Low Consultation Rate of General Population with Atrial Fibrillation.

In order to prevent ischemic stroke, it is important to identify and treat patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who do not consult a doctor in a medical institution. The aim of this study was to determine the consultation rate at medical institutions for patients with AF in group medical examinations conducted in a city in western Japan. Of 6101 examinees of group medical examinations (40 years of age or older) conducted in Ibara City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, from 2012 to 2014, 4338 participants (71.

Clinical features of acute myocardial infarction in elderly patients.

The aim of this study was to clarify the prevalence of coronary risk factors in order to characterize the prognostic factors in elderly patients and to also identify any factors beneficial for the prevention of further cardiac events and death. We studied 888 patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction who were admitted within 48 h of symptom onset. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to age for comparison of variables:a younger group (n＝99) aged ≤ 50, a middle-aged group (n＝435) ≥ 51 years but＜70 years and an elderly group (n＝354) aged ≥ 71 years.

Sex difference of in-hospital mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Factors contributing to the sex difference of in-hospital mortality after acute myocardial infarction (MI) are still unknown. We compared the clinical characteristics on admission and in-hospital outcome of consecutive 1,354 patients with acute MI between the 2 sexes. Age on admission was about 7 years older in women than in men.

Incidence and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the eastern part of Yamaguchi prefecture.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the factors related to poor prognosis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in one local area of Japan. From May 1, 2002 to April 30, 2008, a total of 442 patients with cardiopulmonary arrest were transferred for resuscitation to the National Hospital Organization, Iwakuni Clinical Center. Of 325 patients with cardiopulmonary arrest of cardiac etiology, 126 patients were witnessed by a bystander.

Prognostic significance of right bundle branch block in patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction.

There is little information available concerning the influence of right bundle branch block (RBBB) on the prognosis of patients with inferior myocardial infarction (MI). In this study we evaluated the influence of RBBB on the short-term prognosis of patients with inferior MI. Our study subjects were 1,265 hospitalized patients with Q wave MI.

Complete atrioventricular block secondary to lithium therapy.

Sinus node dysfunction has been reported most frequently among the adverse cardiovascular effects of lithium. In the present case, complete atrioventricular (AV) block with syncopal attacks developed secondary to lithium therapy, necessitating permanent pacemaker implantation. Serum lithium levels remained under or within the therapeutic range during the syncopal attacks.

Postprandial hypotension due to a lack of sympathetic compensation in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Postprandial hypotension is an important hemodynamic abnormality in diabetes mellitus, but few reports are available on the relationship between autonomic dysfunction and postprandial hypotension. Ten diabetic patients and 10 healthy volunteers were recruited for this study. Postural blood pressure and heart rate changes were measured before lunch, and then the hemodynamic responses to a standardized meal were investigated.

[Highly concentrated vascular endothelial growth factor in Crow-Fukase syndrome with high output heart failure: a case report].

Crow-Fukase syndrome is a disease of plasma cell dyscrasia. Congestive heart failure is the biggest complication affecting the prognosis. A 57-year-old male was admitted with edema and low grade fever.

Effect of short-term administration of high dose L-arginine on restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Background: A single and local administration of L-arginine after balloon angioplasty enhances nitric oxide (NO) generation and inhibits lesion formation in animals.

Objectives: The present study assessed the effect of increasing NO to inhibit restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in humans by local and systemic administration of L-arginine, a precursor of NO in humans.

Methods: L-arginine was administered to 34 consecutive patients with angina pectoris or old myocardial infarction via a cardiac catheter (500 mg/4 min) before PTCA, and via a peripheral vein (30 g/4 hr, for 5 days) after PTCA.

Risk factors indicating recurrent myocardial infarction after recovery from acute myocardial infarction.

Little is known of the risk factors of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) among Japanese patients who have survived their first MI. The risk factors for the second MI were studied in 808 of 1,042 consecutive patients who recovered from an acute MI in Iwakuni National Hospital. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only 3 of 21 variables measured were closely related with the recurrence of MI during a follow-up period of 3.