[Myocardial viability in a single-vessel disease: the role of a dobutamine stress echocardiography].

Objective: To investigate a group of patients that have a significant lesion in a single-vessel and to demonstrate whether or not the sensitivity and specificity of a dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) was valuable in the evaluation of myocardial viability for these patients.

Methods: Twenty patients who had undergone percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) were studied. This group was evaluated 2 to 7 days (3.

Myocardial contrast echocardiography in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease: comparison with myocardial nuclear scintigraphy.

Objective: To compare myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) using PESDA and adenosine in bolus (ADN) with myocardial nuclear scintigraphy (NS) in patients (pts) undergoing routine investigation with a high probability of having coronary artery disease.

Methods: This study comprised 125 pts (85 men) with 58.4 +/- 10.

Cardiac function during mental stress: cholinergic modulation with pyridostigmine in healthy subjects.

Mentally or emotionally stressful situations occur throughout our lives and cause physiological haemodynamic responses. In patients with coronary artery disease, such events can also induce myocardial ischaemia and ventricular arrhythmias, increasing mortality rates. The purpose of the present study was to determine the acute effects of the oral administration of pyridostigmine, a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor and thus an indirect cholinomimetic drug, on echocardiographic variables during mental stress in healthy subjects.

Study of coronary flow reserve with intravenous use of microbubbles (contrast echocardiography) and adenosine: protocol for clinical application in patients suspected of having coronary heart disease.

Objective: To test the feasibility, safety and accuracy of the adenosine protocol in the study of myocardial perfusion with microbubbles contrast echocardiography.

Methods: 81 pts (64 male, 60+11 years) were submitted to contrast echocardiography with PESDA (sonicated solution of albumin 20%-1ml, dextrose 5%-12ml and deca-fluorobutane gas-8ml) to study the myocardial perfusion at rest and after bolus injection of adenosine (6 to 18mg) and to coronary angiography within 1 month each other. For each patient 3 left ventricle perfusion beds were considered (total of 243 territories).