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Biomedical subjects

R Blasini

Publications and source records attributed to R Blasini.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Correlation between LDA and ultrasound heart catheter measurements in a stenosed arterial model.

Ultrasound heart catheters are used to measure the velocity in coronary arteries. However, the act of introducing a catheter into the vessel disturbs the very flow being measured. We used laser Doppler anemometry to measure the velocity distribution in an axially symmetric model, both with and without a catheter inserted. The catheter reduced the center-line velocity by as much as 60 percent at a distance of 2 mm downstream from the catheter, and by as much as 25 percent at a distance of 10 mm. This means the velocity measured with an ultrasound catheter does not show the maximum velocity of the undisturbed flow in the tube center. In the constriction, however, the measured velocities with the LDA and ultrasound catheter are almost the same. Thus, catheter measurements in the stenosis achieve accurate results. The velocity profile in the stenosed areas is flattened over nearly the whole cross section. The velocity is extremely reduced only close to the wall. The measurements outside of the stenosis lead to large differences which need to be studied carefully in the future. The disturbed flow finally disappeared 15 mm downstream of the catheter. The measurements were done at steady flow using a glycerine water solution with a dynamic viscosity of 4.35 mPas. In future studies, these experiments will be repeated for pulsatile flow conditions using non-Newtonian blood-like fluids.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed1994

Ultrasound guidance of Palmaz-Schatz intracoronary stenting with a combined intravascular ultrasound balloon catheter.

BACKGROUND: Coronary stenting in conjunction with coronary angioplasty is a valuable tool for treatment of severe coronary dissection and is effective in reducing the frequency of restenoses. Evidence is increasing that the lumen gain within the stent is negatively correlated with the rate of subacute closures and restenoses. Since the assessment of radiolucent coronary stents and complex lumen morphologies by angiography is limited, we hypothesized that the use of a balloon catheter with integrated intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) facility for stent deployment and guidance of its expansion could improve the acute lumen gain without relevant procedural prolongation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Deployment of a single Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent with the combined imaging balloon catheter alone was successful in 18 of 20 patients eligible for this study. Corresponding measurements of minimal lumen diameter (MLD) by angiography and IVUS could be performed in 16 patients, revealing a close correlation between the two methods within the reference segments (3.10 +/- 0.38 and 3.08 +/- 0.43 mm, r = .79). Despite an adequate angiographic result in most patients after stent deployment, IVUS showed smaller MLD within the stented segment (2.15 +/- 0.23 mm) compared with angiography (2.63 +/- 0.26 mm, P < .0001) with a poor correlation (r = .27). To achieve IVUS criteria for optimal stent expansion (ratio of 0.9 between IVUS-assessed cross-sectional area of stent and reference segment), an average of three additional balloon inflations with higher pressure and/or a larger balloon diameter were performed without adverse effects in 15 of 16 patients who initially did not fulfill these criteria. This resulted in a significant increase in stent MLD to 2.63 +/- 0.27 mm (IVUS, P < .0001 versus initial MLD) and 2.89 +/- 0.32 mm (angiography, P < .0002 versus initial MLD) and a better correlation between the two methods (r = .60). The IVUS guidance led to a 40 +/- 15% increase of the minimal stent cross-sectional area with an additional time consumption of 21 minutes on average. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the application of a combined imaging balloon catheter for delivery and ultrasound-guided expansion of Palmaz-Schatz coronary stents. IVUS offered a comprehensive insight into the stented coronary segments, revealing a substantial overestimation of stent dimensions by angiography. IVUS guidance led to a significant improvement of stent expansion. This additional lumen gain, which was not discernible by angiography in most patients, might result in a reduction of subacute stent thromboses as well as restenoses.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Four-year experience with Palmaz-Schatz stenting in coronary angioplasty complicated by dissection with threatened or present vessel closure.

BACKGROUND: Abrupt vessel closure after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is associated with major adverse events. Different surgical and nonsurgical approaches have been advocated to treat or prevent this complication. This study summarizes our 4-year experience with Palmaz-Schatz stenting for the management of 339 patients with present or threatened occlusion after PTCA. METHODS AND RESULTS: Stent implantation was attempted in a total of 339 and 4959 patients with PTCA during the study period and was successful in 327 (96.5%). During the follow-up, events like death, myocardial infarction, need for revascularization (bypass surgery and repeat in-stent angioplasty), and major vascular complications were recorded. Angiographic follow-up at 6 months was performed in 89.3% of the eligible patients. As part of an initial policy, stenting was intended as a bridge to nonemergency bypass surgery in 26 patients. In 301 patients for whom stenting was intended as permanent treatment, early clinical course (first 4 weeks) was characterized by a 1.3% cardiac mortality and a 4.0% nonfatal myocardial infarction rate; bypass surgery was necessary in 1%, and 6.3% required early repeat PTCA. Surgical repair for peripheral vascular complications was required in 5.6%, and major bleeding events were encountered in 9%. The incidence of subacute stent closure was 6.9%, with subsequent recanalization successful in 86%; subacute stent closure was predicted by presence of vessel occlusion before stenting and localization of the stent in a vessel other than the right coronary artery. Survival rate at 2 years was 95.4%, survival without myocardial infarction was 91.1%, and event-free survival was 70.7%. Survival at 2 years was lower for patients with stents in bypass vein grafts and with myocardial infarction after stenting. Six-month control angiography revealed a restenosis rate of 29.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with present or threatened occlusion after PTCA may benefit from Palmaz-Schatz stenting. It is associated with a low mortality and myocardial infarction rate and with a long-term event-free rate comparable to that of uncomplicated PTCA.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Functional changes in left ventricular hypertrophy: diagnosis of impaired diastolic function in patients with hypertension.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is usually associated with impaired left ventricular diastolic function which can be characterised by an altered pressure volume relationship. Since diastolic flow velocities are closely related to the difference in pressure between the left atrium and left ventricle, parameters of diastolic function can be determined by Doppler echocardiography. However, the pressure difference is additionally influenced by factors which have no relation to left ventricular diastolic function. These include preload, afterload, inotropy, heart rate and left ventricular systolic function. Despite these limitations, Doppler echocardiography is a valuable tool to diagnose therapeutic effects on diastolic function in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.

Diastole↗
PubMed1993

Intravascular ultrasound assessment of the balloon-expandable Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent.

BACKGROUND: Coronary stenting is an effective method for the treatment of acute coronary dissection and restenosis. In the comprehensive assessment of restenosis and of the complex interaction between coronary stent and vessel wall, coronary arteriography has significant limitations. Intravascular ultrasound as a high-resolution tomographic imaging method is a promising tool for resolving these limitations. METHODS: A 3.5, 5.0 or 5.5F, 20 MHz multi-element ultrasound catheter was used in 27 patients who had received a Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent for the treatment of symptomatic coronary dissection. Intravascular ultrasound study was performed during routine follow-up arteriography at 3-10 months in all 27 patients and had also been performed in four patients during stent deployment. Four patients with restenosis within the stent were re-investigated 3 months later after repeat angioplasty. RESULTS: Complete analysis of the stented coronary segment could be performed in 34 out of 35 studies (97%); no adverse effects occurred. The three layer appearance of the vessel wall was not discernible in most patients because of a complex and often eccentric lesion surrounding the stent resulting in an asymmetrical arrangement of stent filaments. The beginning and the end of the stent, the central strut, and the overlap of a double stent could be well assessed. Luminal diameters ranged from 1.95 to 4.15 mm and cross-sectional areas from 3.83 to 10.85 mm2. Correlations with quantitative arteriography revealed r-values of 0.58 for diameter and 0.59 for area. A stent-covering layer, indicative of neointima, was clearly visible in all patients during follow-up arteriography with a diameter of 0.10-0.95 mm (mean 0.25 +/- 0.15 mm), which resulted in a reduction of 2-63% in the cross-sectional area of the vessel. This layer did not exceed a thickness of 0.4 mm in asymptomatic patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the safe and feasible application of intravascular ultrasound in patients with stented coronary lesions. Differences between the angiographic and ultrasonic measurements are presumably the result of the limitations of radiography in complex and eccentric lesions. Intracoronary ultrasound provides a unique comprehensive assessment of stent expansion, neointimal proliferation, and restenosis mechanisms. Thus, intravascular ultrasound may also have implications regarding the indication for, and optimal deployment of, intracoronary stents.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS): the assessment of tumor infiltration into the vascular wall].

The demonstration or exclusion of tumour infiltration into a vessel wall is made possible by IVUS. This was performed 25 times in 23 patients using a 20 MHz probe where there was suspicion of tumour infiltration on the basis of CT, MRI or angiography. IVUS proved very suitable for clarifying the situation, making direct intravascular evaluation of the affected vessel possible. In 10 cases where surgery was performed, the demonstration or exclusion of tumour infiltration into a vein was confirmed operatively in every case. Further experience is necessary before the value of the method for diagnosing early arterial infiltration can be judged.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Global and regional ventricular function following intracoronary application of papaverine.

Intracoronary injection of papaverine is used to determine coronary flow reserve in patients. The present study was to investigate the effect of papaverine on the performance of myocardium with reduced flow reserve. In nine anaesthetized open-chest dogs a bypass from the aorta to the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) was established. Left ventricular end-diastolic and aortic pressure, dP/dt, stroke volume, LCX blood flow, and ECG were monitored. The performance of a segment of subendocardial wall supplied by the LCX was assessed by sonomicrometry. Peak reactive hyperaemia after 15s bypass occlusion was 1.44 +/- 0.09 times the baseline flow (41 ml/min), indicating reduced coronary flow reserve. Papaverine was injected into the bypass (0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 2.5, 5.0 mg/ml, 1 ml in 15s). The maximum LCX flow following PAPA 0.3 mg was comparable to peak reactive hyperaemia, but 10-15% higher after injection of 0.6-5.0 mg papaverine. Systolic shortening of the myocardium (control: 17.5% of end-diastolic length) became reduced in a dose-dependent fashion (5-25%) for about 1 min following papaverine injection. Stroke volume (control: 0.94 +/- 0.12 ml/kg) was reduced by about 8%, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (control: 6.2 +/- 0.8 mmHg) increased by 15%, and dP/dtmin (control: 1850 +/- 150 mmHg/s) was curtailed by 15-25%. The ECG showed a transient T inversion and S-T depression following papaverine administration and in one experiment ventricular fibrillation occurred after the injection of 2.5 mg papaverine. The observed effects of intracoronary papaverine are consistent with the theory of transient subendocardial ischaemia arising from a redistribution of blood flow from the subendocardial to the subepicardial layers, because of greater vasodilatory capacity in the latter than in the former.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Comparison of the effect of a selective and a nonselective beta receptor blocker on the ischemic ST segment, lung function and stress-induced decrease in blood glucose].

This study was designed to compare the antihypertensive and anti-ischemic effects of the newly developed cardioselective beta-blocking agent, betaxolol, with the non-selective agent, nadolol, both of which have hydrophilic long acting properties, over a period of 48 hours. Additionally, the study was intended to determine whether betaxolol exerts a lesser influence on pulmonary function and whether beta-1- and beta-2-adrenergic blocking agents also induce a decrease in blood glucose levels during standard bicycle ergometry for three to nine minutes, similar to that reported in association with exercise of longer duration and, if so, whether this effect can be circumvented by the use of a selective agent. Ten patients with angiographically documented CAD, stable exercise angina pectoris and reproducible ST-segment depression of at least 1 mm received on day 1, in a single blind fashion, one tablet of placebo, on day 2 and day 7, in a double-blind, randomized and cross-over fashion, 20 mg betaxolol or 80 mg nadolol, respectively. Bicycle ergometry was performed before, four, 24 and 48 hours after drug with fixed work loads, blood glucose determination before and after ergometry four hours after drug and airway resistance and maximal ventilatory capacity studies were carried out five hours after drug administration. As compared with placebo, betaxolol and nadolol led to reductions of ST-segment depression of 65% (p less than 0.01) and 74% (p less than 0.005) at four hours, of 53% (p less than 0.025) and 56% (p less than 0.01) at 24 hours and 41% (p less than 0.05) and 44% (p less than 0.05) at 48 hours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1986

[Avoidance of tolerance development to long term therapy with nitrates through correct dosage].

Tolerance development to organic nitrates, with respect to blood pressure reduction and precipitation of headache, had been assumed for almost a century but it was not until 1980 that the anti-ischemic effect was proven to be subject to this phenomenon, in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study carried out by our group exemplarily employing long-term treatment with isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) in sustained-release form. Subsequent studies showed that tolerance development was also incurred during administration of ISDN, nonsustained-release form, 40 mg q.i.d. and on application of transdermal nitroglycerin patch systems. Both changes in the pharmacokinetics and activation of counter-regulatory mechanisms can be excluded as meaningful etiologic factors for the development of nitrate tolerance. It must be assumed that intracellular changes in the target organ which are associated with a diminished responsiveness for guanylate cyclase activation are at the basis of tolerance development. Prerequisite, according to laboratory experiments and clinical observations, are high concentrations of nitrates. After development of tolerance, on allowing a nitrate-free interval to intervene, the attenuated effects rapidly resume. Consequently, we investigated the hypothesis that tolerance could be avoided by an intermittent administration of nitrates which prevented accumulation of high serum concentrations. This was confirmed in two placebo-controlled, double-blind studies. Both during treatment with 20 mg ISDN in the morning and at midday as well as with the once-daily administration of 120 mg ISDN sustained-release form in the morning, there was an unequivocal anti-ischemic effect without tolerance development together with a significant reduction in the rate of anginal attacks and nitrate consumption.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1985

[Antihypertensive and anti-ischemic effect of nitrendipine. Double-blind, randomized, crossover and placebo controlled acute study].

Nitrendipine is a newly-developed calcium channel blocker derived from the dehydropyridine series which, according to experimental studies, affects marked dilation of the peripheral and coronary vessels. As compared with the parent compound nifedipine, nitrendipine exhibits a clearly more prolonged elimination half-time. This study was designed to evaluate the antihypertensive efficacy, in particular, with respect to the duration of action as well as the anti-ischemic effectiveness with a protocol encompassing as many factors as possible. In 13 patients with angiographically-documented coronary artery disease and elevated blood pressure at rest and/or during exercise, on two days separated by a three-day washout period, we investigated the effects of 20 mg nitrendipine, as compared with placebo, in a double-blind, randomized, crossover study. The systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure as well as the heart rate were recorded prior to, at two, five, eight and twelve hours after medication and the blood pressure only at 24 hours. Blood pressure and heart rate were assessed during active standing at two hours, passive tilt at 2 1/2 hours and, together with analysis of the ST segments, before and during semisupine bicycle ergometry performed at three hours after tablet administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1985

[High-dose transdermal nitroglycerin therapy: loss of effect within 24 hours?].

Within a relatively short period of time, nitroglycerin patches have come into widespread use for treatment of coronary artery disease in the absence of sufficient clinical data in support of their efficacy. Presently, there is still considerable controversy regarding the extent and duration of action as well as the dosage requirements. Accordingly, a study was carried out in six patients with angiographically-documented coronary artery disease, stable exercise-induced angina pectoris and reproducible ST-segment depression to analyze the effects of nitroglycerin patches, formulated to deliver 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg as well as 30 mg per 24 hours, respectively, on the extent of ST-segment depression. In a further study, the extent and duration of antianginal and anti-ischemic effects of nitroglycerin patches delivering 30 mg/24 hours were investigated in ten patients according to a randomized, double-blind, crossover placebo-controlled protocol. In seven of these patients, testing was again performed at 2.5 hours after repeated application (second application at 24 hours) (Figure 1). Nitroglycerin patches delivering 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg as well as 30 mg/24 hours, respectively, led to significant reductions in ST-segment depression at 2.5 hours of 59% (range 25 to 100%; p less than 0.025), 63% (0 to 100%, p less than 0.01), 77% (50 to 100%, p less than 0.001) as well as 82% (50 to 100%, p less than 0.005) as compared with control values (Figure 2).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1985

[Long-term therapy of stress angina pectoris by a single daily administration of 120 mg isosorbide dinitrate in retard form. Comparison of monotherapy and combination therapy with atenolol and nifedipine].

This study was undertaken to determine whether an effective antianginal treatment without tolerance development can be carried out with intermittent nitrate administration on a regimen with a single daily dose of 120 mg isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) in sustained-release form (SR), as well as whether the concomitant administration of 100 mg atenolol or 100 mg atenolol and 20 mg nifedipine renders an additive antiischemic effect. In two independently performed investigations, the duration of action of a single dose of 120 mg ISDN SR was assessed after its initial administration in addition to the anti-ischemic effect during long-term treatment, each according to a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled protocol in a total of 15 patients with angiographically-documented coronary artery disease, stable angina pectoris and reproducible ST-segment depression during exercise. The test phases of four weeks each were separated by one week placebo phases. After completion of the study, for a further eight weeks, 120 mg ISDN SR was given together with 100 mg atenolol in the morning. Exercise testing was carried out after four weeks of treatment in a control period before and at two hours after administration of 120 mg ISDN SR with 100 mg atenolol as well as after another four weeks in a control period before and after concomitant administration of 120 mg ISDN SR, 100 mg atenolol and 20 mg nifedipine in sustained release form.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1984

[Prevention of the development of tolerance to isosorbide dinitrate in interval therapy].

A number of carefully controlled studies in recent years have unequivocally documented evidence of tolerance development with respect to anti-ischemic effects during longterm treatment with nitrates [1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8]. To determine to what extent tolerance development can be circumvented through an interval regimen, a study was performed in ten patients with stable angina pectoris and reproducible ST-segment depression according to a randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled protocol. Analysis of the anti-ischemic effect of 20 mg ISDN was carried out after acute administration and during chronic treatment on an interval regimen with the administration of 20 mg ISDN in the morning (at 8 a.m.) and at midday (1 p.m.) (Figure 1). On acute administration, 20 mg ISDN led to a reduction in ST-segment depression from 2.15 to 0.40 mm (p less than 0.01) and during longterm treatment from 2.25 to 0.40 mm (p less than 0.01) (Figure 2, Table 1). After acute administration the plasma concentration of ISDN was 9 ng/ml, 2-ISMN 34 ng/ml and 5-ISMN 149 ng/ml (Figure 5, Table 2). Of the control values during longterm treatment, a detectable level was found only for 5-ISMN with a concentration of 36 ng/ml while that of both 2-ISMN and ISDN was 0 ng/ml. On renewed administration, there was an increase of ISDN to 9 ng/ml, 2-ISMN to 37 ng/ml and 5-ISMN to 208 ng/ml.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1984

[Anti-ischemic effect of 8 mg molsidomin in retard form].

Studies of the efficacy of molsidomine, previously performed on our service, demonstrated that a clear antianginal effect in the longterm treatment of angina pectoris could only be achieved with a regimen of the standard 2 mg dose when given six times daily. Consequently, since a mode of administration with a longer duration of action was implicitly desirable, the present study, carried out in eleven patients with coronary artery disease and stable, exertional angina pectoris, was undertaken to assess the antiischemic effects of 8 mg molsidomine in sustained-release form as compared with the standard 2 mg formulation according to a double-blind, randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled protocol. Additionally, plasma concentrations of molsidomine were determined to elucidate the bioavailability as well as possible correlations between plasma concentrations and antiischemic effect. As compared with placebo, after administration of 8 mg molsidomine sustained-release there were reduction in the ST-segment depression at one, three, five and eight hours of 74% (p less than 0.001), 61% (p less than 0.001), 44% (p less than 0.025), and 31% (p less than 0.01), respectively; after 2 mg molsidomine, 74% (p less than 0.001), 37% (p less than 0.025), 7% (ns) and 6% (ns), respectively. Analysis of the response of the ST-segment in the individual patients showed an unequivocal antiischemic effect with a reduction in ST-segment depression of at least 1 mm after 8 mg molsidomine sustained-release at the specified points in time in ten, five, six and four patients, respectively, and after 2 mg molsidomine in nine, five, one and no patients, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗