BACKGROUND: Hyperlipidemia has been known as an independent risk factor in the develop-ment of coronary artery disease. This study was carried out to compare nutrient intakes, smo-king status, antioxidant vitamins, and plasma lipids in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and in normal healthy subjects among Korean population in Taegu. Possible causes of this dis-ease in patients are discussed. METHODS: Anthropometric assessments included mean intakes of nutrients, and the levels of plasma lipids (apolipoprotein [Apo] A - I, Lipoprotein [Lp] [a]), and antioxidant vitamins (such as vitamins A and E) were measured in female and male subjects with CHD against healthy con-trols. RESULTS: Dietary cholesterol and fat intakes were significantly higher in CHD groups in men and women. Total plasma cholesterol, LDL-C, triglyceride, thiobarbituric acid reactive subst-ance (TBARS), atherogenic index and Lp (a) levels were significantly higher in CHD patients than in the normal group in both men and women. Apo A-I, HDL-C and vitamin E levels were lower in CHD patients than in the normal group. The number of smokers was higher in CHD patients than in the normal group in both sexes of subjects. CONCLUSION: High fat and high cholesterol intakes seemed to be a major factor for the hyperlipidemia in the CHD patients. Their abnormal lipoprotein profile, which appeared in pati-ent plasma, corresponded well to dietary intake patterns. However, long term studies are need-ed to investigate the effects of smoking on lipid metabolism in CHD patients among the Korean population.
Apolipoprotein A-I ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, Dietary ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Disease* ; Daegu ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Lipoprotein(a)* ; Lipoproteins* ; Male ; Plasma* ; Risk Factors ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Triglycerides ; Vitamin A ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins

BACKGROUND: Although cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) is a very effective therapy in cardiac arrest, it is hard to prove the true effectiveness of CPR. Several studies about out-of-hospital and emergency department CPR exist, but only a few reports about in-hospital CPR are available. This study was designed to investigate in-hospital cardiac arrest, to analyze the result of CPR, and to evaluate the problems associated with in-hospital CPR. METHODS: A clinical analysis of 71 cases of in-hospital CPR announcement from January 2000 to August 2000 was performed. The initial rhythm on cardiac arrest, return of spontaneous circulation(ROSC), and the survivals were analyzed in the case of the 46 true cardiac arrest patients. RESULTS: During 8 months, there were 71 cases of in-hospital CPR announcement. Among them, there were 46 cases of true cardiac arrest and 25 cases of non-cardiac arrest. Of the 46 true cardiac-arrest cases, 27(58.7%) experienced ROSC, 15(32.6) survived for over 24 hours, and 7(15.2%) survived to be discharged. The initial rhythms on cardiac arrest were 30 cases(65.2%) of asystole, 14(30.4%) of PEA(pulseless electrical activity), and 2(4.3%) of ventricular fibrillation, with ROSC being 17 cases(56.7%), 9(64.3%) and 1(50.0%) cases and discharged survivors being 4 cases(13.3%), 3(21.4%) and 0(0.0%) cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: Extraordinarily high proportions of asystole and PEA were seen in the initial rhythm of cardiac arrest, and those were associated with high survival rates. Although further study is needed to evaluate the course leading to this high proportion of asystole and PEA, this result suggests that if the EMS system in the hospital is activated promptly and systematically, a better outcome will be achieved in case of cardiac arrest with asystole and PEA.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Peas ; Survival Rate ; Survivors ; Tertiary Care Centers* ; Ventricular Fibrillation

BACKGROUND: Recently, The number of patients who have been complaining of the vertigo or dizziness has been increasing due to rapid growth of elderly population and senile disease. The differentiation of dizzy patients is not familiar to most emergency physicians. This study was designed to differentiate true vertigo and to investigate the clinical difference among central vertigo, peripheral vertigo, and other causes of dizziness. METHODS: The authors analyzed the cases of 237 dizzy patients who visited the emergency department of Chonnam University Hospital during the recent 2 years. For the base of dizziness, associated past illnesses, severity, nystagmus type, and the causes of central and peripheral vertigo. RESULTS: Female patients were 142(59.9%) and male patients were 95(40.1%). The most common age group was the 6th decade. The origin of dizziness was classified as peripheral cause(25.3%), central cause(32.9%), and others(41.8%). As to nature of the dizziness, the rotatory sense was dominant in peripheral vertigo and the floating sense and blurred vision in central vertigo. Peripheral vertigo was triggered by position change of head and body, and central vertigo by the eye movement. Audiograms I showed that most patients with central vertigo had normal hearing, but 46.7% of thoswith peripheral vertigo had an abnormal hearing disturbance. Nystagmus was more prevalent in peripheral vertigo CONCLUSION: History taking and physical examination played an important role in the diagnosis of dizzy patients. An important part of the diagnosis of a dizzy patient could be to evaluate the peripheral origin, the central origin and others causes. Because central vertigo may be associated with a significant neurological pathology, special radiological studies, including MRI and CT, are mandatory to rule out a devastating brain lesion.
Aged ; Brain ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness* ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Eye Movements ; Female ; Head ; Hearing ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Pathology ; Physical Examination ; Vertigo