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Biomedical subjects

A A Luisada

Publications and source records attributed to A A Luisada.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Phonocardiography as a monitor of cardiac performance during anesthesia.

The usefulness of phonocardiography as a monitor of cardiac performance during anesthesia was investigated in six dogs. Anesthetic depression by halothane, isoflurane and nitrous oxide was demonstrated by the phonocardiogram. Likewise, the stimulating effect of dopamine clearly showed in the recordings. Changes in the amplitude of the first heart sound were found to correlate closely with changes in the maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure (r = 0.9551, 0.001). P less than 0.001). Simultaneous changes in cardiac output and arterial pressure also occurred. Cardiac depression from anesthetics and/or disease is a major concern during anesthesia. Perioperative phonocardiography, a simple and noninvasive procedure, merits further investigation as a possible monitor of cardiac performance.

Anesthesia↗

The first heart sound in normal and pathological conditions.

Considerations of the physical basis of cardiac contraction and sound generation explain the mechanism of the first sound. Older theories examining this sound as the result of valve closure or stiffening are refuted. It has been demonstrated that the normal first sound originates in the left ventricle alone and that accelerations and decelerations, "timed" by mitral and aortic valves events, are its cause. Three components have been recognized in the first sound: a occurs when the left ventricular wall and septum have reached a certain tension; b when the aortic valve opens; c when the peak of the aortic pulse has been reached. The ventricular septum is an integral and essential part of the left ventricle. In left bundle branch block, abnormal activation of the septum transforms this into a passive structure resulting in a slower rise of left ventricular pressure and a longer isovolumic period. This causes a small and delayed first sound, whose components, however, are still separated by normal intervals. In right bundle branch block, the first sound has a normal amplitude and its components are separated by normal intervals. If there is a larger late component, it is a c component, similar to that of normal elderly subjects. A larger c component may also be found in atrial septal defect. The cannon sound of AV block is caused by more rapid deceleration due to higher atrial pressure at the onset of ventricular contraction resulting in intense vibrations. The first sound of arrhythmias varies in the different conditions and even in different subjects, due to the effect of several variable factors. Elevated left atrial pressure, stiffening of the mitral valve in mitral stenosis, causes a slow onset and a more rapid rise of LV pressure. This results in a delayed, but larger, first sound. The action of catecholamines on the myocardium dramatically increases the first sound. The latter can be considered as an index of contractility and may be of great interest during stress tests.

Heart↗

Noninvasive index of cardiac contractility during stress testing: a collaborative study.

The present study was conducted in parallel in three different institutions with a similar purpose but using different technical setups. Based on the experimental demonstration that the external phonocardiogram is similar to the rate of acceleration (d3P/d3t) of the left ventricular pressure, and that catecholamines in a similar way increase the early positive wave of the left ventricular pressure and the first heart sound (S1) of the external phonocardiogram; knowing that exercise causes secretion of catecholamines and sympathetic reflexes, we have studied the S1 changes as a result of exertion in 34 normal young subjects. Blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiograph, and phonocardiograph recordings of each subject were taken. In 10 subjects, cardiac output was also recorded by impedance cardiography. The result of the study was that the first heart sound increased routinely 4-5 times the normal amplitude; in a few subjects the increase was up to 15 times greater. While the extent of increase of S1 was proportional to the severity and duration of the effort and was usually proportional to the increase of other parameters, exceptions were noted as having marked increase of S1 with moderate increase of either blood pressure or heart rate. This was explained by the different receptors activated by the catecholamines and by the complexity of hormonal and neural influences acting on various organs in a stress test. The amplitude of S1 was found to be a reasonably reliable index for following changes of cardiac contractility during exercise, and the suggestion was made that this parameter should be studied in parallel with the others in routine stress tests.

Adolescent↗

Assessment of left ventricular function by noninvasive methods.

The possibility of evaluating left ventricular function by noninvasive methods is discussed in detail. The methods that are considered are electrocardiograph, phonocardiography, apex cardiography, sphygmography, impedance cardiography, electrokymography, and echocardiography. Following a brief section of 'definitions', each method is described in detail including technical problems, difficulties, and results. The systolic time intervals and the stress tests are briefly discussed. Based on modern experimental studies, the stress test should include both an electro- and a phonocardiogram. In the latter, one would measure the amplitude of the first heart sound as an index of contractility. The conclusion is that combined methods give the best results. They are electrocardiography, phonocardiography, impedance cardiography, and echocardiography. An alternative, dictated by technical problems, is to use at first phonocardiography and impedance plus electrocardiography; then echocardiography plus electrocardiography; and then, if indicated, a stress test might complete the study; the latter should include both an electrocardiogram and a phonocardiogram.

Adult↗

Various types of systolic clicks in patients with muscular subaortic stenosis.

Four clinical cases of subaortic hypertrophic muscular stenosis are discussed. All four, in addition to a loud systolic murmur, had a loud systolic click. However, the timing of the click and its relationship to the phase of the carotid pulse were different in each case varying from close to medium and to distant (or midsystolic). The comparison of the sound tracing with the carotid tracing demonstrated that, in each case, a sudden change in acceleration was taking place. In one, the click coincided with the onset of the carotid upstroke; in another, with the first peak of the carotid pulse; in the third, with the trough between first and second peak of the pulse; in the last, with a sudden drop of the pulse at mid-systole caused by sudden obstruction to flow. It is concluded that the clicks were caused by rapid changes of acceleration resulting from the abnormal aortic ejection. Thus, the study of the carotid pulse and of the sound tracing are important for a non-invasive diagnosis together with the echo study of the septum and ventricular wall.

Adolescent↗

Considerations on the mechanism of the systolic click of mitral valve prolapse.

The Authors briefly discuss the mechanism of production of the systolic click of mitral valve prolapse. A "valvular" mechanism seems inadequate to explain the genesis of vibrations that can be recorded, not only in the external phonocardiogram, but also in the intraventricular pressure tracing, in the apex cardiogram, and even in the left atrial pulse (esophagus). It seems more logical to postulate that the force of deceleration created by the sudden eversion of a mitral leaflet set the whole cardiohemic system (blood, myocardial walls, and the mitral apparatus) into vibration, thus producing the click. In mitral valve prolapse, the contribution to sound production of mitral leaflets and chordae is likely to be minor, as it had been demonstrated for the first heart sound.

Heart Auscultation↗

Diagnosis of tricuspid insufficiency by non invasive methods.

The diagnosis of tricuspid insufficiency was first made at the end of last century, based on clinical signs. Graphic tracings of the venous system were soon recorded and were demonstrated useful in the forties and fifties. New methods involving invasive procedure or expensive instrumentation have been described in the last twenty years. The present study was made in order to re-examine the value of the non-invasive, graphic methods, which would assure a simple and inexpensive study for these patients.

Adolescent↗

Transmission delays of different portions of the arterial pulse. A comparison between the indirect aortic and carotid pulse tracings.

The transmission delays of the upstroke and incisura of the arterial pulse were measured in 128 normal subjects, divided in three groups of increasing age, by comparing the timing of the indirect aortic arch pulse (recorded at the suprasternal notch) (SSN) and the indirect, right carotid tracing (CAR). In the total group, the mean delay of the upstroke was 24.4 msec while the mean delay of the incisura was 19 msec (P less than 0.005). This difference was maximal in the oldest age group and became non significant in the group of children under 12. At slow heart rate, this difference was greater than at a more rapid heart rate. The left ventricular ejection times (LVET), measured on the two pulses, showed a very close correlation (r = 0.96) but the LVET was significantly longer in the SSN tracing, especially in the older subjects. These data reveal that the incisura of the arterial pulse travels more rapidly than the upstroke, especially in older patients and at lower heart rates. The most likely explanation of this fact resides in the frequency-dependent influence of vascular reflections, which is more important with increasing age and slower heart rate. Thus, the transmission velocity along the arterial wall is higher for the higher harmonics of the pulse wave (incisura) than for the lower harmonics (upstroke).

Adolescent↗

The jugular and hepatic tracings in normal subjects and in conduction defects.

The present study is a revision of the patterns of the jugular and hepatic tracings, two non-invasive tracings of the venous system. The study was performed in 40 subjects; 30 of them were normal while 10 had minor conditions affecting the left heart. The time of onset and peak of the various waves was statistically evaluated in this series. In addition, 14 cases of bundle branch block and 10 cases of grade 2 or 3 atrioventricular block were studied in order to better determine the cause of certain waves. Among the findings are: 1) the presence of a double A wave in 5 normals and in over one-half of the patients with AV block; 2) the frequent occurrence of a double C wave (an occurrence that required the labeling of the two peaks as t and C both in normal subjects and in clinical cases); 3) the possibility of either a double V wave or a small V wave, followed by a large H wave, especially in hepatic tracings. The mechanism of the various waves is discussed and the possible transmission of left-sided mechanical events to the right atrium and the venous system is postulated.

Adolescent↗

Abnormal left ventricular contraction revealed by impedance cardiograms and arterial tracings in bundle branch blocks and old myocardial infarcts.

Following the observation of an unusual pattern of the first derivative of the impedance cardiogram in cases of bundle branch block, a systematic study was performed both in normal controls and clinical cases. This graphic study was supplemented by the simultaneous recording of the first derivative of an arterial tracing, preferably the indirect aortic pulse at the suprasternal notch. These studies were performed in 70 subjects: 30 normal subjects, 14 cases of right bundle branch block, 14 cases of left bundle branch block, and 12 cases of old infarcts. Out of 30 normal subjects, only 2 old persons showed splintering of the main systolic wave. Both right and left bundle branch blocks had in common either a splitting of this wave in 2 peaks or multiple splintering; however, 4 cases in each type of bundle branch block had a normal pattern. Among old infarcts, 7 had a splitting, 3 had multiple splitting, and 2 had a normal pattern. The derivative of the arterial tracings showed a remarkable similarity with that of the impedance cardiogram, revealing that abnormal left ventricular ejection (dyssynergy) was present in all 3 types of lesion. The first derivative of the impedance cardiogram was often more typical than that of the arterial tracings, because it had fewer secondary vibrations or artifacts. Thus, the former seems more sensitive to diagnosing left ventricular abnormalities of contraction, even when the electrocardiogram is normal.

Adult↗

First heart sound in atrial septal defect.

This is a retrospective study of 25 patients with secundum-type of ASD, confirmed by catheterization and angiocardiography. As controls, 25 normal subjects of matching age were studied. The phonocardiograms and carotid pulses of the 2 groups were recorded and compared. Special attention was paid to the interval between the 2 main components (Ia and Ib) of the first heart sound, to the amplitude of both Ia and Ib, and to the relationship between carotid upstroke and first heart sound. All intervals between sound components of the patients with ASD were found similar to those of the controls. No increase in amplitude of Ib could be documented. The amplitude of the first heart sound relative to that of the second sound (measured from the ratio I/IIA) was similar to that of the controls, Finally, a slight precedence of aortic valve opening (obtained from the carotid upstroke time minus transmission time) over the second component of the first sound (Ib) was found both in ASD and in controls. In view of these facts, a tricuspid contribution to the mechanism of the b component of the first heart sound appears highly unlikely. On the other hand, this component seems closely related to the dynamic events (blood acceleration and walls deceleration in the aortic root) that follow the aortic valve opening.

Adolescent↗

The pulmonary component of the second heart sound in acquired aortic stenosis.

The amplitude of the pulmonic component of the second sound in aortic stenosis was studied in 49 patients with this lesion. As controls, 50 normal subjects were also studied. Both groups were investigated by phonocardiography, apex cardiography and arterial tracings. Nineteen patients with aortic stenosis and four subjects without it were also studied by cardiac catheterization and angiography. The amplitudes of the two components of the second sound were compared, and the ratio of each with the amplitude of the first sound was determined. The ratios of both the aortic and the pulmonic component to that of the first sound were decreased in aortic stenosis, and the decrease of the pulmonic component was comparable to that of the aortic component. These findings could be related to prolongation of the isovolumic relaxation period of both ventricles caused by an influence of the left ventricle on the right, most likely due to functional changes of the interventricular septum.

Adolescent↗

Peculiarities of the first heart sound in bundle branch blocks. A new interpretation based on graphic analysis.

A phonocardiographic study in a medium frequency range was made over various areas of the precordium in 27 cases of right bundle branch block (RBBB), 28 cases of left bundle branch block (LBBB), and 30 normal subjects of the same age. The various components of the first heart sound plus the pulses at the suprasternal notch and the right carotid artery were studied in regard to timing, relationship with the ECG and the arterial pulses, intervals between components, and amplitude. The timing and intervals of the three components of the first sound were found normal in RBBB and so were the arterial pulses; apparent wide splitting was occasionally noted, due to recording of the first (a) and third (c) components, the latter being larger, as frequently observed in old age. All three components of the first sound were found small and delayed in LBBB; a delay of the arterial pulses was also noted. No additional component that might be attributed to the right heart preceded the delayed first sound. This study confirms that the first heart sound recorded on the chest wall originates only in the left heart and aorta.

Aged↗

Sounds and pulses as aids to cardiac diagnosis.

Areas of auscultation are reviewed. Heart sounds, clicks, snaps, and murmurs are discussed as they appear in various cardiac problems, particularly with respect to their usefulness in differential diagnosis.

Adolescent↗

Changes of cardiac output caused by aging: an impedance cardiographic study.

The various parameters of cardiac output were studied in 132 healthy subjects from 20 to 89 years of age by impedance cardiography. This noninvasive method supplied data that were similar to those found by others by dye dilution methods. All parameters of cardiac output decrease with age. However, we found a difference between the two sexes in the rate of decrease of the cardiac index: women had a more marked drop at an earlier age and then a steady course, while men had a progressive decrease from the youngest to the oldest group.

Adult↗