Hypocalcaemic cardiac failure.

A 35-year-old patient who presented with recurrent chest infection, pulmonary oedema and cardiac failure was found to be grossly hypocalcaemic owing to previously undiagnosed hypoparathyroidism. The cardiac failure was not easily relieved by digoxin and diuretics but it quickly responded when the plasma calcium was restored to normal with dihydrotachysterol. With dihydrotachysterol as sole treatment for more than 2.5 years he had normal exercise tolerance and no features of cardiac failure.     

Digoxin in heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias

HEART FAILURE: Digoxin therapy has no effect on mortality in heart failure. Digoxin may be useful for maintaining clinical stability and exercise capacity in patients with symptomatic heart failure. Digoxin appears to be of most benefit in patients with severe heart failure, cardiomegaly and a third heart sound. Digoxin should be used as a second-line drug after diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers in patients with congestive heart failure who are in sinus rhythm. Digoxin should be used as a first-line drug in patients with congestive heart failure who are in atrial fibrillation. ARRHYTHMIAS: Digoxin has a limited, but useful, role, either alone or in combination with other agents such as beta-blockers, diltiazem or verapamil, in achieving satisfactory resting ventricular rate control in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. In patients who lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle (perhaps particularly in those who are elderly), digoxin alone may be the agent of choice.     

Management of end stage cardiac failure

Optimum heart failure medication and an increasing array of interventions have had an enormous effect on morbidity and mortality over the past 10 years. However, patients with end stage disease can still be highly symptomatic. Moreover, such patients are disadvantaged compared with patients with malignant disease. They are less likely to have an understanding of their illness or have access to supportive care. They are also less likely to have the opportunity to plan for care with regard to death and dying. There is increasing demand that the multi-professional clinical team gain good communication and supportive care skills, and that appropriate access to specialist palliative care services is available.     

Evaluation of digitalis in cardiac failure

Ten patients in sinus rhythm with symptomatic cardiac failure participated in a study investigating the value of digitalis at rest and during dynamic exercise. A haemodynamic profile and left ventricular ejection fraction were measured before treatment, after intravenous ouabain, and after six weeks of maintenance treatment with digoxin. There was no significant change in the haemodynamic profile or in the left ventricular ejection fraction at rest after either glycoside. During exercise there was a significant reduction in left ventricular filling pressure from 39 +/- 3 mm Hg to 34 +/- 3 mm Hg (p less than 0.05) after ouabain and to 33 +/- 3 mm Hg (p less than 0.02) after digoxin. Cardiac index improved from 33 +/- 0.3 1/min/m2 to 4.0 +/- 0.4 l/min/m2 (p less than 0.01) after ouabain and to 3.8 +/- 0.4 l/min/m2 (p less than 0.01) after digoxin. During exercise stroke volume index and stroke work index also improved significantly with both glycosides. This was accompanied by an increase in left ventricular ejection fraction from 29 +/- 2% to 36 +/- 3% (p less than 0.05) after ouabain and digoxin. In this study both intravenous ouabain and maintenance treatment with oral digoxin exerted a modest positive inotropic effect in patients with cardiac failure in sinus rhythm. The haemodynamic benefit, however, was manifest only during exertion.     

植入型心律转复除颤器除颤电极导线功能故障的原因及处理

目的 探讨植入型心律转复除颤器（ICD）及心脏再同步化心律转复除颤器（CRT-D）除颤电极导线功能故障的发生率、可能原因及处理方法.方法 对166例植入ICD或CRT-D的患者进行长期跟踪随访,统计除颤电极导线功能故障发生率,分析其可能原因及处理方法.结果 166例患者中出现除颤电极导线功能故障5例,发生率为3.01%.其中电极导线绝缘层破裂1例,ICD导线功能障碍1例,R波感知逐渐降低3例.其中2例予以更换除颤电极导线,2例予以植入普通主动固定电极导线,余1例随访中待择期处理.结论 植入ICD或CRT-D的患者,除颤电极导线功能障碍可引起ICD不适当放电,随访中若发现除颤电极导线功能障碍,应及时更换导线.     

Congestive cardiac failure following laxative withdrawal.

We report the case of a 60-year-old woman who presented with weakness and hypokalaemia due to excessive use of laxatives. When the laxatives were withdrawn, she developed severe congestive cardiac failure requiring treatment with a diuretic and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. There was no underlying cardiac abnormality, and these drugs were eventually stopped with no recurrence of the cardiac failure. The possible mechanisms of heart failure following laxative withdrawal is discussed.     

Emerging new frontiers in cardiac pacing: cardiac pacing in heart failure

Indications for pacing have leapt beyond sinus node dysfunction and atrioventricular (AV) block. Pacing for the purpose of improving hemodynamics has become the prime subject of exploration. Several studies have reported hemodynamic and clinical improvement with bi-ventricular pacing and AV sequential pacing. Data is still pouring in from the various ongoing trials regarding the beneficial effects of these methods of pacing. This is especially true in a subset of patients with intractable heart failure. There are several indicators to identify these patients. Those who have intra-ventricular conduction defects and those who demonstrate hemodynamic improvement after temporary pacing are certainly the candidates who will benefit most from this new form of pacing. Prolonged PR interval or left bundle branch block with intractable heart failure also falls into this category. The rationale of pacing in heart failure is to correct the cardiac dysynchrony that occurs frequently in these patients. Cardiac dysynchrony can occur due to ineffective synchronization between atria and ventricles (AV dysynchrony) or due to lack of synchronization within the two ventricles (ventricular dysynchrony). This is overcome by AV sequential pacing or by multi chamber pacing using the coronary sinus as portal of entry of the electrode into the cardiac vein to pace the left ventricle. Pacing leads and generators have been designed to suit the new found methods of pacing. Clinical trials are in full swing to establish the efficacy of these methods.     

Electrolyte disturbances and cardiac failure with hypomagnesaemia in anorexia nervosa

A 32 year old woman with anorexia nervosa was admitted to hospital with severe hypocalcaemia and hypokalaemia that was refractory to replacement treatment but that responded immediately to an infusion of magnesium. She also had congestive cardiac failure that responded to magnesium replacement. The mild hypomagnesaemia found in this patient was responsible for the refractory hypocalcaemia. Minor deficiencies of magnesium may cause severe hypocalcaemia and hypokalaemia that are refractory to replacement treatment. Prompt replacement of magnesium may prevent prolonged tetany, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure.     

心脏手术后急性肾功能衰竭的治疗

目的　治疗心脏手术后急性肾功能减退或急性肾功能衰竭 ,避免血液透析或减少血透次数 ,减少术后并发症和降低死亡率。方法　从 1998年 1月到 2 0 0 0年 11月 ,5 0例心脏手术病人在术后心功能和循环相对稳定的时候表现为急性肾功能减退或急性肾衰。我们将本组病例分为 4组以比较早期间歇利尿病例 (A1组13例 )、延迟间歇利尿病例 (A2组 7例 )、早期持续利尿病例 (B1组 2 0例 )和延迟持续利尿病例 (B2组 10例 )的治疗效果 ;同时比较各组中最后需要血透的病例进行早期血透和晚期血透的疗效。结果　A1组 :药物治愈 7例(5 3.8% ) ,早期血透 6例 (4 6 .2 % ) ,死亡 1例 (7.7% ) ;A2组 :早期血透 3例 (4 2 .9% ) ,晚期血透 4例 (5 7.1% ) ,死亡 5例 (71.4% ) ;B1组 :药物治愈 18例 (90 .0 % ) ,早期血透 2例 (10 .0 % ) ,无死亡 ;B2组 :药物治愈 3例(30 .0 % ) ,早期血透 5例 (5 0 .0 % ) ,晚期血透 2例 (2 0 .0 % ) ,死亡 3例 (30 .0 % )。结论　在心功能和循环相对稳定的情况下表现为急性肾功能减退或急性肾衰的病例 ,治疗原则是及时诊断、尽早治疗、持续利尿和积极血透。     

心脏手术后急性肾功能衰竭的治疗

目的 探讨提高心脏手术后急性肾功能衰竭(ARF)疗效的措施。方法 心脏手术病人发生ARF29例，术前心功能Ⅲ级9例，Ⅳ级20例。术前肾功能正常21例，氮质血症8例。全组采用早期强化利尿治疗，最后需要透析治疗的患者应用早期或晚期腹膜透析或血液透析治疗。结果 全组药物治愈14例，透析治疗15例。透析治疗存活8例，死亡7例。透析治疗病例中，腹膜透析8例，存活6例，死亡2例；其中早期腹透7例，存活6例，死亡1例，晚期腹透1例，死亡。血液透析7例，存活2例，死亡5例；其中早期血透3例，存活2例，死亡1例，晚期血透4例，全部死亡。结论 提高心脏手术后ARF疗效的方法是及时诊断、尽早治疗、强化利尿和积极透析治疗。