[Prevention of ischemic stroke in middle aged patients with atrial fibrillation. Effect of sinus rhythm maintenance, aspirin, warfarin, and simvastatin].

Patients (n=263, age 49-64 years) with persistent nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were subjected to controlled treatment aimed at restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm (n=134) or slowing of rate of ventricular contractions. Efficacy of complementary use of combination of simvastatin with aspirin, warfarin and aspirin for prevention of ischemic stroke was assessed in both of these strategies. First strategy, supplemented with combination of simvastatin and aspirin prevented ischemic stroke and lethal outcome most successfully, while the use of warfarin was unexpectedly associated with comparative elevation of risk of ischemic stroke.

[Advantages of restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm in middle aged patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic heart failure].

Patients (n=223, age 47-64 years) with persistent nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and functional class II-III chronic heart failure were treated for 2 years with aims of sinus rhythm control (n=113, strategy 1) or slowing of heart rate (n=110, strategy 2). Strategy 1 compared with strategy 2 was associated with lower total (11.5 and 22.

Efficiency of refracterin in patients with chronic cardiac insufficiency caused by coronary heart disease.

Composite preparation refracterin administered in a dose of 300 mg/day for 3 days in addition to routine therapy significantly improved the results of treatment of severe cardiac insufficiency of ischemic genesis compared to placebo. Improvement of clinical status of patients is determined by positive dynamics of systolic and diastolic functions of the left ventricle.

[The value of transesophageal echocardiography for determination of tactics of cardioversion of atrial fibrillation].

Transesophageal echocardiography was carried out in 110 patients before cardioversion of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation which duration exceeded 2 days. Twenty thrombi were found in 18 patients (16.4%).

[Recovery of left atrial function after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation: the role of some clinical and echocardiographical factors].

Sinus rhythm was restored in 102 patients with atrial fibrillation. Cardioversion was spontaneous (n=6), pharmacological (n=35), and electrical - early (n=46) or postponed because of necessity of full anticoagulation (n=15). Irrespective of method of cardioversion all patients had signs of atrial stunning.