The experiences of an acute stroke unit--implications for multicentre acute stroke trials.

The suitability of 200 consecutive patients admitted to a newly established acute stroke unit was assessed for participation in two multicentre trials currently in their pilot phase: the International Stroke Trial of aspirin and heparin, and the Multicentre Acute Stroke Trial of streptokinase versus placebo. Of the 200 patients (74 men, 126 women, mean age 71 years), 96% had cerebral CT, and 94% had a final diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease. Overall, 50% of patients presented within 6 hours and 70% within 12 hours of the onset of ictus.

The clinical pharmacology of ACE inhibitors: evidence for clinically relevant differences?

1. Potential differences among ACE inhibitors include pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors. The presence of a sulfhydryl group conferring antioxidant properties, the administration as a pro-drug to delay the onset and prolong the duration of haemodynamic effects, and the route of elimination are examples of possible differences.

Auditory P300 response in the assessment of Alzheimer's disease in Down's syndrome: a 2-year follow-up study.

Sixty-five subjects with Down's syndrome were followed up and retested 2 years after the initial recording of auditory P300 (P3) event-related potential described in a companion paper (Blackwood et al., 1988). The number of subjects showing clinical evidence for Alzheimer's type dementia had increased by a further 14%.

Neuromuscular blocking and autonomic effects of vecuronium and atracurium in the anaesthetized cat.

The effects of vecuronium and atracurium on neuromuscular transmission, on the responses of the heart rate to vagal stimulation and on the responses to preganglionic stimulation of the nictitating membrane were compared in the chloralose-anaesthetized cat. Vecuronium was four times more potent than atracurium as a neuromuscular blocking agent, whereas the two compounds had similar potencies in blocking the effects of stimulation of the cardiac vagus. The vagal/neuromuscular ratios measured at 50% inhibition were 96 for vecuronium and 25 for atracurium.