Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage should be admitted to an intensive care unit for experienced neurologic nursing care and close attention to vital signs. We recommend gentle reduction in blood pressure in individuals who present with elevated readings and in whom hemorrhage is felt to be secondary to hypertension. For the vast majority of nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhages, the indications for surgery and use of intracranial pressure monitoring devices remain unproven.

A blinded comparison of noninvasive, in vivo phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and the in vitro halothane/caffeine contracture test in the evaluation of malignant hyperthermia susceptibility.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a potentially fatal, anesthetic-induced syndrome. Currently, the only accurate means of diagnosing susceptibility to this syndrome is the testing of biopsied skeletal muscle for its contracture response to halothane and caffeine. A less invasive means of diagnosis is needed.

Effect of dobutamine on skeletal muscle metabolism in patients with congestive heart failure.

Dobutamine is known to increase leg blood flow during exercise in patients with heart failure. However, it is uncertain whether the increased flow is delivered to working skeletal muscle. In 7 patients with heart failure, the effects of dobutamine were examined on calf phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) spectra and femoral vein blood flow during rest and upright plantar flexion.