[Myocardial ischemia secondary to coronary fistula of the anterior descending artery with drainage into the pulmonary artery]. / Isquemia miocárdica secundaria a fístula coronaria de la arteria descendente anterior con drenaje al tronco de la arteria pulmonar.

This article reports the clinical and angiographic aspects of three patients with congenital coronary arteriovenous fistula to the main pulmonary artery, which manifested as dyspnea crisis and angina. This three cases were found in the course of 4,400 consecutive cardiac catheterization procedures to study coronary artery disease. The interest of the cases reported is based on the peculiar anatomy of the fistula. Prompt diagnosis is relevant for better prognosis and treatment.

[Radiologic characteristics of cardiogenic pulmonary edema in the elderly]. / Características radiológicas del edema pulmonar cardiogénico en el anciano.

The radiologic appearance of atypical cardiogenic pulmonary edema (ACPE) is presented in 10 cases admitted from 1983 to 1985, with age ranges from 74 to 89, and with diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, with myocardial infarction in 50% of them. Clinically they had asthenia, adynamia and anorexia in 80%, cough and weight loss in 50%. All of them had tachycardia, pulmonary rales and 50% pericardial rub. ECG showed in 80% anterior subepicardial ischemia, 60% posteroinferior subepicardial ischemia, 60% bifascicular block, and 50% left anterior fascicular block. Chest films were interpreted at first as pulmonary fibrosis in 90% of the cases with superior lobe involvement in 50%. Heart enlargement was present in 50%. A chronic lung disease was disclosed on clinical and pulmonary physiological grounds. It is concluded that asthenia, adynamia and anorexia were atypical manifestations of heart failure in the elderly. Silent myocardial infarction was observed in half of our patients and it was complicated with pericardial involvement in 50%. Irregular distribution of fluids in pulmonary edema was attributed to anatomic changes in elder lung. These atypical behaviour of pulmonary edema, has been misinterpreted on radiologic basis with pulmonary infection, tumours, metastasis or fibrosis. Those radiologic changes disappeared or improved in 72 hrs. with treatment of left ventricular failure.

[Electric cardioversion in the emergency service. Experience in 1000 cases]. / Cardioversión eléctrica en el servicio de urgencias. Experiencia de 1000 casos.

We describe our experience with 1000 electric cardioversions performed at the emergency ward in the Hospital of Cardiology y Neumology, National Medical Center I.M.S.S. The objectives are: 1. Report our experience. 2. Investigate if digitalis treatment should be discontinued before the procedure. 3. Determine if all patients should be on anticoagulant therapy for elective cardioversion. 4. Indicate the optimal anesthetic drug with minimal side effects. A therapeutic procedure was performed in 73% of our cases and an elective one in the remaining 27%. Patients were grouped as ischemic heart disease 26%, rheumatic heart disease 24%, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 14%, systemic hypertensive heart disease 13%, without clinical heart disease 6%, preexcitation syndrome 6%, adult congenital heart disease 4%, with implanted pacemaker 2%, pregnancy 2% and diverse myocardial diseases 2%. As a cardiac arrhythmias atrial fibrillation was the main cause 45%. Atrial flutter represented 25%, atrial paroxysmal tachycardia was 21% and ventricular tachycardia 9%. A cardioversion was performed in 43% of patients under digitalis treatment at therapeutic levels, without complications. Atrial flutter reverted to sinus rhythm in 98% of the procedures, and atrial fibrillation in 97%. Elective cardioversion in patients with atrial fibrillation was achieved with energies of 200 joules in 82% of the procedures (P less than 0.001) and in atrial flutter with 100 joules in 89% of the cases (P less than 0.001). The most frequent complications were atrial and junctional premature beats in 41% of the cases. We consider this procedure a safe one, effective at the energy levels described, with no need for discontinuation of digitalis therapy, with no mandatory previous anticoagulant therapy, and with no contraindications on pregnancy or implanted pacemakers.