[Arrhythmia in patients after 80 years of age]. / Zaburzenia rytmu serca u chorych po 80. roku zycia.

The purpose of the work is detection and assessment of heart rhythm disturbances in elderly patients treated in the Department of Cardiology in Lublin for various circulatory system diseases. The study includes 66 patients aged 80-98 years, mean age 83.7 years (46 women and 23 men). During 24-hour ECG monitoring by Holter method the occurrence was evaluated of heart rhythm disturbances due to hyperexcitability and conduction disorders as well as the frequency of their treatment either pharmacological or by constant electrostimulation. Arrhythmias due to hyperexcitability were found in 96% of the patients and they were mostly supraventricular (89%). Atrioventricular conduction disturbances occurred in 35% of the patients. Ventricular arrhythmia requiring treatment (group 4 and 5 according to Lown) occurred in 19% of the patients. Electrostimulation therapy was used in 31.8% of the patients.

[Return of sinus rhythm in patients with paroxysmal heart rhythm disturbances]. / Powrót rytmu zatokowego u chorych z napadowymi zaburzeniami rytmu serca.

The purpose of the work was an assessment of the time and mechanism of the return of sinus rhythm in patients with paroxysmal supraventricular heart rhythm disturbances, treated pharmacologically. The Holter method enabled a precise determination of the mechanism of sinus rhythm return. A group of patients could be isolated with bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome, in whom attacks of MAS syndrome occurred only after regression of arrhythmia. At the time of the return of sinus rhythm and immediately after it transient conduction disturbances and hyperexcitability may occur.

Arterial blood pressure values in children and adolescents in the Lublin population. Epidemiological studies.

The frequency of arterial hypertension occurrence in the adult population is estimated at 10-20%. In the last decade attention has been called to hypertension in children and adolescents. The purpose of the present study was to determine the arterial blood pressure in the studied age groups of children and adolescents in the elementary and secondary schools in Lublin, and to establish the prevalence of hypertension in this population group.

[Thrombolytic therapy of myocardial infarction. Prognostic value of early reduction of elevation of ST segment]. / Zawal serca leczony trombolitycznie. Znaczenie rokownicze wczesnej redukcji uniesienia odcinka ST.

In-hospital mortality, infarction mass (estimated enzymatically) and electrocardiographic indexes (total ST-segments elevation, number of leads with R-wave presence and total R-waves amplitude) were assessed in 532 patients with acute myocardial infarction, randomized to two treatment groups: 272 treated with streptokinase (SK) and 260 with heparin (H). Echocardiographic contractility indexes (contractility disturbances area index, contractility disturbances index, left ventricle diastolic diameter) and heart volume estimated from X-ray film were also assessed. There were no significant differences in mortality and infarction area between the two groups. In 175 patients total ST-segments elevation was reduced by at least 50%, in the rest 340 patients this reduction was less significant. In the group with early elevated ST-segment reduction there were less in-hospital deaths (p less than 0.01), smaller infarction mass (p less than 0.0001) and significantly less disturbed electrocardiographic contractility indexes. Results suggest that simple electrocardiographic index, namely reduction of ST-segment elevation by 50% after 2 hours of treatment may be a useful prognostic tool, independent on treatment options, as far as in-hospital mortality, necrosis mass and left ventricle contractility disturbances are concerned.

[Arrhythmias during automobile driving in patients after acute myocardial infarction]. / Zaburzenia rytmu serca podczas prowadzenia samochodu u chorych po zawale serca.

In 90 patients after acute whole-thickness myocardial infarction suffered 3-48 months earlier 24-hour ECG recording was done for assessment of arrhythmias occurring while they were driving cars and for their comparison with the remaining recording hours. In most patients driving cars episodes of sinus tachycardia even up to 130/min were noted, in about half the patients some increase occurred in the frequency of ventricular ectopic beats, in two patients double and in one patient triple ectopic beats (salvoes) appeared, although they had not been recorded when the patients were not driving cars. The study was carried out (and is still continued) in autumn-winter, when the conditions of car driving were worse. None of the patients was in a collision-threatening situation which could increase dangerous arrhythmias.

[Arrhythmia in patients on dialysis treatment for chronic renal failure]. / Zaburzenia rytmu serca u chorych dializowanych z powodu przewleklej niewydolnosci nerek.

In 6 patients treated with repeated peritoneal dialyses 48-hour ECG monitoring was carried out. In no patient significant heart rhythm disturbances were demonstrated during the dialysis and 24 hours after its completion. On the ground of pathological results of Valsalva's manoeuvre function disturbances of the autonomic nervous system were disclosed but these showed no correlation with premature ventricular and supraventricular++ ectopic beats appearing periodically in some patients. The study showed that under conditions of sufficient control of electrolyte balance (especially potassium) the patients treated with peritoneal dialyses are not a group at risk for arrhythmia development.