Bioimpedance cardiography in pregnancy: A longitudinal cohort study on hemodynamic pattern and outcome.

Background: Pregnancy associated cardiovascular pathologies have a significant impact on outcome for mother and child. Bioimpedance cardiography may provide additional outcome-relevant information early in pregnancy and may also be used as a predictive instrument for pregnancy-associated diseases.

Methods: We performed a prospective longitudinal cohort trial in an outpatient setting and included 242 pregnant women.

Music-induced prolongation of heart rate corrected QT intervals from electrocardiogram recordings of healthy preterm pregnant women.

Aim: Women do have longer QTc intervals compared to men. The aim of this study was to investigate as-yet undocumented effects of music on QTc intervals from electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings compared to various cardiovascular parameters of women in the prenatal phase.

Methods: Forty-four healthy women in pregnancy were exposed to quiet surroundings (Q), self-selected slow music (S), and investigator-provided fast music (F) with different rhythm and frequency characteristics for 3 min each during their routine cardiotocography investigation.

NT-proBNP is increased in healthy pregnancies compared to non-pregnant controls.

Serum concentrations of the amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) may be used to monitor cardiac function during pregnancy but normal values are not established for this purpose. Therefore, we investigated NT-proBNP in normotensive healthy pregnancies compared to a non-pregnant control group. Serum NT-proBNP was measured in 94 normotensive, healthy pregnant women (32+/-6 years) every five weeks beginning from 12th gestational week (GW) in a longitudinal study and compared to a non-pregnant control group of 521 women (32+/-7 years).

[Initial experiences with the calcium antagonist tiapamil in the treatment of arterial hypertension].

24 hypertensive patients were treated with 300-450 mg tiapamil daily for 2-6 months. The antihypertensive effect of this new calcium entry blocking agent was expressed by a reduction even of extremely elevated blood pressures to the normotensive, but not to the hypotensive range, in 20 patients. The drug was well tolerated.

[Guanfacine versus alpha-methyldopa in benign essential hypertension. An ambulatory group study].

Alpha-methyldopa and guanfacine, both of which are predominantly centrally acting antihypertensives, were compared in a double-blind randomized trial involving seven practising physicians and a total of 78 patients. The whole trial lasted one year, with individual treatment periods of between 5 and 14 weeks. The reduction achieved in mean systolic and also diastolic blood pressure did not differ significantly between the two groups; nor was there any significant difference in responder or nonresponder rates.

[Estulic in the long-term treatment of hypertension].

Estulic (guanfacine), a new centrally acting antihypertensive agent derived from guanidine, was administered to 13 patients with established essential hypertension. Therapeutic effect and safety were evaluated in all patients during the first year. Blood pressure normalization was elicited in 6 patients and a good therapeutic response in 5.

[Detection of the optimal dose of spironolactone for the treatment of benign essential hypertension].

The blood pressure lowering effects of spironolactone have been studied in 40 subjects with benign essential hypertension in an attempt to determine the optimum starting dose for the drug. The trial was carried out by the double blind method. In almost all patients 100-400 mg spironolactone caused a signnificant decrease in diastolic and systolic arterial pressure.

[General medical concepts for the dental treatment of aging patients].

Patients, particularly older ones, with internal medical diseases, may be hazards for the dental treatment. Therefore, anamnestic data seem to be most important in order to uncover the hazard patient (diabetes, survived heart attacks, anticoagulation, rheumatic heart affections, hypertonics, allergies). Local anesthesia can be another problem, because it may lead to collapse (psychogenous or from anaphylactic shock).