Sphygmographic assessment of arterial distensibility in patients at risk of degenerative arterial disease.

The paper deals with the application of carotid resonance electrosphygmography (CRESG) to primary arterial hypertension (PAH) and primary hyperlipoproteinaemia (PHLP). On a group of 145 patients with PAH (and a control group of 63 healthy persons) aged 20--50 years and on a group of 30 patients with PHLP (plus a control group of 43 healthy persons) aged 30--60 years, the records were taken bilaterally. In both groups significant quantitative differences in the sphygmograms were found which are indicative for reduced distensibility and indirectly for the degeneration of the arterial wall. It is concluded that an effective follow-up of the progress of degenerative changes can be made by CRESG.

Clinical investigations into the effects of practolol in angina pectoris.

The value of practolol in the treatment of angina pectoris was studied in three groups of patients by means of different methods. In 23 patients the effect of the drug was evaluated during long-term treatment and in 10 patients in a controlled double-blind trial; in 20 patients, the working capacity was determined by an ECG exercise test on a bicycle ergometer. Long-term treatment revealed advantageous effects of practolol on the incidence of anginal attacks and the number of nitroglycerin tablets consumed in daily life. There was also a noticeable improvement in the ECG. The results obtained in a double-blind trial, with placebo, proved the effectiveness of the drug. The treatment enabled the patients to lead appreciably more active lives. A marked increase in work performance, depending on the dose applied, was confirmed in exercise tolerance tests. No side-effects which would call for discontinuance of the treatment were seen during long-term administration with doses up to 800 mg daily.