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Biomedical subjects

T LeJemtel

Publications and source records attributed to T LeJemtel.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Intravenous use of amrinone for the treatment of the failing heart.

Amrinone, a new nonadrenergic, nonglycosidic agent with combined positive inotropic and vasodilating properties, was approved recently for parenteral use in the treatment of left ventricular failure. Its mechanism of action is mediated primarily by selective phosphodiesterase fraction III inhibition, although at high doses alterations of calcium transport may occur. Acute hemodynamic changes produced by amrinone include augmentation of cardiac output and decreases in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, right atrial pressure and systemic vascular resistance. Heart rate and blood pressure remain unaltered. Myocardial oxygen consumption declines concomitantly with the decrease in systolic wall tension. The efficacy of amrinone is comparable to that of dobutamine and dopamine. Synergistic interactions with catecholamines and vasodilators are described. Adverse effects are minimal, with dosage limited predominantly by decreases in filling pressures.

Aminopyridines↗

Data acquisition using a scintillation detector interfaced to a personal microcomputer.

A method is described for interfacing a cadmium telluride semiconductor nonimaging detector to a personal microcomputer in order to store and display nuclear medicine data. There was virtual identity between the count rates stored in the computer and those recorded from the detector's display, demonstrating that the computer accurately acquired data from the probe without erroneous loss or addition of data. Interfacing a nonimaging detector to a microcomputer may provide an extremely versatile method of acquiring, storing, and displaying nuclear medicine data.

Computers↗

Comparative effects of abrupt withdrawal of propranolol and verapamil in angina pectoris.

The potential hazards of abrupt withdrawal of propranolol have been described in patients with angina pectoris; however, the effects of abrupt withdrawal from long-term therapy with verapamil have not previously been investigated. The comparative effects of withdrawal from long-term treatment with propranolol and verapamil were assessed in a placebo-controlled double-blind randomized crossover study of 20 patients received placebo for 2 weeks, then increasing doses of propranolol (60 to 320 mg/day) or verapamil (240 to 480 mg/day) for 3 weeks. Patients were then abruptly withdrawn from drug onto placebo for 1 week, followed by crossover to the other drug treatment and a second withdrawal period. All 20 patients were withdrawn from verapamil without evidence of a rebound increase in frequency of anginal attacks, blood pressure, heart rate, or rate-pressure product and without a rebound deterioration in exercise tolerance. In contrast, with propranolol withdrawal, 2 patients (with the highest baseline angina attack rate) had a severe exacerbation of their anginal syndrome and could not undergo formal exercise testing; the other 18 patients were withdrawn from propranolol without incident. Plasma catecholamines were increased during exercise compared with rest during all treatments; however, the levels of catecholamines during exercise were significantly higher with propranolol than with verapamil and placebo (p less than 0.05). Levels of exercise catecholamines returned to placebo baseline values after withdrawal of propranolol.

Angina Pectoris↗

Dynamic responses to continuous use of prazosin and hydralazine in patients with refractory heart failure.

The hemodynamic effects of oral doses of prazosin and hydralazine were studied in the same group of patients with chronic congestive heart failure. Prazosin, 3 to 10 mg, and hydralazine, 75 to 100 mg, were given by mouth every 6 hr and the responses to the first and the fifth consecutive dose were compared. The first dose of prazosin was followed by a predominant effect of left ventricular filling pressure and concomitantly by reduction of left ventricular afterload. Hydralazine acted primarily on left ventricular afterload with no significant effect on the filling pressure. A marked difference was noted in respect to the dynamic responses to continuous therapy with these two drugs. While the initial hemodynamic effect of prazosin was markedly attenuated in most of the cases after the fifth consecutive oral dose, the response to hydralazine was augmented by continuous therapy. These findings suggest that the reported hemodynamic tachyphylaxis seen with prazosin does not occur with hydralazine when given to the same patients with chronic congestive heart failure. Our study also indicates the importance of prolonged monitoring for the assessment of the hemodynamic effect of prazosin and hydralazine in patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure.

Aged↗

Right atrial myxoma: unusual clinical presentation and atypical glandular histology.

A 57-year-old black female presented with a 1-month of right-sided congestive heart failure and clinical evidence of pulmonic and tricuspid valvular stenosis and insufficiency. The echocardiographic examination and ventriculography demonstrated a large right atrial tumor interfering with the function of both right-sided valves. The patient underwent successful surgical resection of the tumor. Histologically, the tumor had cellular areas typical of myxoma, as well as glandular areas, a feature which has been described very rarely in this lesion. Electron microscopy of the glandular zones, which has never been reported previously, shown cells having essential homology with the usual myxoma elements. The atypical histopathology of this lesion supports the theory that atrial myxomas are true neoplasms, and are not derived from unusually organized mural thrombi.

Collagen↗