The antihypertensive effects of diltiazem was observed in 30 cases of essential hypertension, and following results were obtained. 1) Mean decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure by oral diltiazem was 42.0+/-2.5mmHg and 17.8+/-1.7mmHg. The results of antihypertensive therapy revealed good control in 50% fair control in 30% poor in 17% and failure in 3% of the cases. In 80% of the cases, good or fair control of Hypertension which means drop of diastolic pressure to the level of less than 100mmhg was observed. 2) Mean drop in heart rate was 21+/-2 beats/min. 3) Daily dose was 90-180mg. 4) The side effect of oral Diltiazem was mild headache and dizziness, respectively one case.
Blood Pressure ; Diltiazem* ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Hypertension

Percuaneous mitral valvuloplasty(PMV) is an alternative to surgical mitral commissurotomy for patients with mitral stenosis. To assess the immediate and follow-up results of PMV and to identify factors in fluencing the outcome and coplications of PMV, we analyzed the clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic data of 108 patients who underwent PMV. 1) Good hemodynamic results were obtained in 86 patients(79.6%). The factors predicting immediate outcome of PMV were mitral valve mobility, total echoscore, and EBDA/BSA. 2) Predictors of the increase in mitral valve area by PMV were age, sex, rhythm, and NYHA functional class before PMV. The independant predictors were rhythm(p=0.008) and functional class(p=0.002). 3) The degree of mitral regurgitation increased in 26 patients(24%), did not changed in 79 patients(73%) and decreased in 3 patients(3%). The increase of MR could not predicted from any features of the clinical, echocardiographic or hemodynamic daa. The severity of MR decreased by one grade in 15% of patients and did not change in 66% of patients during follow-up. 4) Left-to-right shunt was detected in 19 patients(18%). The predictors were valve mobility, pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. 5) Follow-up catheterization(mean 14 months) identified restenosis in six of 16 patients. The predictors of restenosis were sex, total echosecore, and left atrial volume. 6) The hemodynamic data at follow-up were good compared with prePMV data(p<0.01), but follow-up miral valve area decreased than that of postPMV(p<0.05). Immediate decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance followed by progressive improvement during follow-up. 7) Immediate complications of PMV were peripheral arterial embolism in one patient(1%), pericardial effusion in two(2%), transient arrhythmia in four(4%), left-to-right shunt in nineteen(18%) and increase in the grade of MR in twenty-six(24%). This study suggests, that PMV produces excellent immediate and follow-up results and is a safe and effective procedure in the nonsurgical treatment of mitral stenosis.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Echocardiography ; Embolism ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pulmonary Artery ; Vascular Resistance

Percuaneous mitral valvuloplasty(PMV) is an alternative to surgical mitral commissurotomy for patients with mitral stenosis. To assess the immediate and follow-up results of PMV and to identify factors in fluencing the outcome and coplications of PMV, we analyzed the clinical, echocardiographic and hemodynamic data of 108 patients who underwent PMV. 1) Good hemodynamic results were obtained in 86 patients(79.6%). The factors predicting immediate outcome of PMV were mitral valve mobility, total echoscore, and EBDA/BSA. 2) Predictors of the increase in mitral valve area by PMV were age, sex, rhythm, and NYHA functional class before PMV. The independant predictors were rhythm(p=0.008) and functional class(p=0.002). 3) The degree of mitral regurgitation increased in 26 patients(24%), did not changed in 79 patients(73%) and decreased in 3 patients(3%). The increase of MR could not predicted from any features of the clinical, echocardiographic or hemodynamic daa. The severity of MR decreased by one grade in 15% of patients and did not change in 66% of patients during follow-up. 4) Left-to-right shunt was detected in 19 patients(18%). The predictors were valve mobility, pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. 5) Follow-up catheterization(mean 14 months) identified restenosis in six of 16 patients. The predictors of restenosis were sex, total echosecore, and left atrial volume. 6) The hemodynamic data at follow-up were good compared with prePMV data(p<0.01), but follow-up miral valve area decreased than that of postPMV(p<0.05). Immediate decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance followed by progressive improvement during follow-up. 7) Immediate complications of PMV were peripheral arterial embolism in one patient(1%), pericardial effusion in two(2%), transient arrhythmia in four(4%), left-to-right shunt in nineteen(18%) and increase in the grade of MR in twenty-six(24%). This study suggests, that PMV produces excellent immediate and follow-up results and is a safe and effective procedure in the nonsurgical treatment of mitral stenosis.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Echocardiography ; Embolism ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pulmonary Artery ; Vascular Resistance

The antihypertensive effects of single daily dose of long-acting propranolol(Inderal LA(R)) were observed in 29 cases of essential hypertension, and the results were as follows; 1) Age distribution of the cases was from 39 years to 72 years with the mean age of 51.3. And there were 13 female and 16 male patients. 2) Mean value of the hypotensive effects in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 22.9 mmHg, and 11.5 mmHg, respectively. 3) The results of the antihypertensive effects were as follows; good 31.0%, fair 34.5%, poor 20.7%, and failure 13.8%. 4) The decrement of heart rate with long-acting propranolol was 9.3 per minute in average. 5) 1 case of nausea and 2 cases of lassitude were noted, but these symptoms were subsided spontaneously with continous medication.
Age Distribution ; Blood Pressure ; Fatigue ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Nausea ; Propranolol

Seventeen cases of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopthy were reviewed to clarify whether there is any racial difference in phenotypic expression of apical hypertrophic cardiomopathy and to study whether there is any clinical or morphological difference between apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy of Japanese type (J-APH) and apical hypertrophic cardiomyophthy of non-Japanese type (NJ-APH). The diagnosis was made by cardiac catheterization, left ventriculography and echocardiography. Seventeen patients were divided into 9 (53%) patients with J-APH and 8 (47%) patients with NJ-APH. Mean ages of patients with J-APH and NJ-APH were 55 years and 57 years, respectively. The most common clinical symptoms were chest pain(100%), dyspnea(59%) and palpitation(35%). Mean values of S1+R5 and T wave depth were 58+/-16mm and 16+/-6mm in J-APH and 42+/-11mm and 7+/-3mm in NJ-APH(p<0.05, respectively). Seven patients experienced transient or permanent atrial fibrillation without significant symptoms. Seven patients showed progression or regression of T wave depth greater than 5mm during the period of follow-ups. On echocardiography IVS/LVPW thickness(mm) at the base were 11+/-2/10+/-2 in J-APH and 17+/-7/11+/-2 in NJ-APH, and IVS/LVPW thickness(mm) at the apex were 25+/-7/24+/-5 in J-APH and 26+/-3/26+/-2 in NJ-APH. Three patients with NJ-APH showed asymmetrical septal hypertrophy, cardiac catheterization disclosed elevated left ventricular end diastolic pressure in 11 out of 19 patients. Dye entrapment at the apex during systole was noted in 5 out of 18 patients. In conclusion, our study showed high prevalence rate expression of J-APH in contrast to the Western countries, there may be racial difference in phenotype of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Considering progression or regression of T-wave depth, NJ-APH may be a forme fruste or regressed form of J-APH.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Phenotype ; Prevalence ; Systole ; Thorax

The P wave during orthodromic atrioventricular reentry tachycardial were analysed in 19 patients to evaluate the usefulness in identifying the location of accessory pathways. The results were as follows; 1) Definitely inverted and upright P waves in lead I represented the left-sided and right-sided pathways respectively, but the converse is not necessarily true. 2) Dome and Dart appearance in lead VI(4 cases), upright P wave in inferior leads(3 cases), and negative P wave in aVL(3 cases) suggested the left-sided pathway and deeply inverted P waves in inferior leads suggested the posteroseptal or right-sided one. 3) In 17 cases(79%), inverted P wave appeared on more than one lead among the inferior leads, which were helpful to identify the position on P wave and mechanism of supraventricular tachycardia. Although the number of cases especially with right-sided pathway was small to conclude, P wave was useful for determining the location of accessory pathway noninvasively.
Humans ; Tachycardia* ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

In patients with chronic aortic regurgitation, irreversible left ventricular dysfunction, which is associated poor longterm prognosis, often develops before onset of severe symtoms. To determine whether evidence of left ventricular dysfunction could be detected before it appeared at rest, 48 patients with chronic aortic regurgition were studied using exercise echocardiography, and 25 patients were followed-up for 16.1 months in average by serial echocardiographical and clinical examination to evaluate the prognostic value of exercise-echocardiographic data. Among 41 patients with normal resting ejection fraction, left ventricular ejection fraction increased more than 5% with exercise(big up tri, DeltaEF> or =5%) in 14 patients (Group I), while in 27 patients ejection fraction change with exercise was less than normal (big up tri, DeltaEF <5%) (Group II). In the remaining 7 patients with subnormal resting ejection fraction, the exercise response was also subnormal (big up tri, DeltaEF<5%)(Group III). 1) There was no significant difference in radius-thickness ratio, ejection fraction at rest, work capacity, exercise duration and NYHA functional class between group I, II and III. But left ventricular internal dimension and wall stress were greater in group II than in group I. Group III had the largest left ventricualr internal dimension and stress. 2) Among the 15 patients with left vnetricular end-systolic dimension(LVESD) greater than 55mm, only one patient belong to group I. The other 14 patients belonged to group II(7 patients) and group III(7 patients). In contrast, in 22 patients with LVESD less than 50mm, 13 patients were group I, 9 patients were group II. In 26 patients with LVESD greater than 50 mm, only one patient showed normal exercise response, but the remaining 25 patients showed subnormal response. 3) Serial echocardiographic and clinical follow-up study for average 16.1 months showed group I the best, group II better than group III, group III the poorest clinical course and prognosis. Left ventricular functional status of group II patients seemed to be intermediate stage between group I and group III. 4) Total work duration and work capacity were more reduced in NYHA functional class II and III than in class I. But, using NYHA functional classification there were no differences in left ventricular internal dimension, ejection fraction at rest, exercise change in ejection fraction(big up tri, DeltaEF), wall stress and radius-thickness ratio between class I, II and III. According to the above results the classification based on the resting ejection fraction and big up tri, DeltaE.F., seemed to be useful for identification of patients with different clinical course and prognosis, especially in asymptomatic cases. The consideration of indices obtained by exercise-echocardiography, such as, LVESD, resting ejection fraction, big up tri, DeltaE.F. and wall stress, as well as the clinical status of patient, would be a useful guideline for follow-up and determining the optimal time for surgical intervention in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation.
Aortic Valve Insufficiency* ; Classification ; Echocardiography* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

BACKGROUND: Platelet plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome. Platelet glycoprotein IIb III a is the receptor for fibrinogen, and it plays an important role in the platelet aggregation. It was reported that polymorphism of the platelet glycoprotein III a (PlA1/A2) is related to acute coronary syndrome, especially in young patients. The aims of this study is to evaluate the relationship between platelet glycoprotein III a polymorphism and acute coronary syndrome in Koreans. METHOD: We studied total 208 patients (M: F=131 : 77, mean ages : 57.2+/-9.7). Acute coronary group comprised 110 patients, who underwent coronary angiography with the impression of acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina. Normal group comprised 98 patients who had no significant angiographic lesion. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. To determine the frequency of PlA1/A2 genotype, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done and the product was restricted with Msp I. 3% gel electrophoresis showed Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). Clinical profile and risk factor were also reviewed. RESULT: One patient in the acute coronary group is PlA1/A2 heterozygote and all the other are PlA1 homozygote. In normal group, all patients are PlA1 homozygote. The genotypic frequency of PlA1/A2 is consistent with the previous study. CONCLUSION: The genotype frequency of platelet glycoprotein III a gene polymorphism in Koreans is different from that of Caucasian. The allele frequencies of platelet glycoprotein III a is not different between acute coronary syndrome patient and normal control group. Platelet glycoprotein III a polymorphism may not be an hereditary risk factor in Koreans.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Angina, Unstable ; Blood Platelets* ; Coronary Angiography ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Fibrinogen ; Gene Frequency ; Genes, vif ; Genotype ; Glycoproteins* ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Integrin beta3 ; Myocardial Infarction ; Platelet Aggregation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Platelet plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome. Platelet glycoprotein IIb III a is the receptor for fibrinogen, and it plays an important role in the platelet aggregation. It was reported that polymorphism of the platelet glycoprotein III a (PlA1/A2) is related to acute coronary syndrome, especially in young patients. The aims of this study is to evaluate the relationship between platelet glycoprotein III a polymorphism and acute coronary syndrome in Koreans. METHOD: We studied total 208 patients (M: F=131 : 77, mean ages : 57.2+/-9.7). Acute coronary group comprised 110 patients, who underwent coronary angiography with the impression of acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina. Normal group comprised 98 patients who had no significant angiographic lesion. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. To determine the frequency of PlA1/A2 genotype, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done and the product was restricted with Msp I. 3% gel electrophoresis showed Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). Clinical profile and risk factor were also reviewed. RESULT: One patient in the acute coronary group is PlA1/A2 heterozygote and all the other are PlA1 homozygote. In normal group, all patients are PlA1 homozygote. The genotypic frequency of PlA1/A2 is consistent with the previous study. CONCLUSION: The genotype frequency of platelet glycoprotein III a gene polymorphism in Koreans is different from that of Caucasian. The allele frequencies of platelet glycoprotein III a is not different between acute coronary syndrome patient and normal control group. Platelet glycoprotein III a polymorphism may not be an hereditary risk factor in Koreans.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Angina, Unstable ; Blood Platelets* ; Coronary Angiography ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Fibrinogen ; Gene Frequency ; Genes, vif ; Genotype ; Glycoproteins* ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Integrin beta3 ; Myocardial Infarction ; Platelet Aggregation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Risk Factors

41 patients with hyperlipidemia(Serum cholesterol > or =260mg% or triglyceride> or =200mg%) were treated for 12 weeks each with either Bezafibrate(200mg t.i.d.)(n=23) or placebo(n=18) in a randomized trial. Compared with placebo, Bezafibrate was more effective in lowing total cholesterol(287+/-63 to 244+/-32 mg%, P<0.01), LDL-cholesterol(183+/-39 to 153 +/-25mg%, P<0.01) and the LDL/HDL ratio(4.7+/-2.9 to 3.4+/-1.3, P<0.05). There was also a marked reduction in serum triglyceride(307+/-295 to 218+/-167mg%, P<0.05) as well as a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol(43+/-12 to 48+/-12mg%, P<0.05). Compliance or tolerance to both Bezafibrate and placebo was good. No significant side effects except one case, who complained of mild indigestion, were observed. Therefore, Bezafibrate seemed to be effective in lowing serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholestrol, triglyceride and in increasing in HDL-cholesterol without significant side effect.
Bezafibrate ; Cholesterol ; Compliance ; Dyspepsia ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Triglycerides