conclusions the vibratory innocent murmur is associated with the presence of left ventricular false tendon and higher left ventricular outflow tract velocity. the presence of the left ventricular false tendon was somewhat associated with decreased early diastolic myocardial velocity. normal left ventricular systolic and diastolic function can be used as a reassurance in cases with the vibratory...

Previously, we developed a balloon transducer to measure the constraint of the pericardium (i.e., pericardial pressure) on the surface of the heart. It was validated physiologically in that it was shown to measure a pressure equal to the difference between the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure measured before and after pericardiectomy at the same left ventricular volume. To define its sta...

BACKGROUND Over the last two decades, morphological cardiac changes induced by athletic conditioning have been of great interest. Therefore, several studies have been orchestrated to delineate electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, and heart rate variability (HRV) findings in athletes. PURPOSE To assess the ECG, echocardiography, and HRV in a group of dynamic and static type athletes. ...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the presence and extent of cardiac calcifications and aortic stiffness in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). PATIENTS AND METHODS The study group consisted of 60 patients with ESRD with a mean age of 51.7 years, treated with peritoneal dialysis. In all patients transthoracic echocardiogram was performed to assess the following parameters: left ventricular end...

The effects of carotid chemoreceptor stimulation with intracarotid injections of either nicotine, 0.2 mug/kg, or cyanide, 2 mug/kg, were compared with the effects of bilateral carotid occlusion on left ventricular (LV) pressure, dP/dt, and diameter in conscious dogs instrumented with ultrasonic diameter gauges and miniature pressure gauges. With heart rate maintained constant, carotid chemorece...

We evaluated the effects of an intra-aortic balloon pump on hemodynamics, brain natriuretic peptide concentration and cardiac function of patients with acute myocardial infarction, after reperfusion therapy. Sixty-three patients with acute anterior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention were given an intra-aortic balloon pump (32 cases) ...

Studies in animals and humans suggest that sympathetic activity exerts a stiffening influence on large and middle-sized artery walls. We sought to obtain further evidence on this issue by measuring radial artery distensibility in an allotransplanted and thus denervated hand using the contralateral artery as control. In 2 men, blood pressure was measured by a semiautomatic device (Dinamap). Dias...

BACKGROUND The impact of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) in cardiac remodeling of patients with cirrhosis is unknown. Our aim was to correlate the severity of ESLD with morphologic and functional heart changes. MATERIAL AND METHODS 184 patients underwent a protocol providing data on the severity of ESLD and undergoing echocardiography to assess the diameters of the left atrium and right ventri...

BACKGROUND Currently, 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) is the most effective therapy for acne. Isotretinoin, a first-generation synthetic 13-cis-RA compound, is associated with numerous adverse effects. To investigate the cardiac effects of 13-cis-RA, acne patients receiving 13-cis-RA were studied. METHODS Twenty male patients with acne were enrolled in the study. Patients were treated with a...

SUMMARY Diastolic properties of the left ventricle (LV) are probably influenced by several factors, including completeness of ventricular relaxation, composition of the ventricular wall, and wall thickness. This study has utilized a combined ultrasonic and hemodynamic technique to examine the influence of LV posterior wall thickness at end diastole (h,) on LV diastolic characteristics in 24 pat...