Isolated chylopericardium after cardiac surgery.

Chylopericardium is a rare complication of cardiac surgery. It may be caused by a lesion in the thoracic duct or its tributaries or by thrombosis in the confluence of the jugular and left subclavian veins, obstructing the drainage of the thoracic duct. The treatment may be conservative or surgical, depending on the duration and on the volume of the effusion.

One year follow-up of hormone replacement therapy with percutaneous estradiol and low-dose vaginal natural progesterone in women with mild to moderate hypertension.

Objective: The effects of natural estradiol and progesterone replacement therapy on lipoprotein and cardiovascular parameters were assessed in 20 postmenopausal women with mild to moderate systemic arterial hypertension.

Design: After confirming hypertension in the absence of antihypertensive treatment, blood pressure control was achieved by administration of amlodipine at individually adjusted doses. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was introduced in a cyclic regimen (21 of 28 days) with percutaneous estradiol (1.

Detection of coronary artery disease based on the calcification index obtained by helical computed tomography.

Objective: To assess the relation between coronary artery disease and the calcification index on helical computed tomography.

Method: We studied 22 patients (ages ranging from 40 to 70 years) who underwent coronary angiography because of chest pain suggestive of angina pectoris. Findings on coronary angiography were classified as follows: significant obstructive disease (stenosis > or = 50 %), nonobstructive disease (stenosis <50 %), and no disease.

Percutaneous 17 beta-estradiol replacement therapy in hypertensive postmenopausal women.

The present study evaluated the short-term effects of percutaneous 17 beta-estradiol on blood pressure, metabolic profile and hormonal levels in postmenopausal women with systemic arterial hypertension. After a wash-out period of 15 days, 10 hypertensive patients were treated with guanabenz acetate to control blood pressure, followed by 17 beta-estradiol in the form of hydroalcoholic gel administered for 21 of 28 days of each cycle, for 3 cycles. Patients were evaluated before, during and 2 months after estrogen administration.

[Surgical myocardial revascularization in young patients].

Purpose: To determine early and late results of surgical myocardial revascularization (SMR) in young patients.

Methods: We studied retrospectively 73 patients aging less than 40 years and submitted to SMR between 1975 and 1989. The method used was patient card review and thelephone contact with the patient or his physician.