ABSTRACT
Dilated cardiomyopathy has a poor prognosis in infants and children. We report the favourable long term outcome of a case of dilated cardiomyopathy discovered at age seven months. The knowledge of natural history of these patients is very important to develop predictive indexes to select patients who might respond to medical management and those who might be suitable candidates for cardiac transplantation.
Subject(s)
Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/therapy , Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/diagnosis , Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/physiopathology , Echocardiography , Electrocardiography , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , MaleSubject(s)
Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood/adverse effects , Heart Arrest/etiology , Hypercalcemia/etiology , Acute Disease , Calcium Gluconate/adverse effects , Electrocardiography , Erythroblastosis, Fetal/complications , Erythroblastosis, Fetal/therapy , Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood/methods , Female , Heart Arrest/physiopathology , Humans , Hypercalcemia/physiopathology , Infant, NewbornABSTRACT
Antiarrhythmic effectiveness of N-methyl-N-(beta-hydroxyethyl) guanidine O-phosphate (creatinol O-phosphate, COP) has been investigated in 10 patients with ischemic heart disease and frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). Each patient received a random succession of treatment with the drug (1020 mg) and with a reference substance (solvent of COP) both administered i.m. twice a day over a 3-day period. In each patient a Holter ECG was recorded in the basal state and during the last 24 h of each treatment. Heart rate, PQ and QTc showed no changes. On the contrary, PVCs were significantly lower (P less than 0.01) with COP than with the reference substance. The drug showed a prevailing effect during daytime. Results are discussed in view of experimental observations suggesting that COP has a "membrane effect".
