Role of yoga in management of essential hypertension.

Twenty five patients of essential hypertension were studied. Of these, 20 patients were not given any antihypertensive drug treatment (Group A); other 5 had to be put on antihypertensive drugs before including them in the study (Group B). These patients were demonstrated "Shavasana" and trained to perform it correctly. Shavasana therapy was continued for six months. There was a statistically significant fall in both mean systolic and diastolic pressure of both groups. Further, there was a significant reduction in doses of antihypertensive drugs, being given to patients of group B. In 65% patients of group A, blood pressure could be controlled with Shavasana only and no drug was needed in them at all. Blood pressure rose significantly to pre-Shavasana levels in patients who left practising yoga. Thus, with use of yoga (Shavasana) in therapy of hypertension, requirement of antihypertensive drugs may be significantly decreased and in some cases may be totally dispensed with and it may be an useful adjunct in treatment of hypertension.

Digoxin toxicity and electrolytes: a correlative study.

Serum levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and digoxin were studied in 67 patients on maintenance dose of digoxin, 42 with digitoxicity and 25 without. The mean serum digoxin level of toxic group was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than non-toxic group. The mean serum potassium was significantly lower in toxic group (p less than 0.05) as compared to the non-toxic group. Of the toxic patients, 23.8% had hypokalemia. Hypokalemia resulted by significantly higher (p less than 0.005) dose of diuretic used in toxic group. The mean serum digoxin level of hypokalemic toxic group was significantly lower as compared to the normokalemic toxic group (p less than 0.001) and it was interesting to note that all hypokalemic toxic patients had their serum digoxin levels below 3 ng/ml (3.84 n mol/ml) and well within therapeutic range. There was a positive correlation between serum digoxin and potassium level amongst toxic patients (p less than 0.001). Thus, in patients on maintenance dose of digoxin therapy, use of large dosage of diuretics may result in hypokalemia, causing digitalis toxicity even at low serum digoxin levels. Serum digoxin level alone may fail as an independent guide in diagnosis of digoxin toxicity in presence of hypokalemia.

Scleredema-some Unusual Features.

Two cases of adult scletedema have been reported. The unusual electrocardiographic features and association with pulmonary tuberculosis in these cases of scleredema are described. The salient features have been highlighted and relevant literature has been reviewed.

Ratio of LDH isozymes H4 and H3M as diagnostic index in suspected cases of myocardial infarction.

The isozyme profile of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) is being studied in this laboratory, mainly for the diagnosis in the suspected cases of myocardial infarction (MI). The isozymes are separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the quantitative assay of the isoenzymes is done by enzyme staining followed by scanning with the help of an automatic scanner. In normal cases, the ratio of the two isozymes H4 and H3M is approximately 0.5. In almost all cases of myocardial infarction the ratio becomes 1 or more and sometimes increases up to 2. In the suspected and potential cases of infarction the ratio tends to become more than 0.5 (usually 0.7) but remains lower than 1. Thus, the measurement of the ratio may be a very helpful diagnostic index in the suspected and potential cases and may also be used for prognostic purposes as well.