Clinical symptomatology of coronary artery disease and results of exercise thallium scintigraphy: gender-related differences.

Exercise thallium stress test is the mainstay of the noninvasive assessment of patients with symptomatology suggestive of coronary artery disease. The diagnostic accuracy of thallium scintigraphy as a screening test for coronary artery disease in women as compared to men, however, remains controversial. In order to determine whether gender-related differences in the detection of coronary artery disease using exercise thallium scintigraphy are demonstrable in all age groups, we analyzed the exercise thallium results in 335 outpatients (189 male, 146 female), who were referred by their primary physicians to our institution for evaluation of clinically suspected coronary artery disease. Overall, 50.3 percent of men had a positive for ischemia thallium stress test vs 29.5 percent of women (p < 0.0002). In the subgroup of patients 65 years of age or above, 67.4 percent of men had a positive for ischemia thallium stress test vs 27.6 percent of women (p < 0.003). In the subgroup of patients upto 40 years of age, 37.9 percent of men had a positive for ischemia thallium stress test vs 25.0 percent of women (p = NS). We conclude that symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease are less predictive of positive exercise thallium stress tests in women as compared to men even above age 65 when the prevalence of coronary artery disease is known to be similar. This suggests that women may have lower threshold for perception of symptoms or that physicians have lower threshold for referring women for screening of coronary artery disease.

Time-limited efficacy of pacing electrodes following open heart surgery.

Temporary epicardial pacing electrodes have been utilised since the 1960s in the postoperative management of cardiac surgical patients, both as a diagnostic tool and therapeutic intervention. To determine the efficacy of the epicardial pacing wires over time after open heart surgery, 30 patients (20M/10F) who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, were evaluated by standard 12-lead EKG, atrial electrogram, and atrial and ventricular pacing thresholds immediately after surgery and on postoperative day 5. Both atrial and ventricular pacing thresholds were significantly increased on postoperative day 5 as compared to baseline. The ability for effective AAI, VVI and DDD pacing was lost in 38.89 percent, 37.5 percent and 61.11 percent of patients, respectively, on postoperative day 5. We conclude that both atrial and ventricular pacing wires have limited efficacy after postoperative day 4 for pacing after open heart surgery due to a marked increase in pacing thresholds over this time period.

Clinical use of posterior electrocardiographic leads: a prospective electrocardiographic analysis during coronary occlusion.

Posterior electrocardiographic leads have been described for quite a while; however, their use in diagnosing acute posterior wall myocardial infarction and identifying infarct-related arteries has not been well used. We prospectively studied electrocardiographic changes during balloon occlusion of single-vessel right coronary artery (RCA) and circumflex coronary arteries (LCX). Thirty four inflations were performed in RCAs and 38 in LCXS. Analysis of the patients with ECG changes revealed that the most common ECG change during RCA occlusion was inferior ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF (95 percent), and the most common change during LCX occlusion was posterior ST elevation in leads V7, V8, and V9 (68 percent). ST elevation was always seen in inferior leads in the RCA group and in posterior leads in the LCX group. Thus posterior leads helped identify RCA versus LCX as the infarct-related artery. ST elevation was also noted by posterior leads in seven (36.8 percent) additional patients. Thus there was a definite added benefit of posterior leads during LCX occlusion. In the appropriate clinical setting, posterior leads may help in differentiating LCX occlusion from RCA occlusion.

Directional coronary atherectomy and progressive coronary dilatation: a comparative analysis of acute outcome.

To evaluate the acute results and in-hospital complications of directional atherectomy (DCA) as compared to progressive coronary dilatation (PCD), we retrospectively analyzed the acute outcome of DCA with PCD in age-, sex-, vessel-, and lesion morphology-matched groups of patients during the same time span. There was a total of 73 matched patients (77 lesions) in each group. Angiographic success on the basis of intent to treat was 85% in the DCA cohort versus 97%. The preprocedural mean diameter stenosis was similar between the two groups (87% vs 84%; p = n.s.). The mean postprocedural stenosis was significantly lower with DCA than with PCD (11.2% vs 19.7%; p < or = 0.05). Complications including death, myocardial infarction, and need for emergency bypass surgery were not statistically different in either group. In conclusion, PCD offers an alternative method of coronary intervention in patients with "atherectomy anatomy" with a significantly higher success rate. It can also be used successfully when DCA fails or cannot be performed because of technical factors.

Severe calcific pulmonic valve stenosis and restrictive ventricular septal defect in a 64-year-old man. Results of percutaneous double balloon valvuloplasty.

The clinical and hemodynamic features of a 64-year-old symptomatic man with severe calcific pulmonic valve stenosis and restrictive ventricular septal defect are reported. Successful double balloon percutaneous pulmonic valvuloplasty immediately produced excellent symptomatic benefit and introduced expected and well tolerated hemodynamic changes. The transpulmonic valve peak systolic pressure gradient was reduced from 130 to 30 mmHg and pulmonary artery pressure increased to top normal levels acquiring normal pulse wave configuration. A left-to-right shunt, negligible prior to valvuloplasty, increased appreciably producing a pulmonary to systemic flow ratio of 1.7. Reevaluation at 5 months revealed sustained hemodynamic profile. Symptomatic benefit and tolerance to ordinary physical activities have remained excellent at 1 year follow-up.

Dual-balloon progressive coronary dilatation catheter: design and initial clinical experience.

As newer interventional devices continue to enter the marketplace, balloon angioplasty remains the standard by which all devices are judged with regard to both safety and efficacy. It has been observed that predilating a stenosis with a small balloon followed by dilatation with an optimally sized larger balloon creates a more controlled arterial injury, reduces complications, and thus improves success rates. Exchanging two balloons for each lesion, however, increases the complexity and cost of the procedure in addition to increasing the amount of time required and the amount of radiation exposure. Therefore an "over-the-wire" dual-balloon catheter was developed with a small distal balloon and a larger proximal balloon on a 2.9F shaft to allow progressive coronary dilatation with a single device, without necessitating a balloon catheter exchange. The device was used successfully in 45 of 47 patients (78 lesions). The two failures were related to an inability to cross the lesion in one and failure of the device in the other. Twenty-one patients (47%) underwent a multivessel procedure. There were 29 left anterior descending/diagonal, 17 circumflex/marginal, 20 right coronary artery/posterior descending artery, and 10 vein graft lesions. The device was successfully delivered in the native anatomy to 12 distal, 27 mid, and 27, proximal lesions of which nine were osteal, for a procedural success rate of 97%. The mean stenosis was reduced from 80.7 +/- 11.5% to 15.2 +/- 11.9%. There were no major dissections, only 9 (11.2%) minor dissections, and no myocardial infarctions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Subcutaneous heparin in postangioplasty management: comparative trial with intravenous heparin.

Abrupt closure of a coronary artery after successful angioplasty remains a problem for the interventionalist. Many laboratories continue to administer heparin intravenously for 12 to 24 hours in an attempt to alleviate this problem. But prolonged heparin therapy delays sheath removal and may lead to groin and vascular complications, and so prolong the hospital stay. To test the hypothesis that subcutaneous heparin was as efficacious as intravenous heparin in preventing acute closure while reducing the vascular complications associated with extended sheath placement, we prospectively randomized 151 patients to two groups. The intravenous group, 77 patients, received continuous intravenous heparin at 1000 units/hour for 12 to 18 hours; the subcutaneous group, 74 patients, received 12,500 units subcutaneously every 12 hours for three doses after sheath removal 2 to 3 hours after the angioplasty. The activated clotting time immediately after the angioplasty was 401 +/- 108 seconds in subcutaneous group, as compared with 368 +/- 67 seconds in the intravenous group (p = 0.028). Patients receiving subcutaneous heparin continued to show adequate anticoagulation, with a PTT of 85 +/- 21 seconds obtained approximately 12 hours after the procedure. The PTT at discharge was statistically greater in the subcutaneous group, at 49.2 +/- 21 seconds, versus 35.6 +/- 13 seconds in the intravenous group (p < 0.001). Abrupt occlusion was similar in both groups, but the hematomas and bleeding/oozing in the intravenous group was significantly higher when compared with that of the subcutaneous group, 16 versus 6 (p = 0.026) and 26 versus 7 (p < or = 0.002), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angioplasty of the septal perforators: acute outcome and long-term clinical efficacy.

Critical stenosis of a large septal perforator artery can cause significant myocardial ischemia. Since septal perforators are generally not accessible for bypass grafting, balloon angioplasty offers an excellent alternative for revascularization of these vessels. The short-term outcome and long-term clinical follow-up angioplasty of the septal perforator was evaluated retrospectively in 21 patients. Fourteen of the 21 (66%) had previous myocardial infarction, 9 of 21 (43%) had previous coronary bypass surgery, 10 of 21 (48%) had previous percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), and 6 of 21 (28%) had congestive heart failure. Additional PTCA of one or more vessels was undertaken in all patients. Primary success of PTCA of the septal perforator was achieved in 20 of 21 (95%) patients. The mean stenosis was improved from 89.8 +/- 10% to 18.4 +/- 11.7%. No acute closure, emergency coronary bypass, or myocardial infarction was observed or needed during hospital stay. At long-term follow-up (18 +/- 9 months), event-free survival was 95%. No cardiac death occurred. In 86% of cases, there was significant improvement in anginal class at 2 years. Five of the six patients with congestive heart failure showed marked improvement in functional class at 2 years. In conclusion, balloon angioplasty of the large septal perforator artery is technically feasible, with a high success rate, and does not increase the rate of acute complications of the procedure. Along with PTCA of other arteries, it provides long-term relief of angina in a majority of symptomatic patients with complex multivessel disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Progressive coronary dilation: an angioplasty technique that creates controlled arterial injury and reduces complications.

The incidence of dissection or acute closure during coronary angioplasty has remained unchanged in spite of increased operator experience and technologic advances. To test the hypothesis that progressive coronary dilation, that is, predilation of the stenosis with a smaller balloon (2.0 or 2.5 mm) and then maximal dilation with an optimally sized (3.0, 3.25, 3.5, 3.75, or 4.0 mm) balloon may produce controlled injury and thus reduce the incidence of major complications, the procedural success rate and acute complications of progressive coronary dilation were analyzed in 1087 patients (1486 vessels) and compared with other large series. To determine whether progressive coronary dilation would improve success rates for complex lesions, the last 167 vessels were also prospectively characterized by American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association criteria. Of the 1248 vessels with partial occlusions, the success rate was 98.7%. Attempts to dilate total occlusions in 16% (353) of vessels yielded a success rate of 88%. The primary success rates for types A, B, and C lesions were 100%, 97%, and 91%, respectively. Multivessel angioplasty with progressive coronary dilation was done in 32.4% of cases. Acute closure, major dissection, emergency coronary bypass, periprocedural myocardial infarction, and in-hospital death were noted in 1.4%, 1.3%, 0.7%, 0.8%, and 0.09% of the patients, respectively; the incidence was significantly lower than in previously reported series. Mean residual stenosis was 20.0% +/- 10.6%. Thus progressive coronary dilation by controlled injury to the plaque offers a high primary success rate; low residual stenosis; and markedly lower incidence of acute closure, major dissection, emergency coronary bypass, and death in dilation of both simple and complex lesions.

Coronary artery disease in women. How it is--and isn't--unique.

Various risk factors, such as smoking and diabetes, have an adverse effect on women's inherent biological protection from coronary artery disease (CAD). In women, CAD is most likely to present as angina. Although infarction as the initial event is less common in women than in men, it is more likely to be fatal. The prognosis for women with diabetes and CAD is especially poor. Differences in the therapeutic approach to CAD in men and women do not appear justified. Preventive strategies for women center around cessation of smoking, aspirin therapy, diet modification, and estrogen therapy.

Effectiveness of decremental diameter balloon catheters (tapered balloon).

Natural tapering of coronary arteries from larger proximal to smaller distal diameters often creates a dilemma for optimal balloon sizing during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). To demonstrate the need for new dilating catheters suitable for tapered coronary anatomy, 100 consecutive coronary arteries were measured by videodensitometry, 1 cm proximal and distal to the stenosis. In 23 arteries there was a 1 mm or greater taper and 19 arteries showed a 0.5 to 0.99 mm taper. Only 50 arteries showed a nearly uniform diameter at the site of the stenosis, and 8 arteries demonstrated reverse taper, i.e., distal was greater than proximal diameter. To avoid balloon size mismatch with significant tapering, decremental diameter balloon catheters were developed. Series I tapers from 3.5 to 3.0 mm and series II from 3.0 to 2.5 mm over a balloon length of 25 mm. Tapered balloons were used in 80 patients with 94 tapered coronary arteries. Before PTCA, proximal, stenotic and distal mean diameters measured 3.6, 1.1 and 2.6 mm, respectively; after PTCA, proximal, stenotic and distal diameters measured 3.6, 2.8 and 2.5 mm, respectively, thus maintaining the natural tapering after effective dilatation. Only 2 arteries (2.1%) showed significant dissection, with no abrupt occlusions, and none requiring bypass surgery. In summary, decremental diameter balloon catheters provide optimal dilation in tapered arterial segments with few complications and offer a new approach to balloon sizing.

Prevention of restenosis by lovastatin after successful coronary angioplasty.

Prevention of restenosis after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) remains a major challenge. To determine whether lovastatin could prevent restenosis, between December 1987 and July 1988, a total of 157 patients undergoing successful PTCA were randomly and prospectively assigned to the lovastatin group or a control group. Seventy-nine patients received lovastatin (20 mg daily if the serum cholesterol level was less than 300 mg/dl and 40 mg daily if the serum cholesterol level was greater than or equal to 300 mg/dl) in addition to conventional therapy (lovastatin group). Seventy-eight patients received conventional therapy alone (control group). Fifty patients in the lovastatin group and 29 in the control group were evaluated with coronary angiography at an interval of 2 to 10 months (mean 4 months). The restenosis rate was evaluated according to the number of patients showing restenosis, the number of vessels restenosed, and the number of PTCA sites restenosed. Restenosis was defined as the presence of greater than 50% stenosis of the PTCA site. In the lovastatin group 6 of 50 patients (12%) had restenosis compared with 13 of 29 patients (44.4%) in the control group (p less than 0.001). When the number of vessels restenosed was considered, only 9 of 72 vessels (12.5%) restenosed in the lovastatin group compared with 13 of 34 vessels (38.2%) in the control group (p less than 0.002). Similarly, 10 of 80 (12.5%) PTCA sites restenosed in the lovastatin group compared with 15 of 36 (41.7%) in the control group (p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Long-term efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty on incidence of myocardial infarction, relief of symptoms and survival.

This study was conducted to determine the long-term effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) on the incidence of myocardial infarction, survival, and relief of symptoms. A total of 124 patients were included in the study and were followed for 16 to 25 months. The success rate of PTCA was 91.2% and 160 stenoses were dilated. Fifty-nine patients had multivessel disease (MVD) and 54 had single-vessel disease (SVD). There was no difference in survival when patients with SVD were compared with those with MVD. The cardiac survival rate for both groups was greater than 98%. Nine patients had myocardial infarction in the area of the dilated artery: 3 patients (5.5%) with SVD and 6 patients (10.1%) with MVD. Ninety-six patients (84.9%) remained free of symptoms: 46 patients (85.2%) with SVD and 50 patients (84.7%) with MVD. These data demonstrate the long-term efficacy of PTCA in patients with SVD and MVD with regard to control of symptom of angina, improved survival, and prevention of myocardial infarction.

Type Ia tricuspid atresia with extensive coronary artery abnormalities in a living 22 year old woman.

Type Ia tricuspid atresia, with extensive coronary artery abnormalities, is identified in the oldest living patient with this condition, a 22 year old woman. Clinical characteristics include severe cyanosis, effort dyspnea, myocardial infarction in the past and persistent angina pectoris. "Ideal" pulmonary flow and adequate left ventricular function, despite an akinetic apical segment, are substantive factors for this exceptional longevity. Coronary abnormalities consist of: 1) total proximal occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery; and 2) partial diversion of coronary artery flow to a segmental pulmonary artery branch. Nonvisualization of the coronary sinus is also noted. Factors other than atherosclerosis may account for total proximal occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Survival is threatened by adverse effects of ongoing ischemic coronary events.