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U Tebbe

Publications and source records attributed to U Tebbe.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

[ACE inhibitor-associated interstitial lung infiltrates].

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 60-year-old woman was prescribed Captopril, 37.5 mg daily, for severe left-ventricular dysfunction with associated mitral regurgitation. Left ventricular function improved markedly in the subsequent 6 months and the mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure became normal. However, exertional dyspnoea unexpectedly did not improve but rather increased and she also developed severe dry cough. TESTS: The chest radiogram and computed tomography revealed multiple small interstitial infiltrates in both lungs without signs of congestion. Body plethysmography did not demonstrate any obstructive or restrictive ventilatory abnormalities. TREATMENT AND COURSE: When captopril was discontinued, the cough improved and the exertional dyspnoea quickly disappeared without any further treatment. All immunological tests, including those for antibodies against bird antigens and for antinuclear antibodies, were negative. The interstitial infiltrates had already markedly regressed 9 days after captopril had been discontinued and they had disappeared after 2 months. CONCLUSION: This case indicates that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors should be considered as a cause of interstitial pulmonary infiltrates associated with dyspnoea.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Improvement of global and regional left ventricular function by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty after myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate how elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty of the infarct-related vessel after acute myocardial infarction affects global ejection fraction and regional wall function. BACKGROUND: The severity of the residual stenosis of the infarct-related artery after thrombolysis is an important predictor of changes in left ventricular function; however, the optimal time to restore complete perfusion in the infarct area has not been determined. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated patients with a first myocardial infarction, postinfarction ischemia and residual high grade stenosis with reduced flow in the infarct-related artery who underwent successful coronary angioplasty. The group comprised 74 patients (61 men, 13 women with a mean age +/- SD of 55.9 +/- 9.9 years). Global ejection fraction and infarct region function (expressed as area ejection fraction) were angiographically measured before coronary angioplasty (3.9 +/- 2.1 weeks after infarction) and on routine follow-up study 6 +/- 1 months after angioplasty. RESULTS: Restenosis with reduced flow occurred in 15 patients (20%). The global ejection fraction in patients with complete flow at follow-up increased significantly from 56.8% +/- 12% to 62.3% +/- 12.5% (p < 0.001). Regional wall motion of the infarct area increased from 12.1% to 22.5% (p = 0.001) in patients with anterior wall infarction and from 20.4% to 28.5% (p = 0.002) in those with inferior wall infarction. In patients with restenosis there was no difference at follow-up either in global ejection fraction (from 47.7% +/- 7.7% to 47.1% +/- 12.7%, p = 0.57) or in regional wall motion of the infarct area. CONCLUSIONS: Global and regional myocardial dysfunction due to postinfarction ischemia lessens significantly after successful coronary angioplasty of the infarct-related coronary artery with long-term sustained normal, complete flow. In contrast, restenosis with reduced flow prevents long-term improvement of left ventricular function.

Aged↗

Hemodynamic and antiischemic effects of intravenous elgodipine, a new dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, in patients with chronic stable angina.

Elgodipine is a new second-generation dihydropyridine calcium antagonist. Its hemodynamic and antiischemic properties were evaluated in a single-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 22 males with chronic stable angina. Coronary artery disease was angiographically confirmed. Measurements were performed with a Swan-Ganz thermodilution catheter during a 30-minute period of rest and before the end of a 4-minute bicycle exercise test at maximum individual workload, both with placebo (IV infusion of 5 ml saline over 30 minutes) and elgodipine (10 micrograms/kg/2 min bolus IV, then IV infusion of 1 micrograms/kg/min for 28 minutes. Elgodipine caused very similar hemodynamic changes at rest and during exercise. Its major hemodynamic modification was the marked decrease in systemic vascular resistance, which was accompanied by an increase in cardiac index and stroke volume. Mean arterial blood pressure was slightly reduced, whereas the opposite small increase in heart rate meant that the double product remained unchanged. Contrary to resting conditions, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, pulmonary artery pressures, pulmonary vascular resistance, and mean right atrial pressure remained normal or increased to a lesser extent during exercise after elgodipine. After elgodipine ischemic ST depression during exercise was diminished, and 11 of 16 assessable patients remained free from angina pectoris. We conclude that elgodipine is an efficacious antianginal drug. Its major mechanism of action is lowering of systemic vascular resistance. Thus elgodipine improves systolic cardiac function in patients with chronic stable angina and may delay the onset of ischemic diastolic dysfunction during exercise, as indicated by a normal left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). The data also suggest an improvement in coronary blood flow during exercise.

Adult↗

Thrombolysis with recombinant unglycosylated single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (saruplase) in acute myocardial infarction: influence of heparin on early patency rate (LIMITS study). Liquemin in Myocardial Infarction During Thrombolysis With Saruplase.

OBJECTIVES: The Liquemin in Myocardial Infarction During Thrombolysis With Saruplase (LIMITS) study was instituted to evaluate and characterize the effect of a prethrombolytic heparin bolus (5,000 IU) on the efficacy and safety of saruplase in patients with acute myocardial infarction. BACKGROUND: Heparin has been used after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction to prevent reocclusion of the infarct-related artery. METHODS: The study was designed as a randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, multicenter trial. Patients were treated within 6 h of onset of symptoms with either a bolus of 5,000 IU of heparin (Liquemin) (n = 56, HSH group) or placebo (n = 62, PSH group) before thrombolytic treatment with saruplase given as a 20-mg bolus followed by an infusion of 60 mg over 60 min. Thirty minutes after completion of thrombolysis, an intravenous heparin infusion was administered for 5 days. Before coronary angiography was performed at 6 to 12 h after start of lysis, an additional bolus of 5,000 IU heparin was given to all patients. End points studied were patency of the infarct-related artery, changes in the hemostatic system and bleeding complications. RESULTS: In the HSH group (heparin-saruplase-heparin), 78.6% of patients had an open infarct-related vessel (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] flow grade 2 or 3) compared with 56.5% in the PSH group (placebo-saruplase-heparin) (intention-to-treat analysis, p = 0.01). No significant difference was observed between the two groups with regard to changes in fibrinogen and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products. A total of eight bleeding complications (14.3%) were observed in the HSH group and five (8.1%) in the PSH group; no cerebrovascular event occurred, and no allergic reaction was reported. A total of 12 patients died during the hospital stay, 3 in the HSH group (5.4%) and 9 in the PSH group (14.5%). CONCLUSIONS: In acute myocardial infarction, the administration of a heparin bolus before thrombolytic therapy with saruplase is associated with a significantly higher patency at angiography 6 to 12 h after the start of thrombolysis without any appreciable increase in risk of bleeding.

Adult↗

Recombinant hirudin and front-loaded alteplase in acute myocardial infarction: final results of a pilot study. HIT-I (hirudin for the improvement of thrombolysis).

Recombinant hirudin, a specific thrombin inhibitor, has been shown to accelerate thrombolysis and reduce reocclusions in experimental models. In a pilot trial recombinant hirudin (HBW 023) was used as an adjunctive therapy to thrombolysis with front-loaded tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) (100 mg.90 min-1) in 40 patients with acute myocardial infarction whose duration of symptoms was less than 6 h. Patients received a bolus of r-hirudin of 0.07 mg.kg-1 b.w. followed by an infusion of 0.05 mg.kg-1.h-1 over 48 h. Complete patency (TIMI grade 3) of the infarct-related artery at 30, 60 and 90 min after the start of thrombolytic therapy was seen in 38.5%, 64.1% and 71.0% of patients, respectively. After 24-48 h, 80% of patients had a complete patent infarct vessel. A very early, complete and sustained patency (TIMI grade 3 at 60 and 90 min and at 24-48 h) was observed in 55% of patients. Reocclusions during the hirudin therapy appeared in six (16.1%) patients, two of whom had a PTCA at 90 min. The only reinfarction was seen after 6 h; this was successfully treated with additional thrombolysis. Major bleedings, mostly related to the invasive procedure, were observed in three patients. Spontaneous organ bleedings and intracerebral haemorrhages did not occur. There was one in-hospital death due to a late retroperitoneal bleeding. In was concluded that, with regard to safety and efficacy, the general feasibility of r-hirudin as adjunctive therapy to thrombolysis with front-loaded t-PA, has been demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Frequency of achieving optimal reperfusion with thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction (analysis of four German multicenter studies).

Patients from 4 German multicenter studies on thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were retrospectively evaluated to assess the incidence of optimal reperfusion, defined as a completely perfused infarct vessel after 90 minutes, without subsequent death or reinfarction, and without reocclusion or deterioration of flow in control angiograms. Of 907 patients with a 90-minute angiogram, 75% had an open infarct vessel by conventional definition (perfusion grade 2 or 3 according to the criteria of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] study). However, only 62% had TIMI grade 3 complete perfusion. Of the 561 patients with such primary treatment success, 106 (19%) had secondary treatment failure by death, reinfarction, or subtotal or total reocclusion of the infarct vessel. In a subset of 668 patients with a first angiogram after 60 minutes, conventional patency was 70%, complete perfusion 51%, and an optimal perfusion result was achieved in only 42%. The efficacy of thrombolysis in AMI is substantially overestimated by conventional 90-minute patency rates.

Adult↗

[Paradoxical cerebral embolism during fibrinolysis therapy in deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism].

A 37-year-old woman with increasing dyspnoea over several months suddenly developed severe ortho- and tachypnoea as well as cyanosis of the lips and acrocyanosis. Pulmonary angiography revealed massive bilateral pulmonary emboli with a systolic pulmonary artery pressure of 75 mm Hg. Phlebography demonstrated a thrombotic occlusion of the deep veins of the left leg extending to the distal femoral vein. Thrombolysis treatment was started via an indwelling pulmonary artery catheter (500,000 IU urokinase and 10,000 IU heparin as bolus, then 1 mill. IU urokinase and 1,000 IU heparin per hour). After two hours an incomplete left-sided paresis occurred (involving ocular and facial muscles, dysarthria, left arm and left leg) and the thrombolytic infusion was stopped. But cerebral computed tomography (CT) did not demonstrate any intracerebral haemorrhage. The heparin infusion was restarted (partial thromboplastin time between 70 and 90 s). CT examinations during the next few days showed the development of an ischaemic infarction in the distribution of the right medial cerebral artery. Angiography demonstrated occlusion of the right internal carotid artery. The diagnosis of a paradoxical embolus was supported by easy cardiac catheter passage through a patent foramen ovale. Subsequent pulmonary angiography demonstrated a thrombus-free pulmonary arterial circulation with a normal pulmonary arterial pressure. There was gradual and extensive regression of the incomplete hemiparesis.

Adult↗

Extent of early ST segment elevation resolution: a simple but strong predictor of outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: This study proposed to verify the prognostic power of early ST segment elevation resolution in patients with acute myocardial infarction from the Intravenous Streptokinase in Acute Myocardial Infarction study data base. BACKGROUND: Data from a small prospective study suggested that use of two cutoff points for three different levels of ST segment resolution 3 h after the start of thrombolysis may be an efficient way to predict outcome in an individual patient. METHODS: The three groups of ST segment resolution were defined as 1) complete resolution (> or = 70% [552 patients]) or only slight ST segment elevation (127 patients); 2) partial resolution (< 70% to 30% [475 patients]); 3) no resolution (< 30% to > 0% [362 patients]). Infarct size was measured from creatine kinase isoenzyme, MB fraction, release and from the number of Q waves. Left ventricular function was assessed in 818 patients 1 month after infarction. RESULTS: For complete, partial and no ST segment resolution 3 h after the start of streptokinase or placebo infusion, enzyme release was 1.2, 1.8 and 2.1 IU/ml x h; number of Q waves 1.7, 2.5 and 3.0; and ejection fraction 60%, 53% and 49%, respectively (all adjusted p = 0.0000). Mortality rate at 21 days was 2.2%, 3.4% and 8.6%, respectively. No ST segment resolution was the most powerful independent predictor of early mortality (p = 0.0001). Survival rate curves at 6-year follow-up showed significant mortality differences with increasing divergence (p = 0.0003 anterior infarction; p = 0.005 inferior infarction). In subgroups with an overall higher risk of dying, mortality was strongly determined by the extent of early ST segment resolution. CONCLUSIONS: The extent of ST segment elevation resolution conveys useful early information about outcome in an individual patient after acute myocardial infarction.

Aged↗

Dose finding with a novel recombinant plasminogen activator (BM 06.022) in patients with acute myocardial infarction: results of the German Recombinant Plasminogen Activator Study. A study of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Leitender Kardiologischer Krankenhausärzte (ALKK).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the appropriate dose of a novel recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (BM 06.022) for thrombolysis in patients with acute myocardial infarction. BACKGROUND: BM 06.022 is a mutant of tissue-type plasminogen activator expressed in Escherichia coli that can be given as a single bolus because of a prolonged half-life, which might obviate the need for complicated regimens. METHODS: BM 06.022 given as a single bolus was investigated in 142 patients in a multicenter sequential dose-finding study. Efficacy of the drug was assessed from infarct-related artery patency by coronary angiography. RESULTS: With the first dose of 10 MU of BM 06.022, the predefined minimal 90-min patency of 70% was not achieved, as indicated by the sequential probability ratio test after treatment of 42 patients (group A). The second dose of 15 MU of BM 06.022 was given subsequently in the preset maximum of 100 patients (group B). Angiography 30, 60 and 90 min after the bolus injection of BM 06.022 revealed a patent infarct-related artery (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction trial [TIMI] grade 2 or 3) in 65% and 66%, 73% and 74% and 66% and 75% of patients in groups A and B, respectively. Very early reocclusion up to the 90-min angiogram occurred in 17% and 13%, late reocclusion until predischarge angiography occurred in 7% and 5%, and rescue percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty after the 90-min angiogram was performed in 6 and 14 patients in groups A and B, respectively. Plasma fibrinogen decreased from 2.79 g/liter (range 0.94 to 4.75) to 1.69 g/liter (range 0.0 to 3.95) in group A and from 2.54 g/liter (range 0.0 to 5.02) to 0.92 g/liter (range 0.0 to 2.68) in group B. Two bleeding complications requiring transfusion or surgical intervention and one nonfatal intracranial hemorrhage were encountered. Eight patients had a reinfarction, and five patients died, all of cardiac causes. CONCLUSIONS: With BM 06.022 given as a single bolus, a high early patency rate of the infarct-related coronary artery can be achieved. The speed of thrombolysis seems to be superior to standard thrombolytic drugs. The compound warrants further evaluation with respect to safety and efficacy by clinical end points.

Adult↗

Safety observations from the pilot phase of the randomized r-Hirudin for Improvement of Thrombolysis (HIT-III) study. A study of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Leitender Kardiologischer Krankenhausärzte (ALKK)

BACKGROUND: Adjunctive therapy for thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction consists of platelet inhibition with aspirin and thrombin inhibition with heparin. Thrombin inhibition may be improved by the use of hirudin as indicated by experimental and phase II clinical studies. The randomized, double-blind phase III r-Hirudin for Improvement of Thrombolysis study (HIT III) compared a recombinant hirudin (HBW 023) with heparin. The primary end point was the incidence of death or reinfarction. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seven thousand patients with acute myocardial infarction and a duration of symptoms of less than 6 hours were to be randomized to receive intravenous heparin (70 IU/kg body wt bolus and 15 IU.kg-1.h-1) or hirudin (0.4 mg/kg body wt bolus and 0.15 mg.kg-1.h-1) infused over 48 to 72 hours and adjusted to an activated partial thromboplastin time of 2 to 3.5 times baseline values. In a pilot phase, 1000 patients receiving front-loaded alteplase for thrombolysis were to be recruited by 93 German centers. After enrollment of 302 patients, the trial was stopped after an increased rate of intracranial bleeding was observed in the hirudin group (5 of 148, 3.4%) compared with the heparin group (0 of 154). The overall stroke rate was 3.4% in the hirudin group and 1.3% in the heparin group. Other major bleeding occurred in five versus three patients and ventricular rupture occurred in three versus one patient in the hirudin and heparin groups, respectively. There were 19 in-hospital deaths, with 13 of them from the hirudin group. CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of patients was too small for a definite benefit-risk assessment, at the dosage tested, hirudin in combination with front-loaded alteplase and aspirin may be associated with an increased rate of intracranial hemorrhage. Our findings are consistent with the observations of the GUSTO-II and TIMI-9 trials, where higher doses of another recombinant hirudin were used. Therefore, the therapeutic range of hirudin as an adjunct to thrombolysis may be smaller than previously thought, and reappraisal of dose finding should be considered.

Adult↗

[Prehospital thrombolytic therapy of acute myocardial infarct].

The extent of myocardial damage occurring during acute myocardial infarction is time dependent, and there is abundant evidence from most clinical trials that mortality reduction is greatest in patients treated early with thrombolytic agents, although beneficial effects have been shown with treatment initiated up to 12 hours after onset of symptoms. This temporal dependence of benefit was most clearly seen with the 47% mortality reduction obtained with streptokinase given within the first hour in the GISSI-1 trial (Table 1). The process of infarction may be completely aborted if reperfusion is initiated within 30 minutes after symptom onset. Current approaches designed to reduce the time delay between onset of symptoms and the initiation of thrombolytic treatment include increasing public awareness of the need to seek prompt medical attention in the event of chest pain, reducing in-hospital delays in initiation of thrombolytic therapy, and administration of thrombolytic agents in the prehospital setting. Since the first paper on prehospital thrombolysis by Koren et al. in 1985 there have been numerous studies published, including several randomized trials comparing prehospital and in-hospital initiation of thrombolytic therapy (Table 2). In randomized studies patients received in the pre-hospital phase either a bolus or infusion with the thrombolytic agent followed by placebo after hospital admission, or placebo when first seen outside the hospital, followed by the thrombolytic agent after arrival at the hospital. This was performed in a double-blind fashion in some of the trials. Some of the studies on prehospital thrombolysis have focused only on feasibility and safety, others on time gain, differences in ejection fraction and mortality benefit. Almost all have conclusively shown the practicability and safety of patient selection and administration of the thrombolytic agent. This positive result was observed in different organizational types of the emergency system: In the Myocardial Infarction Triage and Intervention trial (MITI) patients with chest pain were screened by paramedics using a checklist of clinical inclusion and exclusion criteria. The paramedics then obtained a computer-interpreted ECG which was transmitted to the emergency department in the hospital where a physician made the decision on the form of treatment. The thrombolytic agent was then administered by the paramedic. In the European Myocardial Infarction Project (EMIP) an emergency physician was personally present and responsible in the prehospital setting, whereas in the Grampian Region Early Anistreplase Trial (GREAT) general practitioners made the decision for enrolling the patient.

Double-Blind Method↗

Open, noncontrolled dose-finding study with a novel recombinant plasminogen activator (BM 06.022) given as a double bolus in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

The novel recombinant plasminogen activator (r-PA) (BM 06.022) is a mutant of tissue-type plasminogen activator expressed in escherichia coli which can be given as a bolus because of a prolonged half-life. The primary objective of this trial was to determine the efficacy of an intravenous r-PA double bolus (first bolus of 10 MU followed by 5 MU after 30 minutes) in patients with acute myocardial infarction. All patients received heparin intravenously and acetylsalicylic acid orally. Efficacy was assessed from infarct artery patency by coronary angiography (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction trial perfusion grades 2 or 3) in 50 patients. Ninety minutes after administration of the first r-PA bolus, the infarct-related coronary artery was patent in 39 of 50 patients (78%; 95% confidence interval 64 to 88%). An angiographically confirmed reocclusion occurred in 1 patient between 90 minutes and 24 to 48 hours. The reocclusion rate was influenced by 8 interventions and 1 angiogram missing at 24 to 48 hours. Measurements of hemostatic parameters showed a decrease in fibrinogen to 37% of baseline value. There were 3 clinical reinfarctions before discharge and 2 major puncture site hemorrhages. No further serious bleeding and no serious adverse event with lethal outcome occurred. The 10 + 5 MU r-PA double bolus regimen appears to be effective with regard to patency and the success of thrombolysis. The incidence of reocclusion is very low. From the limited number of patients treated in this study, one need not be concerned about the safety profile of r-PA.

Clinical Enzyme Tests↗

Myocardial infarction in young patients with Hodgkin's disease--potential pathogenic role of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and splenectomy.

Among a total of 2147 patients admitted to our hospital for acute myocardial infarction between 1978 and 1987, three young patients aged 24, 29, and 39 years had previously been treated for Hodgkin's disease. Staging laparotomy, including splenectomy, had been performed in all three patients. Two patients had both mediastinal irradiation (21 and 27 months before infarction) and chemotherapy. In the first patient, postmortem histologic examination of the coronary arteries revealed fibrotic changes, which were probably induced by radiotherapy. In our second patient, myocardial infarction developed 5 days after vinblastine treatment; early angiography showed thrombotic occlusion of the proximal right coronary artery, which was recanalized using the diagnostic Sones catheter. Subsequent angiography revealed normal coronary arteries. This is, to our knowledge, the first case of documented coronary artery thrombosis after treatment with vinca-alkaloids. In our third patient, neither mediastinal irradiation nor chemotherapy had been performed prior to myocardial infarction. However, a marked increase in platelet counts following splenectomy was observed in this patient. The role of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and splenectomy with consecutive thrombocytosis as a third possible pathogenic factor for subsequent development of myocardial infarction is discussed.

Adult↗

Impact of early perfusion status of the infarct-related artery on short-term mortality after thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction: retrospective analysis of four German multicenter studies.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the impact of early patency of the infarct-related vessel on short-term mortality after thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction. BACKGROUND: Different thrombolytic regimens for acute myocardial infarction proved to be equally effective in large scale mortality trials despite significant differences in their efficacy with respect to early infarct-related vessel patency as shown in smaller angiographic trials. METHODS: Patients from four German multicenter studies of thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction were retrospectively evaluated. Of 939 patients with acute myocardial infarction (duration of symptoms < 6 h) treated with thrombolysis, 907 (96.6%) had an angiogram of the infarct-related artery 90 min after the initiation of thrombolytic therapy. The perfusion status was graded according to the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) study criteria. RESULTS: Complete reperfusion (TIMI grade 3) was found in 561 of 907 patients and partial reperfusion (TIMI grade 2) in 122 of 907. Overall, the in-hospital mortality rate was 4.6% (43 patients). In patients with complete reperfusion of the infarct-related vessel, the mortality rate was only 2.7% versus 7.1% in patients with an occluded vessel at the 90-min angiogram. This difference was highly significant in univariate as well as in multivariate analysis. In patients with partial perfusion of the infarct vessel, the mortality rate was 6.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The early perfusion status of the infarct-related artery is an independent predictor of short-term survival. However, only complete early reperfusion is associated with a reduced in-hospital mortality rate whereas patients with partial perfusion (TIMI grade 2) have a short-term prognosis similar to that of patients with persistently occluded infarct vessels. Therefore, when used as a surrogate end point for mortality, only TIMI grade 3 perfusion of the infarct vessel should be interpreted as a treatment success of thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction.

Adult↗

[Coronary stent implantation: a procedure for treatment of acute dissections after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty].

The development of percutaneous wire-guided endoprostheses (stents) has expanded the possibilities for treating acute vascular occlusion within the field of coronary angioplasty (PTCA). A balloon-expandable Palmaz-Schatz stent was implanted in a total of 14 patients. The coronary arteries involved were the right coronary artery (seven cases), the anterior interventricular branch (five cases), and the circumflex branch (two cases). In seven cases the stent was inserted on an emergency basis to deal with treatening occlusion during PTCA, in one case of occlusion following coronary angiography, and in three cases to recanalize the infarcted vessel. Seven of these eleven patients were submitted to a follow-up angiography three months later, when none was shown to have a restenosis of more than 50%. Stent placement was followed by anticoagulation therapy comprising coumarin combined with acetylsalicylic acid. The Palmaz-Schatz stent represents an alternative to emergency bypass surgery in the treatment of acute dissection during PTCA.

Adult↗

Frequency of complications of cardiopulmonary resuscitation after thrombolysis during acute myocardial infarction.

Prolonged external cardiac massage is often regarded as a contraindication for thrombolytic therapy because of the risk of fatal hemorrhage. The influence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation on complications of thrombolytic bleeding was assessed analyzing data of all patients with myocardial infarction admitted to our clinic during the 10-year period between 1978 and 1987. From the total of 2,147 patients with acute myocardial infarction, 590 received thrombolytic therapy (intracoronary in 229, intravenous in 400). Of these, 43 patients underwent prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation and received thrombolysis within a time interval of less than 24 hours. In 21 patients, resuscitation was performed within a short period of time (5 minutes to 20 hours) after thrombolysis (10 intracoronary, 10 intravenous, 1 intravenous + intracoronary) had been initiated; 9 of these patients survived (43%). In the other 22 patients, thrombolytic therapy was initiated during ongoing resuscitation (n = 6: intravenous in 5, intravenous + intracoronary in 1) or in the early phase (10 to 120 minutes) after successful resuscitation (n = 16: intracoronary in 10, intravenous in 4, intravenous + intracoronary in 2). From this group, 14 patients survived (in-hospital mortality 36%). The mean duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was 36 +/- 32 minutes (range 4 to 120). Autopsy studies were performed in 16 of 20 decreased patients. Bleeding complications occurred in 8 of 43 patients. No case of bleeding was directly related to cardiocompression despite the often traumatic procedure with rib fractures verified in 17 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗