Type A aortic intramural hematoma: clinical features and outcomes in Chinese patients.

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes for Chinese patients with type A intramural hematoma (IMH).

Methods And Results: We studied 90 patients with Stanford type A acute aortic syndrome who presented to our institution from 1998 to 2005 and evaluated the presentation, management, and clinical outcomes of acute IMH by comparing these patients with those diagnosed with classical aortic dissection (AD). A total of 34 patients had IMH and they tended to be older (69.

Intravenous diltiazem is superior to intravenous amiodarone or digoxin for achieving ventricular rate control in patients with acute uncomplicated atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: To compare the clinical efficacy of intravenous diltiazem, digoxin, and amiodarone for acute ventricular rate (VR) control in patients with acute symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) necessitating hospitalization.

Design: Randomized control trial.

Setting: Acute emergency medical admission unit in a regional teaching hospital in Hong Kong.

Clinical implications of precordial ST-segment elevation in acute inferoposterior myocardial infarction caused by proximal right coronary artery occlusion.

Background: The clinical significance of inferior wall acute myocardial infarction (MI) with combined ST-segment elevation in both anterior and inferior leads, compared with inferior leads alone, is unknown.

Hypothesis: Despite having more leads with precordial ST-segment elevation, these patients may have a better outcome due to less posterior involvement, which tends to drag down the precordial ST-segment.

Methods: A total of 158 postinferior MI patients with documented proximal right coronary artery occlusion were retrospectively studied.