Evaluation of the Efficacy of Crataegus oxyacantha in Dogs with Early-Stage Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common cardiopathy in middle-aged dogs. When the dog is asymptomatic and has an enlarged left atrium, treatment is beneficial; however, some allopathic drugs are very costly and may produce side effects. To extend the duration of this asymptomatic phase, complementary therapies such as herbal medicine and homeopathy are available. Although herbal therapy with extract of Crataegus oxyacantha is beneficial, there is a risk of adverse reactions-unlike with homeopathy, where the risk is minimized with the administration of ultra-diluted doses. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy of Crataegus oxyacantha, as mother tincture (MT) and in 6 cH homeopathic formulation, in treating the initial phase of heart failure due to MMVD in a veterinary clinic setting. METHODS: A total of 30 dogs with MMVD, 7 years or older and weighing up to 10 kg, were randomized into three groups as follows: Crataegus 6 cH, Crataegus MT, and hydroalcoholic solution (placebo). Animals were evaluated through echocardiography parameters, laboratory blood tests, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurements at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after initiation of therapy, for statistical analysis and monitoring of the blinded study. RESULTS: Patients who received Crataegus 6 cH showed a reduction in SBP 60 days after treatment, while those receiving Crataegus MT exhibited a reduction 90 days after the therapy was initiated. There was a significant linear regression when evaluating the effect of treatment with Crataegus 6 cH on SBP measurements over the evaluation intervals (linear equation: SBP = 176.57 mm Hg - 0.21x, where x represents days of treatment). There was an increase in both fractional shortening and isovolumetric relaxation time for those patients receiving the homeopathic formulation. CONCLUSIONS: Therapy with Crataegus was beneficial for hypertensive and cardiopathic dogs with MMVD, extending the duration of the asymptomatic phase. The reduction in SBP occurred more swiftly in the 6 cH group than in the MT-treated dogs.

Adverse-event profile of Crataegus spp.: a systematic review.

Crataegus spp. (hawthorn) monopreparations are predominantly used for treating congestive heart failure. The effectiveness of hawthorn preparations (flowers with leaves; berries) is documented in a number of clinical studies, reviews and meta-analyses. The aim of this article is to assess the safety data of all available human studies on hawthorn monopreparations. Systematic searches were conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, The Cochrane Library, the UK National Research Register and the US ClinicalTrials.gov (up to January 2005). Data were requested from the spontaneous reporting scheme of the WHO. Hand searches were also conducted in a sample of relevant medical journals, conference proceedings, reference lists of identified articles and our own files. Eight manufacturers of hawthorn-containing preparations were contacted and asked to supply any information on adverse events or drug interactions. Data from all clinical studies and reports were assessed. Only human studies on monopreparations were included. Data from hawthorn-containing combination preparations and homeopathic preparations were excluded. All studies were read and evaluated by one reviewer and independently verified by at least one additional reviewer.Twenty-nine clinical studies were identified, of which 24 met our inclusion criteria. A total of 7311 patients were enrolled, and data from 5,577 patients were available for analysis. The daily dose and duration of treatment with hawthorn monopreparations ranged from 160 to 1,800 mg and from 3 to 24 weeks, respectively. The extracts most used in the clinical trials were WS 1,442 (extract of hawthorn standardised to 18.75% oligomeric procyanidins) and LI 132 (extract of hawthorn standardised to 2.25% flavonoids). Overall, 166 adverse events were reported. Most of these adverse events were, in general, mild to moderate; eight severe adverse events have been reported with the LI 132 extract. The most frequent adverse events were dizziness/vertigo (n = 15), gastrointestinal complaints (n = 24), headache (n = 9), migraine (n = 8) and palpitation (n = 11). The WHO spontaneous reporting scheme received 18 case reports. In the identified trials, the most frequent adverse events were dizziness (n = 6), nausea (n = 5), fall (n = 2), gastrointestinal haemorrhage (n = 2), circulation failure (n = 2) and erythematous rash (n = 2). There were no reports of drug interactions. In conclusion, all data reviewed in this article seem to indicate that hawthorn is well tolerated even if some severe adverse events were reported; this suggests that further studies are needed to better assess the safety of hawthorn-containing preparations. Moreover, the unsupervised use of this drug can be associated with problems, especially if given with concomitant medications.

Fatores relacionados ao manejo clínico e educacional do paciente em período pré e pós-transplante cardíaco: revisão integrativa / Factors related to clinical and educational management of patients in the pre and post-heart transplant period: an integrative review / Factores relacionados con el manejo clínico y educativo de los pacientes en el período previo y posterior al trasplante cardíaco: una revisión integradora

Objetivo: Analisar as recomendações de condutas terapêuticas e educacionais na assistência ao paciente em período pré e pós-transplante cardíaco. Métodos: Trata-se de revisão integrativa baseada na estratégia PICO, realizada com 12 artigos gerados através de pesquisa nas bases de dados LILACS; MEDLINE; BDENF; IBECS; BINACIS e COLECIONASUS em agosto de 2019. Resultados: É recomendado a atuação da equipe multidisciplinar especializada em transplante e a educação em saúde. Maior grau de instrução, melhor condição cognitiva e altos níveis de satisfação social são preditivos de aumento nos anos de sobrevida pós-transplante. Os principais aspectos a serem trabalhados são: ação da insuficiência cardíaca e seu impacto no organismo, tratamentos disponíveis, período de recuperação, rotinas de exames e acompanhamento. Conclusão: Diante da complexidade do tema faz-se necessário uma equipe assistencial especializada e a reflexão sobre a inclusão do cardiopata e familiares no processo. O apoio psicológico gera melhores resultados e adesão ao tratamento.(AU)

Objective: To analyze the recommendations for therapeutic and educational approaches in patient care in the pre- and post-heart transplant period. Methods: This is an integrative review based on the PICO strategy, carried out with 12 articles generated thrçough research in the LILACS databases; MEDLINE; BDENF; IBECS; BINACIS and COLECIONASUS in August 2019. Results: The work of a multidisciplinary team specialized in transplantation and health education is recommended. A higher level of education, a better cognitive condition and high levels of social satisfaction are predictive of an increase in the years of post-transplant survival. The main aspects to be worked on are: heart failure action and its impact on the organism, available treatments, recovery period, exam routines and follow-up. Conclusion: In view of the complexity of the theme, a specialized assistance team and reflection on the inclusion of cardiopath and family members in the process is necessary. Psychological support generates better results and treatment adherence.(AU)

Objetivo: Analizar las recomendaciones de abordajes terapéuticos y educativos en la atención al paciente en el período pre y postrasplante cardíaco. Métodos: Se trata de una revisión integradora basada en la estrategia PICO, realizada con 12 artículos generados a través de la investigación en las bases de datos LILACS; MEDLINE; BDENF; IBECS; BINACIS y COLECIONASUS en agosto de 2019. Resultados: Se recomienda el trabajo de un equipo multidisciplinario especializado en trasplantes y educación para la salud. Un mayor nivel de educación, una mejor condición cognitiva y altos niveles de satisfacción social son predictores de un aumento en los años de supervivencia postrasplante. Los principales aspectos a trabajar son: acción de la insuficiencia cardíaca y su impacto en el organismo, tratamientos disponibles, período de recuperación, rutinas de exploración y seguimiento. Conclusión: Dada la complejidad del tema, es necesario un equipo asistencial especializado y la reflexión sobre la inclusión del cardiópata y familiares en el proceso. El apoyo psicológico genera mejores resultados y adherencia al tratamiento.(AU)

Pharmacological treatment in patients with heart failure: patients knowledge and occurrence of polypharmacy, alternative medicine and immunizations.

AIMS: To evaluate in patients with heart failure (HF) due to systolic dysfunction the occurrence of polypharmacy, alternative medicine, immunization against influenza, and patients' knowledge about their medication. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty-five patients, 49 men, mean age 60.5+/-12.0 years answered a confidential questionnaire during 2002. Polypharmacy was frequent, 48 (74%) were taking six or more pills per day and 18 (28%) 11 or more. Fifteen patients (23%) used over-the-counter analgesics. Eight patients (12%) used alternative medicine [five women (31%) vs. three men (6%), P=0.02]. Forty-four patients (68%) received immunization against influenza (18 patients <65 years (54%) vs. 25 patients > or =65 years (79%), P=0.03). Half the patients knew that beta-blockers and vasodilators decreased blood pressure, 31 patients receiving diuretics (88%) knew that this drugs help to eliminate liquids, 12 patients (38%) recognized this effect with low dose spironolactone and 23% or less with other drugs. Only 12 patients (42%) treated with acenocoumarol and 13 of those treated with aspirin (32%) recognized the action of these drugs. CONCLUSION: Patients with HF and systolic dysfunction have a poor knowledge about the medication they receive. Polypharmacy, over-the-counter, homeopathic and alternative medicine use is frequent whereas the rate of immunization against influenza is low.

Efficacy of a homeopathic Crataegus preparation compared with usual therapy for mild (NYHA II) cardiac insufficiency: results of an observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of the homeopathic Crataegus preparation Cralonin for non-inferiority to standard treatment for mild cardiac insufficiency. METHODS: Multicentre non-randomised cohort study in patients aged 50-75 years in New York Heart Association class II. Patients received Cralonin (n=110) or ACE inhibitor/diuretics (n=102) for 8 weeks. To adjust for confounding by baseline factors, populations were stratified according to propensity score. After adjusting, there were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups. Treatment efficacy was assessed on 15 variables. A stringent non-inferiority criterion for the upper limit of the 97.5% one-sided confidence interval of the treatment difference was set to 0.2x the standard deviation (S.D.). RESULTS: Both treatment regimens improved scores on most variables studied, with the greatest effect on double product after exercise (average score reduction 15.4% with Cralonin vs. 16.0% for the control group). Stringent non-inferiority of Cralonin was demonstrated on 7 variables. Medium-stringent (0.5xS.D.) non-inferiority was indicated by 13 variables (exceptions: systolic blood pressure (BP) during exercise and diastolic BP at rest; for these, differences between treatments were not significant). Both treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: The Crataegus-based preparation Cralonin is non-inferior to usual ACE inhibitor/diuretics treatment for mild cardiac insufficiency on all parameters except BP reduction.

Anaesthetic management of congenital heart block and persistent ductus arteriosus in an infant.

Ketamine hydrochloride, pancuronium bromide and 100% oxygen were used during general anaesthesia for a left antero-lateral thoracotomy, insertion of a permanent cardiac pace-maker and ligation of a persistent ductus arteriosus in a three-month-old female infant, who was also in congestive cardiac failure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful anaesthetic management for insertion of cardiac pace-maker and ligation of persistent ductus arteriosus under general anaesthesia in a Nigerian infant. The successful out-come of our anaesthetic technique encourages us to recommend the procedure for the anaesthetic management of similar complex cardiac abnormalities.

[Is it necessary to discontinue captopril before heart surgery?]. / Faut-il arrêter le captopril avant l'opération en chirurgie cardiaque?

Interaction between kininase II and anaesthesia is not well described. Twenty two patients treated by kininase II for congestive heart failure are studied during anaesthesia for cardiovascular surgery. A first group of seventeen homogeneous hemodynamic data are reported. High cardiac index contrasts with severe clinical cardiac failure. A second group of inhomogeneous patients are separately described. Vasoconstrictor can be codified in the situation of low systemic resistance with high cardiac index. Preoperative treatment can be continued, under requirement of hemodynamic monitoring.

Etiología de la insuficiencia cardíaca crónica / Chronic heart failure etiology

La insuficiencia cardiaca es el resultado fisiopatológico de múltiples enfermedades. Además de la patologia isquémica, valvular, de la conducción o hipertensiva existen otras etiologías poco sospechadas. En la mayoría de ocasiones se realizan diagnósticos estructurales basados en la imagenologia como cardiomiopatía dilatada o cardiomiopatía restrictiva, lo que lleva al clínico a tratamientos sintomáticos, dejando de lado tratamientos etiológicos específicos que pudiesen preservar la función cardiaca, revertir el daño miocárdico y mejorar la calidad de vida de estos pacientes. Comprender y reconocer que existen factores nutricionales, hormonales, genéticos, infecciosos, medicamentosos, infiltrativos o autoinmunes en la patogénesis de la insuficiencia cardiaca permitirá optar por mejores tratamientos, mejorando las tasas de sobrevida.

Heart failure is a pathophysiologic result of several diseases and it's not only related to ischemic, valvular, arrhythmias or hypertensive. Most of the times structural diagnoses are made based on imaging, like dilated or restrictive cardiomyopathy, which leads to symptomatic treatments instead directed etiological therapies that could preserve heart function, reverse myocardial damage and improve life quality. Understands and recognize that there are nutritional, hormonal, genetic, infectious, drugs, infiltrative or autoimmune factors that could lead to heart failure would help clinicians to recognize them and propose targeted treatments, improving survival rates

Tratamento homeopático da Exacerbação da doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica associada à insuficiência cardíaca e fibrilação atrial (relato de caso) / Homeopathic Treatment of Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Associated with Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation (Case Report)

A Homeopatia é uma terapêutica médica desenvolvida pelo médico alemão Samuel Hahnemann que consiste em prescrever a um doente, sob forma diluída e em doses infinitesimais, uma substância que, em doses elevadas, é capaz de produzir num indivíduo sadio, sinais e sintomas semelhantes aos da doença que se pretende combater. A Insuficiência Respiratória Aguda (IRpA) é uma síndrome caracterizada por hipoxemia com ou sem hipercapnia e desconforto respiratório. Se dá por uma disfunção dos componentes do sistema respiratório (DPOC, Pneumonia, etc), incluindo também patologias extrapulmonares (Fibrilação Atrial, Insuficiência Cardíaca, etc). O diagnóstico deve ser rápido e dirigido para o reconhecimento dos sintomas e sinais clínicos relacionados aos distúrbios das trocas gasosas e da mecânica respiratória. O tratamento inicial consiste em oxigenioterapia de suporte associada ao tratamento específico da causa básica (antibioticoterapia, cardioversão química ou elétrica, anticoagulação, broncodilatadores, corticoides, etc). A magnitude Clínica da doença e o quadro evolutivo limitado do paciente, motivam a instituição do tratamento homeopático como adjuvante ao tratamento enantiopático. O trabalho relata o caso de um paciente tratado com Arsenicum album, Cactus grandflorus e Sulphur em altas diluições sucessivamente, com o objetivo de favorecer a boa evolução sintomática a curto prazo e colaborar para a redução das medicações de controle a longo prazo. O processo de repertorização da totalidade sintomática elege os medicamentos de maior cobertura e pontuação e, através da análise comparativa da Matéria Médica Homeopática (patogenesia), determina-se o medicamento compatível com o caso. O paciente apresentou melhora significativa do quadro agudo, bem como na evolução da doença crônica, inclusive com acentuada melhora nos aspectos físico, mental, espiritual e social o que, segundo a Organização Mundial da Saúde, define a condição de saúde. (AU)

Changing ideas in the treatment of heart failure--an overview.

Patients with heart failure should stop smoking, maintain an optimal weight and limit their intake of salt. Alcohol abuse should be avoided. The detection and early treatment of hypertension appears to have had a major impact in preventing heart failure. Diuretics revolutionized the treatment of congestive heart failure and their proper and appropriate use can alleviate peripheral and pulmonary oedema. Diuretics should not be overused and care should be taken to avoid hypokalaemia. Controversy surrounds the use of digoxin in patients in sinus rhythm; the drug should be used in patients in atrial fibrillation. The use of an inotropic drug may be harmful in the presence of coronary artery disease. A reduction in the current use of digoxin might be of benefit to many patients with heart failure. When the drug is prescribed it should be used in a therapeutic and not homeopathic dose. Recent interest has been directed toward the use of vasodilators and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with heart failure. In my opinion, these drugs should be used after patients have been treated with thiazide and loop diuretics. Vasodilators are particularly beneficial in acute heart failure or in patients with chronic heart failure when the symptoms are related to fluid overload and volume expansion. The cause of symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure optimally treated with diuretics is controversial. Shortness of breath may not be simply related to the left atrial pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Normal values for human umbilical venous and amniotic fluid pressures and their alteration by fetal disease.

Umbilical venous and amniotic fluid pressures were measured in 68 human pregnancies at the time that cordocentesis was performed. Normal umbilical venous pressure was unrelated to gestational age and remained within a tight range (5.3 +/- 2.3 mm Hg, mean +/- SD). Fetuses with an elevated umbilical venous pressure had disorders consistent with either hepatomegaly or congestive heart failure. Umbilical venous pressure was significantly increased before treatment in two fetuses with immune hydrops; it rapidly declined with treatment. Neither gestational age nor umbilical venous pressure was significantly different in the groups that received and did not receive pancuronium. There was a strong relationship between amniotic fluid pressure and gestational age in normal pregnancy (r = 0.54, p less than 0.0001). Women with hydramnios had amniotic fluid pressures greater than control subjects (p = 0.0007). This investigation documents normal human amniotic fluid and fetal umbilical venous pressures. These measurements are altered by disease and may prove to be of diagnostic and therapeutic value in the future.

Nuevos horizontes en el tratamiento del fallo cardíaco / New horizons in the treatment of the cardiac failure

Varias investigaciones clínicas generan nuevos conocimientos acerca del tratamiento medicamentoso de la insuficiencia cardíaca. La Sociedad Americana de Insuficiencia Cardíaca (Heart Failure Society of América y el Colegio Americano de cardiólogos Sociedad Americana del corazón (American College of Cardiology-American Heart Association crearon las guías del 2005 y el 2006 respectivamente. Recientemente se han revisado varias investigaciones en base a la evidencia actual y resumida de los cambios propuestos por estas instituciones, basado en estos estudios las nuevas guías incluyen recomendaciones más amplias y fuertes como la terapia con betabloqueadores y recomendaciones para el uso de los bloqueadores del receptor de la angiotensina II. Los antagonistas de la aldosterona espironolactona y eplerenone, se incluyen también. Los farmacéuticos deben tener un nivel básico de conocimientos sobre las nuevas guías de insuficiencia cardíaca para desarrollar nuevas estrategias en el tratamiento de la insuficiencia cardiaca.

Several clinical investigations generate new knowledges about the medicinal treatment of cardiac insufficiency. Heart Failure Society of America and the American College of Cardiologists- American Heart Association created the guides of the 2005 and the 2006 respectively. Recently have checked several investigations on the basis of current evidence and summarized the changes proposed by these institutions, based on these studies the new guides include more ample and strong recommendations like the beta-blockers therapy and recommendations for the use of the angiotensin II receptor blocker. Aldosterona's antagonists spironolactone and eplerenone, are also include. The pharmacists must have a basic level of knowledge on the new guides of cardiac insufficiency to develop new strategies in the heart failure treatment.