Effect of therapy with streptokinase, diltiazem, and heparin on ventricular arrhythmias in unstable angina.

We evaluated the effect of three different anti-ischemic therapeutic regimens on ventricular arrhythmias in 25 patients hospitalized for unstable angina. All patients were randomized to receive (in addition to infusion of heparin, diltiazem, and nitrates), either placebo, or streptokinase (SK) 1,500,000 U in 1 h, or SK 250,000 U in 30 min followed by 100,000 U/h for 48 h. Patients underwent ECG monitoring during the first 72 h after admission and for 24 h after 15 days of oral therapy with diltiazem, aspirin, and transdermal nitrates.

[Echocardiographic and polygraphic study of acute/effects of Ibopamine on cardiac performance].

The effects of Ibopamine, a new orally active dopaminergic agent, on cardiac performance were studied both in a group of healthy volunteers and in a group of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), using non-invasive methods, such as echocardiography and polygraphy. Randomly, and in double-blind fashion, the healthy volunteers received single doses of Ibopamine 50, 100 and 150 mg orally every 3 days. The CHF patients, also randomly and in double-blind fashion, were given single doses of either placebo or Ibopamine 100 or 150 mg every 2 days.

Right heart impairment in sarcoidosis: haemodynamic and echocardiographic study.

62 patients with histologically confirmed sarcoidosis (7 with Stage 0, 9 with Stage I, 20 with Stage II, 26 with Stage III) underwent right heart haemodynamics (Swan Ganz) and M-mode echocardiography. Haemodynamic study showed mild to moderate pulmonary hypertension in many patients with Stage II and III sarcoidosis, and 5 patients with Stage 0 healed sarcoidosis, showed borderline values of right sided pressures. Echocardiographic study showed increased right ventricular index (RVI) and right ventricular anterior wall thickness (RVAWT) in most patients.

[Echo-angiocardiographic correlations in congenital abnormalities of the mitral valve (author's transl)].

Echocardiographic findings satisfactorily compared with angiocardiographic data in six infants affected by congenital abnormalities of the mitral valve. Peculiar echocardiographic features were as follows: a) mitral stenosis: reduced E-F slope of the anterior mitral leaflet, paradoxical diastolic movement of the posterior leaflet, enlargement of the left atrium; b) "parachute mitral valve": small, dysmorphic, stiff mitral valve, with an extra echo projecting between those of the two leaflets; c) "cor triatriatum": enlarged left atrium whose cavity is divided in two portions by an extra echo; d) "hypoplastic left heart syndrome": the mitral leaflets are thin, short. The ventricular cavity and the diameter of the aorta are small; the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery are on the contrary markedly dilated.

[Effects of dopamine, noradrenaline and isoproterenol on pulmonary circulation in anesthetized dogs].

Experiments were performed on 19 anaesthetized open-chest dog instrumented with polyethylene catheters inserted: into the aorta, in pulmonary artery and in left atrium and with an electromagnetic flow-transducer placed around the ascending aorta in order to record : systemic arterial and pulmonary pressures, mean left auricular pressure and phasic aortic flow. Heart rate, stroke volume, total systemic and pulmonary resistance, cardiac work were moreover calculated. Each dog was given intravenously by slow infusione : Dopamine (micrograms 5--10--20/kg/min/ 5 min), Isoproterenol (microgram 0.

[Echocardiography in Ebstein's anomaly (author's transl)].

Results about an echocardiographic study of 20 patients with Ebstein's anomaly diagnosed by cardiac catheterization and angiography, are referred. In 8 patients an echocardiogram and phonocardiogram were recorded and in five patients an echocontrast examination was performed. The echocardiographic features constantly recorded in Ebstein's anomaly are represented by anterior chamber dilatation, interventricular septum paradoxical movement, anterior tricuspid leaflet wide excursion, decreased diastolic closure rate and delayed closure of tricuspid valve compared to mitral valve.