed 88 patients (12 men and 76 women), aged 67 /- 13 years, who fulfilled the following criteria: 1) transient LV apical ballooning, 2) no significant angiographic stenosis, and 3) no known cardiomyopathies. RESULTS: Thirt-eight (43%) patients had preceding aggravation of underlying disorders (cerebrovascular accident [n = 3], epilepsy [n = 3], exacerbated bronchial asthma [n = 3], acute abdomen [n = 7]) and noncardiac surgery or medical procedure (n = 11) at the onset. Twenty-four (27%) patients had emotional and physical problems (sudden accident [n = 2], death/funeral of a family member [n = 7], inexperience with exercise [n = 6], quarreling or excessive alcohol consumption [n = 5] and vigorous excitation [n = 4]). Chest symptoms (67%), electrocardiographic changes (ST elevation [90%], Q-wave formation [27%] and T-wave inversion [97%]) and elevated creatine kinase (56%) were found. After treatment of pulmonary edema (22%), cardiogenic shock (15%) and ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (9%), 85 patients had class I New York Heart association function on discharge. The LV ejection fraction improved from 41 /- 11% to 64 /- 10%. Transient intraventricular pressure gradient and provocative vasospasm were documented in 13/72 (18%) and 10/48 (21%) of the patients, respectively. During follow-up for 13 /- 14 months, two patients showed recurrence, and one died suddenly. CONCLUSIONS: A novel cardiomyopathy with transient apical ballooning was reported. Emotional or physical stress might play a key role in this cardiomyopathy, but the precise etiologic basis still remains unclear.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/54. Bilateral pleural effusion and pulmonary edema caused by a fistulous aneurysm of the ductus arteriosus.We report an unusual case of pulmonary edema and rapid collection of bilateral pleural effusion caused by a fistulous large aneurysm of the ductus arteriosus (DAA). The diagnosis was performed by contrast CT and aortography. The cause of pulmonary edema and effusion was thought to be both elevated capillary pressure due to overload of the pulmonary circulation and decreased water clearance due to compression of the lymphatic system by the large DAA itself. Therefore, fistulous DAA should be considered when a continuous heart murmur and swelling in the aortic window are recognized. Once DAA is diagnosed, surgery should be performed without delay.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/54. First use of the Cancion cardiac recovery system in a human.Animal studies have shown clearly that a peripheral circulatory support system can effectively unload the left ventricle. We report here the first implantation of one such system (Cancion, Orqis Medical, Lake Forest, CA) in a human. The Cancion system consists of a centrifugal pump connected to the circulation via a graft cannula anastomosed to the left axillary artery and a percutaneous cannula placed into the left common femoral artery. Flow is initiated from the femoral to the axillary artery. The system was implanted in a 62-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy suffering from decompensation whose condition had not improved with catecholamine therapy. The Cancion system supported the patient for 3 days, after which it was electively explanted. During the support period, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure dramatically decreased from 28 to 9 mm Hg, left ventricular diastolic dimension decreased from 6.78 to 6.16 cm, creatinine levels decreased from 1.9 to 0.9 mg/dl, cardiac index improved from 1.5 to 2.7 L/min, and ejection fraction improved from 25 to 35%. Together, our data indicate that the Cancion system quickly and effectively improved the patient's hemodynamics. This suggests that the device may one day become a short-term alternative to high dose inotrope therapy and that its application may delay the need for more invasive forms of mechanical circulatory support.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/54. Peripartum cardiomyopathy and thromboembolism; anesthetic management and clinical course of an obese, diabetic patient.PURPOSE: To describe the anesthetic management and clinical course of a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy. We highlight the frequent occurrence of thromboembolic morbidity in this group of parturients, emphasizing the need for early consideration of prophylactic anticoagulation. Clinical features: A 38-yr-old, diabetic, obese parturient was admitted with pulmonary edema and severe orthopnea at 31 weeks gestation. The respiratory rate was 44 breaths x min(-1), blood pressure 110/70 mmHg, pulse 120 beats x min(-1) and rales were heard in both lung fields. The diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy was made based on sinus tachycardia with no evidence of ischemia on the electrocardiogram, and global left ventricular hypokinesis with an ejection fraction of 40-45% noted on transthoracic echocardiography. Cesarean delivery was planned to improve maternal respiratory status and hemodynamics. General anesthesia with invasive monitoring was planned, and surgery and anesthesia proceeded uneventfully. Less than 24 hr postoperatively, she sustained a thrombotic cerebral infarct leaving her hemiparetic and dysarthric. Subsequent investigations revealed a thrombophilic state due to elevated anticardiolipin antibody. CONCLUSION: General anesthesia is an acceptable option in parturients with heart failure secondary to cardiomyopathy. Thromboembolic complications are common, and early consideration should be given to prophylactic anticoagulation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/54. Effect of vasopressin on sublingual microcirculation in a patient with distributive shock.OBJECTIVE: To assess the sublingual microcirculation in a patient during vasopressin administration for a distributive shock after cardiopulmonary bypass. DESIGN AND SETTING: Case-report in the Department of intensive care of a university hospital. PATIENT: A 53 year-old man developed severe distributive shock after cardiac transplant, requiring massive doses of vasopressor agents. methods: Vasopressin administered twice at a dose of 0.02 U/min increased mean blood pressure and allowed partial weaning of other vasopressor drugs. Microcirculatory alterations were assessed by orthogonal polarization spectral technique: 50% and 60% of capillaries were perfused at baseline, and these proportions did not worsen when vasopressin was administered. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its strong vasopressor effects vasopressin infusion did not worsen microcirculatory alterations in this patient with distributive shock following cardiac surgery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/54. sarcoidosis with incomplete bilateral bundle branch block pattern disappearing following steroid therapy: an electrophysiological study.A man with a 30-year history of pulmonary sarcoidosis, confirmed by lymph node biopsy and a positive Kveim reaction, developed an incomplete bilateral bundle branch block pattern. Cardiac catherization and angiography revealed normal pressures, hemodynamic parameters and left ventricular contractile pattern; the coronary arteries were patent. His bundle electrograms demonstrated a normal H-V interval that was not altered by atrial pacing. After four weeks of steroid therapy the electrocardiographic abnormality disappeared. However, when restudied at this time, incomplete bilateral bundle branch block pattern could be elicited on atrial pacing and with the extrastimulus technique. Other electrophysiological observations suggested the presence of an AV nodal bypass tract and demonstrated changing intraventricular conduction patterns. The implications of these findings are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/54. Functionally atrialized parchment-like right ventricle with extensive myocardial fibrosis of left ventricle.A 18-year-old female with unusual type of parchment-like right ventricle died of intractable congestive heart failure was reported. A catheter study revealed the absence of systolic contraction of the right ventricle. The pressure tracing curve in the right ventricle was virtually the same as in the right atrium. At autopsy, there was an extensive myocardial fibrosis of the left ventricle in addition to the almost total absence of the myocardium of the right ventricle. The case was considered to be a unique type of idiopathic cardiomyopathy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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