Supraventricular tachycardias: proposal of a diagnostic algorithm for the narrow complex tachycardias.

The narrow complex tachycardias (NCTs) are defined by the presence in a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) of a QRS complex duration less than 120ms and a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute; those are typically of supraventricular origin, although rarely narrow complex ventricular tachycardias have been reported in the literature. As some studies document, to diagnose correctly the NCTs is an arduous exercise because sometimes those have similar presentation on the ECG. In this paper, we have reviewed the physiopathological, clinical, and ECG findings of all known supraventricular tachycardias and, in order to reduce the possible diagnostic errors on the ECG, we have proposed a quick and accurate diagnostic algorithm for the differential diagnosis of NCTs.

Sodium thiosulfate not always resolves calciphylaxis: an ambiguous response.

Calciphylaxis is a severe "vascular ossification-calcification," associated with a very high mortality rate that involves arterial wall, venular wall, and nerves resulting in ischemia and necrosis of skin, subcutaneous fat, visceral organs, and skeletal muscles. Sodium thiosulfate has recently been used as a novel treatment option for calciphylaxis because of its dual role as an antioxidant and a chelator. Multiple case reports demonstrated that such therapy has resulted in pain relief and healing of skin ulceration.

Antiplatelet treatment in ischemic stroke treatment.

Antiplatelets represent a diverse group of agents that share the ability to reduce platelet activity through a variety of mechanisms. Antithrombotic agents are effective in the secondary prevention of ischemic strokes. Most strokes are caused by a sudden blockage of an artery in the brain (called an ischaemic stroke) that is usually due to a blood clot.

Pharmacological treatment of patients with chronic critical limb ischemia: L-propionyl-carnitine enhances the short-term effects of PGE-1.

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of L-propionyl-carnitine (LPC) in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI), as defined by the TASC guidelines.

Methods: The study, double-blinded, randomised, assessed intravenous infusion of LPC 1.2 g/day in combination with PGE-1, 60 mg/day (LPC group: 37 patients), or PGE-1 only (control group: 38 patients) in a total of 75 patients suffering from CLI.

Residual vein thrombosis to establish duration of anticoagulation after a first episode of deep vein thrombosis: the Duration of Anticoagulation based on Compression UltraSonography (DACUS) study.

Residual vein thrombosis (RVT) indicates a prothrombotic state and is useful for evaluating the optimal duration of oral anticoagulant treatment (OAT). Patients with a first episode of deep vein thrombosis, treated with OAT for 3 months, were managed according to RVT findings. Those with RVT were randomized to either stop or continue anticoagulants for 9 additional months, whereas in those without RVT, OAT was stopped.

Superficial venous thrombosis: prevalence of common genetic risk factors and their role on spreading to deep veins.

Introduction: Superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) has been considered for a long time a limited clinical condition with a low importance, but this approach has changed in recent years, when several studies demonstrated spreading to deep veins occurring from 7.3 to 44%, with high prevalence of pulmonary embolism.

Materials And Methods: To evaluate the prevalence of genetic risk factors for VTE in patients suffering from SVT on both normal and varicose vein, and to understand their role on spreading to deep veins, we studied 107 patients with SVT, without other risk factors.

The effects of prostaglandin E-1 in patients with intermittent claudication.

Aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of Prostaglandin E-1 (PGE-1) in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) at the 2nd b stage Fontaine's classification. The study, controlled, single blinded, enrolled 123 patients with intermittent claudication that were randomised in two groups; the first group received a treatment with PGE-1 while the second one received a pentoxifylline-buflomedil association by venous infusion. We evaluated: Pain Free Walking Distance (PFWD), Maximum Walking Distance (MWD), Rest Flow (RF), Peak Flow (PF), Basal (BVR) and Minimal Vascular Resistance (MVR) with a strain gauge plethysmograph, Resting Flow (RF), Peak Flow (PF), time to reach the Peak Flow (tPF) and time to recovery of the base values (tRF) with laser Doppler flowmeter.

Asymptomatic carotid lesions and aging: Role of hypertension and other traditional and emerging risk factors.

Background: We evaluated the prevalence of intima-media thickening (IMT) and asymptomatic carotid plaque (ACP) in a group of subjects with or without traditional and/or emerging risk factors (RF).

Methods: There were 631 subjects (313 male and 318 female) aged between 19 and 97 years, asymptomatic for cerebro- and cardiovascular diseases. The following measurements were used: anamnesis, physical examination, height and sitting blood pressure.

Efficacy of the treatment with prostaglandin E-1 in venous ulcers of the lower limbs.

Background: Venous ulcers represent an important medical problem because of their high prevalence and consequent sanitary costs. In this study, we evaluated the effect of prostaglandin E-1 (PGE-1), a drug that improves district ischemia, on the healing of venous ulcers.

Methods: We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, single blind study in which 87 patients who had venous leg ulcers homogeneous for dimensions and characteristics were treated for 20 days with an infusion of prostaglandin E-1 or placebo, in association with topical therapy.

Subclavian stenosis/occlusion in patients with subclavian steal and previous bypass of internal mammary interventricular anterior artery: medical or surgical treatment?

There are only a few published studies on the association between subclavian steal syndrome and ischemic heart disease. The objective of this report is to evaluate the efficacy of subclavian steno-occlusion treatment in patients with subclavian steal syndrome (SSS) and previous coronary bypass. Over the last 8A years we observed 207 patients who underwent left internal mammary artery-intraventricular artery (LIMA-IVA) bypass graft.