Asymptomatic left main coronary artery disease and silent myocardial ischemia.

Gathering data on the prognosis, detection, and natural history of asymptomatic left main coronary artery disease with silent myocardial ischemia is difficult. Epidemiologic studies of unexpected death and postmortem studies on silent myocardial infarction suggest this entity to be common. We reviewed 89 consecutive patients with left main coronary artery disease (LMD), defined as 50% or greater reduction of luminal diameter. Of this group, 10 patients (11%) were asymptomatic (ALMD) and 79 patients (88%) were symptomatic (SLMD). All 10 ALMD patients were men, with a mean age of 53 years (range 40 to 65). Treadmill tests (TMT) were performed for: ECG abnormalities six; pre-jogging evaluation two; risk factor evaluation two. The TMT within 9 minutes showed 2 mm or greater ST depression in seven (70%) and 1 to 2 mm in three (30%). Similar TMT results were obtained in the SLMD group, although two patients had negative responses. The degree of stenosis of the left main coronary artery and the frequency of three-vessel disease were similar in both groups. The ejection fraction (EF) and contractile pattern of the left ventricle (LV) were normal in all 10 ALMD patients, but the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was abnormal in three (70%). In the SLMD group, 51 (64%) had an abnormal ejection fraction, 50 (65%) had wall motion abnormalities, and 25 (32%) had an abnormal LVEDP.

Cardiac abnormalities in mixed connective tissue disease.

Sixteen patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) were studied using noninvasive cardiovascular techniques. Cardiovascular abnormalities including pericarditis, asymmetric septal hypertrophy, and LV dilatation were found in 38 percent of the study group. Borderline ECG and echocardiographic abnormalities were present in 31 percent of the study group, and the remaining 31 percent were normal by all study techniques. MCTD patients have a high prevalence of cardiovascular abnormalities when studied noninvasively. The most common clinical abnormality is a steroid-responsive pericarditis, present in 25 percent of our series.

Propranolol medication among coronary patients: relationship to type A behavior and cardiovascular response.

The present correlational study compared behavioral and psychophysiological characteristics of coronary patients who were either medicated or not medicated with the beta-adrenergic blocking drug propranolol. Eighty-eight patients were given a structured Type A interview (SI) and a history quiz while heart rate and blood pressure were monitored. Data were analyzed controlling for age, sex, extent of coronary artery disease, and history of angina. Results indicated that patients taking propranolol (n = 65) were significantly lower in intensity of Type A behavior than patients not taking propranolol (n = 23). No effects were obtained for patients medicated or not medicated with diuretics, nitrates, or other CNS active drugs. Propranolol patients also showed lesser heart rate and rate-pressure product responses to the interview, but did not differ in blood pressure responses. Components of Type A which were lower in propranolol patients included speech stylistics (loud/explosive, rapid/accelerated, potential for hostility). Content of responses to the SI and scores on the Jenkins Activity Survey did not differ between the groups. An explanation for these results is offered in terms of the effects of propranolol on peripheral sympathetic responses, and evidence for a physiological substrate for Type A behavior. A conceptualization of the Type A pattern in terms of cognitive and physiological components is advanced, and implications for clinical intervention are discussed.

Type A behavior and coronary artery bypass surgery: intraoperative blood pressure and perioperative complications.

Previous research has suggested that Type A, compared to Type B patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery evidence greater intraoperative increases over hospital admission systolic blood pressure, even though patients are under general anesthesia. The present study sought to examine whether such blood pressure increases are accounted for by elevations occurring entirely during surgery (with conscious mediation minimized), or by increases occurring prior to surgery. A second purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between Type A behavior and complications occurring during and after surgery. Twenty-seven male patients given a structured interview to measure Type A behavior in advance of surgery comprised the present sample. Results indicated that interview Type A intensity was reliably related to magnitude of systolic, but not diastolic blood pressure increases during, but not prior to surgery. The 12 patients with complications (largely arrhythmias), were reliably higher in rated intensity of Type A behavior (p less than 0.01) than those without complications (n = 14). None of the Type B or Type X patients showed evidence of complications during or after surgery. Results of this study support a body of data linking Type A behavior to cardiovascular reactivity and clinical complications of coronary disease. Since this reactivity is evident under general anesthesia, these data further suggest that conscious mediation may not always be necessary in order to elicit these responses.

Coronary atherosclerosis in mitral stenosis.

Eighty-two patients with mitral stenosis underwent cardiac catheterization with coronary angiography. Twenty-one patients (26 percent) had coronary artery disease. Characteristics of the mitral valve area, cardiac output, pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction, and atypical chest pain did not correlate with findings of angina pectoris or of coronary artery disease; however, there was correlation with sex, age, and angina. Coronary artery disease occurred only after the age of 40 years and was more frequent in males with angina. Coronary artery disease could not be ruled out in patients with mitral stenosis, especially those over age 40, without coronary arteriography.

ST-segment elevation with elective DC cardioversion.

Elective direct-current cardioversion was performed in three patients with atrial fibrillation. Transient ST-segment elevation on monitored leads, lasting seconds, was recorded after cardioversion in all three patients. LDH, CPK isoenzymes, and myocardial scintigraphy did not reveal myocardial damage. Elective cardioversion should be performed with caution, for the potential for cardiac damage cannot be ignored.

Giant coronary pseudoaneurysm. Five-year follow-up after bypass grafting.

A roentgenogram of the shoulder in a 25-year-old man with an athletic injury revealed a large mass along the left heart border. Evaluation with coronary arteriography established the diagnosis of a massive aneurysm of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The aneurysm was excised and a saphenous vein bypass graft was placed into the distal artery. Histologic examination revealed that the excised segment was a false aneurysm. Five years postoperatively, the patient is asymptomatic and the graft remains widely patent.

Coronary ostial stenosis in Takayasu's arteritis.

A patient with Takayasu's arteritis with left coronary ostial narrowing is presented. The dramatic clinical and pathologic findings are discussed in detail. Emphasis is placed on making the diagnosis as soon as possible, in order to expedite bypass surgery to prolong life.

Björk-Shiley mitral valvular dehiscence. Documented by radiography, echocardiography, fluoroscopy, and cineangiography.

This case report presents combined radiographic, echocardiographic, fluoroscopic, and cineangiographic findings of the dehiscence of a Bjork-Shiley mitral prosthetic valve. The valvular dehiscence was confirmed at surgery. A distinct rounding of the opening phase of the valve was recorded on the echocardiogram. Other clinical evidence, documenting the severe valvular dehiscence, is reported in detail. Non-invasive procedures are therefore invaluable in recording prosthetic valvular dysfunction.

Dissecting aortic aneurysm manifesting as acute pericarditis.

Two patients with coarctation of the aorta initially had acute idiopathic pericarditis with anterior pleuritic chest pain as the chief complaint. A pericardial friction rub was present in both patients. Both patients died suddenly. At autopsy, they were found to have a dissecting aneurysm of the ascending aorta with extension into the pericardial space; acute pericardial tamponade was the cause of death. We recommend that when a patient with coarctation of the aorta is admitted with pericarditis, aortic dissection should be considered and appropriate diagnostic procedures undertaken. In all young patients with acute pericarditis there should be careful palpation of the femoral pulses and review of the chest x-ray film for rib notching.

Congenital aortic stenosis secondary to dysplasia of congenital bicuspid aortic valves without commissural fusion.

The hearts of nine children with clinical evidence of congenital valve stenosis and a congenital bicuspid aortic valve were reviewed. Aortic stenosis was diagnosed on the basis of cardiac catheterization data in four patients, operative findings in two and auscultatory findings in three. The patients were 1 month to 9 years old; six were male and three female. In each patient the two commissures of the valve were free to the aortic wall. The cusps were thickened, rolled and redundant; microscopic studies revealed that they consisted of immature loose connective tissue consistent with a dysplastic or incompletely differentiated valve. The valve orifice was obstructed by the dysplastic cusps, and dysplastic changes rather than the commissural fusion were responsible for the observed aortic stenosis. These valves do not appear amenable to valvotomy because obstruction is due to the abnormal valve tissue. These findings may explain the occasional poor results of valvotomy in infants and children with congenital aortic valve stenosis.

Echocardiography in Lutembacher's syndrome.

The findings in a patient with surgically proven Lutembacher's syndrome (coexisting mitral stenosis and atrial septal defect) are presented. In addition to a typical pattern of mitral stenosis, the preoperative echocardiogram revealed paradoxical septal motion, thereby providing, prior to cardiac catheterization, a basis for the suspicion of an associated lesion due to diastolic overload of the right ventricle.

Quadricuspid semilunar valves.

Forty-seven cases of quadricuspid semilunar valves which were autopsied were reviewed. The ratio of quadricuspid pulmonic valve to quadricuspid aortic valve was 5:1. Among the 35 patients with quadricuspid pulmonic valves, there were ten patients with clinical and pathologic evidence of coexisting congenital cardiac defects, eight of which resulted in severe cyanotic heart disease in infancy. In the remaining 25 patients the quadricuspid pulmonic valve was an incidental finding at autopsy. Three of the seven patients with quadricuspid aortic valves had aortic insufficiency, while the remaining four had no other clinical or pathologic evidence of congenital heart disease.

Determinants of left ventricular function following aorto-coronary bypass surgery.

Ventricular function was evaluated by the development of ventricular function curves from the vulumes stress of angiographic contrast media in 30 patients before and an average of 5 months after coronary bypass surgery. Patients were grouped according to preoperative operative indications, perioperative events, and postoperative status to determine the most important factors affecting postoperative ventricular function. Progression of lesions in the native coronary circulation correlated most significantly with a decrease in postoperative ventricular function. In 18 of 19 patients the changes in native coronary circulation were progression to complete occlusion. Seventy-three per cent of these changes were associated with a patent graft distal to the change. Patients with very ischemic ventricles as evidenced by a markedly positive stress test (greater than 2 mm. ST depression) and/or main left coronary obstruction maintained or improved postoperatively ventricular function. Increase in postoperative ejection fraction was often associated with decrease in aortic mean pressure, making it difficult to use this parameter to evaluate postoperative ventricular function.

Congenital bicuspid aortic valve after age 20.

The bicuspid aortic valve is recognized as a frequent cause of aortic stenosis in adults. Aortic stenosis has been reported to occur in as many as 72 percent of adults with a congenital bicuspid aortic valve, with peak incidence occurring in the 5th and 6th decades of life. Review of the clinical records of 152 patients aged 20 years and older found to have a bicuspid aortic valve at autopsy revealed aortic stenosis in only 28 percent. The incidence of aortic stenosis increased progressively with age; 46 percent of patients over age 50 years and 73 percent over age 70 years had some degree of stenosis. The stenotic valves were obstructed by nodular, calcareous masses but commissural fusion was present in only eight cases. The largest group of patients in the series (40 percent) died of infective endocarditis; 77 percent of these were under age 50 years. Primary aortic regurgitation without infective endocarditis was uncommon. Thirty-two percent of the patients in this series had an apparently normally functioning aortic valve, and this rate remained relatively constant with increasing age; 37 percent of patients over age 50 years and 27 percent over age 70 years had an apparently normal valve. The bicuspid aortic valve in patients over age 20 does not invariably become stenotic or insufficient.