OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of systolic or diastolic dysfunction, or both on congestive heart failure functional class. METHODS Thirty-six consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of congestive heart failure with sinus rhythm, who were seen between September and November of 1998 answered an adapted questionnaire about tolerance to physical activity for the determination of NYHA ...

The central and peripheral hemodynamic responses to the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor teprotide (SQ20881) were simultaneously determined in 10 patients with severe, refractory congestive heart failure using Swan-Ganz catheterization and venous-occlusion calf plethysmography. Significant declines in mean arterial pressure (82.5 ± 4.9 to 67.1 4 5.0 mm Hg [ SEM],p < 0.001), systemic vasc...

Amrinone has been shown to exhibit a potent inotropic effect in patients with heart failure secondary to congestive cardiomyopathy, but its effects on myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) and coronary blood flow (CBF) are unknown. Accordingly, the hemodynamic, myocardial metabolic and ECG responses to amrinone (2.5 mg/kg i.v. over 1 hour) were measured in nine patients with congestive heart fai...

In patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), the very low frequency power spectral density index (VLFI) derived from analysis of heart rate correlates with the severity of obstructive apnoeas. VLFI is also associated with Cheyne-Stokes respiration/central sleep apnoea (CSR/CSA) in congestive heart failure (CHF). The present authors have tested the hypothesis that per cent VLFI, derived from...

Therapy of elevated ventricular filling pressures in patients with dilated heart failure may be limited by concern that cardiac output will be further compromised. Twenty-five patients with severe symptoms and ejection fractions of 25% or less were studied to determine the lowest ventricular filling pressures that could be achieved with vasodilator and diuretic therapy while maintaining cardiac...

The effects of chronic oral vasodilator therapy were studied in a group of patients with refractory congestive heart failure. Fifteen patients were treated acutely with intravenous sodium nitroprusside and sublingual isosorbide dinitrate. After continuous therapy with nitroprusside and isosorbide dinitrate for up to 72 hours the patients were then placed on isosorbide dinitrate and oral phenoxy...

BACKGROUND Neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR)  is an emerging biomarker that is used to predict postoperative mortality and morbidity in cardiac and cancer surgeries. The association of this biomarker with systemic illness and its usefulness in risk assessment of preoperative patients has not been fully elucidated. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of elevated NLR in preoperative patients...

BACKGROUND Vessel dilator, a 37-amino acid peptide hormone synthesized in the heart, enhances urine flow 4- to 12-fold and sodium excretion 3- to 6-fold in healthy humans. The present investigation was designed to determine whether vessel dilator might have similar beneficial effects in persons with congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS AND RESULTS Vessel dilator (100 ng/kg body weight per ...

BACKGROUND Online health information is being used more ubiquitously by the general population. However, this information typically favors only a small percentage of readers, which can result in suboptimal medical outcomes for patients. OBJECTIVE The readability of online patient education materials regarding the topic of congestive heart failure was assessed through six readability assessmen...

Vasodilator therapy has been shown to have beneficial effects in heart failure. In order to evaluate the haemodynamic actions of vasodilator administration in primary congestive cardiomyopathy, sodium nitroprusside was infused intravenously at a rate of 15 to 100 mug/min to 12 patients. Mean arterial pressure fell 15 per cent from 86+/-3-0 to 72+/-2-4 mmHg (11-40 +/- -4 to 9-6 +/- 0-3 kPa), and...