[Survival in acute myocardial infarction in a group of 369 patients consecutively admitted between 1988 and 1992. Analysis of risk factors and medical procedure].

A retrospective analysis without exclusion of 369 consecutive cases of myocardial infarction admitted between January 1988 and March 1992 studied the risk factors, previous medical history and treatment in this period during which medical practice seemed to be standardised with acknowledged benefits of thrombolysis, beta-blockade and aspirin therapy. The population observed is divided in three age groups (< 65, > 65 < 75 and > 75). A Cox model multivariate analysis for age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, tobacco smoking, previous infarction, coronary artery disease and cardiac failure underlined the risk related to age which was 3.

[Aneurysm of the interatrial septum. Apropos of a retrospective study of 41 cases].

The authors undertook a retrospective study of 41 patients in whom an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) had been diagnosed at transoesophageal echocardiography performed for ischaemic cerebrovascular events in 26 cases. No significant differences in this size, thickness or mobility of the ASA or the associated cardiac abnormalities were demonstrated in this context. However, patients presenting with cerebrovascular accidents were older, had several cardiovascular risk factors and more cardiac arrhythmias.

A case of recurrent benign pericarditis treated by colchicine.

After five recurrences of idiopathic pericarditis over a period of 8 months on steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy, a splenectomized patient aged 31 years benefited from treatment with colchicine. He was treated for one year without any recurrence. A relapse occurred 6, 7 and 17 months after having stopped the drug.

[Left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensive heart diseases. Comparison of results obtained by echocardiography and mechanocardiography].

Usefulness of computerized mechanocardiography and echocardiography in the bedside diagnosis of impaired left ventricular diastolic function is established in a study comparing 17 hypertensive cardiomyopathy patients and 17 hypertrophic obstructive patients to 20 control. The echocardiographic study involves the ratio A/E obtained from the diastolic motion of the mitral valve and max DD/dtN, the peak rate of maximal diastolic dimension change. Both measurements allow statistical differentiation between pathological conditions and the control.

Mechanocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

Usefulness of computerized mechanocardiography and echocardiography in the diagnosis of impaired left ventricular diastolic function is shown in a study comparing 17 hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and 17 hypertensive cardiomyopathy patients to 20 normal subjects. Mechanocardiography allows the evaluation of three different parameters of diastolic function: isovolumic relaxation evaluated by S2a-O or better by t-dr/dt and dr/dt/A2 ratio, left ventricular compliance by the A/H ratio and time of rapid filling. All the parameters are impaired in both pathological populations.