Safety and efficacy of digital rectal examination in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Digital rectal examination (DRE) is often ignored or deferred in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of DRE in patients with AMI. METHODS: This was a prospective, comparative, stratified study in an inner-city teaching hospital. A total of 480 patients from intensive care and telemetry units were stratified into three groups. Group I included 160 patients with AMI in whom a DRE was performed and electrocardiographic (EKG) recordings were obtained. Group II included 155 patients with AMI in whom DRE was not done, but EKG recordings were made. Group III consisted of 165 patients without AMI in whom DRE was performed and EKG recordings were obtained. Sustained arrhythmias and vital signs were measured. RESULTS: None of the patients developed sustained arrhythmias and there was no change in vital signs. DRE resulted in the detection of several clinically significant findings. CONCLUSION: DRE was found to be safe in our stable patients with AMI.

Non-surgical retrieval of a bullet embolus from the right heart.

We report on a case of a 0.38 caliber bullet embolizing from the left common iliac vein to the right atrium. The bullet was successfully retrieved with a percutaneous transvenous catheter technique. Prerequisites for missile embolization and principals of management are discussed.

Underuse and overuse of diagnostic testing for coronary artery disease in patients presenting with new-onset chest pain.

PURPOSE: To determine the extent of overuse and underuse of diagnostic testing for coronary artery disease and whether the socioeconomic status, health insurance, gender, and race/ethnicity of a patient influences the use of diagnostic tests. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We identified patients who presented with new-onset chest pain not due to myocardial infarction at one of five Los Angeles-area hospital emergency departments between October 1994 and April 1996. Explicit criteria for diagnostic testing were developed using the RAND/University of California, Los Angeles, expert panel method. They were applied to data collected by medical record review and patient questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 356 patients, 181 met necessity criteria for diagnostic cardiac testing. Of these, 40 (22%) failed to receive necessary tests. Only 7 (3%) of the 215 patients who received some form of cardiac testing had tests that were judged to be inappropriate. Underuse was significantly more common in patients with only a high school education (30% vs 15% for those with some college, P = 0.02) and those without health insurance (34% vs 15% of insured patients, P = 0.01). In a multivariate logistic regression model, only the lack of a post-high school education was a significant predictor of underuse (odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.0 to 4.4). CONCLUSION: Among patients with new-onset chest pain, underuse of diagnostic testing for coronary artery disease was much more common than overuse. Underuse was primarily associated with lower levels of patient education.

Risk of aortocoronary bypass surgery in a low-volume inner city hospital.

Incidence of coronary heart disease deaths has been reported to be higher in low socioeconomic groups compared to affluent subjects. In addition, a higher mortality rate has been reported at centers doing fewer open heart surgeries. This article presents evidence in variance with these convictions. We report a single team's experience with coronary artery surgery on 76 low socioeconomic, predominantly black patients (84%) over a period of 8 years. The volume of open heart surgery per year was less than 20. The overall mortality rate of 5.3%, infection rate of 1.3%, and perioperative infarction rate of 7.9% are not significantly different from the reported experience of high-volume surgical centers on similar patients during the same period. Thus, it is possible to obtain comparable results of myocardial revascularization surgery in low-volume, socioeconomically disadvantaged, inner city minority populations.

Acute effect of decaffeinated coffee on heart rate, blood pressure, and exercise performance in healthy subjects.

The effect of decaffeinated coffee on the cardiovascular exercise performance in nine healthy volunteers was evaluated in a double-blind randomized fashion. The heart rate, blood pressure, and duration of exercise were unchanged, and no arrhythmias or ischemic changes were seen on the electrocardiogram after drinking decaffeinated coffee. It was concluded that decaffeinated coffee has no discernible, acute, adverse cardiovascular effects.

Usefulness of two-dimensional echocardiography in diagnosing right ventricular hypertrophy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of two-dimensional echocardiographic (2D echo) measurements in diagnosing right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH). These measurements of the right atrium and the ventricle were made in 15 patients with right ventricular hypertrophy and in 11 normal subjects and were as follows: right atrium long axis 2.13 +/- 0.42 vs 1.36 +/- 0.11 cm/m2 (p less than 0.001); right atrium short axis 2.78 +/- 0.60 vs 2.06 +/- 0.26 cm/m2 (p less than 0.001); right atrial area 8.81 +/- 2.79 vs 4.00 +/- 0.33 cm2/m2 (p less than 0.001); right ventricular long axis 4.65 +/- 0.64 vs 3.27 +/- 0.49 cm/m2 (p less than 0.001); and right ventricular area 13.02 +/- 3.64 versus 6.19 +/- 0.74 cm2/m2 (p less than 0.001). The 2D echo right atrial area and long axis had a sensitivity and specificity of 100 percent in the diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy. We conclude that 2D echo is useful in the diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy.

Reliability of two-dimensional echocardiography in diagnosing fungal endocarditis.

Although the techniques of M-mode and two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography (echo) have been found to be useful in patients with bacterial endocarditis, the 2D findings of fungal endocarditis are not known. In this report, we present the case of a young female narcotic addict with Candida albicans endocarditis in whom we diagnosed a large vegetation by 2D echo. Decision for surgery was made solely on the basis of the 2D-echo findings. We feel that 2D-echo findings are reliable in diagnosing fungal endocarditis because, with this technique, the size, shape, mobility, and exact location of the vegetation can be better identified than by the M-mode echo. In addition, early diagnosis of fungal endocarditis helps in treating the patients with medical and surgical therapy which may result in lower mortality.

Early thoracotomy for stab wounds of the heart.

Fifteen consecutive patients with stab wounds of the heart are reviewed. The left ventricle was stabbed in six patients and right ventricle in four. Sinus tachycardia was present in 54% and hypotension in 67% of cases. Central venous pressure recorded in ten patients was elevated in all but one. Generalized ST segment elevation was the rule among the available preoperative recordings. One patient had right bundle branch block. Thirteen of the fifteen patients had a thoracotomy and two had pericardiocentesis only. Sixty nine percent of the thoracotomies were performed within two hours of the injury. There was only one death of a patient who arrived with no blood pressure or heart sounds. An average follow-up of 20 months revealed long-term sequela of an asymptomatic ventricular aneurysm in one patient. Our unusually gratifying results support the approach of emergency thoracotomy in patients with penetrating cardiac trauma.

Selective cannulation of the anterior interventricular vein and coronary sinus: potential applications.

A technique of cannulation of the anterior interventricular vein (AIV) selectively, along with selective cannulation of the coronary sinus, is described. The technique was successful in 61 of 82 patients (76%) in whom it was attempted. There were no serious complications. The technique allows one to obtain blood samples simultaneously from the anterior interventricular vein and the coronary sinus, so that the metabolism of the left ventricular anterior wall and that of the overall left ventricle can be studied. Possible clinical applications of simultaneous investigation of the left ventricular anterior wall and global myocardial metabolism are discussed.

Effects of vasodilator therapy for severe pump failure in acute myocardial infarction on short-term and late prognosis.

Forty-three patients with severe pump failure complicating acute myocardial infarction were treated with vasodilators (nitroprusside (40) and phentolamine (3)) for four hours to 27 days. Cardiac index, stroke volume index, and stroke work index (SWI) increased while the left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) decreased during vasodilator therapy. Twenty-four of the 43 patients (56%) survived. Of patients with initial SWI between 11-20 gm-m/m2 and LVFP less than 15 mm Hg, 68% survived. In contrast only 18% of patients with SWI of 10 gm-m/m2 or less and LVFP greater than 15 mm Hg survived. Of the 17 patients with clinical shock, 8 (47%) survived. All 24 patients discharged from the hospital were followed for at least 12 months. Fourteen patients died one to 25 months (average 9.2 months) after discharge and the cause of death was pump failure in ten of them (71%). The ten survivors at last follow-up had been followed for 15 to 32 months (average 24 months). The cumulative survival at 24 months was 28%. Thus, despite improvement in short-term prognosis with vasodilator therapy in patients with severe pump failure complicating acute myocardial infarction, the prognosis for long term survival remains unfavorable, possibly due to severe intrinsic cardiac damage.

Wenckebach phenomenon occurring in the distal conducting system in a young adult.

This report describes the case of a young man who presented with right bundle-branch block and second degree atrioventricular block; intermittent episodes of Wenckebach periods were recorded. His bundle electrograms demonstrated progressive prolongation of the HV interval followed by block occurring distal to His. This report emphasizes the fact that the Wenckebach phenomenon as a manifestation of the distal conducting system disease can occur in young adults. The observations lend credence to the concept that Lenègre's disease can occur in young people.

Abnormal regional metabolism and mechanical function in patients with ischemic heart diseases: improvement after successful regional revascularization by aortocoronary bypass.

Left ventricular anterior wall metabolism was investigated concurrently with global myocardail metabolism by simultaneous preoperation sampling of anterior interventricular venous (AIV) and coronary sinus (CS) as well as arterial bloods in seven patients with severe obstructive lesions of the major coronary arteries, including left anterior descending. Postoperative study was performed two weeks to six months following successful aortocoronary artery bypass surgery. All grafts including the aorto-left anterior descending artery grafts were patent. Preoperatively in three of the seven patients, anterior wall lactate extraction (R%L) was negative at rest. The average R%L at rest (7 +/- 14%) was abnormal and was negative (-49 +/- 26%) at a maximum supraventricular pacing rate (MPR) of 137 +/- 4.6 beats/min. Postoperatively, not only was resting R%L (39 +/- 4;4%) normal but also it remained normal during atrial pacing (32 +/- 8.5%) even though the postoperative MPR (164 +/- 4.4 beats/min) was much higher than the preoperative MPR; Postoperatively AIV pO2 both at rest (21 +/- 1.1 mm Hg) and at MPR (22 +/- 1.3 mm Hg) and directly determined O2 saturations (resting: 34 +/- 3.0%; MPR:35 +/- 2.1%) tended to be higher than the preoperative values (AIV pO2, resting: 18 +/- 1.7; MPR: 19 +/- 1.7 mm Hg; AIV O2 saturation resting: 30 +/- 2.7; MPR: 33 +/- 3.3%), although only differences in pO2 were statistically significant. In five of the seven patients in whom the pre and postoperative left ventricular angiograms could be compared, systolic wall motion of the left ventricular anterior wall improved markedly postoperatively. Average global myocardial lactate extraction (G%L) preoperatively was normal (19 +/- 4.8%) at rest but was negative (-22 +/- 12%) at MPR. Postoperatively however, G%L both at rest (44 +/- 5.5%) and at MPR (34 +/- 7.9%) were normal. Coronary sinus pO2 and O2 saturation were also higher postoperatively compared to the preoperative values. Over-all left ventricular performance indicated by increase in ejection fraction also improved postoperatively. This improvement was not caused by increased coronary blood flow. Postoperative coronary sinus blood flow both at rest (114 +/- 19 ml/min) and at MPR (199 +/- 27 ml/min) however were less than the preoperative values (resting 136 +/- 24, MPR 261 +/- 40 ml/min), There was also no increase in global O2 delivery and O2 consumption despite higher heart rate and rate-pressure product achieved during postoperative pacing stress and the patients did not develop angina. These findings suggest that improved regional and global metabolism and mechanical functions observed postoperatively in these patients may be due to redistribution of blood flow to the ischemic and nonischemic myocardium following successful aortocoronary artery bypass surgery.

Effects of high altitude hypoxia on left ventricular systolic time intervals in man.

Effects of high altitude hypoxia on systolic time intervals were examined in 34 healthy men: 20 sea level residents studied at rest and at the end of 3 minutes steady isometric (handgrip) exercise at sea level and then serially for the first 5 days and on the tenth day, at an altitude of 3658 m, and I4 permanent residents at high altitude studied at high altitude. In the sea level residents there was a significant increase in the pre-ejection period (PEP), abbreviation of the left ventricular ejection time (LVET), both corrected for heart rate, and prolongation of the PEP/LVET ratio at high altitude. The maximum changes were seen on days 2 and 3; these parameters tended to approach sea level control values by the tenth day. The systolic time interval values of high altitude residents were similar to the control values of the sea level residents obtained at sea level but significantly different from the changes in the sea level values seen in the first 4 days at high altitude. It thus appears that while the high altitude residents do not show any left ventricular dysfunction as determined by systolic time intervals, healthy sea level residents when exposed to high altitude hypoxia show a significant depression of the left ventricular function for at least the first 4 days. This might be a contributing factor in the genesis of high altitude pulmonary oedema.

Transthoracic electrical impedance in cases of high-altitude hypoxia.

Changes in transthoracic electrical impedance (T.E.I.) due to high-altitude hypoxia (3,658 m) have been measured in 20 young, healthy Indian soldiers. They were first studied at sea level (198 m) and then rapidly transported by air to 3,658 m, where they were studied daily from day 1 to day 5 and then on days 8 and 10. The mean (+/-S.D.) T.E.I. at sea level (34.6+/-0.6Omega) fell sharply to 29.6+/-0.8Omega, 30.3+/-0.9Omega, and 30.5+/-1.1Omega on days 1, 2, and 3 (P <0.001) and levelled off at 31.5+/-0.7Omega on day 10, which was comparable to the mean value obtained in 13 persons permanently resident at high altitude (32.2+/-0.7Omega). Five sea-level residents who had acute mountain sickness (A.M.S.) or high-altitude pulmonary oedema (H.A.P.O.) had a still lower mean value (22.5+/-1.1Omega). One normal healthy subject who at sea level had a T.E.I. of 34.7Omega developed H.A.P.O. when the T.E.I. fell to 21.1Omega. Ninety minutes after the administration of 80 mg of intravenous frusemide the value increased to 35.5Omega. In another subject with A.M.S. who received 40 mg of frusemide intravenously the T.E.I. rose from 21.9 to 33.2Omega.Since the study was non-invasive the changes in impedance could not be correlated objectively with alterations in either pulmonary blood volume or pulmonary extravascular water space. In the subject, however, with x-ray evidence of H.A.P.O. and a low T.E.I. intravenous frusemide produced a marked rise in T.E.I. together with clearing of the chest x-ray picture within 24 hours, indicating an inverse relationship between impedance and thoracic fluid volume. It is suggested that with further objective verification in man the measurement of T.E.I. may be a potentially promising technique for the early detection of increased pulmonary fluid volume.