Effects of thrombolysis on vectorcardiographic indices of ventricular repolarization: correlation with ST-segment resolution.

To investigate the effects of thrombolysis on vectorcardiographic (VCG) descriptors of ventricular repolarization in association with ST-segment resolution, 70 consecutively recruited patients with acute myocardial infarction underwent digital 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) before and at 3 hours after thrombolysis. The alterations in the VCG descriptors spatial T amplitude and spatial QRS-T angle from the pre- to the post-thrombolysis ECG, as well as the ST-segment resolution, were calculated. Angiography revealed patency of the infarct-related coronary artery after thrombolysis in 52 (74%) patients (group A) and occlusion in 18 (26%) (group B).

Ibutilide-induced alterations in electrocardiographic and spatial vectorcardiographic descriptors of ventricular repolarization.

Background: Ibutilide is used for the pharmacologic cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) or flutter (AFl). Ibutilide-induced QT interval prolongation has been demonstrated previously. However, its effects on vectorcardiographic (VCG) descriptors of ventricular repolarization (VR) have not been studied so far.

Exercise-induced prolongation of the infarct-related Q-waves as a marker of myocardial viability in the infarcted area.

Objective: It is known that exercise-induced ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) may produce QRS prolongation in the surface electrocardiogram (ECG). To investigate the presence of exercise-induced Q-wave prolongation in patients with single-vessel CAD and Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI), in association with the presence of reversible perfusion defects during thallium scintigraphy in the infarcted area.

Methods: 107 consecutive patients (89 males, mean age 56+/-8 years) were evaluated.

Radiation of anginal pain to the legs.

Pain radiated from the chest to one or both legs (17 cases), or from the legs to the chest (two cases) in 19 patients with angina or acute myocardial infarction. The leg pain was assumed to be related to the angina pectoris when both were of a similar character and occurred together, when the leg pain occurred at rest, and when there were normal peripheral pulses in the leg. Pain was felt in the left leg by 10 patients, the right leg by two patients, and in both legs by seven.

Limitation of infarct size by decrease of afterload with prazosin.

To investigate the possibility of limiting infarct size by decreasing afterload 32 normotensive patients with uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were put on prazosin and compared with 32 control patients. Blood pressure fell significantly lower in the prazosin group without increase of heart rate. The mean daily and peak levels of serum aspartate transaminase and lactic dehydrogenase and the calculated from the 12 lead ECG mean daily sum of ST segment elevation, number of leads with ST greater than or equal to 0.