RV function in stable and unstable VT: is there a need for hemodynamic monitoring in future defibrillators?

During electrophysiological investigation of 22 patients with VT or aborted sudden cardiac death, arterial and RV pressures were measured. The time courses of mean arterial pressure (MAP), RV pulse pressure (RVPP), RV pulse pressure integral (RVPPI), and maximum right ventricular dP/dt (RV dP/dtmax) were followed during the first 15 seconds after VT induction. Compared to basal (preinduction) conditions, the RVPPI decreased by 41+/-10% (mean +/- SD) after 10-15 seconds of VT in 11 patients with stable VT and by 75+/-8% in 11 patients with unstable VT (MAP < 60 mmHg 15 s after VT onset).

The acute effects of induced tachycardia on coronary sinus and arterial plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide and on arterial catecholamines.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was measured in coronary sinus (CS) plasma in seven patients with induced tachycardia. Right atrial pressure (RAP) and femoral artery (FA) levels of ANP, noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) were measured before and after 5 min with tachycardia. During tachycardia, ANP in CS plasma increased from 381 +/- 273 (mean +/- SD) to 1376 +/- 1191 pmol l-1 (p < 0.

[Emergency admissions to a department of internal medicine. Are departments of internal medicine used optimally, and how would observation units affect the management of the department?].

279 consecutive emergency admissions to our Department of Internal Medicine were reviewed. Admission was appropriate for 58%. These patients consumed 88% of the "ward-days" during the period studied.

The influence of supine relaxation on blood pressure, heart rate and atrial natriuretic peptide in normal subjects.

The effect of recumbent rest on plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentration, mean blood pressure (MBP) and heart rate was studied in 26 normal human volunteers. Plasma ANP concentration, MBP and heart rate were determined after 10 min sitting and after 2, 5, 8, 15 and 30 min of recumbency. During the first 5 min of recumbency there were significant decreases in both MBP (p less than 0.

Electrophysiologic and clinical effects of flecainide for recurrent paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

The antiarrhythmic effects of flecainide acetate were evaluated in 9 patients with paroxysmal atrioventricular (AV) nodal tachycardia and 17 patients with AV tachycardia. An electrophysiologic study was performed before and after intravenous flecainide acetate, 2 mg/kg body weight, was infused over 15 minutes and was followed by a maintenance infusion of 1.6 mg/kg given over 1 hour to 26 patients and during oral treatment to 15.