Reflections in a normal eye: the effect of aortic stenosis on oculopneumoplethysmography.

The association of aortic stenosis and syncope is well recognized. Oculopneumoplethysmography (OPG) can provide an accurate index of carotid stenosis and indirectly measure cerebral perfusion. The possibility that OPG would be influenced by aortic valve disease was assessed in patients prior to valve replacement. 31 patients were studied. 19 patients had aortic stenosis (AS), 3 had aortic insufficiency (AI), and 10 had mixed lesions. OPG was positive in 15 patients (48%). Considering all forms of aortic valve disease, the likelihood that a positive OPG was indicative of AS with a gradient of greater than 60 mmHg was significant (P = .002). Of 18 patients with AS alone, no patient with a valve gradient greater than 60 mmHg had a negative OPG (P = .0001). OPG became normal in 11 of 12 patients restudied postoperatively. Critical aortic stenosis results in uneven distribution of blood flow into the brachiocephalic vessels. OPG accurately identifies this effect which becomes evident at aortic valve gradients greater than 60 mmHg.

Efficacy of coronary bypass grafting in exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia.

The effects of coronary bypass grafting on ventricular tachycardia induced by treadmill stress testing (TST) were analyzed in nine patients by repeating the test an average of 5 months after operation. Preoperatively, eight patients experienced pain and all had ischemic ST-segment depression during exercise. Six patients had a single episode and two patients had multiple episodes of ventricular tachycardia; in one patient ventricular tachycardia degenerated into ventricular flutter necessitating direct-current cardioversion. Postoperatively, time of exercise and double product were significantly higher during TST. Electrocardiographic ischemic changes were present in only two patients and ventricular tachycardia was not observed. All patients are alive and average of 24 months after the operation, and eight of them are asymptomatic. In conclusion, among patients with coronary artery disease who have exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmias, myocardial revascularization is associated with improvement of exercise capacity and suppression of arrhythmias.