Carbon monoxide toxicity with neurological and cardiac complications

A family suffered carbon monoxide toxicity, with cerebral and / or cardiac complications, while sleeping in the cabin on a recreational boat. This article describes a couple exposed to a malfunctioning air-conditioning system on the boat, which subsequently developed the unique combination of cerebral symptoms and a non Q/non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, with enzyme elevations and electrocardiographic abnormalities. This interesting complication of a myocardial infarction secondary to carbon monoxide toxicity, associated with neurological manifestations, is reviewed.

Cardiac pacemakers: an update

In this update of cardiac pacing we review the new revised ACC/AHA/NASPE Guidelines for implantation of cardiac pacemakers, including selection of pacing mode, possible new indications, and other more recent advances in cardiac pacing

Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas.

Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (NETP) are rare. We report our surgical experience of 11 patients with NETP. These included 5 patients with benign insulinomas. Raised serum insulin and C-peptide levels with hypoglycemia were always diagnostic. Ultrasonography, CT, visceral angiography, arterial stimulation and venous sampling, and intraoperative ultrasound localized the tumor in 0/5, 1/5, 3/4, 2/2, 3/3 cases, respectively. The 6 other malignant NETP (one gastrinoma, 2 carcinoids, 3 non-functioning) were managed by pancreatic resection (Whipple's operation = 3, distal pancreatectomy with total gastrectomy = 1, total pancreatectomy = 1, distal pancreatectomy with left nephrectomy and proximal gastrectomy = 1). Two patients died postoperatively. We had 5 major and 2 minor postoperative complications, with 2 deaths. During follow up from 1 to 7 years, one patient with malignant carcinoid tumor died at two and half years, of local recurrence. The other 8 patients are disease-free with good quality of life.

Acute spinal cord and head injury: case report and discussion of cardiac, respiratory and endocrine abnormalities

We report a male patient who after a fall suffered high cervical spinal cord and head (cerebral) injuries. These injuries led to spinal shock, marked sinus bradycardia and asystolic cardiac and respiratory arrests, recalcitrant central traumatic diabetes insipidus, and death within approximately seven weeks. Temporary transvenous cardiac pacing proved useful in the management of this patient

Carbamazepine-induced sinus node dysfunction

Carbamazepine, a drug used for the treatment of epilepsy and neuralgias, may exert hazardous effects on the cardiac conduction system. We report such a case of symptomatic brady-arrhythmia occurring in a 43-years-old male while on therapy with carbamazepine. Additionally, a literature review is made of previous cases of carbamazepine-induced sinus mode, AV node and His-Purkinje conduction disturbances

Atrial parasystole

A case of the relatively rare atrial parasystole is reported, and this interesting cardiac arrhythmia is reviewed. Atypical deviations from classical parasystole are reviewed, and modern concepts of parasystole as they differ from traditional, classical parasystole are addressed

Immunology of cardiac diseases. A review

Se presenta un repaso de los mecanismos inmunologicos establecidos hasta el presente en relacion a varias enfermedades cardiacas. Excluye las lesiones cardiacas y/o complicaciones que se asocian a las llamadas enfermedades de autoinmunidad. Nuestro proposito ha sido el proveer un repaso organizado y actualizado de la literatura mas relevante sobre la funcion de las reacciones inmunologicas en la patogenesis de condiciones cardiacas primarias

Some electrocardiographic faces of hyperkalemia.

Este articulo ilustra algunas de las muchas caras de la hiperkalemia. Las manifestaciones electrofisiologicas y electrocardiograficas de la hiperkalemia estan tabuladas