[Was Harvey the true discoverer of blood circulation? "Render under Cesar that which is Cesar's" (Matthew XXII, 21].

Nobody can deny Harvey was the discover of blood circulation. Yet he had four forerunners: Cesalpino (1515-1603), Realdo Colombo (1516-1559), Michel Servet (1511-1553), and the Arab Ibn an-Nafîs, who had already described the small circulation in 1240. In fact Harvey brought experimental proofs in his famous De motu cordis, considered by Flourens as "the most excellent book of physiology".

Indium-111 antimyosin scintigraphy before and after coronary bypass surgery: unexpected preoperative myocardial uptakes.

The present study was designed to evaluate 111In-antimyosin scintigraphy in detecting pre- and post-operative myocardial infarction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Fab antimyosin scintigraphy has been shown to be sensitive and specific in detecting myocardial necrosis and to be potentially valuable in situations where other criteria are not reliable. In a previous study, postoperative antimyosin uptakes occurred in 82% of the studied patients.

[Hyperhomocysteinemia in coronary artery diseases. Apropos of a study on 102 patients].

Homocystein is at the crossroads of the metabolic pathways of sulphuric amino acids. Homocystinuria is a congenital autosomal recessive disease, usually related to cystathionine beta-synthetase deficiency. Children with homozygotic forms of the disease have early vascular complications which represent the main cause of death.

[Indium III monoclonal antimyosin antibody scintigraphy for the detection of chronic myocardial infarction apart from the acute phase].

Fab antimyosin scintigraphy has been shown to be sensitive and specific in detecting acute myocardial necrosis. This study was designed to evaluate the preoperative frequency of Indium-111 (In-111) antimyosin myocardial uptake in patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass surgery. The scintigraphic results were compared with other criteria of myocardial infarction (MI).

Fibrinogen after coronary angioplasty as a risk factor for restenosis.

Background: Fibrinogen is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is related to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Its role in restenosis after coronary angioplasty remains unknown. Although platelets and thrombosis contribute to the pathogenesis of restenosis, few clinical data are available concerning the relations between restenosis and proteins of the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems.

[Coronary restenosis: the cardiologist facing problems of definitions].

Many angiographic definitions have been proposed to define restenosis after coronary angioplasty. The utility of each remains poorly defined. The aims of this study were: a) to analyse groups of patients defined by each of three criteria: > 50% stenosis (definition 1), loss > or = 50% of initial gain in diameter (definition 2), loss > or = 0.

Endothelin-1 in patients with coronary heart disease undergoing cardiac catheterization.

Objectives: This study examined the possible association between endothelin and coronary atherosclerosis and evaluated the synthesis and release of endothelin in the presence of various stimuli that occur during cardiac catheterization.

Background: Circulating endothelin has been reported to be increased in diffuse atherosclerosis and acute myocardial infarction. However, the relation between coronary artery disease and endothelin release remains unclear.

Eicosanoid biosynthesis in patients with stable angina: beneficial effects of very low dose aspirin.

Objective: We assessed the production of eicosanoids and the effects of very low dose aspirin in patients with stable angina under basal conditions and during rapid atrial pacing.

Background: Platelet activation occurs in acute ischemic syndromes but is still controversial in stable angina. Very low dose aspirin is known to be platelet selective and can be used to test the hypothesis of the platelet origin of increased thromboxane production in stable angina.

Diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia using a pacemaker Holter function.

The diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia (VT) using the Holter function of an implanted pacemaker has not yet been reported. We present the case of a patient with episodes of slow VT, hemodynamically stable, but in whom long lasting attacks were not identified by the patient as VT recurrences, finally leading to progressive heart failure. Prospective analysis of the 24-hour ECG and comparison with the pacemaker Holter data allowed us to determine diagnostic criteria to recognize VT using the pacemaker Holter function.

[Transcatheter ablation of atrioventricular accessory pathways. Immediate results and long-term follow-up].

We present the immediate results and follow-up, from our initial serie of patients, where radiofrequency was attempted to ablate atrio-ventricular accessory pathways. Initiation policy included direct current-shocks following every unsuccessful radiofrequency session. Initial ablation success rate with radiofrequency solely was 75% (17/22), same as when direct current-shocks were associated 80% (8/10); but accessory pathway conduction recurrence was present only in this latter (6/10).

Oxidative stress in patients with unstable angina.

The aim of this study was to determine whether oxidative stress occurs in unstable angina. Thirty patients with unstable angina class B (Braunwald classification) were prospectively studied. Control groups consisted of 23 patients presenting with stable angina and of 21 age-matched healthy volunteers.

[Postinfarction hibernating myocardium].

The detection of hibernating myocardium after infarction is important because it justifies the discussion concerning the revascularisation of infarcted zones irrigated by occluded or severely stenosed vessels, but with an adequate collateral circulation to allow hibernation. The detection of hibernating myocardium is particularly important in patients without the classical indications for revascularisation, such as residual spontaneous ischaemia or ischaemia provoked by exercise or pharmacological stress testing. All techniques currently in use tend to overestimate the size of the necrosed, fibrous scar, compared with the amount of viable myocardium.

[Changes in plasma endothelin during coronary spasm].

The role of endothelin, a powerful vasoconstrictor, was studied in coronary spasm. A methylergonovine stress test was performed in patients with normal coronary angiography. Patients who developed spasm (Group I, n = 6) were compared with those who did not (Group II, n = 6).

[Course of unstable angina and therapeutic implications. Apropos of 74 cases].

The role of thrombosis in the pathogenesis of unstable angina has been demonstrated experimentally. This retrospective study was designed to identify the potential usefulness of fibrinolytic treatment in this situation. The following parameters were evaluated in 74 patients (62 men, 12 women; mean age: 60 +/- 10.

[Antioxidative treatment in myocardial reperfusion ischemia].

Perfusion-induced myocardial ischaemia is observed in several situations: chronic coronary insufficiency, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, and during coronary angioplasty or bypass surgery. Oxygen-derived free radicals are liberated in large quantities during myocardial reperfusion ischaemia. Though very toxic in experimental studies, the responsibility of these free radicals in myocardial injury remains to be demonstrated clinically.

Effect of pravastatin, a HMG CoA reductase inhibitor, on blood lipids and aortic lipidosis in cholesterol-fed White Carneau pigeons.

The effect of pravastatin, an inhibitor of HMG CoA reductase, on blood lipids and aortic lipidosis was studied in young cholesterol-fed White Carneau pigeons. The birds were fed with normal ('N group', n = 20) or atherogenic diet (grains + 0.4% cholesterol + 4% lard) alone ('C group', n = 20) and in association with pravastatin ('P group', n = 20).

Variations in plasma endothelin concentrations during coronary spasm.

A provocation test using methylergometrine was carried out in patients with a normal coronary angiogram. Patients exhibiting spasm (Group 1, n = 6) were compared with non-spasm patients (Group II, n = 6). The endothelin concentration was determined in all cases at 0800, 1100, 1400, 1600, 1900, 2100, 2300 and 0100 h.

[Effects of ultrasonic energy on blood clots in vitro].

Ultrasound may be used to dissolve arterial and venous thrombi. Its effects depends on the mode of ultrasonic vibration and on the length of the guide wire. The authors studied the in vitro effects of an ultrasonic angioplasty device coupled with a 130 cm long titanium flexible guide wire.

[Effects of urapidil by intravenous injection on pulmonary circulation and cardiac function in left ventricular failure].

The hemodynamic effects of urapidil were studied in 10 patients with secondary pulmonary hypertension investigated for the purpose of possible inclusion on a heart transplant waiting list. All patients gave their consent to participate. Nine patients had a dilated cardiomyopathy and 1 three-vessel coronary disease with diffuse hypokinesia.

[Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. A new clinical entity].

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia has been identified in 1977. It affects the right ventricle and its etiology is unknown. It has been recently included in the group of cardiomyopathies since it affects mainly the right ventricular muscle.

[Evaluation of a new cardiotonic agent on human isolated atrium].

The action of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, RGW 29 38, was analysed experimentally. A preliminary study with guinea pig isolated heart, using Langhendorf's method, revealed a cardiotonic effect, though less than with isoprenaline and dobutamine, with which it was compared. The inotropic action of the compound was then studied using human isolated atrium.

[The radiofrequency and the elimination of accessory atrioventricular pathways. The factors related to successful transcatheter ablation].

Some factors related with successful radiofrequency catheter ablation were retrospectively analyzed from the initial patients with WPW syndrome that underwent this therapy. They were 21 patients, and success rate with radiofrequency therapy was 73%. Conventional conduction intervals were obtained from catheter ablation electrograms.