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Biomedical subjects

G Opolski

Publications and source records attributed to G Opolski.

77 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
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Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a young female patient following marijuana intoxication--a case report of possible association.

Marijuana is one of the most popular drugs legally admitted for general sale in many countries. To consider it safe and unlikely to develop drug dependence is abusive. The use of marijuana as a herbal medication is being widely discussed in literature. The most promising effect of delta-9-etrahydrocannabinol seems to be observed in the case of nausea, following cancer chemotherapy. Despite its positive action on the human organism, marijuana smoking has been shown to exert adverse effects on the cardiovascular system causing well-tolerated tachycardia and/or hypotension. We also observed that marijuana abuse was associated with an increased risk of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The report presents a case of young healthy white subject suffering from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation following marijuana intoxication. The abuse of this substance was the most possible and identifiable risk factor for observed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy of sequential antiarrhythmic treatment in sinus rhythm maintenance after successful electrocardioversion in patients with chronic non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Sequential use of antiarrhythmic drugs may improve prognosis in chronic atrial fibrillation (AF). We conducted a prospective study of the efficacy of sequential antiarrhythmic drug therapy in sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance after a successful electrocardioversion (CV) in pts with chronic AF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 58 pts (64.3 +/- 4.3 years old) with chronic AF underwent CV. After SR restoration (Group I) pts received one of the following antiarrhythmic drugs (Drug I): propafenone, sotalol or disopyramide. In case of arrhythmia recurrence, second CV was performed and pts received another drug from those mentioned above (Drug II). If treatment proved to be unsuccessful pts received amiodarone (Drug III) and third CV was attempted. After first unsuccessful CV (Group II) pts received a loading dose of amiodarone and another CV was attempted. In case of SR restoration amiodarone was administered continuously. RESULTS: After 12 months 81% pts were on SR; 85% pts received amiodarone continuously. After 1 year 6 (10%) pts presented with SR treated with Drug I (median 71 days); Drug II proved to be ineffective in all patients (median 27 days). 28 pts continued to receive amiodarone (no median). CONCLUSIONS: Sequential antiarrhythmic drug therapy improves arrhythmia prognosis in AF within a 12-month observation period. Amiodarone seems to be the most effective antiarrhythmic drug also in pts who required second CV proceeded by amiodarone treatment to restore SR.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Late ventricular potentials--a new risk factor for cardiac arrhythmias in recent myocardial infarction].

The study involved 150 patients with recent myocardial infarction. Ventricular lat potentials were registered in these patients during the first 48 hours and repeated in the third week. Ventricular late potentials were found in 31 patients (21%) in the first 48 hours, and in 27 out of 134 patients (20%) before the release from the hospital. Comparing potentials registration in the acute and late phase of the myocardial infarction it was found that ventricular late potentials occurred in 6 and disappeared in 4 patients. Stable ventricular tachycardia was significantly more frequent (p less than 0.001) within the first 48 hours in patients with ventricular late potentials than those without them (19% vs 3%). Ventricular late tachycardia (over 48 hours) was more frequent (p less than less than 0.001) in patients with ventricular late potentials (21% vs 1%). Premature ventricular excitations of Lown class 2-5 were also more frequent (p less than 0.001) in the group of patients with ventricular late potentials than those without these potential (81% vs 24%) when registered with a 24-hour Holter ECG in the third week following myocardial infarction. Antiarrhythmic drugs did not produce the regression of ventricular late potentials. Non-invasive registration of ventricular late potentials helps to select patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias following the acute myocardial infarction.

Adult↗