Physical activity, symptoms of chest pain and dyspnea in patients with ischemic heart disease in relation to age before and two years after coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: To describe limitation of physical activity, cause of limitation of physical activity and symptoms of dyspnea and chest pain in relation to age before and 2 years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: All patients from Western Sweden who underwent CABG without concomitant procedures during 3 years in 1989-1991 answered questionnaires before, and 2 years after the operation. Patients were divided into 3 age groups of equal size i.e. 32-59 years, 60-67 years and > or = 68 years. RESULTS: In total, 2121 patients participated in the evaluation. The overall 2 year mortality in the 3 age groups was 3.8%, 6.8% and 12.2% (p<0.001). Limitation of physical activity was significantly associated with age prior to surgery but not thereafter. Improvement in physical activity, following CABG, was significant in all age groups. The proportion of patients being free of dyspnea increased markedly regardless of age. The number of chest pain attacks was associated with age after CABG, i.e. fewer attacks in the elderly, but such an association was not found prior to surgery. Improvement in number of chest pain attacks was more marked in the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity improved similarly in all age groups after CABG. Attacks of chest pain, although significantly reduced in all age groups, seemed more effectively reduced in the elderly.

Dose-related effects of metoprolol on heart rate and pharmacokinetics in heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of immediate-release (IR) metoprolol, 50 mg 3 times daily, were compared with those of different doses of controlled-release/extended-release metoprolol (CR/XL) given once daily. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifteen patients with chronic heart failure were randomized to a 3-way crossover study to receive metoprolol IR 50 mg 3 times daily, CR/XL 100 mg once daily, and CR/XL 200 mg once daily for 7 days. On the seventh day of each treatment, serial plasma samples were drawn and standardized exercise tests and a 24-hour Holter recording were performed. Metoprolol IR 50 mg produced peak plasma levels comparable to those observed for CR/XL 200 mg (285 v 263 nmol/L). The difference in mean 24-hour heart rate between CR/XL 100 mg and IR 50 mg was 1.0 bpm (95% confidence interval [CI]), -2.9 to 4.9; NS) compared with -3.8 bpm (95% CI, -7.6 to -0.04; P = .048) between CR/XL 200 mg and IR 50 mg. Submaximal exercise heart rate was lower for patients receiving CR/XL 200 mg than those receiving IR 50 mg. No difference in tolerance or exercise performance was observed between treatment regimens. CONCLUSIONS: Peak plasma levels produced by metoprolol 200 mg CR/XL were similar to those of 50 mg IR. Metoprolol CR/XL 200 mg was associated with a more pronounced suppression of heart rate than metoprolol IR 50 mg. It is suggested that patients can safely be switched from multiple dosing of metoprolol IR 50 mg to a once-daily dose of metoprolol CR/XL.

Graft coronary artery disease is strongly related to the aetiology of heart failure and cellular rejections.

AIMS: To identify risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease after heart transplantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: In consecutive heart transplanted patients, who underwent coronary angiography at the first year follow-up, the aetiology of heart failure in 113 was ischaemic heart disease or dilated cardiomyopathy. Development of clinically significant graft coronary artery disease was analysed vs recipient and donor pre- and post-transplantation variables. At 1, 5 and 9 years follow-up, coronary artery disease had developed in 4%, 16%, and 20% of the included patients, respectively. Among patients with ischaemic heart disease as the aetiology of heart failure, 38% developed graft coronary artery disease, while the corresponding figure for patients with dilated cardiomyopathy was 9% (P<0.001) during 9 years of follow-up. In multivariate regression analysis, the aetiology of ischaemic heart disease and the number of cellular rejections were independent predictors of developing graft coronary artery disease, with risk ratios of 5.8, (95% confidence interval of 2.2-14.8 (P=0.0003)) and 3.3, (95% confidence interval of 1.7-6.5 (P=0.0004)), respectively. Classical risk factors for coronary artery disease did not influence the development of graft coronary artery disease. CONCLUSIONS: Ischaemic heart disease as the aetiology of heart failure and the number of cellular rejections were powerful independent predictors of development of graft coronary artery disease following heart transplantation. The low incidence of graft coronary artery disease among patients with dilated cardiomyopathy implies that coronary angiography after heart transplantation can be made on a more selective basis.

High and low pulmonary vascular resistance in heart transplant candidates. A 5-year follow-up after heart transplantation shows continuous reduction in resistance and no difference in complication rate.

BACKGROUND: In heart transplantation candidates, high pulmonary vascular resistance has been found to decrease promptly after heart transplantation without any further reduction during follow-up. Pulmonary hypertension has been described as associated with an increased peri- and postoperative complication rate and mortality. This study describes the evolution of pulmonary vascular resistance and the outcome for patients during 5 years following heart transplantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Haemodynamic data, complication rate and mortality have been analysed during 5-year follow-up in all patients (n = 80) who were heart transplanted at Sahlgrenska University Hospital from 1988 through 1990. We found a significant and continuous reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance both in patients with a pre-operative high (> 3 Wood Units; n = 36), but reversible on nitroprusside, and pre-operative low (< or = 3 Wood Units; n = 44) pulmonary vascular resistance. A multivariate analysis showed that a pre-operative high mean pulmonary artery and low mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure predicted the decline in pulmonary vascular resistance during 5 years after heart transplantation. The need for a postoperative assist device, complication rate, and early and late mortality were independent of the pre-operative level of pulmonary vascular resistance. CONCLUSIONS: A continuous reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance during 5 years following heart transplantation was found in patients with both high, but reversible, and low pre-operative resistance levels. The outcome and survival were independent of the pre-operative pulmonary vascular resistance level.

Physical activity, dyspnea, and chest pain before and after coronary artery bypass grafting in relation to a history of diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the limitation of physical activity and symptoms of chest pain and dyspnea before and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in relation to a history of diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: All patients in western Sweden in whom CABG was performed between 1988 and 1991 were asked to complete a questionnaire before 3 months and 2 years after the operation. The questionnaire evaluated limitation of physical activity and symptoms of chest pain and dyspnea. RESULTS: In all, 2,121 patients participated in the evaluation, of whom 13% had a history of diabetes. The overall 2-year mortality was 14% among patients with a history of diabetes and 6% among patients without such a history (P < 0.001). The proportion of patients with a limitation of physical activity caused by chest pain decreased from 76% before CABG to 19% 2 years after in diabetic patients (P < 0.001) and from 79 to 17% in nondiabetic patients (P < 0.001). The proportion of diabetic patients without dyspnea increased from 13% before to 31% 2 years after CABG (P < 0.001). The corresponding figures for nondiabetic patients were 12 and 43% (P < 0.001). Symptoms of angina pectoris were reported in 94% of diabetic patients before CABG versus 35% after 2 years (P < 0.001). Corresponding figures for nondiabetic patients were 93 and 29% (P < 0.001). Aggregate data confirmed differences between diabetic and nondiabetic patients, with more symptoms in the diabetic patients, particularly with regard to dyspnea. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality during 2 years of follow up was more than twice as high in diabetic than in nondiabetic patients. Limitation of physical activity, dyspnea, and angina pectoris improved markedly and similarly in diabetic and nondiabetic patients after CABG. Whereas limitation of physical activity and dyspnea was more frequent in diabetic than in nondiabetic patients, the occurrence of angina pectoris was more similar in the two groups.

Mortality and morbidity among patients who undergo combined valve and coronary artery bypass surgery: early and late results.

AIM: To describe mortality and morbidity early and late after combined valve surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) as compared with CABG alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients from western Sweden in whom CABG in combination with valve surgery or CABG alone was carried out in 1988-1991. RESULTS: Among 2116 patients who underwent CABG, 35 (2%) had this combined with mitral valve surgery and 134 (6%) had this combined with aortic valve surgery, whereas the remaining 92% underwent CABG alone. Patients who underwent combined valve surgery and CABG were older, included more women and had a higher prevalence of previous congestive heart failure and renal dysfunction but on the other hand a less severe coronary artery disease. Among patients who underwent mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG the mortality over the subsequent 5 years was 45%). The corresponding figure for patients who underwent aortic valve surgery in combination with CABG was 24%. Both were higher than for CABG alone (14%; P < 0.0001 and P = 0.003, respectively). In a stepwise multiple regression model mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG was found to be an independent significant predictor for death but aortic valve surgery in combination with CABG was not. Among patients who underwent mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG and were discharged alive from hospital 77% were rehospitalized during the 2 years following the operation as compared with 48% among patients who underwent aortic valve surgery in combination with CABG and 43% among patients with CABG alone. Multiple regression identified mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG as a significant independent predictor for rehospitalization but not aortic valve plus CABG. CONCLUSION: Among patients who either underwent CABG in combination with mitral valve surgery or aortic valve surgery or CABG alone, mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG was independently associated with death and rehospitalization, but the combination of aortic valve surgery and CABG was not.

Prognosis of alternative therapies in patients with heart failure not accepted for heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: This article describes the outcome of alternative therapies in patients with end-stage heart failure, New York Heart Association class III-IV, referred for heart transplantation evaluation but not accepted for the procedure. From January 1988 through September 1992, 233 consecutive patients with severe heart failure were admitted to the thoracic transplantation center at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. At the time of admission all patients received standard medical treatment for heart failure. During the pretransplantation evaluation, an attempt to optimize the medical therapy was made in all patients. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (8%) died before a decision concerning transplantation was made, and 146 patients (63%) were accepted for heart transplantation. There were 69 patients (30%) who were denied heart transplantation for various reasons, and they were subgrouped: patients with contraindications (group 1, n = 23) or without indication (group 2, n = 10) for heart transplantation, patients with a positive response to intensified medical therapy (group 3, n = 25), and patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valvular heart surgery (group 4, n = 11). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial survival rates were as follows: group 1, 26%, 16%, and 8%; group 2, 100%, 77%, and 39%; group 3, 96%, 67%, and 53%; and group 4, 64%, 36%, and 27%, respectively. The corresponding figures for patients who had a heart transplantation were 85%, 79%, and 75%, respectively. During the first 2 to 3 years of follow-up the survival of group 2 and group 3 patients was similar to that of patients who underwent transplantation. However, late survival was worse compared with the heart transplant group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that by close follow-up it may be possible to postpone heart transplantation in a selected group of patients.