Early revascularization improves survival in cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction.

The effects of coronary revascularization by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary bypass grafting, or both, on survival were evaluated in 81 patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction. Thirty-two patients had successful revascularization and 49 patients had unsuccessful or no revascularization. Revascularization was achieved by coronary angioplasty in 22 patients, coronary bypass surgery in 2 and angioplasty followed by bypass surgery in 8. No significant differences were noted between the two groups with regard to baseline clinical or hemodynamic variables. Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation was employed in 27 (84%) of the 32 patients in the group with revascularization and in 19 (39%) of the 49 patients without revascularization (p = 0.0006). The in-hospital survival was significantly better in the patients with--18 (56%) of 32--than in the patients without revascularization--4 (8%) of 49 (p less than 0.0001). At a mean follow-up period of 21 +/- 15 months, this survival difference persisted--16 (50%) of 32 patients with revascularization survived versus 1 (2%) of 49 patients without revascularization (p less than 0.0001). The mean time from the onset of shock to revascularization differed significantly between survivors (12.4 +/- 15 h) and nonsurvivors (58.5 +/- 93 h) in the group with revascularization (p = 0.0004). In the revascularization group, the in-hospital survival rate was 77% (17 of 22) when revascularization was performed within 24 h but only 10% (1 of 10) when it was performed after 24 h (p = 0.0006).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intravenous clofilium for conversion of atrial fibrillation.

Clofilium was administered to 14 patients with mainly chronic atrial fibrillation in a pilot study. QTc prolongation was observed, and 2 patients had conversion to sinus rhythm after drug infusion.

Effects of prior aspirin and anti-ischemic therapy on outcome of patients with unstable angina. TIMI 7 Investigators. Thrombin Inhibition in Myocardial Ischemia.

Both aspirin and beta-adrenergic blocking drugs have been shown to reduce the risk of death or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with unstable angina, but their effect during chronic use on the presentation of acute coronary syndromes is less well defined. Calcium antagonists and oral nitrates are also widely prescribed for patients with coronary disease, but their effect on presentation of acute myocardial ischemia is unknown. We retrospectively examined the effects of prior aspirin and anti-ischemic medical therapy on clinical events in 410 patients hospitalized for unstable angina. Ischemic pain occurred at rest for a duration of 5 to 60 minutes. During hospitalization, 97% of patients received aspirin and all received the direct thrombin inhibitor bivalirudin for at least 72 hours. Despite being older and more likely to have risk factors for coronary disease and poor outcome, patients receiving aspirin before admission were less likely to present with non-Q-wave AMI (5% vs 14% in patients not on aspirin, p = 0.004). Prior beta blocker, calcium antagonist, or nitrate administration did not appear to modify presentation as unstable angina or non-Q-wave AMI. In a multivariate model, the combined incidence of death, AMI not present at enrollment, or recurrent angina was best predicted by age (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 2.38 [1.14 to 3.98]) and presence of electrocardiographic changes with pain on presentation (adjusted odds ratio 2.83 [1.50 to 5.35]) but was not related to prior or in-hospital medical therapy. Thus, aspirin but not anti-ischemic therapy before hospitalization of patients with unstable angina was associated with a decreased incidence of non-Q-wave AMI on admission.

Measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction using gated 99mTc-sestamibi myocardial planar images: comparison to contrast ventriculography.

Using the new myocardial perfusion agent 99mTc-sestamibi and multigated acquisition on a nuclear medicine gamma camera, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was derived in 13 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Cross-sectional activity profiles were used to measure the left ventricle from end-diastolic and end-systolic images. Several different geometric methods were then utilized to derive ejection fractions from the nuclear data. Comparison of the resultant ejection fractions to those obtained from contrast ventriculography showed significant correlation for all geometric methods (P less than 0.01, Sy X x = 6.2 to 9.6). We conclude that in patients with CAD one or more of these simple geometric methods can provide a useful estimate of the LVEF when performing 99mTc-sestamibi multigated myocardial perfusion imaging.

Practical value of echo Doppler evaluation of aortic and mitral stenosis: a comparative study with cardiac catheterization.

This retrospective analysis compares data derived by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization in the evaluation of aortic and mitral valve stenosis. Sixty-seven patients, aged 69 +/- 12 years, underwent 76 catheterization procedures. In all studies the Doppler recording was technically adequate. In 64 studies of patients with aortic stenosis, correlation was good between the gradient obtained at catheterization (peak 51 +/- 28 mm Hg, mean 48 +/- 24 mm Hg) and the Doppler gradient (peak 73 +/- 29 mm Hg, mean 41 +/- 17 mm Hg) (R = 0.78 peak, 0.77 mean). In 15 studies the aortic valve area, 0.8 +/- 0.2 cm2, calculated by the simplified continuity equation, correlated well with the catheterization valve area, 0.7 +/- 0.3 cm2, calculated by the Gorlin equation (R = 0.80). In 14 studies in mitral stenosis patients, the mean gradient at catheterization was 11 +/- 5 mm Hg compared to the Doppler gradient of 8 +/- 4 mm Hg (R = 0.58). The mitral valve area was 1.1 +/- 0.3 cm2 by the Gorlin equation and 1.2 +/- 0.3 cm2 by echo Doppler, using pressure half-time. When cardiac rhythm, the presence and severity of regurgitation, and the cardiac index were analyzed, none was shown to have demonstrable influence on the accuracy of the Doppler study. Doppler echocardiography can be used reliably to assess valvular stenosis in a clinical, noninvasive laboratory where routine tests are performed and interpreted by more than one individual.