Echocardiographic characterization of left ventricular diastolic properties in patients presenting for the maze procedure.

The aim of this study is to characterize and compare the left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling patterns in patients with paroxysmal (PAF) versus chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) undergoing the maze procedure and to examine their relation with the hemodynamic status. Fifty patients with PAF and 22 with CAF were studied. Hemodynamic measurements and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) were performed after the induction of anesthesia but before surgical incision, at stable conditions.

Effects of nicardipine and nitroglycerin on perioperative myocardial ischemia in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Perioperative myocardial ischemic episodes are predictive of adverse cardiac outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery. We compared the efficacy of continuous infusions of nicardipine (group NIC) and nitroglycerin (group NTG) in reducing the frequency and severity of myocardial ischemic episodes. Patients received either a nicardipine infusion, 0.