An algorithm for verifying biventricular capture based on evoked-response morphology.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy relies on consistent beat-by-beat myocardial capture in both ventricles. A pacemaker ensuring right (RV) and left ventricular (LV) capture through reliable capture verification and automatic output adjustment would contribute to patients' safety and quality of life. We studied the feasibility of an algorithm based on evoked-response (ER) morphology for capture verification in both the ventricles.

Early dobutamine echocardiography for the assessment of coronary stenosis after first Q-wave myocardial infarction.

We assessed the accuracy of early dobutamine stress echocardiography to detect infarct-related coronary artery and multivessel disease in patients with first Q wave myocardial infarction after withdrawal of cardioactive drugs. Dobutamine-atropine echocardiography was performed in 91 consecutive patients (mean age 59+/-6 years) 7+/-4 days after myocardial infarction. Dobutamine was infused at incremental doses of 5, 10, 20, 30 to 40 microg/kg/min each one dose for 3 min.

Potential influence of pre-infarction angina on myocardial viability and residual ischemia.

Background: The effects of recent pre-infarction angina on myocardial viability and residual ischemia are unknown. This study evaluates them in 90 patients with a first Q-wave myocardial infarction using early dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Methods: Patients were classified according to the absence or presence of recent pre-infarction angina, defined as chest pain lasting < 30 min during a period of 7 days before the acute myocardial infarction.

[Intermittent diastolic dysfunction of a mechanical aortic prosthesis: a clinical case].

We describe the case of a 48 year-old man whose Sorin bileaflet aortic prosthesis presented persistent systolic and intermittent diastolic failure due to fibrous tissue overgrowth in the left ventricular outflow tract.