Carbon monoxide (CO) is a well-known chemical asphyxiant, which causes tissue hypoxia with prominent neurological and cardiovascular injury. After exposure to CO, several cardiac manifestations have been reported, including arrhythmias, acute myocardial infarction, and pulmonary edema. However, an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to CO poisoning is a very rare presentation, and the treatment for STEMI due to CO poisoning is not well established. Here, we report a rare case of STEMI complicated by increased thrombogenicity secondary to acute CO poisoning and complete revascularization after antithrombotic treatment.
Anoxia ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Carbon ; Carbon Monoxide ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; Myocardial Infarction ; Pulmonary Edema

BACKGROUND: Cardiac arrhythmias and other cardiac dysfunctions occur in relation with acute cerebral ischemia. This study was undertaken to evaluate the sequential changes of electrocardiogram and cardiac enzymes after acute ischemic stroke, and to evaluate the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias. METHODS: Forty-three patients with acute ischemic stroke were recruited for this study. Electrocardiogram and cardiac enzymes were checked at 1, 3, 5, 7, 15, and 30 days after onset. RESULTS: Heart rates were decreased acutely after ischemic stroke and showed maximal decrease at day 3 (p<0.05). Heart rates were more significantly decreased in the right-sided lesions than the left (p<0.05) and in the supratentorial lesions than the infratentorial (p<0.05). PR intervals and durations of QRS complex were prolonged at day 3 and 5 but were not significant. The prolongation of the QTc interval was found in 21 patients (48.8%) and sustained QTc prolongation at day 30 were seen in 16 patients. Compared with controls, patients showed significantly higher incidence of arrhythmias (p<0.01). Creatine phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB) was significantly increased at day 5 (p<0.01) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) was increased at day 7 (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the incidence of neurogenic cardiac abnormalities in acute ischemic stroke was higher than that of previous studies. Abnormalities peaked at days 3 and 5 were nearly similar to control levels at day 30. These periods of peak abnormalities coincided with those of increasing brain edema. Therefore, we postulate that cardiac autonomic controls are also influenced by acute brain edema. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(3):207~212, 2001)
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Brain Edema ; Brain Ischemia ; Cerebral Infarction ; Creatine ; Electrocardiography* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Oxidoreductases ; Stroke*

Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is an abnormality of sinus nodal impulse formation by intrinsic or extrinsic causes. Patients with SSS often are asymptomatic, or have mild or nonspecific symptoms, including dizziness, palpitations, fatigue, and confusion related to the decreased cardiac output. SSS can rarely cause conditions like syncope, congestive heart failure, thromboembolism, pulmonary edema, cardiac arrest, or sudden death. We report here on a severe bradycardia during general anesthesia for aneurysmal clipping and tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome followed by cardiac arrest postoperatively in the ICU, which was subsequently diagnosed as SSS with 24-hour Holter monitoring.
Anesthesia, General ; Aneurysm ; Bradycardia ; Cardiac Output ; Death, Sudden ; Dizziness ; Edema, Cardiac ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; Fatigue ; Heart Arrest ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; Syncope

The infiltration of dilute epinephrine solution has been used for many years to provide hemostasis. However, epinephrine has adverse cardiovascular effects, such as arrhythmia, pulmonary edema, and even cardiac arrest. We have experienced epinephrine-induced cardiovascular crisis, with severe hypertension, tachycardia, and cardiac arrest after subcutaneous infiltration of a 2% lidocaine and 1 : 200,000 epinephrine solution in a patient with an asymptomatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. We provided successfully advanced cardiac life support in the operating room and cardioverted the patient back into a sinus rhythm with no untoward effects. The patient recovered without any apparent sequelae after intensive care.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Epinephrine ; Heart Arrest ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Critical Care ; Lidocaine ; Operating Rooms ; Pulmonary Edema ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Tachycardia

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is a rare cause of pulmonary hypertension in which the primary abnormality is obliterative obstruction of pulmonary veins, especially venules. Clinicaly, we should suspect this disease in the case of congestive cardiac failure with pulmonary hypertension, chronic interstitial pulmonary edema, and normal or elevated wedge pressure on cardiac catheterization. We experience a case of pulmonary hypertension due to pulmonary veno-occlusive disease. A 55-years -old woman developed progressive dry cough and dyspnea for 3 months. Physical examination showed normal heart sounds, diffuse crackles in the whole lung fields. The liver was not palpable and pitting edema was absent. The diagnosis was made by chest HRCT, 2-D echocardiography, normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure on cardiac catheterization, and confirmed by thoracoscopic lung biopsy. This patient was treated with vasodilator(calcium antagonist) and with mild symptomatic improvement. We reported a case of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease with review of literatures.
Biopsy ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Edema ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Heart Sounds ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Liver ; Lung ; Physical Examination ; Pulmonary Edema ; Pulmonary Veins ; Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease* ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Respiratory Sounds ; Thorax ; Venules

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is very rare in young adults. Nephrotic syndrome is an uncommon cause of AMI in young adults and is characterized by excessive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, and generalized edema. The hypercoagulable state and accelerated atherosclerosis in patients with nephrotic syndrome may be associated with the development of AMI in young adults. We report herein a case of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with sudden cardiac arrest in a young patient with minimal change disease.
Atherosclerosis ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Edema ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Shock, Cardiogenic* ; Young Adult*

Cannulation of a large central vein is the standard clinical method for mornitoring CVP and is also performed for a number of additional therapeutic interventions, such as providing secure vascular access for administration of vasoactive drugs or to initiate rapid fluid resuscitation in operation or for aspiration of air emboli. But there are many complications such as vessel injury, pneumothorax, nerve injury, arrhythmias, arteriovenus thrombus, pulmonary emboli, infection at insertion site, because there are major vessels, nerve and organs around of central veins. We report a case of Rt. Hydrothorax after internal jugular vein cannulation and a contralateral reexpansion pulmonary edema and pleural effusion after Rt. chest tube insertion for hydrothorax.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Chest Tubes* ; Hydrothorax* ; Jugular Veins* ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumothorax ; Pulmonary Edema* ; Resuscitation ; Thorax* ; Thrombosis ; Veins*

Perinatal atrial flutter is a potentially lethal arrhythmia. Management of this disorder is difficult and controversial. Fetal atrial flutter is a serious and life threatening rhythm disorder particulary when it causes hydrops; it may be associated with fetal death or neurological damage. Although the initial episode of flutter may be difficult to control, recurrence of atrial flutter after successful resolution of the arrhythmia seems highly unlikely and long-term prognosis is excellent. We experienced a case of a atrial flutter diagnosed in utero at 38+6 weeks' gestation by fetal cardiac echocardiography. He was treated with maternal digoxin, but he continued to have atrial flutter until delivery. Restoration of sinus rhythm occured with propafenone therapy in this patient after failure of initial digoxin therapy and direct current cardioversion.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Flutter* ; Diagnosis* ; Digoxin ; Echocardiography* ; Edema ; Electric Countershock ; Fetal Death ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prognosis ; Propafenone* ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: Refractory edema in some patients with advanced heart failure or renal failure will not respond to diuretic therapy. In this setting, the ex- cess fluid can be removed by continuous hemofiltration either by continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH) or continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). Careful monitoring is required to prevent life-threatening hypotension due to continued production of large ultrafiltrate. To overcome these disadvantages of CVVH, we attempted to perform daytime 1VVH as an alternative therapeutic modality to CVVH. METHODS: We performed venovenous hemofiltration for eight hours in the daytime in dialysis unit and repeated intermittently at 1 or 2 days interval if further treatment is required. We called this intermittent venovenous hemofiltration(IVVH). From October 1992 through November 1997, we prospectively studied the efficacy and usefulness of IVVH in 42 patients with refractory edema. RESULTS: Underlying disorders which required IVVH were renal insufficiency in 28 patients and nephrotic syndrome in 14 patients. The mean duration of treatment was 17.0+/-8.4 hours. Total UFR was 26.1+/-153L and mean UFR/hr was 1.5+/-2.2L. Edema was successfully controled with only one time treatment of IVVH in 12(28.6%), two in 17(40.5%), three in 7(16.6%), four in 4(9.5%), and five in 2(4.8%), Mean number of IVVH treatments per patient was 2.2+/-0.4 to complete the treatment of refractory edema. Changes in blood chemistry and hemodynamics before and after IVVH were not significantly different. Body weight and abdominal girth decreased significantly after IVVH(p<0.001). No major complications occurred during these trials. There were only two episodes(5.1%) of transient hypotension, and each one episode(2.6%) of bleeding at access site and arrhythmia, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results stongly suggest that IVVH is a simple, safe and effective method in the treatment of refractory edema not responding to diuretic therapy.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Body Weight ; Chemistry ; Dialysis ; Edema* ; Heart Failure ; Hemodynamics ; Hemofiltration ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Prospective Studies ; Renal Insufficiency

A mixture of local anesthetic and epinephrine provides hemostasis for ear microsurgery. However, epinephrine has adverse cardiovascular effects, such as arrhythmia, pulmonary edema, and even cardiac arrest. We have experienced catecholamine-induced cardiovascular crisis, with severe hypertension, tachycardia, and acute pulmonary edema, after subcutaneous infiltration with a 2% lidocaine and 1:200,000 epinephrine solution. The patient recovered without any apparent sequelae after intensive care, including diuretics, steroids, and nitroglycerin for the hypertension and pulmonary edema, and a vasopressor for the subsequent hypotension.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Diuretics ; Ear ; Epinephrine ; Heart Arrest ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypotension ; Critical Care ; Lidocaine ; Microsurgery ; Nitroglycerin ; Pulmonary Edema ; Steroids ; Tachycardia