To substantiate the hypothesis that patients with antecedent angina(> or =24hr before myocardial infarcton) are more likely to have a significant residual stenosis than are those without antedecent angina, the coronary angiogram of 27 patients with successful coronary thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction were reviewed. In comparison with the patients without antecedent angina the patient with antecedent angina had an increased mean stenosis (86.9% vs 69.3%) and had a more decreased ejection fraction(52.3% vs 65.6%). These findings suggest that angina pectoris before acute myocardial infarction would be regarded as one of high risk factors after acute myocardial infarction.
Angina Pectoris* ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Risk Factors

Percutaneous mitral ballon valvuloplasty(PMV) is an effective nonsurgical procedure for patients with mitral stenosis. PMV was performed in 13 patients(mean age, 41 years) with mitral stenosis. All patients underwent echophonocardiography(Echophono) before and after PMV. Two dilatation balloons were used in which the diameters approximately equaled the mitral valve annulus diameter as determined. After PMV, the mean mitral valve pressure gradient decreased(22.3+/-1.89mmHg to 5.2+/-2.6mmHg), the mean left atrial pressure decreased(21.3+/-5.1mmHg to 9.0+/-4.5mmHg) and the mitral valve area increased from 0.8+/-0.3cm2 to 1.7+/-0.6cm2. The Echophono data are correlated with clinical and hemodynamic changes produced by PMV. PMV resulted in echophono changes consistent with decresed severity of mitral stenosis ; shortening of Q-S1, from 88+/-14 to 73+/-11 mses(p<0.01) and (Q-S1)-(S2-OS), from 0.9+/-1.7 to -2.1+/-1.6(p<0.001) ; prolongation of S2-OS from 80+/-15 to 103+/-14 msec(p<0.001) and increase of EF slope from 14.7+/-5.4 to 26.7+/-8.1 mm/sec(p<0.001). Compared with pre-PMV, post-PMV Echophono showed significant decrease in the severity of mitral stenosis. Thus Echophono is a simple, low cost method helpful in evaluation and follow-up patients undergoing PMV.
Atrial Pressure ; Balloon Valvuloplasty ; Dilatation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Stenosis

To investigate the significance of precordial ST-segment depression in acute inferior myocardial infarction, electrocardiographic findings in 51 consecutive patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction were analysed with clinical findings and coronary artery angiography. Thirty patients(Group A) had no or <1.0mm ST depression, and twenty one patients(Group B) had > or =1.0mm ST depression in two or more precordial(VI-6) leads were included in this study. Patients in Group B thd greater summed ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, AVF(6.3+/-6.1 vs 2.4+/-2.3mm, p<0.05), higher plasma peak CK levels(1776.8+/-1503.3 vs 5666.6+/-587.7 IU/L, p<0.05), higher plasmal peak CK-MB levels(141.2+/-1553.3 vs 34.1+/-35.7 IU/L, p<0.05), more prevalence of proximal left anterior descending coronary artery disease (46.6% vs 16.6%, p<0.05) than patients in Group A. There was no significant difference between Group A and Group B in the LV ejection fraction, delta area decreasing rate, infarction related asynergy, complications during hospitalization and cardiac events during follow up period. In conclusion, patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction who have associated with precordial ST depression had more extensive myocardial damage probably due to concomitant left anterior descending coronary artery disease.
Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Depression* ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infarction ; Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction* ; Plasma ; Prevalence

Certain angiographic patterns outlining the morphologic characteristics of vessels and defining the lesion-specific characteristics have recently been shown to greatly influence the likelihood of a successful dilation. In 1988, ACC/AHA Subcommitte on percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty proposed the lesion-specific classification as a guide for estimating the likelihood of a successful procedure as well as the the likelihood of developing abrupt vessel closure. To determine the lesion-specific predictors for successful dilation and complications after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, nine angiographic charateristics of 200 lesions in 164 patients who underwent coronary angiplasty between May, 1983 and September, 1989 were analyzed. 1) Successful dilation, defined as a reduction in stenosis diameter to less than 50% without acute myocardial infarction or emergency coronary artery bypass graft, occurred in 175 of 212 lesions(82.5%). 2) Successful dilation occurred in 13 of 15 type A lesions(86.6%), 148 of 178 type B lesions(83.1%) and 3 of 7 type C lesions(42.8%)(p<0.05 for A or B vs C). 3) Acute closure syndrome occurred in none of type A lesions, 6 of type B lesions(3.4%), 2 of type C lesions(28.5%)(p<0.005 for A or B vs C). 4) multivariate analysis showed that lesion-specific characteristic predictors for successful dilation were length of lesion(p<0.05) and accessibility(p<0.05) ; for ischemic events were major branch involvement(p<0.05) and eccentricity(p<0.05); for acute closure syndrome were accessibility(p<0.05) and eccentricity(p<0.05). 5) Procedural predictors for ischemic events were coronary artery dissection(p<0.01), post-PTCA diameter stenosis(p<0.05) and balloon/artery diameter ratio(p<0.01) ; For acute closure syndrome was coronary artery dissection(p<0.005). In this analysis, we found that angiographic lesion-specific characteristics related very importantly to procedural success and were able to define three major independent lesionspecific risk factors whose presence beforehand decreased the likelihood of successful dilation and increased the likelihood of acute closure. In the absence of any of these risk factors, the risk of acute closure is very small. Thus, identification of these factors and their associate risk should improve patients selection and better define the role of coronary angioplasty in the management fo patients with coronary artery disease.
Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Classification ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction ; Risk Factors ; Transplants

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), also termed Bland-White-Garland syndrome, is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly characterized by myocardial ischemia which becomes symptomatic during early infancy leading to infarction, left heart failure or even death. More than 90% of patients can be dead within first year of life if untreated, so adult type ALCAPA without surgical correction is quitely rare. We present a case of a 20-year-old man with ALPACA syndrome whose diagnosis took several years to be made because he was mistaken to have organic mitral regurgitation.
Adult* ; Bland White Garland Syndrome ; Camelids, New World ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Infarction ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Young Adult

To evaluate the effect of alteration of left atrial pressure. volume and wall tension on the circulating plasma level of atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP), 15 patients with left atrial hypertension due to mitral stenosis were studied at the time of percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty(PMV). Hemodynamic measurements and plasma atrial natriuretic peptde levels were obtained before, immediately(5-10min) after and 24h after valvuloplasty, and echocardiographic left atrial size, wall tension and mitral valve area were measured bdfore and 24h after valvuloplasty. 1) Immediately after valvuloplasty, left atrial pressure, pulmonary atrial pressure and mean diastolic pressure gradient across the mitral valve decreased, and the mitral valve area by Gorlin's method increased, significantly. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level(atright and left atrium, pulmonary artery and aorta) rose significantly after balloon inflation. This rising may reflect a transient increase in left atrial pressure and volume expansion associated with mitral valve occlusion by balloon. 2) Twenty four after valvuloplasty, mitral valve area increased, and left atrial volume and wall tension decreased, significantly. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level(at right atrium, pulmonary artery and aorta) fell significantly, too. In conclusion, change of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide le.vel before and after percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty reflect hemodynamic alteration of right and left atrium.
Atrial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography ; Heart Atria ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inflation, Economic ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Stenosis ; Plasma* ; Pulmonary Artery

To evaluate the effect of alteration of left atrial pressure. volume and wall tension on the circulating plasma level of atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP), 15 patients with left atrial hypertension due to mitral stenosis were studied at the time of percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty(PMV). Hemodynamic measurements and plasma atrial natriuretic peptde levels were obtained before, immediately(5-10min) after and 24h after valvuloplasty, and echocardiographic left atrial size, wall tension and mitral valve area were measured bdfore and 24h after valvuloplasty. 1) Immediately after valvuloplasty, left atrial pressure, pulmonary atrial pressure and mean diastolic pressure gradient across the mitral valve decreased, and the mitral valve area by Gorlin's method increased, significantly. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level(atright and left atrium, pulmonary artery and aorta) rose significantly after balloon inflation. This rising may reflect a transient increase in left atrial pressure and volume expansion associated with mitral valve occlusion by balloon. 2) Twenty four after valvuloplasty, mitral valve area increased, and left atrial volume and wall tension decreased, significantly. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level(at right atrium, pulmonary artery and aorta) fell significantly, too. In conclusion, change of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide le.vel before and after percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty reflect hemodynamic alteration of right and left atrium.
Atrial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography ; Heart Atria ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inflation, Economic ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Stenosis ; Plasma* ; Pulmonary Artery

We evaluated the clinical effects of amlodipine in 10 patients(7 male and 3 female) with angina pectoris in terms of the effect on the anginal pain, hemodynamic changes and side effects. The results obtained were as follows; 1) The clinical improvement was obsebed in 8(80.8%) of 10 and 9(88.9%) of 9 patients at 2 and 10 weeks after oral amlodipine. 2) The systolic and diastolic blood pressure was decreased significantly(136.0+/-16.5mmHg vs 117.0+/-10.6mmHg, p<0.01 and 85.0+/-9.7mmHg vs 75.0+/-5.3mmHg, p<0.01 respectively) but the heart rate was indepentent of amlodipine administration. 3) The adverse effects of amlodipine were as headache in 3, facial flushing in 3, palpitation, dizziness, urinary difficulty in 1 respectively and one of them discontinued amlodipine due to severe palpitation and facial flushing.
Amlodipine* ; Angina Pectoris* ; Blood Pressure ; Dizziness ; Flushing ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male

This is a report of two cases of thoracic spine fracture-dislocation without consequential neurological deficit. In each case, the disruption between vertebral body and the posterior column renders spontaneous decompression of the spinal canal as a result of anatomical peculiarity of the thoracic spine such anatomical peculiarity explains the preservation of neurologic function. Diagnosis and management should be carried out with great care in such cases. The two patients underwent posterior approach with instrumentation and eventually recovered without any evidence of neurologic sequelae.
Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spinal Canal ; Spine*

To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty in patients with prior surgical mitral commissurotomy, balloon valvuloplasty was performed in 9 patients with restenosis 14.1+/-9.3 years(5-30) after the operation. There were 6 women and 3 men with a mean age of 43+/-8 years. Two patients were in NYHA class II, 6 in classIII and 1 in class IV. Six were in atrial fibrillation. Percutaneous balloon mitral valvuoplasty in 9 patients resulted in increase of mitral valve area(1.03+/-0.13 to 1.81+/-0.49cm2, P<0.05) by Gorlin's formula, and decrease of mean diastoic mitral pressure gradient(13+/-5 to 6+/-2 mmHg, P<0.05), and mean left atrial pressure(17+/-7 to 10+/-4 mmHg, P<0.05). And also cardiac output increased(4.2+/-0.8 to 4.6+/-1.0L/min, P<0.05) and mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance decreased(25+/-6 to 19+/-5 mmHg, P<0.05, 316+/-103 to 239+/-101 dyne.s.cm(-5), P<0.05). Mitral regurgitation develop or increased in severity in 2 patients. No other complications occured. These results suggst that percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty is safe and effective procedure in selected patients with restenosis after mitral commissurotomy and can postpone reoperation in many cases.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Balloon Valvuloplasty* ; Cardiac Output ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Pulmonary Artery ; Reoperation ; Vascular Resistance