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Asymmetrical myocardial hypothermia during hypothermic cardioplegia.

To evaluate the possibility of inadequate right ventricular protection during operation, the temperatures of the anterior myocardium of the right ventricle and the middle of the interventricular septum were compared at ten-minute intervals throughout the period of continuous coronary ischemia in 130 consecutive patients. Systemic temperature was lowered to 23 degrees C, using cardiopulmonary bypass. Cardiac arrest was induced by aortic cross-clamping and infusion of cold cardioplegic solution. Cold solution was reinfused as necessary to maintain septal temperatures at less than 20 degrees C. Despite the use of superior and inferior vena caval cannulation for control of venous return, it was more difficult to maintain the right ventricle at the desired degree of myocardial hypothermia than the left ventricle. The difference between left and right ventricular temperatures was as great as 19 degrees C. In 80% of the observations (n = 1,010), the right ventricle was warmer than the left ventricle. The most frequently occurring temperature differences (left ventricle minus right ventricle) were in the 2 degrees to 3 degrees C range. These data indicate that it is more difficult to maintain hypothermia in the right ventricle. Concern for the left ventricle alone may be misleading. An alarming degree of rewarming may occur in the right ventricle and thereby contribute to right ventricular dysfunction and unilateral right ventricular failure.

Body Temperature↗

Delayed complications after myocardial contusion.

A 45 year old farmer was kicked in the chest by a horse. In the days following the injury episodic breathlessness developed and he was admitted to hospital with right ventricular failure and pulmonary emboli. Echocardiography showed global right ventricular dysfunction but a right ventricular mural thrombus, the likely source of the pulmonary emboli, was not seen. He gradually recovered after treatment with anticoagulant. One month later he presented with a further complication--complete atrioventricular dissociation--that required a dual chamber pacemaker implantation. This patient had few initial manifestations of right ventricular myocardial contusion and this case illustrates that such patients should be closely monitored for delayed complications.

Contusions↗

Right and left ventricular function at rest and with exercise in patients with sarcoidosis.

Fourteen patients with restrictive pulmonary disease due to sarcoidosis were studied with radionuclide angiocardiography in order to define the incidence and significance of right and left ventricular dysfunction. Right and left ventricular ejection fractions were determined by an equilibrium technique at both rest and exercise. All patients had a normal left ventricular ejection fraction with rest and 12 of 14 had the normal 5 percent or greater rise in ejection fraction with exercise. The right ventricular ejection fraction was abnormal in three patients at rest and only two patients had a 5 percent or greater rise in ejection fraction with exercise. A correlation was found between the right ventricular ejection fraction with exercise and the total lung capacity (r = 0.73, p less than 0.01) and the arterial PO2 during exercise (r = 0.74, p less than 0.01).

Adult↗

Oxygen therapy and exercise response in lung disease.

Lung disease affects exercise performance through a number of mechanisms, including hypoxemia, abnormal ventilatory mechanics, abnormal ventilatory muscles, abnormal ventilatory patterns, abnormal right heart function and subjective dyspnea. Supplemental oxygen improves hypoxemia and thus improves exercise impairment resulting from hypoxemia-related reductions in oxygen delivery. Supplemental oxygen also reduces exercise ventilation. This, in turn, reduces ventilatory muscle work, and the concomitant permissive hypercapnia may have beneficial effects at the cellular level. Additionally, in obstructive disease patients, an improved ventilatory pattern may reduce air trapping. Supplemental oxygen may also improve right ventricular dysfunction in patients with underlying right ventricular dysfunction. Finally, supplemental oxygen may reduce dyspnea caused by oxygen-related carotid body activity. Important questions remain. First, is long-term oxygen use of benefit in patients with only exercise hypoxemia? Second, is exercise conditioning possible in patients with exercise hypoxemia? Third, does supplemental oxygen enhance exercise conditioning efforts in those patients with CLD but without exercise hypoxemia? If the answer to this last question is yes, what selection criteria should be used to identify those who would benefit? The answers to all of these questions will have enormous impact on our approach to the optimal management of CLD patients.

Chronic Disease↗

Pulmonary vasoconstriction due to impaired nitric oxide production after cardiopulmonary bypass.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension is a serious complication after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This study tests the hypothesis that CPB provokes oxidant-mediated pulmonary endothelial dysfunction, leading to reduced nitric oxide (NO) production and pulmonary vasoconstriction. METHODS: Twelve piglets underwent 2 hours of CPB. In 6 of them, CPB prime was supplemented with N-mercaptopropionylglycine and catalase, whereas the others were not treated. Left and right ventricular function were evaluated from end-systolic elastance and Starling analysis. Pulmonary vascular resistance and transpulmonary NO production (measuring NO2-, NO3-) were determined to assess pulmonary endothelial function. RESULTS: Cardiopulmonary bypass caused a significant increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (83 +/- 12 to 212 +/- 30 dynes.cm-5.s kg-1, p < 0.05), associated with a reduction of NO production (8.8 +/- 1.4 to 2.5 +/- 0.5 mumol/min, p < 0.05) and depressed right ventricular function (56 +/- 12% of control), whereas N-mercaptopropionylglycine and catalase added to the CPB allowed a substantial improvement of these deleterious effects of CPB. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary bypass impairs pulmonary NO production, resulting in pulmonary vasoconstriction and right ventricular dysfunction, which can be reduced by antioxidants. These findings imply the validity of NO inhalation therapy for postoperative pulmonary hypertension as a supplementation of endogenous endothelium-derived relaxing factor.

Animals↗

Transient right but not left ventricular dysfunction after strenuous exercise at high altitude.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate whether prolonged exercise in ultramarathon runners results in left ventricular (LV) damage. BACKGROUND: Strenuous exercise has been reported to cause LV damage. METHODS: Fourteen runners who completed an ultramarathon at high altitude underwent echocardiography, finger-tip oximetry and blood measurements of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase, MB fraction (CK-MB) levels before, immediately after and 1 day after the race. RESULTS: At baseline, the echocardiograms showed normal LV and right ventricular (RV) size and function in all subjects, as well as mild tricuspid regurgitation in nine subjects, with normal estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (mean 28 mm Hg). At baseline, all oxymetric readings and CK-MB measurements were normal, and cTnI was undetectable. Immediately after the race, the echocardiograms showed the expected augmentation of global and segmental LV function in all subjects. Although the RV was normal in nine subjects, five developed marked RV dilation and hypokinesia, paradoxic septal motion, pulmonary hypertension and wheezing. CK-MB values were elevated in all subjects. In all but one subject cTnI was undetectable. In that subject there was a small elevation in cTnI accompanied by severe RV dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. At the 1-day follow-up study, the echocardiographic measurements had normalized in all subjects. CONCLUSIONS: In trained athletes, strenuous exercise at high altitude did not result in LV damage. However, wheezing, reversible pulmonary hypertension and RV dysfunction occurred in a third of those completing the race. The incidence and pathogenesis of these findings remain to be determined.

Adult↗

Prognostic value of echocardiography and spiral computed tomography in patients with pulmonary embolism.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The identification of patients with pulmonary embolism who are at risk for mortality or severe morbidity in the early observation period is important because these patients may benefit from more aggressive initial treatment such as thrombolysis or catheter removal of the thrombus. Right ventricular dysfunction has been suggested to have a prognostic value for the occurrence of these adverse outcomes. The purpose of this review is to determine the prevalence and prognostic value of right ventricular dysfunction, in particular in normotensive patients with pulmonary embolism. The association between right ventricular dysfunction and outcome of pulmonary embolism was evaluated for studies using echocardiography, spiral computed tomography, or both to detect right ventricular dysfunction. RECENT FINDINGS: Seven studies using echocardiography with a total of 3468 patients and six studies using spiral computed tomography with a total of 868 patients were identified. The prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction with echocardiography in normotensive patients was approximately 30 to 40%, with a positive predictive value for short-term mortality of approximately 5%. These indices could not be calculated for normotensive patients in the studies that used spiral computed tomography. SUMMARY: The studies using echocardiography show that there is an association between right ventricular dysfunction and prognosis of pulmonary embolism in normotensive patients. Whether this is clinically useful in guiding more aggressive therapy remains to be determined, however. Thus far, the results of the studies with spiral computed tomography are too preliminary to enable definite conclusions to be drawn for the normotensive patient group.

Humans↗

Complex valve operations: antegrade versus retrograde cardioplegia?

BACKGROUND: Increasingly complex cardiac procedures demand optimal myocardial protective techniques during the requisite interval of aortic cross-clamping. For complex procedures in which prolonged cross-clamp times are anticipated, we favor combined antegrade and retrograde cold blood cardioplegia. Advantages include rapid arrest, uniform distribution, and an uninterrupted operation. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the cases of 194 consecutive patients who underwent complex cardiovascular procedures between January 1988 and October 1994. Procedures performed included valve repair and coronary artery bypass grafting (23.7%), valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting (19.1%), complex aortic arch and valve procedures (16.6%), valve repair only (16.5%), reoperative valve (9.8%), and multiple-valve replacements (9.3%). Cardioplegic arrest times averaged 113 +/- 38.5 minutes (range, 52 to 292 minutes). RESULTS: Postoperative left and right ventricular function was evaluated using transesophageal echocardiography. The echocardiograms revealed a 3.1% incidence of new left ventricular dysfunction and no case of right ventricular dysfunction. Of the patients evaluated, 75.7% required little (< 3 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 of dopamine hydrochloride) or no inotropic support postoperatively. The 30-day mortality rate was 3.1%, and no death was due to cardiac failure. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that myocardial protection using a combined antegrade and retrograde cardioplegia technique permits excellent myocardial protection during complex cardiovascular procedures requiring long arrest times.

Adult↗

[Cardiologic diagnosis of pulmonary embolism: echocardiography].

Pulmonary embolism (PE) represents the third more frequent cardiovascular disease following the acute coronary artery disease and stroke. The most important predisposing clinical condition for PE is represented by the deep-vein thrombosis. The clinical diagnosis of PE has a very low accuracy; so the clinical suspect has to be necessarily directed towards the performance of diagnostic procedures. Among the most used procedures, the echocardiography has a diagnostic role but also a prognostic one. Moreover, it offers precious informations useful to perform the most suitable treatment. The echocardiography features which suggest the presence of pulmonary embolism are: right ventricle and atrium dilatation, right ventricular hypokinesia, systolic flattening of the interventricular septum, tricuspid regurgitation, pulmonary artery dilatation, disappearance or reduction of the inspiratory collapse of the inferior vena cava and presence of eventual embolic sources. According to the involvement degree of right ventricular function, it is generally possible to identify a different survival. The subgroup of patients with moderate or severe right ventricular dysfunction shows a high in hospital and within 1 year death rate. For this reason the right ventricular dysfunction degree together with the hemodynamic stability, are the most important parameters in the therapeutic choice. If there is no right ventricular dysfunction a treatment with heparin is indicated. In presence of right ventricular dysfunction and hemodynamic instability, the thrombolytic treatment is necessary. If the patient is hemodynamically stable, a transesophageal echocardiography is recommended; in case of central thrombosis the thrombolytic therapy or surgery are needed, while if no embolic material is shown the heparin treatment is advisable.

Aged↗

Cardiopulmonary assessment in beta-thalassemia major.

Thalassemia patients succumb at a young age to congestive heart failure. Hitherto, attention has been focused on left ventricular function. This report emphasizes right ventricular dysfunction and abnormal pulmonary function. We performed cardiopulmonary evaluation, including echo-Doppler, spirometry, CO diffusion (DCO), and blood gas analyses in 35 patients with homozygous beta-thalassemia maintained by multiple blood transfusions. Six autopsy lung specimens were studied. Thalassemia patients exhibited pulmonary dysfunction, characterized by hypoxemia (85 percent of the patients were outside the 95 percent confidence limits), reduced lung volumes (51 percent), flow rates (63 percent) and DCO (50 percent). Right ventricular dysfunction was more prevalent than left ventricular dysfunction. Furthermore, 75 percent of the patients had evidence of pulmonary hypertension consistent with more frequent right ventricular rather than left ventricular dysfunction. Our findings suggest that in thalassemia patients, complex cardiopulmonary abnormalities precede the final outcome of congestive heart failure.

Adult↗

Effect of coronary artery recanalization on right ventricular function in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

The effects of coronary artery recanalization by intracoronary administration of streptokinase on left ventricular function during acute myocardial infarction have received increasing attention in recent years. Although myocardial dysfunction is often more pronounced in the right ventricle than in the left ventricle in patients with acute inferior wall myocardial infarction, the effect of coronary artery recanalization on right ventricular dysfunction has not been previously addressed. Accordingly, in this investigation, 54 patients who participated in a prospective, controlled, randomized trial of recanalization during acute myocardial infarction were studied. Among 30 patients with inferior wall infarction, 19 had right ventricular dysfunction on admission; 11 of these 19 had positive uptake of technetium-99m pyrophosphate in the right ventricle, indicative of right ventricular infarction. Patients with successful recanalization (n = 6) exhibited improved right ventricular ejection fraction from admission to day 10 (26 +/- 7 to 39 +/- 14%, p less than 0.03). However, control patients (n = 6) and patients who did not undergo recanalization (n = 7) also exhibited improvement (20 +/- 7 to 29 +/- 11% [p less than 0.02] and 30 +/- 8 to 40 +/- 6% [p less than 0.03], respectively). Improvement in several other variables of right ventricular dysfunction evolved at an equal rate with the ejection fraction changes. Patients with or without right ventricular infarction improved similarly. These data indicate that the right ventricular dysfunction commonly associated with inferior wall infarction is often transient, and improvement is the rule, irrespective of early recanalization of the "infarct vessel."

Aged↗

The role of right ventricular systolic dysfunction and elevated intrapericardial pressure in the genesis of low output in experimental right ventricular infarction.

To elucidate the pathophysiology of severe right ventricular infarction (RVI), isolated RVI was produced in 15 dogs with the pericardium intact or open. After RVI in dogs with the pericardium intact, RV systolic pressure decreased by 27%, aortic pressure by 29% and cardiac output by 34%. RV transmural pressure, RV end-diastolic size and intrapericardial pressure increased, left ventricular transmural pressure and end-diastolic size decreased and the diastolic pressures equalized. Pericardiotomy after RVI resulted in increased ventricular transmural pressures and diastolic size, improved cardiac output and resolution of equalized diastolic pressures. RVI in dogs with the pericardium open resulted in similar changes, but of lesser magnitude and without equalization of diastolic pressures. These results indicate that reduced left ventricular preload due to impaired RV systolic function contributes to low cardiac output in RVI. Elevated intra-pericardial pressure further reduced left ventricular preload and produces equal diastolic pressures.

Animals↗

Right and left ventricular dysfunction in patients with severe pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of right and left ventricular dysfunction in a prescreened population of patients with severe pulmonary disease, and to analyze the relationship between right and left ventricular function. DESIGN: Retrospective record review of 434 patients with severe pulmonary disease. PATIENTS: Patients with end-stage pulmonary disease, including alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency emphysema, COPD, cystic fibrosis (CF), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension (primary and Eisenmenger's syndrome), who were evaluated for lung transplantation between January 1993 and December 1995. MEASUREMENTS: Pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases, radionuclide ventriculography, two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography, pulmonary hemodynamics, coronary angiography. RESULTS: Right ventricular dysfunction (right ventricular ejection fraction [RVEF] <45%) was present in 267 patients (66%), but the prevalence was highest (94%) in patients with pulmonary vascular disease. Among the patients with airway or parenchymal lung disease, the prevalence ranged from 59% in COPD to 66% in CF. In contrast, left ventricular dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] <45%) was present in only 6.4%, but it, too, was most common in the group with pulmonary hypertension (19.6%). In the groups with parenchymal or airway disease, the prevalence was 3.6%, and there was no statistical difference among the four diagnoses (alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency emphysema; COPD; CF; idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis). LVEF showed a significant correlation with RVEF (r=0.44; p<0.05), and left ventricular dysfunction was associated with the presence of moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation but not with coronary artery disease. In a subset of patients with both right and left ventricular dysfunction who subsequently underwent lung transplantation, RVEF and LVEF increased pari passu after transplantation. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction is high in patients with end-stage pulmonary disease, but the prevalence of left ventricular dysfunction is relatively low. Left ventricular dysfunction appears to be related to right ventricular dysfunction, perhaps through ventricular interdependence.

Adult↗

Right ventricular diastolic dysfunction in the postoperative period of tetralogy of Fallot.

OBJECTIVE: To assess right ventricular diastolic function in the intermediate postoperative period of repair of tetralogy of Fallot. METHODS: We carried out a case-control study with 60 patients divided into 2 groups as follows: 1) group I - 30 patients who had undergone repair of tetralogy of Fallot and 2) group II - 30 healthy children. The 2 groups were paired for age, sex, and body surface. The flows in the pulmonary and tricuspid valves were analyzed with Doppler echocardiography. The presence of anterograde flow at the end of diastole in the pulmonary artery defined restrictive right ventricular physiology. Surgical, radiological, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic variables were analized in the group I. RESULTS: The velocity of the A wave and the E/A ratio for the tricuspid valve showed significant differences between the groups. Cases with E/A < 1.30 predominated in inspiration (group I - 19/30, and group II - 5/30). The duration of the QRS complex on the electrocardiogram was significantly increased in patients with E/A <1.30. Nineteen (63.3%) patients had restrictive right ventricular physiology, which had a longer postoperative period, longer duration of the QRS complex, and a lower E/A ratio in inspiration. The surgical and radiological variables showed no statistical difference. CONCLUSION: Restrictive right ventricular physiology was detected on the intermediate follow-up of most patients undergoing repair of tetralogy of Fallot. The postoperative period and QRS duration were increased in patients with impairment in diastolic function.

Adolescent↗

Pulmonary regurgitation is an important determinant of right ventricular contractile dysfunction in patients with surgically repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of right ventricular (RV) function in patients with pulmonary regurgitation (PR) after tetralogy repair remains challenging because of abnormal RV loading conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 124 patients, aged 21+/-11.4 years, who had tetralogy repair at 3.7+/-3.5 years. By Doppler echocardiography, 33 patients had mild, 22 moderate, and 69 severe PR; 55 had significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Myocardial velocities, myocardial acceleration during isovolumic contraction (IVA), strain, and strain rate were measured at RV and LV base. Tricuspid valve annulus was measured in a 4-chamber view. QRS, QT, and JT intervals and their dispersions were measured from 12-lead electrocardiogram. IVA in the RV was lower in all patients compared with controls (0.8+/-0.4 versus 1.8+/-0.5, P<0.0001) and correlated with the severity of PR (r=-0.43, P<0.0001), whereas myocardial velocities, and strain/strain rate did not. LV IVA correlated with PR (r=-0.32, P<0.001) and with RV IVA (r=0.28, P<0.003). Patients with severe PR had a higher incidence of TR (r=0.69, P<0.0001) and lower RV IVA (1.0+/-0.4 versus 0.6+/-0.3, P<0.0001), a larger tricuspid valve ring diameter (P<0.0001), and prolonged electrical depolarization (P<0.001). Age at surgery or examination did not correlate with PR and with RV function assessed by IVA. In the RV, IVA correlated inversely with QRS duration (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Although load-dependent myocardial velocities and strain are not influenced by the severity of PR and presence of significant TR, IVA demonstrates reduced contractile function in relation to the degree of PR and may be an early, sensitive index for selecting patients for valve replacement.

Adolescent↗

Evolutionary changes in left and right ventricular function in acute myocardial infarction.

To determine the evolutionary changes in right and left ventricular function in acute myocardial infarction, 3 serial gated blood pool scans were performed in 76 patients within 24 hours (24 H), at 10 days (10 D) and 3 months (3 M) following the onset of myocardial infarction. The patients were divided into 3 groups: ANT (anterior MI), INF (inferior MI without right ventricular dysfunction) and RVF (inferior MI with right ventricular dysfunction). LVEF in ANT was significantly lower than that of INF and RVF at 24 H, 10 D and 3 M. The ratio of right ventricular volume to LV volume (RVV/LVV) was compared among 3 groups. The mean values of RVV/LVV in RVF were 1.3 through 24 H and 3 M and they were significantly higher than the other two groups. The RVV/LVV in ANT and INF were around 1.0. LVEDVI in RVF was rather smaller than that of ANT and INF. LVESVI in ANT at 24 H was significantly larger than that of INF and RVF and the mean value of LVESVI in ANT were around 60 ml/M2 from 24 H to 3 M. LVEF in ANT, RVF and INF did not increase significantly during peak exercise at 3 M. However, quantitative regional wall motion analysis revealed that regional wall motion of R2 (posterolateral wall motion) in ANT and R5 (septal wall motion) in INF decreased significantly during peak exercise. These impairments in regional wall motion might be due to the exacerbation of ischemia of non-infarcted area.

Adult↗

Right ventricular infarction.

Right ventricular infarction complicates up to half of inferior left ventricular infarctions. The term represents a spectrum of disease from mild, asymptomatic right ventricular dysfunction to cardiogenic shock, and it includes transient ischemic myocardial dysfunction as well as myocardial necrosis. Right ventricular infarction is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality, and its presence defines a high-risk subgroup of patients with inferior left ventricular infarction. Diagnosis of this condition requires a high degree of suspicion based on clinical findings and the early recording of the electrocardiogram through right precordial leads, as well as elevated right-sided filling pressures out of proportion to left-sided filling pressures. The proper management of right ventricular infarction requires sustaining adequate right ventricular preload with volume loading and maintenance of atrioventricular synchrony, reduction of right ventricular afterload (particularly when left ventricular dysfunction is present), and inotropic support of the right ventricle. Early reperfusion with fibrinolytic therapy or direct angioplasty is also warranted. Survivors of right ventricular infarction generally have a restoration of normal right ventricular function with resolution of hemodynamic abnormalities.

Echocardiography↗

Right ventricular function evaluated by volumetric analysis during left heart bypass in a canine model of postischemic cardiac dysfunction.

Right ventricular function during left heart bypass was evaluated by volumetric analysis with a conductance catheter in 12 dogs with postischemic cardiac dysfunction. The conductance catheter was used to assess the volumetric status of the right ventricle and thereby allowed a right ventricular pressure-volume curve to be obtained, in which transient volume loading on the right ventricle was applied. The following right ventricular properties during left heart bypass were assessed and compared with properties measured without left heart bypass, by means of load-independent parameters: maximum elastance, stroke work/end-diastolic volume relation, end-diastolic pressure/volume relation, and stroke work/end-diastolic pressure relation. The stroke volume derived from the conductance catheter and the electromagnetic flow probe showed good linear correlation (r2 = 0.733 to 0.975). After initiation of left heart bypass, maximum elastance did not change significantly, although volume intercept significantly increased, from 1.2 +/- 7.3 to 3.6 +/- 7.9 ml (p < 0.05). End-diastolic pressure/volume relation was well fitted to the exponential curve (EDP = e(k1.EDV+k2)) and was shifted to the right and downward during left heart bypass; the slope k1 significantly decreased, from 0.12 +/- 0.06 to 0.10 +/- 0.07 (p < 0.01). Stroke work/end-diastolic volume relation and stroke work/end-diastolic pressure relation were closely fitted to the linear regression, and their slopes were significantly increased during left heart bypass, from 0.14 +/- 0.08 to 0.18 +/- 0.08 (p < 0.05) and from 0.22 +/- 0.15 to 0.34 +/- 0.19 (p < 0.01), respectively. These results suggest that the decompression of the left ventricle and septal shifting by left heart bypass provide good diastolic compliance and good systolic performance because of afterload unloading of the right ventricle. Thus the left heart bypass improved the overall right ventricular performance, particularly at higher end-diastolic pressures, in dogs with postischemic cardiac dysfunction.

Animals↗