Precordial ECG mapping in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after intravenous infusion of streptokinase (s).

Repeated precordial ECG mapping (42 leads) and CK-MB serum measurements were done in 40 patients with anterior and/or anterolateral acute myocardial infarction. Twenty patients serving as controls, were treated with routine anticoagulant therapy. In 20 patients (the s group), randomly selected, a short-term IV infusion of 1,500,000 IU streptokinase was administered and followed by the same anticoagulant treatment as in controls.

Evidence of low-grade intravascular coagulation in patients with transvenous pacemakers.

Serum fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) were measured in 4 groups of patients. In Group A (30 patients) FDP levels were measured before and 48-60 hours after pacemaker and transvenous electrode placement. They remained negative (less than 10 micrograms/ml) in 14, rose to greater than 10 micrograms/ml less than 40 micrograms/ml in 12, and greater than 40 micrograms/ml in 4.

"Torsades de pointes" invariant angina: successful treatment with verapamil.

A patient had continuous paroxysms of the specific ventricular arrhythmia of the "Torsades de Pointes" type during attacks of variant angina. The arrhythmia was refractory to lidocaine and procainamide and only responded dramatically to verapamil, initially intravenous and afterwards oral. The low success rate in the treatment of such arrhythmias by other drugs and available experimental data suggest that verapamil should be further evaluated.

Electrocardiographic criteria of left ventricular hypertrophy in left bundle-branch block.

In order to determine whether the electrocardiographic criteria of left ventricular hypertrophy apply in the presence of left bundle-branch block we studied 79 cases of intermittent left bundle-branch block and compared the QRS voltage and axis before and after its onset. Cases of incomplete left bundle-branch block were excluded. There was a statistically significant correlation between pre- and post-left bundle-branch block values of R or S wave voltage in leads I, V1, V2, V5, and V6, the Sokolow index (R V5 or V6 + S V1), and the QRS axis.