Early achievement of mild therapeutic hypothermia and the neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest.

Background: Mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) achieved by endovascular cooling has emerged as a new treatment strategy to reduce hypoxic brain injury after cardiac arrest (CA). It remains to be established how the time interval between CA and MTH impacts the neurologic outcome. We hypothesized that a more rapid achievement of MTH (time to target temperature [TTT], time to coldest temperature [TCT]) improves the outcome after CA.

MARS dialysis in decompensated alcoholic liver disease: a single-center experience.

Acute decompensation of chronically stable alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the most common cause of terminal liver failure in developed countries. Molecular adsorbent recirculation system (MARS) is increasingly used as artificial liver support to facilitate spontaneous organ recovery. However, the experience to date and the evidence to justify this therapeutic strategy in acutely decompensated ALD are still insufficient.

Severe septic inflammation as a strong stimulus of myocardial NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide release.

Background: Septic shock (SS) has recently been identified as stimulus of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) release. We tested whether SS mediates NT-proBNP release through cardiomyocyte necrosis. Moreover, the discriminative value of NT-proBNP for the distinction between SS and non-septic shock (NSS) was assessed.

Acute reversible cardiomyopathy with cardiogenic shock in a patient with Addisonian crisis: a case report.

A 42 year-old female, admitted to the ICU, with Addisonian crisis developed acute cardiopulmonary failure after hydrocortisone therapy was initiated. An echocardiogram showed severe reduction in the left-ventricular ejection fraction. Additionally, profound ECG abnormalities with diffuse ST-elevation and decreased QRS-amplitudes occurred, whereas Troponin-I was only moderately increased.

[Infection-associated hemophagocytic syndrome with a lethal outcome].

A 53-year-old man fell ill with myalgia, an haemorrhagic diathesis, fever, renal failure and circulatory shock. Anaemia, thrombocytopenia and lymphadenopathy quickly developed, and he died after 13 days of bronchopneumonia in treatment-resistant cardiocirculatory failure. The underlying cause of the illness, in the two weeks during which he received intensive treatment with prolonged mechanical ventilation, haemodialysis, administration of clotting factors and blood derivatives as well as high doses of cortisone and antibiotics, remained uncertain.

[Hyperthyroidism and its relation to heart function].

The influence of hyperthyreosis on the cardiac function was investigated by means of non-invasive methods (radiocardiography, echocardiography, Tc-99m- und Tl-201-scintigraphy of the myocardium) and invasive methods (coronary angiography). Independent of age an increase of the frequency was always existing, a significant increase of the filling of the ventricle, of SI and HI was shown only by younger patients. With the help of the echocardiography local and global disturbances of kinetics, by means of the Tl-201-scintigraphy of the myocardium disturbances of the myocardial perfusion could be proved.

Evaluation of antiarrhythmic activity of prostaglandin F2 alpha in man.

Since prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha had been shown to act anti-arrhythmically in various animal models and also in preliminary investigations in man, further evaluation of this effect was made in 30 patients with cardiac extrasystoles and in 2 patients with tachycardias. PGF2 alpha was infused intravenously at individually adapted consecutive rates from 5 to 100 micrograms/min each for at least 5 min. In the incidence of extrasystoles a mean maximum decrease of 41% (P less than 0.

Relationship between the pharmacokinetics of a short-acting antiarrhythmic drug and its effects: studies with Falirytmin.

Pharmacokinetics, and the effect on cardiac conduction times were studied in ten patients after intravenous infusion (50 mg) of the new antiarrhythmic N,N'-Bis-[3-(2'-aethoxyphenoxy)-2-hydroxypropyl]-aethylendiamin (Falirytmin). The change of the PA, AH and HV interval induced by the drug was measured by the His-bundle electrogram technique. The results were compared with those of a previous study where the atrioventricular conduction time (PQ-interval) had been measured non-invasively.