Trimetazidine to reverse ischemia in patients with class I or II angina: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography study.

AIMS: We sought to evaluate the effects of trimetazidine on ischemia induced by dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography in patients with class I or class II angina. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 66 patients with proved coronary disease were subjected to dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography. Ischemia was proved in 56 patients who were included in the study and who had been on standard maintenance medications (propranolol, aspirin and statin). They were randomized to placebo or trimetazidine, 20 mg three times daily for a 12-week period, when dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography was repeated. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients (56.53+/-8.9 years old) completed the study. No differences were seen between groups at entry. Thirty patients had class I and 26 class II angina. At the end of the study, 42 had class I and 14 class II angina (P=0.01), owing to patients being in the trimetazidine arm. We did not observe any differences between groups either for onset time of ventricular ischemic dysfunction, or for wall-motion score index. Comparing variation at peak using the delta wall-motion score index, we observed no differences, but only a trend toward reduction favoring trimetazidine (P=0.09). CONCLUSION: We did not detect a significant anti-ischemic effect of trimetazidine in patients with mild angina, but there was a clear improvement in angina class.

Trimetazidine to reverse ischemia in patients with class I or II angina: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dobutamine–atropine stress echocardiography study / Trimetazidine to reverse ischemia in patients with class I or II angina: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dobutamine–atropine stress echocardiography study

Aims We sought to evaluate the effects of trimetazidine on ischemia induced by dobutamine–atropine stress echocardiography in patients with class I or class II angina. Methods In a randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled study, 66 patients with proved coronary disease were subjected to dobutamine–atropine stress echocardiography. Ischemia was proved in 56 patients who were included in the study and who had been on standard maintenance medications (propranolol, aspirin and statin). They were randomized to placebo or trimetazidine, 20mg three times daily for a 12-week period, when dobutamine–atropine stress echocardiography was repeated. Results Fifty-two patients (56.53 ±8.9 years old) completed the study. No differences were seen between groups at entry. Thirty patients had class I and 26 class II angina. At the end of the study, 42 had class I and 14 class II angina (P =0.01), owing to patients being in the trimetazidine arm. We did not observe any differences between groups either for onset time of ventricular ischemic dysfunction, or for wall-motion score index.

Vector electrocardiographic alterations after percutaneous septal ablation in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Possible anatomic causes.

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the dromotropic disturbances (vector-electrocardiographic), and the possible anatomic causes, provoked by selective alcohol injection in the septal branch, for percutaneous treatment, of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Ten patients with a mean age of 52.7 years underwent percutaneous septal ablation (PTSA) from october 1998; all in functional class III/IV). Twelve-lead electrocardiogram was performed prior to and during PTSA, and later electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram according to Frank's method. The patients were followed up for 32 months. RESULTS: On electrocardiogram (ECG) prior to PTSA all patients had sinus rhythm and left atrial enlargement, 8 left ventricular hypertrophy of systolic pattern. On ECG immediately after PTSA, 8 had complete right bundle-branch block; 1 transient total atrioventricular block; 1 alternating transient bundle-branch block either right or hemiblock. On late ECG 8 had complete right bundle-branch block confirmed by vectorcardiogram, type 1 or Grishman. CONCLUSION: Septal fibrosis following alcohol injection caused a predominance of complete right bundle-branch block, different from surgery of myotomy/myectomy.

Modificações eletrovetorcardiográficas após ablaçäo septal percutânea na cardiomiopatia hipertrófica obstrutiva e possíveis causas anatômicas / Vector electrocardiographic alterations after percutaneous septal ablation in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Possible anatomic causes

OBJECTIVE - Analyze the dromotropic disturbances (vector-electrocardiographic), and the possible anatomic causes, provoked by selective alcohol injection in the septal branch, for percutaneous treatment, of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. METHODS - Ten patients with a mean age of 52.7 years underwent percutaneous septal ablation (PTSA) from october 1998; all in functional class III/IV). Twelve-lead electrocardiogram was performed prior to and during PTSA, and later electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram according to Frank's method. The patients were followed up for 32 months. RESULTS - On electrocardiogram (ECG) prior to PTSA all patients had sinus rhythm and left atrial enlargement, 8 left ventricular hypertrophy of systolic pattern. On ECG immediately after PTSA, 8 had complete right bundle-branch block; 1 transient total atrioventricular block; 1 alternating transient bundle-branch block either right or hemiblock. On late ECG 8 had complete right bundle-branch block confirmed by vectorcardiogram, type 1 or Grishman. CONCLUSION - Septal fibrosis following alcohol injection caused a predominance of complete right bundle-branch block, different from surgery of myotomy/myectomy

Insuficiência cardíaca: marcapasso como opçäo terapêutica / Heart failure: cardiac pacing as a therapeutic option

Além de corrigir a frequência cardíaca, a estimulaçäo cardíaca moderna tem aplicaçäo bem definida no tratamento de miocardiopatia dilatada com insuficiência cardíaca na ausência de bradiarritmia. O objetivo maior é recuperar o sincronismo mecânico das câmaras cardíacas e do miocárdio ventricular - sincronismo atrioventricular, interatrial, intraventricular ou interventricular -, prejudicado por algum tipo de retardo na conduçäo. Em portadores de bloqueio atrioventricular, o sincronismo atrioventricular pode aumentar em 15 'por cento' a 20 'por cento' o débito cardíaco; entretanto, há controvérsias quanto a indicaçäo da estimulaçäo com intervalo atrioventricular curto sem bloqueio-atrioventricular. Por outro lado, quando existe importante retardo na conduçäo interatrial, a estimulaçäo biatrial (ressincronizaçäo interatrial), além de melhorar a hemodinâmica, reduz significativamente a incidência de fibrilaçäo atrial. Na insuficiência cardíaca, mesmo sem bradicardia, a estimulaçäo ventricular está indicada quando existe QRS largo (bloqueio completo de ramo esquerdo ou marcapasso endocárdico). Nesses casos a estimulaçäo bioventricular (um eletrodo no ventriculo direito e outro no ventriculo esquerdo pelo seio coronário ou epicárdico) pode aumentar o débito cardíaco em até 25 'por cento' sendo sua indicaçäo plenamente estabelecida e aceita. Entretanto, ultimamente, temos observado que a estimulaçäo endocárdica ventricular direita bifocal, com um eletrodo na ponta e outro no septo alto (ressincronizaçäo intraventricular), também pode aumentar o débito cardíaco em 15 'por cento' a 25 'por cento', com importante reduçäo do refluxo mitral e da area do atrio-esquerdo, sem o incoveniente da toracotomia ou da estimulaçäo pelo seio coronário. Diante disso, nos próximos anos, certamemte, teremos grandes avanços nos eletrodos e geradores, permitindo que a estimulaçäo cardíaca "multissitio" venha a ser amplamente utilizada, tanto no tratamento como na prevençäo da insuficiência cardíaca.

Estimulaçäo ventricular direita bifocal no tratamento da miocardiopatia dilatada com insuficiência cardíaca / Right ventricular bifocal stimulaton in the treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy with heart failure

OBJECTIVE: To describe a new more efficient method of endocardial cardiac stimulation, which produces a narrower QRS without using the coronary sinus or cardiac veins. METHODS: We studied 5 patients with severe dilated cardiomyopathy, chronic atrial fibrillation and AV block, who underwent definitive endocardial pacemaker implantation, with 2 leads, in the RV, one in the apex and the other in the interventricular septum (sub pulmonary), connected, respectively, to ventricular and atrial bicameral pacemaker outputs. Using Doppler echocardiography, we compared, in the same patient, conventional (VVI), high septal ("AAI") and bifocal ("DDT" with AV interval @ 0) stimulation. RESULTS: The RV bifocal stimulation had the best results with an increase in ejection fraction and cardiac output and reduction in QRS duration, mitral regurgitation and in the left atrium area (p < or = 0.01). The conventional method of stimulation showed the worst result. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that, when left ventricular stimulation is not possible, right ventricular bifocal stimulation should be used in patients with severe cardiomyopathy where a pacemaker is indicated.

Endocardite infecciosa: estudo Doppler-ecocardiografico prospectivo / Infective endocarditis. Prospective Doppler-echocardiographic study

Estudo de aspectos Doppler-ecocardiográficos em portadores de endocardite infecciosa (EI) e sua correlaçäo com prognóstico e evoluçäo. Cento e oito pacientes com suspeita de EI a fim de determinar se a presença de vegetaçäo (veg), tamanho, moblidade e local e acometimento identificam, por si só, grupos de alto risco. O diagnóstico se fez presente em 93,9% dos pacientes com EI do lado direito do coraçäo e em 77,3% daqueles com EI do lado esquerdo. Pacientes com (84,2%) e sem (15,8%) veg näo apresentaram diferença significativa na incidência de complicaçöes (embolias, ICC e óbito), o mesmo acontecendo em relaçäo ao tamanho. Pacientes com veg aórtica (Ao) apresentaram maior incidência de ICC (Ao 53,8 x Mitral (MI) 31,0% x Tricúspide (Tric0 3,7%), necessidade de cirurgia (Ao 69,2%) x Mi 34,5% x Tric 3,7%) e óbito (Ao 30,7% x Mi 13,7% x Tric 7,4%). Fenômenos embólicos foram observados em 81,4% dos pacientes com veg em Tric. Oito pacientes apresentaram EI em prótese Ao, com tratamento cirúrgico em 5 (62,5%) e óbito em 2 (25%) enquanto dentre os 12 com EI em prótese Mi, 7 (58,3%) necessitaram de cirurgia e 3 (25%) foram a óbito. Derrame pericárdico foi constatado em 51 pacientes (47,2%), ruptura de cordoalha em 14 (12,9%) e abcesso para-valvar em 6 (5,5%), os portadores deste encaminhados á cirurgia. A Doppler-ecocardiografia constitui-se método de excelência na confirmaçäo diagnóstica da EI e os aspectos por ela determinados relacionam-se, por vezes, com o prognóstico e a evoluçäo

Purpose: To study of the Doppler-echocardiographic aspects in patients with IE and its correlation with the prognosis and evolution. Patients and Methods: One hundred and eight patients with clinical of IE were prospectively studied by Doppler-echocardiography (D-E) in order to determine whether the simple presence of vegetation, its size, mobility and place of attachment could identify high risk groups. Vegetations were classified according to its size (longest axis) into small (veg < 5 mm), medium (5 mm < veg < 10 mm) and large (veg < 10 mm); according to its kind into sessible or mobile and according to its appearance into cotton like or calcifzed. Results:Patients with (84.2%) and without (15.8%) vegetations didn’t show any significant difference in the complications incidence (emboli, heart failure or death) and the same happened with its size. However, patients with aortic positioned vegetations showed ligher incidence of HF (Aortic 53.8 x Mitral 31.0% x Tricuspid 3.7%) need for surgery (Aortic 69.2% x Mitral 34.5% x Tricuspid 3.7%) and death (Aortic 30.7% x Mitral 13.7% x Tricuspid 7.4%). Emboli were observed in 81.4% of the patients with tricuspid valve vegetations. Eight patients showed IE on aortic prothesis. Five of them needed surgical treatment and 2 of them died. Among 12 patients with IE on mitral prothesis, 7 needed surgery and 3 died. Pericardial effusion were verified in 51 patients (47.2%), chordal rupture in 14 (12.8%) and valve abcess in 6 (5.5%). All patients with valve abcess were submitted to surgery. Conclusion: Doppler-echocardiography is an excellent method in the diagnosis of IE and its aspects may have, sometimes, a positive correlation with the prognosis and patient’s evolution.