Chronic heart block and sinoatrial disorder.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D B Shaw.
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A total of 381 patients with established (156) or potential (225) sinoatrial dysfunction were included in a 10-year prospective survey to determine the course of the disease and the benefits of pacing. With the exclusion of nine patients who were lost to follow-up, 61 were fitted with pacemakers. The overall survival of patients with established and potential dysfunction was similar and apparently indistinguishable from that of the normal population. Pacemaker implantation had little discernible effect on mortality though it reduced some incapacitating symptoms. These findings suggest that sinoatrial dysfunction is a relatively benign condition. Hence pacing should probably not be adopted as a routing measure but be reserved for patients with troublesome symptoms.
Sudden death is a known but unpredictable complication of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We describe two patients who both had a strong family history of the disorder complicated by sudden death. Necropsy disclosed accessory bypass tracts, concealed in one and previously suspected in the other. One died from ventricular fibrillation and the other, who died outside hospital, had previously complained of palpitation. Arrhythmia complicating pre-excitation appears to be one of the factors responsible for sudden death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
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To compare the results of home and hospital treatment in men aged under 70 years who had suffered acute myocardial infarction within 48 hours 1895 patients were considered for study in four centres in south-west England. Four-hundred-and-fifty patients were randomly allocated to receive care either at home by their family doctor or in hospital, initially in an intensive care unit. The randomised treatment groups were similar in age, history of cardiovascular disease, and incidence of hypotension when first examined. They were followed up for up to a year after onset. The mortality rate at 28 days was 12% for the random home group and 14% for the random hospital group; the corresponding figures at 330 days were 20% and 27%. On average, older patients and those without initial hypotension fared rather better under home care. The patients who underwent randomisation were similar to those whose place of care was not randomised, except that the non-randomised group contained a higher proportion of initially hypotensive patients, whose prognosis was poor wherever treated. These results confirm and extend our preliminary findings. Home care is a proper form of treatment for many patients with acute myocardial infarction, particularly those over 60 years and those with an uncomplicated attack seen by general practitioners.
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Physicians and paramedical personnel often find the early diagnosis and differentiation of obstructive airway diseases to be a challenging problem. The history and physical examination are often not enough to allow the physician to detect either the presence of, or determine the type of, disease present. Patterns of pulmonary function abnormality to determine the presence of obstructive or restrictive defects are discussed. Guidelines useful in the differentiation of obstructive airway diseases are presented. Once a patient with COAD is assessed, the physician needs to outline a therapeutic program after establishing goals with the patient. These goals include (1) improved ability for the patient to achieve relief from symptoms and (2) improved capacity to carry out the activities of daily living. The therapeutic modalities available for the comprehensive care of patients with COAD are discussed. These include general factors such as patient and family education, avoidance of smoking and other inhaled irritants, avoidance of infection, a minimum stress environment, high fluid intake, and proper nutrition. The appropriate use of the medications most commonly employed in the teatment of these patients, eg, bronchodilators, expectorants, antimicrobials, corticosteroids, cromolyn, digitalis, and diuretics, are individually discussed. The use of such respiratory therapy techniques as aerosol therapy, intermittent positive pressure breathing, and oxygen therapy are considered. Application of the specialty of rehabilitation medicine to patients with obstructive airway disease is described. This includes physical therapy with breathing retraining, clapping and postural drainage, and exercise reconditioning, occupational therapy with attention to energy conservation in activities of daily living, psychological considerations, and vocational rehabilitation. Definite benefits that can be demonstrated if the physician employs this type of systematic respiratory care program include a decrease in the frequency and duration of hospital admissions, socioeconomic gains from reduced hospitalizations, a reduction in anxiety, depression and somatic concern, the return of patients to positions of employment and the establishment of a better quality of life. Persistence in making sure the patient continues in a systematic program, including both pharmacological and nonpharmacological modalities, may be the means of assuring maintenance or even improvement in his health. The day-to-day treatment for the majority of patients should remain in the hands of the primary physician. However, community resources must be established to allow the primary physician to provide these patients with adequate comprehensive respiratory care. Development of three levels of care (the primary physician, community respiratory rehabilitation units, and the regional respiratory center) should make superior respiratory care available to every patient with obstructive airway disease.
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This is a preliminary report of a co-operative study of 1,203 episodes of acute myocardial infarction in men under 70 years in four centres in the south west of England. The mortality at 28 days was 15%. A comparison is made between home care by the family doctor and hospital treatment initially in an intensive care unit: 343 cases were allocated at random. The randomized groups do not differ significantly in composition with respect to age; past history of angina, infarction, or hypertension; or hypotension when first examined. The mortality rates of the random groups are similar for home and hospital treatment. The group sent electively to hospital contained a higher proportion of initially hypotensive patients whose prognosis was bad wherever treated; those who were not hypotensive fared rather worse in hospital.For some patients with acute myocardial infarction seen by their general practitioner home care is ethically justified, and the need for general admission to hospital should be reconsidered.