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Biomedical subjects

J F Pantridge

Publications and source records attributed to J F Pantridge.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Mexiletine in the management of ventricular dysrhythmias.

Mexiletine administered either intravenously or orally was found to be an effective antiarrhythmic agent. Unfortunately, important adverse effects occurred in approximately half of the patients. Adverse effects which appeared during oral therapy were dose related. Mexiletine controlled lignocaine-resistant ventricular dysrhythmias in more than half of the patients treated. Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation occurred at plasma concentrations which were not significantly different from those associated with severe side-effects, suggesting that when mexiletine is used to control these major dysrhythmias the incidence of important side effects will be high.

Administration, Oral↗

Electrical requirements for ventricular defibrillation.

Most deaths from ischaemic heart disease are sudden, occur outside hospital, and result from ventricular fibrillation. But defibrillators have only limited availability because of their size and weight. A miniature defibrillator has been developed. A singe low-energy shock succeeded in removing ventricular fibrillation in 73 out of 82 episodes, and a further shock was successful in seven more episodes. Primary ventricular fibrillation probably always responds to low-energy electrical shocks, which challenges the conventional view that correction of ventricular fibrillation requires high-energy direct-current shock. Thus even smaller and lighter defibrillators are possible. Furthermore low-energy shocks cause less myocardial damage.

Body Weight↗

The effects of practolol on the dysrhythmias complicating acute ischemic heart disease.

The cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent practolol was used in the management of ventricular and supraventricular dysrhythmias associated with acute myocardial infarction in 134 patients, and in the management of these dysrhythmias in 19 atients with acute myocardial ischemia. Practolol was frequently effective in controlling ventricular dysrhythmias which occurred within the first 24 hours after the onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. It was also effective in controlling the ventricular dysrhythmias which occurred after resuscitation from ventricular fibrillation. It was of particular value when therapeutic doses of lidocaine had been ineffective. Practolol was much less effective in controlling ventricular dysrhythmias which occurred more than 24 hours after acute infarction. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter were infrequently abolished by practolol in undigitalized patients after acute myocardial infarction. There was no correlation between the effectiveness of practolol and the blood concentration of the drug. One adverse effect of practolol was the occurence of sinus bradycardia with or without an increase in the frequency of ventricular ectopic beats. Bradycardia was sometimes accompanied by hypotension. Severe hypotension occasionally occurred in the absence of bradycardia.

Aged↗

Autonomic disturbance at onset of acute myocardial infarction.

Of 74 patients seen within 30 minutes of the onset of acute myocardial infarction 68 (92%) had signs of autonomic imbalance. Excessive vagal activity was evident in 41 (55%) and there was sympathetic overactivity in 27 (36%). The high incidence of sudden death in the acute phase of a coronary attack probably results from the electrical imbalance caused by autonomic disturbance. This disturbance must therefore be taken into account in any prophylactic regimen against the lethal early ventricular dysrhythmias.

Acetanilides↗