[Contribution of complementary examinations in the diagnosis and treatment of emboligenic cardiopathies. Retrospective study apropos of 46 cases].

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the value of complementary investigations in the diagnosis and follow-up of embolic heart disease. Forty-six patients having presented a systemic embolism cardiac origin underwent a standard work up which included clinical examination, ECG, chest X-ray and 2D echocardiography. Other investigations were carried out in some patients: CT cardiac scan (11 cases), gamma scintigraphy with Indium III labelled platelets (6 cases) and angiocardiography (12 cases).

[Parietal rupture of the heart in the acute phase of a postero-inferior myocardial infarction. Echocardiographic diagnosis, surgical cure].

A 58 year old patient with no previous cardiac history developed a postero-inferior myocardial infarction, complicated at the 6th hour by parietal rupture leading to acute tamponade. This was diagnosed by echocardiography which showed a compressive pericardial effusion containing large thrombi. Surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass was successful and led to good quality survival, maintained for over 6 months.

Pacemaker syndrome with DDD pacing.

DDD pacing may be associated with certain problems similar to those of the pacemaker syndrome. In the absence of mechanical dysfunction, pacemaker-mediated tachycardias have occurred in the presence of VA conduction. The correction of this problem is found in more versatile programming capability.

[Effect of captopril on pulmonary arterial hypertension in congestive heart failure associated with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy].

Acute hemodynamic effects of oral 25 mg of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril were studied in 8 patients suffering from left ventricular failure and severe chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) with pulmonary hypertension. In all the patients left ventricular failure resulted from a dilated cardiomyopathy. No significant change in right or left ventricular function and a decrease of 10% in arterial blood pressure and total systemic resistances were observed after administration of captopril.