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Biomedical subjects

O Visioli

Publications and source records attributed to O Visioli.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

The effects of intravenous nifedipine on cardiac hemodynamics and contractility in patients with coronary artery disease in the presence or absence of beta adrenergic blockade.

We studied the acute effects of intravenous nifedipine on hemodynamics and left ventricular function of CAD patients without previous treatment (group 1) and of 10 CAD patients receiving acebutolol (9 mg/kg daily) and who had been shown to be adequately beta blocked (reduction in heart rate by 25%) (group 2). Intravenous nifedipine (15 micrograms/kg) significantly reduced systemic peripheral resistances in both groups: this was associated with decreased systolic blood pressure and increased left ventricular cardiac output with a slight nonsignificant increase of ejection fraction. There was a significant increase in heart rate in both groups, the chronotropic response to nifedipine being attenuated in patients receiving acebutolol. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure did not change in the first group, but it was significantly decreased in the second group, with a concomitant increase of end-diastolic left ventricular volume, suggesting an amelioration of diastolic compliance. The effect of nifedipine on intrinsic myocardial contractility was quite different, depending on the presence of beta adrenergic blockade. When given to patients of group 1, nifedipine significantly increased dP/dtmax, Vcemax, and Vmaxd. The same indices, however, were significantly depressed when nifedipine was given to the patients of group 2 receiving acebutolol. This study shows that intravenous nifedipine can be usefully administered to patients with coronary artery disease who have been on adequate beta-blocking doses of acebutolol with relative safety. Under these conditions nifedipine increases cardiac output in association with arterial dilation, despite evidence for a negative inotropic effect. These data also suggest that such an intrinsic negative inotropic effect would normally be masked by compensatory sympathetic activity.

Acebutolol↗

Myocardial metabolism during intracoronary thrombolysis. Two illustrative cases.

Arterial and coronary sinus difference for potassium, lactate, glucose, free fatty acids and creatine kinase was measured every 5 minutes in two patients undergoing successful intracoronary thrombolysis of left anterior descending occlusion. In the first patient, reperfusion, 160 minutes after the onset of pain, was followed by a transient and limited release of creatine kinase in the coronary sinus, improvement in the electrocardiogram and restitution of left ventricular contraction. In the second patient, reperfusion 365 minutes after the onset of pain, was also accompanied by a limited release of creatine kinase. Reocclusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, however, necessitated further thrombolysis which led to a massive release of creatine kinase and permanent loss of wall-motion. It is suggested that, in this case, reperfusion damage had occurred. The arteriovenous differences showed a wash-out of potassium and lactate during reperfusion in each case. The interpretation of the entire sequence of arteriovenous changes, however, could be shown to depend critically on the state of regional perfusion.

Blood Glucose↗

Effects of calcium entry blockers not connected with calcium channels inhibition.

We tested the effects of calcium entry blockers (verapamil, nifedipine, diltiazem) in comparison with nitroglycerin to investigate their inhibitory mechanisms of smooth muscle contraction not connected with the calcium blockade through calcium channels. The experiments were carried out by using isolated rabbit aorta strips in both normal and Ca2+-free solutions. Our results indicate that nitroglycerin and calcium entry blockers act on different calcium pools; the differences observed among calcium entry blockers suggest that other factors, different from calcium channels blockade (alpha-adrenergic block, unspecific effects), may be responsible for their inhibitory effect when high doses are employed.

Angiotensins↗

[Study of myocardial perfusion by means of scintigraphy with thallium-210 in left bundle branch block induced by exertion].

Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with 201-TL was performed in a group of subjects affected by exercise-induced, rate-dependent left bundle branch block (LBBB). The aim of the study was: to define the significance of the exercise-induced conduction abnormality: "primitive" or "ischemic". 14 patients, aging 28-58 years (x = 42), 8 with chest pain (4 typical angina, 4 atypical angina) and 6 without any symptoms were studied. None had history of prior myocardial infarction or clinical and echocardiographic signs of heart disease. LBBB appeared at a heart rate ranging from 70 to 160 beats/min. 6 patients showed repolarization abnormalities (ST changes, deep and negative T wave) suggestive for ischemia, during successive QRS normalization. 201-TL-uptake was normal in 5 subjects; in the remaining 9 ones reversible TL defects were demonstrated in the septum (6), in the septum and apex (2), in the septum and inferior-apical wall (1). No patients had irreversible impaired perfusion. All the patients had normal coronary angiography, with negative ergonovine test for coronary artery spasm. In conclusion, in the majority of our subjects (64%) with exercise-induced LBBB, a reversible TL-uptake defect, usually located in the septum without diagnostic value of obstructive CAD, has been observed. Further studies will establish if the TL-defect is only an "apparent phenomenon" due to contraction abnormality secondary to LBBB, or, on the contrary, an expression of myocardial ischemia with normal coronary vessels as a consequence of the LBBB.

Adult↗

Echo-phonocardiographic evaluation of the Björk-Shiley mitral prosthesis.

Ninety patients were studied with combined echophonocardiography after Björk-Shiley disc prosthetic mitral valve replacement. They were evaluated every 6 months (mean follow-up 6 years). Nine cases of left ventricular (LV) failure and 6 cases of prosthetic malfunction (5 paravalvular leaks and 1 thrombosis) were detected; 1 case was confirmed at necropsy and the other 5 cases were surgically verified and repaired. The following measures of prosthetic malfunction were evaluated: opening and closing velocity, maximal amplitude of the prosthesis, septal motion 6 months after operation, LV diastolic diameter, protodiastolic hump, variations during same record of the interval between aortic valve closure sound to the phono and mitral valve opening to the echo, and interval between aortic valve closure sound and maximal excursion of the LV posterior wall. All measures studied were useful for detecting prosthetic malfunction, but 2 are more useful in individual cases: variations of the interval between second heart sound and mitral valve opening and the interval between the aortic valve closure sound and LV posterior wall motion. These 2 intervals also allow discrimination between normal function, prosthetic malfunction and LV failure.

Adult↗

Serum enzymes in acute myocardial infarction after intracoronary thrombolysis.

Serum kinetics of total creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB isoenzyme, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LD) and alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBD) activities were studied in twenty patients with acute myocardial infarction randomly assigned to receive either intracoronary urokinase (group A) or conventional (control) therapy (group B). The temporal characteristics of enzyme changes described were the time lag from onset of chest pain until maximum catalytic concentration value, the rate at which enzymes are released into blood, the peak value of the serum enzyme curves and (d) the fractional disappearance rate (Kd) for each enzyme considered. Thrombolytic treatment induced earlier peak times in group A: for CK, 10.8 vs 27.0 h, for CK-MB, 10.4 vs 23.1, for AST, 13.9 vs 31.3, for LD, 24.4 vs 49.1, and for HBD, 20.5 vs 48.5 (for all enzymes, p less than 0.001). The maximal rate of release for the enzymes was at least twofold greater in group A. Enzyme peak activities and Kd were not significantly different between the groups. The most significant discrimination between the two groups was obtained with AST peak time (Hartz overlap index (Oi) = 0.11) and CK-MB peak time (Oi = 0.12).

Adult↗

Myocardial recovery during post-ischaemic reperfusion: effects of nifedipine, calcium and magnesium.

We studied the effects of various interventions introduced at the time of post-ischaemic reperfusion on mechanical activity, tissue and mitochondrial calcium, mitochondrial function and tissue ATP and CP of isolated perfused rabbit hearts. These interventions were: nifedipine, low calcium (0.75 mM, 0.15 mM and 0.05 mM), high magnesium (15 mM) and high magnesium (15 mM) with low calcium (0.75 mM). Ischemia was induced by abolishing coronary flow for 60 min, followed by 30 min of reperfusion. The results indicate that nifedipine when given during reperfusion had no protective effect, whilst it was beneficial when administrated before ischaemia. Lowering calcium content of the perfusate during reperfusion may be advantageous, depending on the degree of calcium reduction. Reperfusion with high magnesium reduced the mitochondrial calcium overload and maintained the mitochondrial ATP-producing capacity but failed to modify the increase of tissue calcium and of diastolic pressure. Lowering calcium content in the presence of high magnesium resulted in better protection. These data suggest that the conditions of reperfusion may influence the capacity of myocardial recovery.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Inhibitory effect of acute and chronic administration of digitalis on the sick sinus node.

We have determined the effects of the acute administration of intravenous (i.v.) digitalis administration (0.8 mg of digoxin in 5-10 min) on the electrophysiological variables of 12 normal subjects (group 1), 12 patients with asymptomatic sinus node bradycardia (group 2) and 34 patients with symptomatic sinus node dysfunction (SSS) (group 3). The injection of digitalis induced: an increase of sinus node cycle length (SNCL) in all groups; a 10% increase of sinus node recovery time (SNRT) in group 1, no changes in group 2 and a 25% increase in group 3; a tendency to increase, without reaching statistical significance, of corrected sinus node recovery time (CSNRT) and sino-atrial conduction time (SACT) in all groups. In 16 patients of group 3 the effects of oral chronic treatment with digoxin (0.25 mg daily for 7 days) was also determined. The results show that chronic treatment did not further affect SNCL, SNRT or CSNRT, but caused a greater increase of SACT than did the acute i.v. administration. Chronic treatment significantly reduced the sinus rate and increased the number of premature supraventricular and ventricular beats, measured by means of 24 hour-Holter monitoring. These data suggest that digitalis should be used with great caution in patients with SSS.

Administration, Oral↗

Effects of 17 beta-estradiol on the isolated rabbit heart.

We have studied the effects of 17 beta-estradiol on the left ventricular pressure and on the coronary perfusion pressure in isolated rabbit heart, in order to evaluate the action of this hormone on the myocardial contractility and on the coronary resistances. 17 beta-Estradiol has induced a negative inotropic effect starting from a concentration of 10(-6) M and a vasodilation starting from 10(-7) M when administered on a vasopressin-induced coronary spasm. These effects are not related to sex or to alpha-, beta-adrenergic, histaminergic, anaesthetic-like mechanisms, but seem to interfere with calcium transport.

Animals↗