Home access to hospital discharge information on audiotape reduces sick leave and readmissions in patients with first-time myocardial infarction.

A prospective, randomized study was carried out to investigate whether repeated hospital discharge information on audiotape at home could improve knowledge and rehabilitation in patients with first-time myocardial infarction. The study comprised 50 patients (12 females and 38 males) of up to 75 years of age. At discharge, 26 patients were given tape recordings to use at home for one week, while 24 patients represented controls.

[Patient information on tape].

Giving patients access at home to tape recordings of their hospital discharge information was thought to improve the patient information. There could be an effect on their knowledge of their own disease and possibly also on clinical events. 50 patients with first time myocardial infarction were included; 26 received tape recordings and tape players.

[Pulmonary edema and pericarditis after inhalation of Teflon fumes].

Inhalation of fumes from pyrolysis of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) is known to cause polymer fume fever, a mild syndrome of influenza-like symptoms of short duration. Occasionally more severe reactions occur. Several cases of pulmonary edema have been reported, only one of which was fatal.

Acute hemodynamic effects of propranolol, glycerylnitrate, and exercise in coronary patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Some adverse effects of beta-blockers in heart failure are counteracted by glycerylnitrate. However, the hemodynamics in this condition after giving both drugs are not well known. We examined the drug combination in exercising coronary patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Venous thrombosis following diagnostic transvenous catheterization by percutaneous catheter insertion: an evaluation of desmopressin as a thromboprophylactic agent.

The preventive effect of desmopressin with respect to catheter induced thrombosis was studied in a randomized double-blind trial, consisting of 30 patients undergoing percutaneous transcubital right heart catheterization. Phlebography of the catheterized arm was performed after five days. The frequency of post-catheterization thrombosis was reduced by 33 per cent, from 86 per cent in the treatment group to 53 per cent in the control group (0.