[Practical considerations for the treatment of acute rhythm disturbances. Report of Belgium Interdisciplinary Working Group on Acute Cardiology]. / Recommandations pratiques pour le traitement d'arythmies aiguës. Rapport du Groupe Interdisciplinaire Belge de Cardiologie Aiguë.

Acute arrhythmia is a condition covering a wide variety of rhythm disturbances. The aim of the article is to give practical recommendations for the approach and the treatment of the patient presenting with an acute arrhythmia. We discuss bradycardia and tachycardia. Tachycardias are divided into the small QRS complex tachycardias and the wide QRS complex tachycardias. Another important distinction with immediate therapeutic consequences is that between the hemodynamic stable and unstable patient. Flowcharts with diagnostic means and therapeutic schemes are added and a table with practical considerations for electrical cardioversion.

Primus (florasulam 50 G/L), a new triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide herbicide to control broad-leaved weeds in maize when applied in early postemergence (1 to 6 leaf stage of maize). Preliminary results.

OBJECTIVE: PRIMUS was developed in maize in Belgium in 1999 and 2000 in the course of research into limiting or replacing the use of triazines in maize. One of the imperatives of this research was to find the lowest possible residue content (MRL). SELECTIVITY TEST: An application of florasulam, at the dose of 5 g of active substance (a.s.) at the 2 to 3 leaf stage of the maize was found to be selective on 132 (in 1999) and 126 (in 2000) varieties of maize. EFFICACY TEST: Florasulam was tested at doses of between 1 and 5 g a.s./hectare. The treatments were applied in early postemergence at the 3-5 leaf stage of the maize or in 2 separate applications: at the 1 leaf stage with a dose of 2 g a.s. florasulam at the 4 leaf stage with a dose of 2 g a.s. florasulam The herbicide was fully effective on the sensitive flora. A summary of the results is presented. A detailed weed spectrum is defined. PROGRAMMES: Herbicide programmes were developed on the basis of these findings. The results showed that the best partners for florasulam were triketones (sulcotrione and mesotrione) in very low doses. Sulcotrione was applied at doses of 75 to 150 g a.s./ha and mesotrione at 25 to 50 g a.s./ha. Triple mixes of florasulam + triketone + nicosulfuron in very low doses and 1 or 2 applications were also tested. The results were highly encouraging and this work should lead to practical recommendations. PHYTOTOXICITY: Phytotoxicity was observed on some occasions. The phytotoxicity results for the different figures seem, however, to depend more on the climate (difference between daytime and night-time temperatures just before and after the treatment) than on the products tested in the mixes. However, the florasulam + nicosulfuron (sulfonyl-urea antigrasses) may sometimes cause serious problems with selectivity. The phytotoxicity noted in the tests was usually short-lived (30 days). CONCLUSION: The results of the tests show that it is possible to consider replacing atrazine-based programmes with very low doses of modern herbicides applied at early stages of the maize. A mixture of active substances is vital. Repeated very low doses at the 1/2 and 4/5 leaf stages of the maize were found to be the most effective.

Quantification of valvular regurgitation by cardiac blood pool scintigraphy: correlation with catheterization.

UNLABELLED: The diagnosis of valvular regurgitation (R) is usually based on clinical signs. Quantification conventionally requires catheterization (C). We have quantified R with cardiac blood pool scintigraphy (CBPS) and compared the results with those obtained by C. Regurgitant fraction (RF) determined by C was calculated with the technique of Dodge. Forward output was measured by thermodilution or cardiogreen dilution. The RF at CBPS was obtained by the stroke index ratio (SIR) minus 1.2 divided by SIR, where SIR is the ratio of the stroke counts of left ventricle over those of the right ventricle. Stroke counts are calculated directly from the time-activity curves. Each time-activity curve was obtained by drawing one region of interest around each diastolic image. The correction factor (1.2) was calculated from a large normal population. 22 patients had aortic R, 7 mitral R, 12 both, 8 patients had no evidence of regurgitation. RF of the patients with R varied from 27 to 71% (x = 42%) at C and from 26 to 74% (y = 41%) at CBPS. Linear regression shows a good correlation coefficient (r = 0.82). The regression equation is y = 0.93x + 1.8. No correlation was found between RF (CBPS or C) and the severity of R assessed visually from angiography. IN CONCLUSION: CBPS, a non-invasive method, allows easy and repeatable determination of RF and correlates well with data obtained at catheterization.