[Mortality trend due to ischemic heart diseases in the city of Curitiba--Brazil, from 1980 to 1998].

Objective: To assess mortality trends due to ischemic heart diseases, per sex, and acute myocardial infarction, per sex and age range, from 1980 to 1998, in the city of Curitiba.

Methods: Data of death due to ischemic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction from Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade do Ministério da Saúde (Information System on Mortality of Ministry of Health), per sex, age range and domicile location in Curitiba were used. Population data were obtained from Fundação Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics Foundation).

Percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty in pregnant women with mitral stenosis.

Forty-four consecutive pregnant patients with mitral stenosis were submitted to percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) over a period of 12 years. The mean age was 28 +/- 6 years and the mean gestational age was 23 +/- 6 weeks. The mean mitral valve area had a significant increase from 1.

An analysis of electrocardiographic criteria for determining left ventricular hypertrophy.

Objective: To determine the most sensitive criterion for the detection of left ventricular hypertrophy according to echocardiographically defined left ventricular mass.

Methods: The Sokolow-Lyon voltage, Sokolow-Lyon-Rappaport, Cornell voltage duration product, White-Bock, and Romhilt-Estes point scoring criteria were compared with left ventricular mass index, corrected for body surface, obtained from the echocardiograms of 306 outpatients (176 females, 130 males), of all age groups.

Results: The Cornell voltage duration product criteria index had the greatest sensitivity in women (54.

Useful clinical features for the selection of ideal patients with atrial fibrillation for mapping and catheter ablation.

Objective: To identify useful clinical characteristics for selecting patients eligible for mapping and ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Methods: We studied 9 patients with atrial fibrillation, without structural heart disease, associated with: 1) antiarrhythmic drugs, 2) symptoms of low cardiac output, and 3) intention to treat. Seven patients had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 2 had recurrent atrial fibrillation.