A 20-year-old Coloured man gave a history of atypical chest pain, palpitations after strenuous exercise and a single episode of post-exertional presyncope. The diagnosis of hypertrophic non-obstructive apical cardiomyopathy (HNOAC) was established by means of electrocardiography, echocardiography (both M-mode and two-dimensional) and left ventricular cineangiography. This variant of hypertrophi...

Few therapies exist for the relief of dyspnea in restrictive lung disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests that nebulized opioids selective for the mu-receptor subtype may relieve dyspnea by modulating intrapulmonary opioid receptor activity. Our respective primary and secondary objectives were to test the hypothesis that nebulized fentanyl (a mu-opioid receptor agonist) relieves dyspnea durin...

It is with great interest that we read the recent systematic review by BELL et al. [1] concerning the effects of oxygen therapy on dyspnoea and exercise capacity in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). The authors report that, while supplemental oxygen increases exercise capacity, it does not improve dyspnoea. Overall, this is a well-executed systematic review that accurately reflects...

Two forms of exertional rhabdomyolysis commonly respond to changes in diet and management. Unfit horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy benefit from daily exercise, removal of high-starch concentrates, and addition of fat to provide a moderate caloric intake. Fit horses with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis can maintain a high caloric intake if dietary starch is reduced and the ration i...

The effect of chewable isosorbide dinitrate on submaximal bicycle exercise capacity was evaluated in a double-blind randomized study involving 13 patients with chronic heart failure. All patients had impaired maximal exercise capacity (VO2 max = 12.0 +/- 2.6 ml/kg/min) due to fatigue and dyspnea but not angina. The administration of isosorbide dinitrate lowered the resting mean blood pressure (...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 1. Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 2. Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

Exertional dyspnoea and shortness of breath at rest are common complaints in asthmatic patients. However, symptoms sometimes do not resolve under optimal medical treatment. In such cases infrequent causes of dyspnoea may be the underlying basis. We present a 38-year-old patient who suffered from shortness of breath not amenable to medical treatment for asthma for five years. In her medical hist...

Cardiac hemangioma is a rare primary benign tumour, localised in the right atrium in 23% of cases. In a 60-year-old patient, who complained of remote chest discomfort and recent exertional palpitation, a right atrial mass was discovered by magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography. A selective operation was performed and the tumour was resected. Histology revealed it to be a cavernous hem...

We describe the case of an 86-year-old woman with advanced obstructive lung disease (forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV(1)/FVC)=34%) who remains capable of superior athletic performance. Detailed pulmonary function testing was performed to characterize this patient's baseline respiratory impairment. An incremental symptom limited cycle exercise test was performed t...