A prospective national survey of management and clinical outcome of acute myocardial infarction in Israel, 2000.

Background: Little information is available on the clinical practice and implementation of guidelines for treating acute myocardial infarction patients in Israel.

Objective: To assess patient characteristics, hospital course, management, and 30 day clinical outcome of all AMI patients hospitalized in Israel during a 2 month period in 2000.

Method: We conducted a prospective 2 month survey of consecutive AMI patients admitted to 82 of 96 internal medicine departments and all 26 cardiac departments operating in Israel in 2000.

Long-term outcome of intravenous magnesium therapy in thrombolysis-ineligible acute myocardial infarction patients.

The aim of our study was to analyze the long-term survival and cardiac function in 194 consecutive, thrombolysis-ineligible acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients receiving 48-hour intravenous magnesium sulfate (22 g) - 96 patients, compared with placebo - 98 patients. After a mean 4.8-year follow-up, all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality were significantly lower in the magnesium compared to the placebo group [(18 vs.

Effects of oral magnesium therapy on exercise tolerance, exercise-induced chest pain, and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease.

Previous studies have demonstrated that magnesium supplementation improves endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the impact on clinical outcomes, such as exercise-induced chest pain, exercise tolerance, and quality of life, has not been established. In a multicenter, multinational, prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial, 187 patients with CAD (151 men, 36 women; mean +/- SD age 63 +/- 10 years, range 42 to 83) were randomized to receive either oral magnesium 15 mmol twice daily (Magnosolv-Granulat, total magnesium 365 mg provided as magnesium citrate) (n = 94) or placebo (n = 93) for 6 months.

Modulation of cardiac A1-adenosine receptors in rats following treatment with agents affecting heart rate.

Effects of chronic treatment affecting heart rate on A1 adenosine receptor levels and their functions were studied. Treatment of rats with isoproterenol for 10 days accelerated heart rate and increased the level of adenosine receptors, in both the atria and ventricles. Negative dromotropic response of isolated heart to adenosine was enhanced in isoproterenol-treated rats.

Transcutaneous detection of aortic arch atheromas by suprasternal harmonic imaging.

Objectives: The goal of the present study was to examine whether suprasternal harmonic imaging (SHI) (i.e., harmonic imaging from the suprasternal windows) can visualize protruding arch atheromas (PAAs) and reliably predict the presence or absence of significant lesions.