Effect of telmisartan 80 mg once daily on 24-h blood pressure profile in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension failing to respond to prior antihypertensive therapy.

Blood pressure is not adequately controlled in almost 50% of patients with hypertension who are in receipt of antihypertensive therapy. This multicentre, prospective, open-label trial was designed to determine whether or not once-daily telmisartan 80 mg reduced blood pressure during the last 6 h of the 24-h dosing interval in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension who were unresponsive to previous antihypertensive therapy. The study comprised 100 patients (47 males, 53 females) who had failed to respond satisfactorily to prior treatment given for a minimum of 3 months. At screening, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was conducted after the patient had been treated with the currently prescribed antihypertensive medication. Following 5 weeks of telmisartan 80 mg treatment, ABPM was repeated. Telmisartan significantly reduced mean systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure compared with previous antihypertensive therapy over each time interval (24-h, morning, night-time and the last 6 h of the dosing interval [2.00 a.m.-8.00 a.m.]) analysed. In addition, more than 90% of patients responded successfully (clinic DBP <90 mmHg or a >10 mmHg reduction in clinic DBP) at the end of telmisartan treatment. In conclusion, telmisartan provides effective blood pressure control throughout the 24-h dosing interval in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension who were unresponsive to previous antihypertensive medication.

Evaluación comparativa del método automatizado BACTEC MGIT 960 con el método de las proporciones para determinar susceptibilidad a drogas antituberculosas en Chile / Comparative evaluation of automated BACTEC MGIT 960 for testing susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to antituberculous drugs in Chile

The automated BACTEC MGIT 960 system was compared with the method of proportion (MP) for testing susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to antituberculous drugs. 275 strains of M. tuberculosis isolated in Chile from 270 patients between 2001 and 2003 were tested. Concordance of BACTEC MGIT 960 with MP depending on the antituberculous drug tested was the following: 97.0% for streptomycin, 98,9% for rifampicin, 97,4% for isoniazid and 98,1% for ethambutol. Total resistance to antituberculous drugs of the 275 strains of M. tuberculosis tested varied from 20.4 % assessed by MP to 25.1% evaluated by BACTEC MGIT 960. These differences were not significant (p: ns; t test). BACTEC MGIT 960 yielded 17 strains as resistant. These same 17 strains were detected as sensitives by MP. Therefore, BACTED MGIT overestimates the number of resistant strains. In our study BACTEC MGIT 960 showed a very good concordance with MP and besides it allowed to get the results in a much shorter period of time than MP. Additional analysis are needed to know the factors envolved in BACTED MGIT overestimation of resistant strains.

Se comparó el método automatizado BACTEC MGIT 960 con el método de las proporciones (MP) para la determinación de la susceptibilidad a drogas anti tuberculosas de 275 cepas de Mycobacterium tuberculosis aisladas de 270 pacientes en Chile entre 2001 y 2003. La concordancia del BACTEC MGIT 960 con el MP según las drogas estudiadas fue de: 97,0% para estreptomicina, 98,9% para rifampicina, 97,4% para isoniazida y 98,1% para etambutol. Los porcentajes globales de resistencia a drogas anti-TBC de las 275 cepas de M. tuberculosis estudiadas, determinados por el BACTEC MGIT960 y el MP fueron de 25,1% y 20,4% respectivamente. Esta diferencia no fue estadísticamente significativa. El BACTEC MGIT 960 dió como resistentes 17 cepas que fueron sensibles por el MP, sobrestimándose por este método la información de cepas resistentes. El BACTEC MGIT 960 en nuestra experiencia presentó una muy buena concordancia con el MP permitiendo un notable acortamiento en el tiempo de obtención de los resultados. Sin embargo, la mayor determinación de cepas resistentes por parte de este método requiere de nuevos análisis que permitan conocer los factores que inciden en este fenómeno.

Experiencia de una década en la tipificación y resistencia a fármacos antituberculosos en micobacterias aisladas de pacientes VIH+/SIDA / Ten years experience in practicing identification and susceptibility tests on mycobacteria isolated from HIV+/AIDS patients

El análisis de las pruebas de tipificación y de la resistencia a fármacos antituberculosos de micobacterias aisladas de pacientes seropositivos al VIH, en la década de los noventas, mostró una proporción de micobacterias no tuberculosas de 23,6 por ciento y una resistencia primaria y adquirida a los fármacos antituberculosos de primera línea de 17,5 por ciento y 43,9 por ciento respectivamente; estas cifras son significativamente más elevadas que las observadas en enfermos tuberculosos VIH(-). Estos hallazgos confirman la conveniencia de continuar la práctica sistemática de las pruebas mencionadas en todo aislamiento de micobacterias proveniente de pacientes VIH+, para adecuar oportunamente y de acuerdo a sus resultados, los esquemas terapéuticos a emplear

[Low molecular weight heparin in pregnancy. Report of three cases with pure mitral stenosis]. / Heparina de bajo peso molecular y embarazo. Tres pacientes con estenosis mitral pura.

Three pregnant women with 5 +/- 1.7 weeks of pregnancy and mitral stenosis are described. Their valve area were < 1.0 cm2. They received medical treatment with little improvement and were included in our valvotomy percutaneous mitral (VPM) program with Inoue technique before their 30th week of pregnancy. Before they were treated with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), Enoxiparin) as prophylaxis of intracavitary thrombus formation transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated the absence of thrombus. We used 40 mgs. subcutaneous injection once a day during 16 weeks. Repeated transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiogram during VPM showed no evidence of intracavitary thrombus. Complete blood count and coagulation parameters remained within normal limits. The three cases delivered a healthy products. In conclusion, although this series is small, we show that the LMWH can be used in the first trimester of pregnancy as prophylactic treatment instead of oral anticoagulant treatment.

[Low-molecular-weight heparin in unstable angina pectoris]. / La heparina de bajo peso molecular en la angina de pecho inestable.

We studied the therapeutic effect of standard heparin (HS) compared with low-molecular-weight (HBPM) in two homogeneous groups of 14 patients heparin selected at random, with clinical history and electrocardiographic signs of unstable angina pectoris. Patients received the conventional treatment with platelets' inhibitors, nitrates, adrenergic beta-blockers or calcium antagonists. Both heparins, separately, showed statistical therapeutic effect on the symptoms and signs of unstable angina pectoris. They decreased to zero the number and duration of symptomatic myocardial ischemic events observed by ambulatory electrocardiogram (EKG-Holter). The symptoms of the angina pectoris disappeared at the same elapsed time: in 51.9 +/- 20.2 min. for the HS, and in 48.14 +/- 20.7 min. for the HBPM. They decreased the frequency of the silent myocardial ischemia observed at the EKG-Holter: 9 events decreased to 4 with the HS, and 8 events decreased to 3 with the HBPM. They decreased the total elapsed time of the silent ischemia from 52 min. to 15 min., and the mean elapsed time of the silent ischemia decreased from 3.71 +/- 3.29 min. to 1.07 +/- 1.81 min. with the HS (P < 0.001). With HBPM it decreased the total elapsed time of the silent ischemia from 60 min to 10 min, and the mean elapsed time of the silent ischemia decreased from 4.28 +/- 4.49 min. to 0.71 +/- 1.43 min. (P < 0.02). Both heparins considerably decreased the frequency of the lethal arrhythmias. Although in this study we did not find statistical differences in the therapeutic action of either heparins, HBPM reduced rapidly angina symptoms and the events associated to angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias, specially lethal extrasystolia, conduction defects and atrial paroxysmal tachycardia. Compared to HS, HBPM is easily applied, does not produce side effects on coagulation or bleeding time.

[Percutaneous mitral commissurotomy in patients with mitral valve stenosis and thrombosis of the left atrium]. / Comisurotomía mitral percutánea en pacientes con estenosis mitral y trombos en la orejuela izquierda.

UNLABELLED: Mitral percutaneous valvotomy (MPV) is an effective therapeutic alternative in the treatment of patients with mitral stenosis (MS) and thrombus in the left atrium have been an absolute contraindication to this procedure. The aim of our study is to evaluate the safety of MPV in patients with MS and thrombus in the appendix of the left atrium (ALA). Between September 1996 and April 1997, we performed ten procedures of MPV with Inoue's technique in patients with MS and thrombus in ALA. Nine females and 1 male were included. Their were 41 +/- 7.6 years old. The Wilkins score in our patients were 8 +/- 1.2. All were treated with oral anticoagulants between three and twelve months but the thrombus did not resolved. With transesophagic echocardiogram and fluoroscopic control we avoided the contact between wires and Inoue's catheter with ALA. Results were positive. Mitral valve area increased from 0.8 +/- 0.2 cm2 to 1.95 +/- 0.3 cm2. There was no case of systemic embolism or others major complications during the MVP and during following one year. CONCLUSION: MPV is a safe and efficient therapeutic alternative in the treatment of selected patients with MS and thrombus in ALA.

[Asymptomatic ischemia in coronary arterial ectasia. Effects of anticoagulation]. / Isquemia asintomática en la ectasia arterial coronaria. Efecto de la anticoagulación.

We studied 23 patients (22 men and 1 woman), their ages ranged from 31 to 71 years (55.9 +/- 9.7 years), with isolated coronary arterial ectasia. Seventeen patients presented angina pectoris, 19 had myocardial infarction. An angiographic image of intracoronary thrombus was observed in 5 patients. Before the administration of anticoagulants (oral warfarin) 16 patients showed unstable angina, the exercise EKG was positive in 9 patients, and 16 patients presented silent ischemia (showed by EKG-Holter), whose duration was 35.21 +/- 29.27 min per day. After anticoagulants, only 5 patients showed unstable angina pectoris. Exercise EKG was positive in 7 patients and only 7 patients showed silent ischemia, whose duration decreased significantly (P < 0.001) to 12.47 +/- 22.5 min per day.

[Effectiveness of anticoagulant oral treatment in patients with thrombus in left ventricle after acute myocardial infarction]. / Eficacia del tratamiento anticoagulante oral en pacientes con trombo en ventrículo izquierdo después de un infarto agudo del miocardio.

Left ventricular mural thrombi (LVMT) is a complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), that may produce peripheral embolism which could be fatal. In order to establish an adequate time of oral anticoagulant (OA) therapy, we undertook a prospective study that included 45 patients with AMI and left ventricular thrombi detected by echocardiographic study, in the first 5 to 10 days postinfarction, the study was repeated, in 3 and 6 months. Treatment with oral anticoagulant was initiated at the point of the detection of thrombi maintaining an INR of 1.5 to 2. Thirty nine patients (79%) were males and 6 (11%) were females, with an age of 29 to 85 years and a range of 62 +/- 11 years. Forty four patients (98%) presented anterior wall infarction and 1 (2%) posteroinferior infarction. In patients with anterior infarction, in 38 (85%) the thrombi was located at the apical wall (p < 0.05), 5 (11%) in the septal wall and other (2%) in anterior and apical walls. The patient with the posteroinferior infarction presented extension to the right ventricle, where the thrombus was located (2%). The contractility alterations related with thrombi were diskinesia, followed by hipokinesia and finally akinesia. The ejection fraction had not relationship with thrombi formation. LVMT dissolved in 32 patients (71%) at 3 months (p < 0.05), in 8 (18%) in 6 months and in 5 (11%) it was maintained for more than 6 months. None of the patients presented complications of OA. We conclude that the LVMT are more frequent in anterior infarctions, essentially in those that present diskinesia. The majority of LVMT are resolved in 6 months with OA therapy.

A randomized, double-blind comparison of the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of once-daily losartan compared to twice-daily captopril in mild to moderate essential hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: The antihypertensive efficacy and safety of losartan, a specific and selective angiotensin II (AII) receptor antagonist, was compared to captopril in patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension. DESIGN: This multinational, randomized trial consisted of a 4-week single-blind, placebo baseline period followed by a 12-week double-blind, parallel comparison of once-daily administration of losartan 50 mg or twice-daily administration of captopril 25 mg. After 6 weeks of treatment, the daily dosage was doubled in patients whose sitting diastolic blood pressure (SiDBP) remained > or = 90 mm Hg. PATIENTS: Patients with essential hypertension having a mean trough SiDBP of 95-115 mm Hg after the placebo baseline period were randomized to losartan (N = 192) or captopril (N = 204) treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary efficacy variable was the mean change from baseline to Week 12 in trough SiDBP. Safety was assessed by recording spontaneously reported or observed adverse experiences and clinical laboratory measurements. RESULTS: After 12 weeks, both treatments produced clinically important reductions in trough SiDBP and sitting systolic blood pressure (SiSBP). These mean reductions (SiDBP, SiSBP) were significantly greater in the losartan group (-11.5 and -15.4 mm Hg, respectively) than in the captopril group (-9.3 and -12.2 mm Hg, respectively) (p = 0.010 for diastolic and p = 0.023 for systolic). The percentage of patients exhibiting an excellent (trough SiDBP < 90 mm Hg) or good (trough SiDBP > 90 mm Hg, with decrease of > or = 10 mm Hg) antihypertensive response to losartan and captopril therapy at Week 12 was comparable (60.0% and 54.7%, respectively). The percentage of patients reporting a clinical adverse experience considered drug-related by the investigator was 13% in the captopril group and 10% in the losartan group. The incidence of drug-related cough was 2.6% in the losartan group and 4.4% in the captopril group. CONCLUSION: Once daily administration of losartan 50 to 100 mg is an effective treatment for patients with essential mild to moderate hypertension. The antihypertensive efficacy of losartan 50/100 mg is significantly greater than that of twice daily captopril 25/50 mg. Both treatments were generally well-tolerated. The number of patients with the side effect of cough was higher following captopril.

[Acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries as initial manifestation of polyarteritis nodosa. A case report]. / Infarto agudo del miocardio con coronarias normales como primera manifestación de poliarteritis nudosa. Reporte de un caso.

A thirty four-year-old-white man in good health developed an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction (AMI), Killip II with normal coronary arteries. No thrombolytic therapy was given. Selective angiography revealed multiple aneurysms in mesenteric and renal arteries. The diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) was performed. AMI in PAN is secondary to arteritis with thrombosis, or to atherosclerosis due to steroid therapy. This case, having multiorgan vascular aneurysms involvement without previous cardiac symptomatology nor steroid therapy, presented as his first cardiac complication an AMI with normal coronary arteries probably due to selective arteritis.

Acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries in a patient with dermatomyositis. Case report.

The authors present a forty-year-old man, with a history of dermatomyositis for the past twelve years, managed intermittently with prednisone. During an exacerbation of his illness he developed an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries. A literature review indicates this represents a rare association.

[Percutaneous mitral commissurotomy using Inoue's balloon during pregnancy]. / Comisurotomía mitral percutánea con balón de Inoue durante el embarazo.

The authors present three cases of pregnant women with symptomatic severe mitral stenosis with a mean age of 28.6 +/- 2.3 years, and during 27.6 +/- 1.52 weeks of pregnancy. Two patients were in class III and one in class IV of the New York Heart Association (NYHA). All patients had a mitral valvular area equal or less than 1 cm2, with a Wilkins score of 7 to 9 and mitral insufficiency grade I in two cases; two, had severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (mean > 50 mm Hg). After Percutaneous Mitral Valvuloplasty (PMV) the mitral valve measured by 2D echocardiography increased form 0.83 +/- 0.2 cm2 to 1.8 +/- 0.15 cm2; the mean transmitral gradient diminished from 13 +/- 3.4 mm Hg to 3.6 +/- 1.15 mm Hg; the degree of mitral insufficiency was no modified in neither case. Hemodynamic results revealed increasing of the mitral valve from 0.83 +/- 0.18 cm2 to 2.23 +/- 0.3 cm2; the mean mitral gradient decreased from 21.6 +/- 9 to 4.3 +/- 0.5 mm Hg; the mean left atrial pressure from 30 +/- 12 to 12.3 +/- 4 mm Hg; the mean pressure of the pulmonary artery diminished suddenly from 44.3 +/- 16 to 25.6 +/- 11 mm Hg. The average fluoroscopic time was 15.3 +/- 3 minutes. There were no complications. The patients were discharged 48 hours after the procedure and continued their pregnancies in class I NYHA, which resolved in a non complicated vaginal delivery with normal products. We conclude that PMV is a safe and useful therapy in pregnant patient with severe mitral stenosis refractory to medical treatment.

Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia recorded by Holter monitoring during an episode of fear. A case report.

A twenty-four-year-old, white, athletic woman, free of heart disease, experienced an episode of fear when she was assaulted in the street without physical injury while under-going twenty-four-hour Holter monitoring. She developed an important sympathetic response in which, besides the symptoms characterized by palpitations, chest pain, dyspnea, asthenia, dizziness, nausea, and profuse cold sweating, she had an episode of paroxysmal atrial tachycardia. The causes and mechanism of this not well-documented event in humans are discussed.

Heart block in dextrocardia with situs inversus. A case report.

The authors report a case of a forty-one-year-old white woman with dextrocardia with situs inversus who presented episodes of prolonged sinus arrest and syncopal episodes secondary to possible idiopathic degeneration of the conduction system, managed successfully with a permanent bicameral pacemaker. In their literature review they found that this case represents a very rare association.

[The first myocardial infarct in the elderly patient]. / Primer infarto miocárdico en el anciano.

UNLABELLED: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients over 65 years of age represent more than half of the patients with AMI. Among them, between 60 and 80% represent the first AMI. The objective of this study is to evaluate the behavior of AMI in this group of patients. The clinical charts of patients over 65 years of age with ischemic heart disease admitted into the hospital during the past two years, were reviewed. We used the international criteria (clinical, ECG, enzymatic, echocardiographic and scintigraphic studies) for the diagnosis of AMI. Patients with previous AMI were excluded. We included 274 patients (68% males and 32% females). The age varied from 65 to 91 years with an average of 71.7 +/- 5.3 years. Typical symptoms were present in 90.5% and atypical in 9.5% of the cases, being the latest most frequent in those over 75 years of age. RISK FACTORS: cigarette smoking was present in 60% of the patients, hypertension in 52% and diabetes mellitus in 37%. Both of them were associated in 21%. In 144 cases (52.5%) the MI localization was anterior and in 130 (47.5%) inferior; among them 47 patients (36%) had extension to the right ventricle and 7 (2.5%) had a non Q AMI. COMPLICATIONS: Type I-II VPCs of Bernard Lown were present in 18% and type V 10.2%. Compete AV block in 14.2% (all of them with inferior wall MI); bifascicular block in 55 and mitral insufficiency due to papillary muscle dysfunction in 6.5%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute myocardial infarction during pregnancy and puerperium in athletic women. Two case reports.

The authors present 2 cases: 1 of a thirty-two-year-old woman and another of a thirty-eight-year-old woman, both Hispanic and athletic, with no identifiable precipitating or coronary risk factors, such as previous heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, hyperlipoproteinemia, oral contraceptive use, coagulation disorders, thyroid disease, collagen tissue disorder, or family history of premature myocardial infarction, who both developed an acute posteroinferior wall myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries, one during pregnancy, from which normal twin girls were born, and another, during the postpartum period. After reviewing the literature the authors consider the present cases as unique due to the rare association of pregnancy with intrapartum and postpartum acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries in athletic women.

[The echo-dobutamine pharmacological stress test in ischemic cardiopathy]. / Prueba de estrés farmacológica eco-dobutamina en cardiopatia isquémica.

We report our experience with Echo-Dobutamine stress test. In order to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and the safety, of the pharmacologic echo-dobutamine stress test, we studied 30 patients with ischemic heart disease based on clinical history, 2D echocardiogram, standard exercise stress test and cardiac catheterization. The test was started under continuous videotape of the segmental left ventricular motility on the conventional views. Dobutamine was administer intravenously 2.5 to 40 micrograms/kg/min every 3 minutes, the mean higher dobutamine dose was 19 +/- 14.3 micrograms/kg/min, having a continuous electrocardiographic monitoring of the heart rate as well as blood pressure. The myocardial motility was recorded with each increment in the dobutamine dose. Among the cases, 22 were males and 8 females with an average age of 55 +/- 9 years. Twenty two patients had history of remote myocardial infarction and were asymptomatic at the moment of the test; 8, who had angina pectoris were on a functional class I-II of the CCS. The mean basal ejection fraction was 62.6 +/- 11.7% by echo vs 64.4 +/- 16.8% obtained by cardiac catheterization (p no significant). There were no arrhythmias in any case. The heart rate increased from 68.7 +/- 10.1 to 85.5 +/- 15.7 beats per minute (p < 0.001). The systolic B/P was increased from a mean of 124 +/- 14.5 to 138.3 +/- 14.4 mmHg (p < 0.0005) while the diastolic pressure varied from 82.3 +/- 8.2 to 90.8 +/- 9.6 mmHg (p < 0.001). There were no severe complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. The experience of the Hospital de Especialidades of the La Raza Medical Center, IMSS]. / Angioplastía coronaria transluminal percutánea. Experiencia del Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Medico La Raza, IMSS.

UNLABELLED: We analyzed the initial results of the PTCA program at the Hospital de Especialidades CMR, IMSS. During the last year we studied 33 patients in whom we performed 35 PTCA procedures with total of 45 lesions. The age of the patients varied from 27 to 75 years of age (average 57 year +/- 10.9). Among them, 84.8% were males and 15.2% females. In 54.5% of the patients, stable angina was present, whereas in 45.5% unstable angina was observed. Multivessel disease was detected in 39.4% of the cases. In 17.8% the coronary lesions were type "A", in 77.8% type "B" and in 4.4% type C. The most frequent lesions were present at the left anterior descending artery in 46.6%, right coronary artery in 40% and circumflex in 13.4%. The global procedural success was 88.5% (32/35 procedure) whereas the procedural success by isolated lesion was 88.8% (40/45 lesions). The average artery stenosis was decreased from 85 +/- 10.4% to 23 +/- 16%. A procedural failure occurred in 4 instances (11.4%), among them, 2 (5.71%) without complications and 2 more, associated to acute myocardial infarction. In the present study there were no emergency operation neither deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of PTCA performed in our hospital is limited, we consider that the initial results are good, with a success rate of 88.5% with a minimal complications.