Functional Evaluation of Patients with Implanted Pacemakers

Because of the knowledge that his life is dependent on the pacemaker and due to the uncertainty of some clinical results, the paced patient needs a guide to return to society.

The Role of Cardiac Pacing in Heart Block Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction

The organization of the Coronary Care Unit and the use of electrocardiographic monitoring have allowed a re-evaluation of the incidence of the atrioventricular conduction disturbances in acute myocardial infarction.

Evaluation of the Haemorheological Determinants in Coronary Heart Disease

Increased blood viscosity has been described in patients with coronary artery disease (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

Screening for Early Detection of Asymptomatic Coronary Artery Disease (Secondary Prevention): An Approach to Cost/Benefit and Cost/Effectiveness Analysis

Classification of different types of preventive measures for ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been much debated. In the classical use of terms “primary prevention” (prevention of occurrence) includes removal of risk factors in otherwise healthy individuals, while the attempts to change diet and life style in the very early age, in order to avoid the acquisition of risk factors, has been called “preprimary prevention” or “early prevention.”

[Cardiac arrhythmias in hypertensive subjects with and without left ventricular hypertrophy compared to the circadian profile of the blood pressure].

To evaluate possible correlations between cardiac arrhythmias and circadian pattern of blood pressure (BP) and of heart rate (HR), we studied 2 groups of 20 males with stable arterial hypertension of mild to moderate entity, with (Group I) or without (Group II) left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). In patients with LVH the mean age (56 vs 46 years), the duration of the hypertensive state (48.1 vs 15.7 months), the thickening of interventricular septum (IVS; 13.7 vs 9.6 mm) and of the posterior wall of the left ventricle (13.2 vs 9.2 mm) and the mass of LV (149.8 vs 99.7 g/m2) were significantly greater (p less than 0.01). On the contrary, the 2 groups did not show significant differences conc…

Non-Invasive Assessment of LV Systolic Function and Diastolic Filling at Rest and During Exercise in Coronary Heart Disease

In the assessment of the main determinants of cardiac function the study of the systolic phase and diastolic filling appear to be of paramount importance[1–3].

Thromboxane formation by platelets and platelet sensitivity to prostacyclin in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Platelet Function Changes In Acute Myocardial Infarction

Whether the thrombotic component of myocardial infarction is primary or secondary in a given patient, platelet function alterations can influence many mechanism from which depends if the thrombotic lesion grows or sends platelet emboli to the smaller myocardial vessels. Recently in some cases of infarction, coronary artery spasm has been demonstrated angiographically; thromboxanes, vasoconstrictive and platelet-aggregating substances, are released by platelets during myocardial ischemia. The local release of these substances may modify the myocardial cell viability and regional blood flow.The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in platelet function in relation to the time in…

Platelet Function Changes in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Whether the thrombotic component of myocardial infarction is primary or secondary in a given patient, platelet function alterations can influence many mechanisms — operating at the microenvi-ronmental level — from which it depends if the thrombotic lesion grows or sends platelet emboli to the smaller myocardial vessels.

Hemodynamic Effects of Ventricular Pacing

Fixed rate ventricular pacing is used in most cases of implanted pacemakers. It does not usually create considerable hemodynamic problems, as the heart, by its adaptation mechanism, is capable of varying its pump performance to meet the metabolic needs[1,3].

Resting and Exercise Systolic Time Intervals

The measurement of Systolic Time Intervals (STI), for the indirect assessment of ventricular function, has become one of the established “non-invasive” techniques of clinical cardiology. (1,2).