[Vasospastic angina pectoris complicated by acute myocardial infarction and complete atrioventricular block].

BACKGROUND: A prolonged coronary artery spasm with interruption of coronary blood flow can lead to myocardial necrosis and increase of cardiospecific enzymes and can be complicated with cardiac rhythm disturbances, syncopc, or even sudden cardiac death. CASE REPORT: A 55-year old male felt a severe retrosternal pain when exposing himself to cold weather. The pain lasted for 20 minutes and was followed by the loss of conscience. Electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a complete antrioventricular (AV) block with nodal rhythm and marked elevation of ST segment in inferior leads. Electrocardiogram was soon normalized, but serum activities of cardiospecific enzymes were increased. Coronarography showed normal findings for the left coronary artery and a narrowing at the middle part of the right coronary artery, which disappeared after intracoronary application of nitroglycerine. The following therapy was prescribed: Diltiazem, Amlodipin, Isosorbid mononitrate, Molisdomin, Atrovastatin, Aspirin and Nitroglycerine spray. After 7 months medicaments were abandoned and the patient experienced again reccurent chest pain episodes at rest. Transitory ST segment elevation was recorded in inferior leads of ECG, but without increase of cardiospecific enzymes serum activities. After restoration of the medicament therapy anginal episodes ceased. CONCLUSION: Coronary dilators in maximal doses can prevent attacks of vasospastic angina.

[The influence of stress hyperglycemia on the prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction and temporary electrical cardiac pacing].

INTRODUCTION: Elevated glucose levels on admission in many emergency conditions, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI), have been identified as a predictor of hospital mortality. OBJECTIVE: Since there are no data in the literature related to stress hyperglycaemia (SH) in patients with both AIM and temporary electrical cardiac pacing, we aimed to investigate the influence of stress hyperglycaemia on the prognosis of patients with AMI and temporary electrical cardiac pacing. METHODS: The prospective study included 79 patients with diagnosed AMI with ST-segment elevation (STEMI), admitted to the Coronary Care Unit of the Clinic for Cardiovascular Diseases, Clinical Centre Nis, from 2004 to 2007, who were indicated for temporary electrical cardiac pacing. The blood was sampled on admission for lab analysis, glucose levels were determined (as well as markers of myocardial necrosis troponin I, CK-MB). Echocardiographic study was performed and ejection fraction was evaluated by using area length method. RESULTS: The ROC analysis indicated that the best glycaemic level on admission, which could be used as a predictor of mortality, was 10.00 mmol/l, and the area under the curve was 0.82. In the group without SH, hospital mortality was 3-fold lower 11/48 (22.91%) compared to the group with SH 19/31 (61.29%), p < 0.0001. Patients with SH were more likely to have higher troponin levels, Killip >1, lower ejection fraction and heart rate, as well as systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The best cut-off value for SH in patients with AMI (STEMI) and temporary electrical cardiac pacing is 10 mmol/l (determined by ROC curve) and may be used in risk stratification; patients with glucose levels <10 mmol/l on admission are at 3-fold lower risk compared to those with glucose levels >10 mml/l. Our results suggest that SH is a more reliable marker of poor outcome in AMI patients with temporary pace maker, without previously diagnosed DM.

[Influence of psychological and coronary parameters on coronary patient rehospitalization].

INTRODUCTION: Psychological reactions are often comorbid with coronary risk factors and could be important for a six-month outcome. OBJECTIVE: Determination of anxiety level, depression and aggression, persistence of risk health behaviour, stress life events, and coronary risk factors after coronary event and a predictive value of those parameters for six-month rehospitalization. METHODS: In the group with Angina Pectoris (E1=30) and the group with Acute Myocardial Infarction (E2=33), there were applied, at baseline and after 6 months, the following: Semistructured Clinical Interview based on ICD-10, for depressive episode and anxiety disorder, Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), KON-6 sigma Scale for aggression, Holms-Rahe Scale (H-R) for stress events and Questionnaire for risk behaviour: alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of physical activity. Group differences were assessed by t-test and chi-square test, p < 0.05, regression analysis for assessing initial variables, a predictive value for six-month rehospitalization. RESULTS: After acute coronary event, the anxiety and depression levels were mild and aggression was low in E1 and mild in E2. Stress event score was significantly higher in E2 (H-R = 115.18) than in E1 (H-R = 72.20), p < 0.05. After 6 months, the results were the same except for a significantly lower stress event score in E1 (H-R = 49.48), and in E2 (H-R = 91.65), but still significantly higher than in El. Coronary parameters were reduced, smokers' rate was increased in El. Alcohol consumption, hypercholesterolaemia and hereditary tendency were predictive for six- month rehospitalization. CONCLUSION: After acute cardiac event, hospitalized coronary patients had a mild anxiety, depression and aggression level as well as after six months. The infarct patients had experienced more stress life events in the previous year than the angina patients. Risk health behaviour did not change in the following six months, with the increased smokers' rate in the angina group. Alcohol consumption, smoking and heredity were predictive for rehospitalization.

An alternative approach for endocardial pacemaker lead implantation in patient with persistent left superior vena cava.

INTRODUCTION: Persistent left superior vena cava represents a congenital vascular defect of the venous system, which often makes standard 58 cm endocardial lead placement impossible. CASE OUTLINE: A right chamber approach by the left cephalic vein was tried. This was impossible because standard endocardial lead (SJM Isoflex 5 1646T, bipolar lead, 58 cm in length, body diameter 7 French) was too short for this patient. A unipolar lead for coronary sinus (Medtronic ATTEIN 4193-88), 88 cm in length, body diameter 4 French, was placed in the posterior branch of the coronary sinus. With such positioning of the lead, a VVI pacemaker pacing was enabled. The operation lasted for 48 minutes, and the time of total X-ray exposure was 9.6 minutes. The values that were achieved were: threshold 0.3 V, pulse width 0.37 ms, maximum R 22.55 mV. Ten months after the implantation, the values were: threshold 0.3 V, maximum R 28.8 mV. CONCLUSION: Persistent left superior vena cava in some cases makes standard 58 cm endocardial lead placement impossible due to its joining to the right atrium over the dilated coronary sinus. Coronary sinus lead placement in the posterior or lateral coronary sinus branch represents an acceptable alternative approach for pacemaker lead placement in these patients.

[Prognostic significance of sinus deceleration during dobutamine stress echocardiography test following acute myocardial infarction].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Chronotropic incompetence during exercise stress testing after acute myocardial infarction is an indicator of ischemia or impaired left ventricular function. On the other side, infusion of dobutamine leads to a typical dose-dependent increase in heart rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate of paradoxical sinus deceleration during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), as the sign of ischemia and impaired left ventricular function, or the consequence of infarction localization, and the estimation of prognostic significance after acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Our investigation comprised 81 patients hospitalized because of the acute myocardial infarction, and all of them had uncomplicated infarction. Fifty five patients were treated with thrombolytic therapy (67.9%); 53 patients (65.4%) had anterior myocardial infarction, and 28 patients (34.6%) had inferoposterior localization of myocardial infarction. After 10-12 days all of them underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography examination. During the next 3-6 months, the patients underwent coronary angiography. The average follow-up period was 36 +/- 22 months. RESULTS: A decrease in heart rate occurred at the dobutamine doses increasing from 15-40mcg/kg/min in 9 (11.1%) of the patients, in 1 patient with an anterior localization and in 8 patients with an inferoposterior localization. The decrease was sudden in 4 (44.4%), and gradual in 5 (55.6%) of the patients. In 3 patients (33.3%) junction rhythm was developed, and in 2 patients (22.2%) AV block II-III. Only in 2 of them, there was a worsening of regional function during a high dose dobutamine infusion, but 7 of them showed an improvement during a low dose. In 7 (77.8%) of the patients there was a simultaneous decrease in blood pressure. Coronary angiographic examination showed that in 4 (44.4%) of the patients there was a significant coronary artery disease and they underwent the revascularisation procedure. During the follow up period, there was not any significant arrhythmic disorder in that group of the patients or repeated hospitalization because of postinfarction angina, re-infarction, or heart failure. CONCLUSION: We could conclude that paradoxical sinus deceleration is not only an indicator of a significant coronary artery disease and "bad left ventricle". It also may occur as a consequence of vasodepressor reflex (Bezold-Jarisch), even after acute myocardial infarction, withont influencing a long-term prognosis.

Prevention of pocket related complications with fibrin sealant in patients undergoing pacemaker implantation who are receiving anticoagulant treatment.

AIM: The aim of our study was to establish the efficiency of fibrin sealant in the prevention of pocket related complications in patients undergoing pacemaker implantation who are receiving anticoagulant treatment. METHODS: The study was performed on 40 and 41 patients prospectively randomized into treatment and control groups who underwent pacemaker implantation procedure between January 2002 and July 2004 at the Pacemaker Center - Clinical Centre Nis, Serbia. Both groups of patients were receiving anticoagulant treatment with either heparin or warfarin. Surgical procedures between the groups differed only in the application of fibrin sealant prior to wound closure in the treatment group. RESULTS: In the treatment group, there were no pocket related complications while in the control group six patients (14.63%) had minor haematomas that required no treatment. Four patients (9.76%) had significant haematomas (two patients were treated conservatively while the other two needed reintervention). The INR in the treatment group was 2.76+/-0.85 and in the control group 2.65+/-0.79 (P=ns). In the follow-up period (2-27 months) no late complications were registered in either group. CONCLUSION: Fibrin sealant is an effective haemostatic agent. The results obtained in our study show that the administration of fibrin sealant in patients receiving anticoagulant treatment eliminates postoperative haematomas after pacemaker implantation.