Effects of glibenclamide on ventricular fibrillation in non-insulin-dependent diabetics with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Glibenclamide, a hypoglycemic sulfonylurea, has shown antiarrhythmic effects in acutely ischemic myocardium. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug in preventing ventricular fibrillation in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods: We studied 232 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (106 on glibenclamide, group A1; 126 treated with another hypoglycemic drug or with diet only, group A2) and 830 non-diabetic people.

Determination of agreement between cardiopulmonary and standard ECG stress testing in coronary artery disease.

The agreement between the results of standard ECG (CX) and cardiopulmonary (CPX) exercise stress tests performed in randomized sequence was evaluated in 40 patients with known coronary artery disease but who were not taking cardioactive therapy. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate were significantly higher during CPX only at low workload (less than 100 W). Exercise time and rate-pressure product at both peak exercise and ischaemic threshold were not significantly different between the two tests, even though their variability exceeded the value of 20%, which is generally accepted as the cut-off point for defining CX parameters as reproducible.

Clinical correlation between diabetic and non diabetic patients with myocardial infarction.

We have studied 130 patients with diabetes mellitus and 455 patients without. All the patients were consecutively admitted to our Coronary Care Unit with their first myocardial infarction. We have observed a higher incidence of heart failure, in-hospital mortality, atrial fibrillation, conduction abnormalities, and post-infarction angina among diabetics.

[The electrocardiogram in hypothermia].

Hypothermia is reflected in the electrocardiogram in the form of alterations that permit early recognition of the condition. In fact the electrocardiogram is a more sensitive indicator of temperature than the standard measurements of body temperature used in clinical practice. The various aetiological aspects of hypothermia are described as are its electrocardiographic features.

[Left ventricular behaviour before and after left anterior descending coronary artery bypass graft. M-mode echocardiographic study in 30 patients (author's transl)].

30 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (pts) were studied by echocardiography before and after left anterior descending (LAD) coronary bypass graft in order to evaluate left ventricular (LV) behaviour. Echocardiograms were recorded early pre- (48 hours) and post-operatively (mean 12 days) and at a mean distance of 12 months (6 to 15) after operation. The following parameters were considered: left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVDD), right ventricular diastolic dimension (LVDD), right ventricular diastolic dimension (RVDD), diastolic thickness, systolic thickening and motion of the interventricular septum (IVS) and of the LV posterior wall (LVPW).