Changes in characteristics of hospitalized heart failure patients in ten years: a single-center study.

Background: Progress in therapy and the ageing patients hospitalized with heart failure may have impacted the characteristics of this patients.

Aims: We compared epidemiological data of patients admitted with heart failure during two periods separated by a 10 year interval.

Methods: Characteristics of 353 heart failure patients recruited between 2002 and 2004 with those of 304 heart failure patients recruited between 1992 and 1994 were compared retrospectively.

[Torsades de pointes caused by cetirizine overdose].

Several therapeutic substances can cause torsades de pointes, especially if they prolong the QT interval and/or if there is an associated hypokalaemia. Certain second generation H1 antihistamines have been incriminated in the occurrence of such ventricular arrhythmias, such as terfenadine and astezimole, which have been withdrawn. Cetirizine, widely used in the treatment of allergic reactions, is a second generation H1 antihistamine with as yet no precautions of use regarding rhythm disturbances.

Genetic polymorphisms and coronary artery disease in the south of France.

Vascular disease is a multifactorial disease that involves atherosclerotic and thrombotic factors. Genetic polymorphisms have been associated with myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between some genetic polymorphisms and myocardial infarction (MI) or vasospastic angina pectoris in a population from southern France.

[Paradoxical pulmonary embolism. A rare complication of arteriovenous fistulization of an aorto-iliac aneurysm].

Aneurysms of the infra-renal abdominal aorta or iliac arteries result in ilio-caval compression in about 10% of cases which may cause venous thrombosis by stasis and pulmonary embolism. Fistulisation of these aneurysms into the inferior vena cava or an iliac vein is rare and paradoxical pulmonary embolism from arterial thrombus of the aneurysmal pouch is exceptionally rare. The authors report a new case in which the ilio-iliac arteriovenous fistula caused high output cardiac failure, ischaemia of the homolateral leg and pulmonary embolism.