Pharmacokinetics of atenolol enantiomers in humans and rats.

Single dose pharmacokinetics of atenolol (AT) enantiomers was studied in human volunteers and in rats. After oral administration of 50 mg of racemic AT to humans, the areas under the plasma concentration-time curves (AUCs; mean +/- SD) were 1640 +/- 602 and 1860 +/- 652 (ng/mL)h for the S(-)- and R(+)-enantiomers, respectively (p less than 0.05).

Permanent left ventricular assistance for outpatients through surgical implantation of a modified intra-aortic balloon pump.

There is a large population of patients in end-stage congestive heart failure who cannot be treated by means of conventional cardiac surgery, cardiac transplantation, or chronic catecholamine infusions. In 2 such patients, we provided permanent left ventricular assistance on an outpatient basis by surgically implanting a modified intra-aortic balloon pump. A Dacron-velour graft to the common iliac artery served as a covering for the extravascular portion of the balloon's pneumatic tubing, which was stabilized by routing it through the iliac crest.

A new left ventricular assist device: clinical experience in two patients.

A permanent parallel aortic pump (PAP), essentially a permanent intra-aortic balloon pump or modified dynamic aortic patch, has been designed to support failing left ventricles The PAP is a counterpulsation system in which an external energy source delivers a pulsatile wave into the central circulation during cardiac diastole and relaxes during cardiac systole. Clinical improvement occurred in two patients after PAP implantation. The initial regimen of continuous pumping evolved to intermittent left ventricular assistance, and the patients were able to be periodically disconnected from the pump and ambulated.