Vitamin D,Cardiovascular System,and Longevity of Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract: The risk of cardiovascular death is high in hemodialysis (HD) patients, and thickening, stiffening and calcification of the arterial wall have been shown as its predictive factors. Activated vitamin D preparations are used for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in HD patients, but as they increase serum phosphate and calcium concentrations, there is a concern that they promote vascular calcification and, consequently, exacerbate the outcomes. In this article, the effects of vitamin D therapy on survival, cardiac function, arteriosclerosis, immunity, and inflammation are evaluated by reviewing the literature. In HD patients, the risk of death (particularly cardiovascular death) is significantly lower in those treated than in those not treated with vitamin D. Moreover, activated vitamin D improves cardiac function and alleviates cardiac hypertrophy in HD patients. Experimental data in cultured macrophages, vascular smooth muscle cells, and vascular endothelial cells suggest that it has antiatherosclerotic effects. In vivo, the administration of vitamin D improves immune functions and normalizes inflammatory reactions. In HD patients, vascular calcification is related to the dose of calcium carbonate, but its relationship with the administration of vitamin D is not significant. These observations suggest that, contrary to the general concerns, activated vitamin D exerts favorable effects on the cardiovascular system in HD patients as long as it is used in appropriate clinical doses.     

心血管造影在复杂和(或)复合先天性心脏病诊断中的应用

目的 探讨心血管造影在先天性心脏病（简称先心病）复杂和（或）复合畸形中的应用价值。方法 分析360例复杂和（或）复合畸形造影所见及其与超声心动图等临床检查的联系。结果 本组360例（包括75例肺动脉闭锁合并室间隔缺损、62例右室双出口、60例法乐四联症、52例单心室、42例大动脉错位、15例三尖闭锁、6例冠状动脉异常、5例完整型肺静脉畸形连接、5例完全型心内膜垫缺损、4例共同动脉干、3例室间完整的肺动脉闭锁、7例其他病例和24例外科术后检查）心血管造影和超声对比，纠正后者误、漏诊分别为34、30例及对合并畸形误诊16例。对复杂和（或）复合畸形中体肺侧支血管、冠状动脉畸形和肺动脉段分支及其异常的检测和诊断优于超声心动图，并可测量肺动、静脉压力及体肺侧支血管压力而优于其他影像学检查方法。结论 对于先心病复杂和（或）复合畸形的疑难病例诊断和鉴别诊断，尤其显示体、肺及冠状动脉分支的全貌及相关病变，以及测量肺动脉和心室压力等，心血管造影（含DSA）仍有重要或不可替代的作用。     

雷米芬太尼对无抽搐电休克治疗心血管反应的影响

目的研究雷米芬太尼对无抽搐电休克(MECT)治疗心血管反应的影响。方法32例抑郁症患者随机分成对照组与雷米芬太尼组,每组16例。对照组采用丙泊酚1.5mg/kg静脉麻醉;雷米芬太尼组给予等量丙泊酚加1μg/kg雷米芬太尼静脉麻醉。全麻诱导后皆静注琥珀酰胆碱,待肌肉松驰后行MECT治疗。全程监测患者ECG、HR、MAP、SpO2,并观察记录患者癫痫发作时间、自主呼吸恢复时间、苏醒时间。结果MECT治疗后即刻、1、3min两组HR、MAP较麻醉前明显升高(P<0.05或P<0.01),但雷米芬太尼组明显低于对照组(P<0.05);自主呼吸恢复时间雷米芬太尼组略长于对照组(P<0.05),但均在10min以内;癫痫发作时间、苏醒时间、SpO2两组差异无显著意义。结论雷米芬太尼适合应用于MECT治疗麻醉并可明显抑制MECT引起心血管反应。     

Risks of androgen therapy

Elderly men with clinical and laboratory evidence of androgen deficiency are eligible for testosterone treatment.

With proper monitoring this is acceptably safe.

In the first year of testosterone treatment there should be a digital rectal examination of the prostate and measurement of prostate specific antigen every three months, thereafter yearly.

The rate of increase of prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels is more significant than its absolute values.

Levels of haemoglobin and the haematocrit should be monitored.     

95例老年患者心脏大血管手术治疗的体会

目的 总结老年患者心脏大血管手术围术期处理经验,提高治疗水平。方法 对施行心脏大血管手术治疗的95例老年患者进行回顾性分析。结果 围术期死亡6例,病死率6.21％,其中多系统器官衰竭(MSOF)3例,低心输出量综合征2例,肾功能衰竭1例;存活患者中出现低心输出量综合征6例,并发多系统器官衰竭6例和肾功能衰竭1例,经积极治疗后治愈;术后出现肺部感染18例;手术切口感染3例;气管切开6例;肢体坏死而截肢1例。结论 年龄不是绝对限制条件,围术期处理得当与否是提高手术成功率的重要环节。     

百年乐与人参黄芪合剂对心血管系统的药理作用比较

百年乐和人参黄芪合剂对心血管系统的作用研究表明:百年乐能加速小鼠肠系膜微循环障碍的恢复,增加离体兔耳血管的流量,使主动脉平滑肌松弛,对抗心肌缺氧,抑制血栓形成,其作用强于人参黄芪合剂。     

Cardiovascular responses to various autonomic tests in males and females

The results of cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests on 224 healthy, randomly selected subjects were analysed to study possible sex differences in the autonomic responses. The heart rate response to the Valsalva manoeuvre (Valsalva ratio) was greater in females over 50 years than in males of the same age (1.58 ± 0.34 vs. 1.44 ± 0.30,p < 0.05). The heart rate response to deep breathing (E/I ratio) was higher in females under 50 years than in males under 50 years (1.37 ± 0.17 vs. 1.34 ± 0.18,p < 0.001). The diastolic blood pressure response to isometric handgrip was higher in males under 50 years than in females of the same age (p < 0.05). Although there were sex differences in the magnitude of the responses, the effect of age was similar in males and females and accelerated attenuation of the autonomic responses could not be demonstrated with increasing age. It can be concluded that significant sex differences exist in cardiovascular autonomic responses. The implication of such differences need consideration.     

A prospective analysis of 1400 pulmonary artery catheterizations in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

During 1983 and 1984, 1305 patients underwent 1,400 pulmonary artery (PA) catheterizations. Successful placement was achieved in 1397 (99.6%) of 1,403 attempts. The catheters were inserted via the right internal jugular vein on 1364 occasions. The median duration of monitoring was 28 h with a range from 3 to 220 h. Central venous puncture complications included carotid artery puncture in 67 instances (4.8%) and pneumothorax in one patient. Insertion of the catheters was associated with supraventricular arrhythmias on 11 occasions, ventricular arrhythmias on 930 (66.4%), right bundle branch block on two and a total heart block on one occasion. Eighteen (2.3%) of the 794 cultured catheter tips were positive. An in situ time of more than 72 h was associated with a significantly higher percentage (7.2%) of positive tip cultures compared with an in situ time of less than 72 h (P less than 0.01). Repeated PA catheterization was not associated with significantly more complications than the initial catheterization. The results show that monitoring with a PA catheter in cardiac surgical patients is associated with a low incidence of morbidity.     

FDA’S Perspectives on Cardiovascular Devices

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision process for approving or clearing medical devices is often determined by a review of robust clinical data and extensive preclinical testing of the device. The mission statement for the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) is to review the information provided by manufacturers so that it can promote and protect the health of the public by ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical devices deemed appropriate for human use (Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, §903(b)(1, 2(C)), December 31, 2004; accessed December 17, 2008 ). For high-risk devices, such as ventricular assist devices (VADs), mechanical heart valves, stents, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices, pacemakers, and defibrillators, the determination is based on FDA’s review of extensive preclinical bench and animal testing followed by use of the device in a clinical trial in humans. These clinical trials allow the manufacturer to evaluate a device in the intended use population. FDA reviews the data from the clinical trial to determine if the device performed as predicted and the clinical benefits outweigh the risks. This article reviews the regulatory framework for different marketing applications related to cardiovascular devices and describes the process of obtaining approval to study a cardiovascular device in a U.S. clinical trial.     

妇女叶酸增补中需要关注的问题

妇女围孕期增补叶酸能够有效预防神经管缺陷等疾病的发生。随着对叶酸研究的不断深入，叶酸补充中出现了诸多问题。本文简要综述了叶酸在服用方式以及基础和临床研究中出现的值得讨论、已经引起关注和需要进一步研究探讨的问题，并提出了深入研究叶酸可能的发展趋势。