[Tableau d'insuffisance cardiaque congestive révélant une myocardite lupique : cas clinique]. / Lupus myocarditis presenting as acute congestive heart failure : A case report.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a disease in which the immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues throughout the body. Lupus myocarditis is a life-threatening condition, observed clinically in 3-9 % of patients with SLE. We report the case of a patient followed for multisystem SLE, presenting with de novo heart failure with severe left ventricular dysfunction revealing lupus myocarditis.

[Association of a myxoma of the left atrium and a mitral stenosis : About a case]. / Association d'un myxome de l'oreillette gauche et d'un rétrécissement mitral : à propos d'un cas.

Atrial myxoma is a rare and benign clinical entity. It remains common in women and mainly affects the left atrium. Its clinical picture is polymorphic. We report the case of a 53-year-old woman who consulted for dyspnea with cardiac failure's picture. The diagnosis of myxoma of the left atrium was made on echocardiography which also objectified the existence of mitral stenosis. The patient underwent surgical excision and mitral valve replacement with good postoperative outcomes.

Spontaneous calcific cerebral embolization revealing a calcified rheumatic mitral stenosis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral cardiac embolism accounts for an increasing proportion of ischemic strokes and transient ischemic attacks. Calcified cerebral emboli are rare and mostly iatrogenic secondary to heart or aorta catheterization. However, spontaneous cerebral calcified embolism in the case of calcified aortic valve is very rare and there are less than 10 case reports in the literature. And a more interesting fact is that such an event, in the context of calcified mitral valve disease, has never been reported, at least to our knowledge. We are reporting a case of spontaneous calcified cerebral embolism revealing a calcified rheumatic mitral valve stenosis. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 59 year-old Moroccan patient, with a history of rheumatic fever at the age of 14 and no history of recent cardiac intervention or aortic/carotid manipulation, who was admitted to the emergency department after a transient ischemic attack. Physical examination at admission found normal blood pressure of 124/79 mmHg and heart rate of 90 bpm. A 12-lead electrocardiogram showed an atrial fibrillation, no other anomalies. Unenhanced cerebral computed tomography imaging was performed, revealing calcified material inside both middle cerebral arteries. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed, showing severe mitral leaflets calcification with a severe mitral stenosis, probably due to rheumatic heart disease. Cervical arteries Duplex was normal. A vitamin K antagonist (acenocoumarol) was prescribed, targeting an international normalized ratio of 2-3 and mitral valve replacement surgery was performed using mechanical prosthesis. Short- and long-term health, with a 1-year follow-up, were good and the patient did not experience any stroke. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous calcified cerebral emboli secondary to mitral valve leaflet calcifications is an extremely rare condition. Replacement of the valve is the only option to prevent recurrent emboli and outcomes are still to be determined.

[Dynamic mitral regurgitation and acute pulmonary edema]. / Insuffisance mitrale dynamique et œdème pulmonaire aigu.

We report the case of a 61-year old patient with signs and symptoms of heart failure with mid-range left ventricular ejection fraction and moderate mitral regurgitation of mixed etiology (rheumatic heart disease, toxic and ischemic). The dynamic behaviour of the mitral regurgitation was revealed by an acute episode of pulmonary edema in the context of an abrupt elevation of blood pressure inducing an increase in left ventricular afterload. Dynamic mitral regurgitation must be considered in any patient with exercise dyspnea who has a moderate mitral regurgitation in resting conditions or in patients with repeated acute pulmonary edema without an obvious cause. Exercise stress echocardiography is the best diagnostic test to explore the dynamic behaviour of the mitral regurgitation. Surgery or percutaneous treatment may be proposed in severe cases.

Nous rapportons le cas d'une patiente de 61 ans présentant une insuffisance cardiaque à fraction d'éjection moyennement altérée et une insuffisance mitrale modérée d'étiologie mixte (rhumatismale, toxique et ischémique). Le caractère dynamique de cette insuffisance mitrale s'est manifesté par une aggravation brutale de celle-ci lors d'un à-coup hypertensif, avec élévation de la post-charge ventriculaire gauche, menant au développement d'un œdème pulmonaire aigu. L'insuffisance mitrale dynamique est à considérer chez tout patient souffrant de dyspnée d'effort et qui présente une insuffisance mitrale considérée comme modérée dans les conditions de repos ou chez les patients présentant des œdèmes aigus du poumon à répétition sans cause évidente. L'examen de référence pour explorer le caractère dynamique d'une insuffisance mitrale est l'échographie d'effort. La prise en charge de l'insuffisance mitrale sévère peut être chirurgicale ou percutanée pour les cas à haut risque chirurgical.

Cardiac tamponade: Better prognosis in association with pulmonary embolism: Case report.

The tamponade leads to an increase in intrapericardial pressure, which impairs the diastolic filling of the ventricles and reduces ejection. However, the association with pulmonary arterial hypertension, which in turn leads to an intracardiac hyper-pressure, constitutes a compensatory mechanism. We report the case of a 23 year old patient followed for anemia due to martial deficiency for 2 years, who consulted us with right heart failure evolving for 5 months, a hemoptoic cough and chest tightness. The entire workup revealed a pericardial and pleural tamponade of tuberculous origin associated with a pulmonary embolism evaluated at 15% according to the Qanadli score. After stabilization of her hemodynamic state, the patient was put on anti-bacillary and anticoagulant treatment with a good improvement of her cardiopulmonary state. She was discharged after 1 month (satisfactory check-up), regularly followed up in outpatient clinic with check-up of hemostasis and cardiac echography every 2 weeks. She was declared cured of her tuberculosis after 6 months of treatment. There was no recurrence after two years of follow-up. The combination of tamponade and pulmonary hypertension is synergistic in that it improves the patient's prognosis.

Prévalence des facteurs de risque cardiovasculaire et leur association avec les facteurs socio-économiques dans une population marocaine atteinte du syndrome coronarien aigu

Le but de la présente étude était d'évaluer la prévalence des facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires conventionnels et leur association avec des facteurs socio-économiques dans une population traitée pour un syndrome coronarien aigu, au département de car¬diologie du CHU Ibn Rochd de Casablanca au Maroc. Méthode : L'étude a été réalisée chez 199 patients consécutifs au cours de la phase aiguë d'un syndrome coronarien aigu. Les critères d'inclusion étaient l'ad¬mission dans les 24 heures après le début de la dou¬leur thoracique. Le facteur de risque cardiovasculaire conventionnel le plus courant chez ces patients était essentiellement le tabagisme, suivi de l'hypertension artérielle et du diabète de type II. Résultats : La prévalence de l'hypertension et du diabète était plus élevée chez les femmes atteintes du syndrome coronarien aigu que chez les hommes. Cette différence s'est également maintenue après ajustement en fonction de l'âge. Une fréquence plus élevée d'individus avec un stress au travail faible et modéré que des individus présentant des niveaux de stress au travail élevés a été observée. Cependant, les femmes qui souffraient d'un syndrome corona¬rien aigu avaient un niveau de stress au travail plus élevé que les hommes. Cette différence statistique a disparu lorsque l'âge a été utilisé comme covariant. Il n'y avait pas de différence statistique dans l'acti¬vité physique liée au travail entre les hommes et les femmes. De plus, il n'y avait aucune association entre le niveau de stress au travail, l'activité physique liée au travail et les facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires conventionnels. Conclusion : Les facteurs de risque conventionnels les plus répandus chez les patients atteints du syn¬drome coronarien aigu inclus dans l'étude étaient le tabagisme actuel, le diabète et l'hypertension. Les femmes présentaient des niveaux de stress au travail plus élevés que les hommes. Cependant, les facteurs socioéconomiques n'étaient pas associés à la préva¬lence des facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires conven¬tionnels chez les hommes et les femmes

ACE insertion/deletion polymorphism is positively associated with resistant hypertension in Morocco.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of I/D polymorphisms of ACE gene is associated with resistant hypertension and essential controlled hypertension. RESULTS: Our results show that the homozygous mutant genotype DD was more represented among resistant than controlled (58.1% vs 41.9% respectively), however the homozygote wild was more represented among controlled than resistant (70.6% vs 29.4% respectively). But more heterozygous ID among controlled than resistant patients (63.6% vs 36.4% respectively). The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.04). Analysis of clinical parameters indicated that physical activity contributes to resistant hypertension (P < 0.05). Based on our findings, the homozygous mutant for DD of ACE gene is associated with resistant hypertension in our population. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the results of this study.

Effect of different genetics variants: CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3 of cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9 and 1639G>A of the VKORC1 gene; On acenocoumarol requirement in Moroccan patients.

Coumarin derivatives such as acenocoumarol represent the therapy of choice for the long-term treatment and prevention of thromboembolic diseases. Many genetics determinants involved in the metabolism of acenocoumarol have been shown to influence the anticoagulant dosage. The aim of this work was to evaluate, for the first time in Maghreb, the allelic frequencies of CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3 and VKORC1 -1639G>A mutations, and to establish the role of this polymorphisms in modulating the acenocoumarol requirement in Moroccan patients receiving anticoagulation treatment. Three groups of patients, with low, medium, or high acenocoumarol dose requirements were studied. Genetic analyses of VKORC1 -1639G>A, CYP2C9*2, and CYP2C9*3, were performed in 114 Moroccan patients with stable acenocoumarol dose. The results showed that the allelic frequencies of the three mutations studied was varies, most of patients having CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 mutations belong to a group with low dose of acenocoumarol, with P-value of 0.0082 and the single patient with CYP2C9*3 on homozygous form belongs to the same group and carried the A allele for VKORC1 gene. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the large interindividual variability in acenocoumarol maintenance dose due to CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3 and VKORC1 -1639G>A polymorphisms, and demonstrated that these alleles modulates sensitivity to acenocoumarol, a finding indicating that a reduced initial loading dose of acenocoumarol should be used in carriers of this allele, also, she indicates the usefulness of predictive testing concerning these mutations when an hypocoagulability is installed and not explained by the dose of VKA.

Influence of genetics and non-genetic factors on acenocoumarol maintenance dose requirement in Moroccan patients.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Coumarin derivatives such as acenocoumarol represent the therapy of choice for the long-term treatment and prevention of thromboembolic diseases. Many genetic, clinical and demographic factors have been shown to influence the anticoagulant dosage. Our aim was to investigate the contribution of genetic and non-genetic factors to variability in response to acenocoumarol in Moroccan patients. METHODS: Our study included 114 adult Moroccan patients, receiving long-term acenocoumarol therapy for various indications. Tests for VKORC1 -1639G>A promoter polymorphism (rs9923231), CYP2C9*2 rs1799853, CYP2C9*3 rs1057910, and CYP4F2 rs2108622 alleles were undertaken using Taq Man(®) Pre-Developed Assay Reagents for allelic discrimination. The statistical analysis was performed using the SAS V9 statistical package. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Genotyping showed that the allele frequencies for the SNPs studied were no different to those found in Caucasians population. A significant association was observed between the weekly maintenance dose and the VKORC1 (P = 0·0027) and CYP2C9 variant genotypes (P = 0·0082). A final multivariate regression model that included the target International Normalized Ratio, VKORC1 and CYP2C9 genotypes explained 36·2% of the overall interindividual variability in acenocoumarol dose requirement. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Our study shows large interindividual variability in acenocoumarol maintenance dose requirement in our population. VKORC1 and CYP2C9 variants significantly affected acenocoumarol dose, in-line with results in other populations. For the Moroccan population, the SNPs that have the largest effect on acecoumarol dose are CYP2C9 rs1799853, CYP2C9 rs1057910 and VKORC1 rs9923231.

Prevalence of microalbuminuria in hypertensive patients and its associated cardiovascular risk in clinical cardiology: Moroccan results of the global i-SEARCH survey - a sub-analysis of a survey with 21,050 patients in 26 countries worldwide.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of microalbuminuria (MAU) in hypertensive outpatients visiting a cardiologist's office or clinic and to describe the relationship between MAU and cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: This was an international, observational, cross-sectional study of 22 282 patients, with 457 subjects from Morocco in 40 cardiology centres. Inclusion criteria were: male and female outpatients aged ≥ 18 years with currently treated or newly diagnosed hypertension ( ≥ 140/90 mmHg at rest on the day of the study visit) and no reason for false positive microalbuminuria dipstick tests. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of microalbuminuria assessed using a dipstick test, co-morbid cardiovascular risk factors or disease and their relationship with the presence of MAU, and role of pharmacotherapy in modulating the prevalence of MAU. RESULTS: The prevalence of microalbuminuria in hypertensive patients in Morocco (67.8%) was high compared to the worldwide prevalence (58.3%). Despite the fact that all physicians regarded MAU as important for risk assessment and therapeutic decisions, routine MAU measurement was performed in only 35% of the practices. In clinical cardiology, MAU is highly correlated with a wide variety of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease. While angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) appeared to be associated with the lowest risk of MAU, calcium channel blockers (CCBs) were more often used in this patient group. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive, high-risk cardiovascular patients are common in clinical cardiology. Given the high prevalence detected, screening of MAU in addition to more aggressive multi-factorial treatment to reduce blood pressure as well as other cardiovascular risk factors is required.

[Hydatic disease of the heart presenting with pericardial effusion. A case report]. / Epanchement péricardique révélateur d'une hydatidose médiastinale. A propos d'un cas.

The authors report a rare case of multiple mediastinal hydatid cysts which ruptured in a 48 year old man who presented with a pericardial effusion. The diagnosis was confirmed by 2D echocardiography, completed by CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging. The patient was operated as a semi-emergency and the outcome was good. This case underlines the rare pericardial involvement and the severity of the complications of cardiac hydatid disease.

[Frequency of improper diagnosis of hypertension]. / Fréquence des diagnostics abusifs de l'hypertension artérielle.

The aim of this work is to estimate the real prevalence of hypertension in a population declared hypertensive by general practitioners. This prospective study has lasted 30 months from October 1994 to March 1997). It has concerned 2,151 patients that had been declared hypertensive by general practitioners. Each patient had 2 visits at 15 days interval. During each visit the blood pressure (BP) is measured 4 times at 5 min interval with a mercury tensiometer. The patient remains supine for 20 min. Patients declared normotensive on these 8 measurements are controlled once every 6 months. Those that are declared hypertensive are distributed in 2 groups: the patients that have a systolic blood pressure (SBP) superior to 160 mm of mercury (mmHg) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) superior to 95 mmHg are treated with the habitual follow-up. Those that have a SBP and DBP between 140-160 mmHg and 90-95 mmHg have a control visit at the end of the first and the third month. After this period patients whose BP remains between 140-160 mmHg and 90-95 mmHg have an ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM). This study included 1,635 women and 516 men. Average age was 54 +/- 11 years. The average of 8 measurements of SBP/DBP was 148.3 +/- 22.5/93 +/- 13 mmHg. After 8 measurements, out of 2,151 patients, 37.8% (841 patients) were declared normotensive and 62.2% (1,337 patients) had a SBP and/or DBP > 140/90 mmHg. This group was controlled after one month and 3 months. A subgroup (254 patients) was declared normotensive, and the 588 patients whose BP remained between 140-160 mmHg and 90-95 mmHg had an ABPM : 481 (48%) were then declared normotensive and 307 (52%) were declared normotensive patients. After repeated controls, with the use of ABPM, only 37.3% were truly hypertensive. This study confirms that a long follow-up is necessary before labelling a patients as hypertensive. BP can remain abnormal for weeks and months. A large group of "hypertensive" patients are normotensive people with a white coat effect or so labelled because of errors in technique or the absence of a sufficient delay so that BP returns to normal.

[Variations of blood pressure during the month of Ramadan]. / Variations tensionnelles au cours du mois de Ramadan.

The goal of this work is to study the consequences of the last on variations of the blood pressure (BP) in the course of 24 hours. From 1994 to 1997 we have selected 99 hypertensive patients and studied their BP profile. This study included 72 women and 27 men. Their age varies from 22 to 72 years (average 56.7 +/- 9 years). All these patients has an ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) before the fast and during Ramadan. Before Ramadan the period of the sleep goes from 10 pm +/- 1 h to 8 am +/- 1 h. During the month of Ramadan, the sleep lasts from 0 h +/- 1 to 9 am +/- 1 h. [table: see text] No statistically significant difference is noted between these 2 periods neither for the systolic BP (SBP) nor for the diastolic BP (DBP), for the BP of 24 hours, and the diurnal and nocturnal periods. We have then the compared the hourly average on 24 hours of the 99 patients. We observed that during the month of Ramadan the peak of the awakening is delayed by 2 hours and the nocturnal through is delayed by 1 hour. After this study, which is the first one to deal with variations of blood pressure during the fast of Ramadan we can confirm that in patients with essential hypertension without complications, the fast is well supported. The variations of BP are minimal and are related to the variations of the sleep, activity and eating pattern.

Pericardial tamponade as the first manifestation of dermatopolymyositis.

Pericardial involvement in polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM) is rare, usually asymptomatic and exceptionally part of the initial presentation. We describe a 37-year-old patient hospitalized for overt acute pericarditis, revealing dermatomyositis, which to our knowledge has not been previously reported. Pericardial puncture relieved the patient. The pericardial fluid was citrine yellow, exsudative, and mainly contained lymphocytes. Search for LE cells and anti-DNA antibodies was negative, whereas the antinuclear antibodies and the rheumatoid factor were present in the pericardial fluid. A biopsy of the pericardium showed a non-specific chronic inflammatory state and the search for an etiology was negative. There was no sign of tuberculosis, systemic lupus, nor neoplasia. Moreover bacteriological cultures and HIV serology were negative. After pericardiostomy associated with corticosteroid therapy at the dose of 1 mg/kg/day, outcome was good with a resolution of the pericarditis confirmed at one-year follow-up. Since pericardial tamponade, even though rare, may be fatal in a patient with dermatomyositis, we emphasize that a two dimensional echocardiographic study should be performed in all patient presenting with dermatopolymyositis.

[Blood pressure determination and medical competence]. / Mesure de la pression artérielle et profil médical.

Hypertension diagnosis depends closely to the blood pressure measurement. The aim of this work is to show whether blood pressure measurement should be done by a beginner or a competent doctor. The blood pressure of 180 patients, (150 females, 30 males) was taken by two physicians. The patients' average age was 51 +/- 11. One of the two physicians was a cardiologist who took all the patients blood pressure. Others where six doctors in training, that is sixth' year students at the faculty of medicine. They took part in this study for a week. The procedure was that the cardiologist and one of the training doctors took the patient's blood pressure at the same time after 15 min rest. We have calculated the average systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure of 720 measures. Then the difference between the cardiologist's measures and those of all the training doctors. After that we have analysed the difference between the average of 120 measures taken by one of the training doctors and the corresponding measurement of the specialist. We have then compared the difference of the 20 measures of every day taken by the training doctor and the ones taken by the specialist. The difference wasn't statistically significant either for the systolic blood pressure or the diastolic blood pressurement. We have studied the evolution of the average of the 20 measurements of every day during the whole week. So, we have noticed that the difference lowers from the first days to the sixth. In the end, we were interested in the last figure of each measurement of blood pressure. The training doctor often gave measurements up to 0 or 5 whereas the specialist gave precise measurements. We have concluded from this work that if experience is needed, the physician has to know the principals and the tricks of blood pressurement. Moreover, the blood pressure variations by "white coat" effect can't be explained by measurements techniques. This effect can be considered as psychic, interactions between doctors and patients.

[Heart failure and arterial hypertension disclosing amyloidosis]. / Insuffisance cardiaque et hypertension artérielle révélatrice d'une amylose.

Amyloidosis results from protein infiltration of the extracellular space of organs and tissues. Several amyloidosis proteins have been identified. Protein AL, (deriving from immunoglobulin light chain), protein AA and prealbumin are the most involved in this disease. When AL amyloidosis involves the heart, the illness is often terminal. Most clinical symptoms are heart failure and arrhythmia or block conduction. This case was characterised by the unusual combination of hypertension and amyloidosis. The diagnosis suggested by the echocardiographic but was confirmed by the damaged organ's biopsy. The present case concerns a young woman, who has hypertension and a pulmonary oedema. The echocardiographic scan showed a septal hypertrophy with a shining and granite-like aspect which is compatible with heart amyloidosis. Systolic and diastolic disorder with mitral and aortic regurgitation were also revealed. The kidney and rectum biopsies confirmed amyloidosis AL of the Kappa dysglobulinemia type, without extraosseous plasmocytoma. The heart and kidney failure symptoms disappeared after treatment with diuretics and ACE inhibitors.

[Primary hyperaldosteronism. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Hyperaldostéronisme primaire. A propos de 2 cas.

Primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA) represents less than 1 to 2% of all causes of hypertension (HT). We report 2 cases of primary hyperaldosteronism which emphasize the difficulty of distinguishing neoplastic PHA from idiopathic PHA, observed in a 60-year-old woman and a 42-year old woman, respectively. In both cases, the diagnosis of PHA was suggested by marked hypokalaemia with inappropriate potassium excretion and was confirmed by hyperaldosteronaemia and low and poorly stimulated renin activity. In the first case, computed tomography showed nodular hyperplasia of the 2 adrenal glands. The patient was treated with spironolactone and calcium channel blockers which controlled blood pressure and serum potassium. In the second case, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an adrenocortical adenoma confirmed by pathological examination after the operation. The diagnosis of primary hyperaldosteronism is based on three steps: detection, positive diagnosis and aetiological diagnosis. Detection is essentially based on demonstration of hypokalaemia. Positive diagnosis is based on demonstration of elevated aldosterone secretion with inhibited renin secretion. The aetiological diagnosis is dominated by the differentiation between Conn's adenoma and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, which has therapeutic implications.

Effects of piroximone on the right ventricular function in severe heart failure patients.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of piroximone, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, on right ventricular function in patients with heart failure. DESIGN: Randomized study: patients were randomly assigned to the piroximone infusion rate of 5 or 10 micrograms/kg/min. SETTING: Cardiologic intensive care unit. PATIENTS: 12 consecutive patients with severe heart failure. INTERVENTIONS: Right heart catheterization was performed using a Swan-Ganz ejection fraction thermodilution catheter. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Measurements of right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), end-diastolic and end-systolic right ventricular volumes were obtained using the thermodilution principle. To determine contractility indexes, the relationships between end-systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (ESPAP) over right ventricular end-systolic volume (RVESV) and ESPAP over RVEF were calculated during the infusion of prostacyclin at incremental infusion rates of 2, 4, 6 and 8 ng/kg/min. The slope of the relation between ESPAP over RVESV shifted during piroximone therapy from 7.635 +/- 1.632 to 1.975 +/- 0.432 (p < 0.01) and from 6.092 +/- 1.99 to 1.028 +/- 0.853 (p < 0.05) at 5 and 10 micrograms/kg/min piroximone infusion, respectively. The slope of the relation between ESPAP over RVEF decreased from -0.414 +/- 0.296 to -0.821 +/- 0.257 (p < 0.01) and from -0.127 +/- 0.048 to - 0.533 +/- 0.135 (p < 0.05) at 5 and 10 micrograms/kg/min piroximone infusion, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a positive action of piroximone on right ventricular contractility at these 2 dosages. This approach using this type of catheter allowed us to determine right ventricular inotropic indexes.

Additive haemodynamic effects of piroximone and prostacyclin in severe chronic heart failure.

This study was undertaken to assess the haemodynamic effects of the combined infusion of prostacyclin and piroximone, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, in 18 patients with severe congestive heart failure. Right heart catheterization was performed with a Swan-Ganz thermodilution catheter and arterial blood pressure was monitored using a radial line. After baseline haemodynamic measurements, prostacyclin was administered in all patients at the incremental infusion rate of 2, 4, 6 and 8 and 10 ng.kg-1.min-1 during 15 min each. After recovery of baseline haemodynamics, patients were randomly assigned to the piroximone infusion rate of 5 or 10 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 or placebo. After 24 h piroximone or placebo infusion, the same prostacyclin protocol was applied. Prostacyclin infusion added to piroximone resulted in a significant improvement in haemodynamics, as compared to the group receiving prostacyclin added to placebo. As compared to the curve observed with the placebo infusion, 10 ng.kg-1.min-1 prostacyclin infusion resulted in a further increase in cardiac index, by 41 and 38% (P < 0.01) at the piroximone-infusion rates of 5 and 10 micrograms.kg-1.min-1, respectively, whereas systemic vascular resistance decreased by 25 and 21%, respectively (P < 0.01). Additionally, a further decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure by 13 and 11% (P < 0.05) and in pulmonary vascular resistance by 21 and 19% (P < 0.05) was observed at the piroximone-infusion rates of 5 and 10 micrograms.kg-1.min-1, respectively. Consequently, stroke work index increased significantly, as compared to the group receiving prostacyclin added to placebo. This haemodynamic improvement occurred without significant changes in heart rate and mean arterial pressure. Thus, this study shows that in patients with severe congestive heart failure, short-term infusion of prostacyclin is safe and has additive haemodynamic effects on phosphodiesterase inhibitors.