João Batista Serro-Azul

Comparison of Risk of Orthostatic Hypotension in Elderly Depressed Hypertensive Women Treated With Nortriptyline and Thiazides Versus Elderly Depressed Normotensive Women Treated With Nortriptyline

This is a nonblind, case-controlled study comparing the risk of orthostatic hypotension (OH) in 2 groups of elderly depressed women: 22 normotensive and 21 hypertensive patients receiving thiazides. Blood pressure measurements and tilt-table tests produced similar results: increased drop in systolic blood pressure (SBP) after standing (p <0.001), with no significant differences between the groups (p = 0.523). There were no changes on diastolic blood pressure (DBP) after standing, or in SBP or DBP at rest. Dizziness was reported by 23 subjects (53.5%) before treatment, and by 16 subjects (38.1%) at week 8. Complaints of dizziness were not associated with OH (Kappa = 0.07).

Clinical Predictors of Prognosis in Severe Aortic Stenosis in Unoperated Patients >75 Years of Age

In elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis, clinical evaluation can dictate decision making. Asymptomatic patients in normal sinus rhythm, without left atrial enlargement and without bundle branch block, can be safely followed clinically, regardless of echocardiographic findings.

Associação entre evolução da função cognitiva e mortalidade após a alta hospitalar em pacientes idosos com insuficiência cardíaca avançada

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relation between the evolution of cognitive performance and the prognosis of elderly patients after compensation of advanced heart failure. METHODS: Thirty-one patients older than 64 (68 ± 7) years and admitted with New York Heart Association class IV heart failure and ejection fraction = 0.45 (0.38 ± 0.06) were consecutively selected. They underwent cognitive tests (digit span, digit symbol, letter cancellation, trail making A and B) and the 6-minute walking test 4 days before (T1) and 6 weeks after (T2) hospital discharge, and their performances were compared using the t test. The prognostic value of the scores of the cognitive tests was analyzed with logistic regression, and the value of greatest accuracy of the tests was associated with the prognosis determined by the ROC curve. RESULTS: After 24.7 months, 17 (55%) patients had died. The performances in the 6-minute walking test and most cognitive tests improved between T1 and T2. The digit span score of the survivors ranged from 3.9 to 5.2 (P=0.003) and remained unaltered among those who died (4.1 to 3.9; P=0.496). An improvement < 0.75 points in the score was associated with mortality (relative risk of 8.1; P=0.011). CONCLUSION: In the elderly, after compensation of advanced heart failure, the lack of evolutionary improvement in cognitive performance was associated with a worse prognosis.

Effects of chlorthalidone and diltiazem on myocardial ischemia in elderly patients with hypertension and coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVE Antihypertensive therapy with thiazides decreases coronary events in elderly patients. However, the influence of diuretics on myocardial ischemia has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of chlorthalidone and diltiazem on myocardial ischemia. METHODS Following a randomized, double-blind, crossover protocol, we studied 15 elderly hypertensive patients aged 73.6+/-4.6 years with myocardial ischemia. All patients had angiographically documented coronary artery disease. We measured patients using 48- hour ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring and exercise testing. After a 2-week period using placebo, patients received chlorthalidone or diltiazem for 4 weeks. RESULTS Both treatments lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The number of ischemic episodes on ambulatory electrocardiogram recordings was reduced with the use of chlorthalidone (2.5+/-3.8) and diltiazem (3.2+/-4.2) when compared with placebo (7.9+/-8.8; p<0.05). The total duration of ischemic episodes was reduced in both treatments when compared with placebo (chlorthalidone: 19.2+/-31.9min; diltiazem: 19.3+/-29.6min; placebo: 46.1+/-55.3min; p<0.05). CONCLUSION In elderly hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease, chlorthalidone reduced myocardial ischemia similarly to diltiazem. This result is consistent with epidemiological studies and suggests that reduction of arterial blood pressure with thiazide therapy plays an important role in decreasing myocardial ischemia.

Revascularização do miocárdio em paciente com situs inversus totalis

We report the case of a patient with dextrocardia and situs inversus totalis associated with obstructive coronariopathy in the anterior and posterior descending arteries, right coronary artery, first diagonal branch and left marginal branch. The patient underwent coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. This surgery has been rarely reported in literature and we found only one similar case in the national medical literature. The myocardial revascularization was carried out with the right mammary artery for the anterior descending artery. The saphenous vein anastomosed the aorta to the right coronary artery, left marginal branch, fist diagonal branch and posterior descending artery. The surgery was performed with extracorporeal circulation.

Amilóidose cardíaca. Uma doença de muitas faces e diferentes prognósticos

PURPOSE: To identify the principal forms of cardiac amiloydosis presentation in a terciary hospital. METHODS: Eight cases whith cardiac amyloidosis were identified. Five were woman, their ages ranged from 23 to 83 years (mean 62). After a medical history and clinical examination the patients, were submitted to complementary tests: electrocardiogram (EKG), echocardiogram (ECHO), scintigraphy with technecium pirophosfate and cardiac biopsy these results allowed the identification of their clinical situation. RESULTS: Seven patients refered dyspnea, 6 were in heart failure, 1 patient had syncope. The EKG identified complete atrioventricular (AV) block in 4 patients, and antero septal inactive area in the other 4. The ECHO showed normal cardiac diameter in all (mean left ventricular diastolic diameter of 46.8) and slight reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction; hypertrophy of the left ventricular septal and posterior walls in all cases, in 7 cases there was a hyper refractile granular sparkling ECHO. Two different groups were identified: one with complete AV block and the second with restrictive cardiomyopathy. The prognosis was different in these two groups. Those with complete AV block evolved better after pacemaker implantation and those with restrictive cardiomyopathy had refractary heart failure and 3 of them died. CONCLUSION: The increased free wall and septal thickness, the slight systolic dysfunction and the infiltration aspect at ECHO allow us to identify the great majority of the cases. Those patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy evolve with refractory heart failure and most of them die in a few months.

Efeitos agudos dos estrogênios associados a progestogênios sobre a trigliceridemia e reatividade vascular pós-prandial

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether hormone replacement therapy with estrogens in association with progestogens in postmenopausal hypertensive women alters postprandial triglyceridemia and vascular reactivity. METHODS: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study was carried out with 15 postmenopausal women (age range: 50 to 70 years, mean = 61.6 ± 6 years) randomly assigned to 2 weeks of placebo or oral ingestion of 0.625 mg of equine conjugated estrogens and 2.5 mg of medroxyprogesterone, fed a high-fat diet (897 calories; 50.1% fat). Vascular reactivity (VR - % of vessel diameter variation in the fasting period and 2 hours after meals) was measured by using the automated ultrasound method. Lipid profile and glycemia during the fasting period and 2 hours after a high-fat meal were measured. RESULTS: With placebo, vascular reactivity (VR) decreased from 3.20 ± 17% during the fasting period to -2.1 ± 30% 2 hours after the meal (P=0.041). With the hormone replacement therapy, vascular reactivity decreased from 6.14 ± 27% during the fasting period to - 0.05 ± 18% 2 hours after the meal (P=NS). Postprandial triglyceridemia increased as follows: 35 ± 25% with placebo; and 12 ± 10% with hormone replacement therapy (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In postmenopausal hypertensive women, 2 weeks of hormone replacement with an association of estrogens and progestogens decreased hypertriglyceridemia after a high-fat meal, an effect that may reduce the endothelial dysfunction occurring in the postprandial period.

Effect of Nortriptyline on the day-night systolic blood pressure difference in hypertensive and normotensive elderly depressed women

Cardiol 1990;16:1215–1220. 5. Ko JK, Deal BJ, Strasburger JF, Benson DW. Supraventricular tachycardia mechanisms and their age distribution in pediatric patients. Am J Cardiol 1992; 69:1028–1032. 6. Naheed ZJ, Strasburger JF, Deal BJ, Benson DW Jr, Gidding SS. Fetal tachycardia: mechanisms and predictors of hydrops fetalis. J Am Coll Cardiol 1996;27:1736–1740. 7. Nadas AS, Daeschener CW, Roth A, Blumenthal SL. Paroxysmal tachycardia in infants and children: study of 41 cases. Pediatrics 1952;9:167–181. 8. Schiebler GL, Adams P, Anderson P, Anderson RC. The Wolff-ParkinsonWhite syndrome in infants and children. A review and report of 28 cases. Pediatrics 1959;24:585–603. 9. Lundberg A. Paroxysmal tachycardia in infancy: follow-up study of 47 subjects ranging in age from 10–26 years. Pediatrics 1973;51:26–35. 10. Wolff GS, Han J, Curran J. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in the neonate. Am J Cardiol 1978;41:559–563. 11. Garson A, Gillette PC, McNamara DG. Supraventricular tachycardia in children: clinical features, response to treatment and long term follow-up in 217 patients. J Pediatr 1981;98:875–882. 12. Giardina AC, Ehlers KH, Engle MA. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in infants and children: a long-term follow-up study. Br Heart J 1972;34:839– 846. 13. Deal BJ, Keane JF, Gillette PC, Garson A. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and supraventricular tachycardia during infancy: management and follow-up. J Am Coll Cardiol 1985;5:130–135.

Teste ergométrico: valor prognóstico em pacientes idosos com doença aterosclerótica coronariana estável

OBJECTIVE: To study the prognostic value of exercise stress test variables in elderly patients with coronary atherosclerosis and exercise-induced ischemia. METHODS: Sixty-four elderly patients (61 men, 73 ± 5 years old) with coronary atherosclerosis, verified by cardiac catheterization, that were clinically stable, had a left ventricle ejection fraction greater than or equal to 0.40 and developed myocardial ischemia during the exercise stress test were studied. The patients were evaluated every six months for cardiac events (death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, angioplasty and myocardial revascularization). RESULTS: After a mean follow-up period of 48 months, 23 (36%) patients suffered cardiac events. There was no clinical or angiographical differences among the patients that suffered cardiac events and those that did not. Using multivariate analysis, the presence of chest pain during the exercise stress test (relative risk 2.668, p = 0.031) and the heart rate at the onset of ischemia (relative risk 0.966, p = 0.009) were associated with cardiac events. CONCLUSION: In this elderly population, the presence of chest pain during the exercise stress test and the heart rate at the onset of ischemia were associated with cardiac events. These variables could be useful for risk evaluation in patients with stable coronary atherosclerosis.

Estratégia para Individualizar uma Dose Eficiente de Betabloqueador em Pacientes Idosos com Isquemia Miocárdica e Função Ventricular Esquerda Preservada

OBJECTIVE: To assess the strategy of titration for prescribing an efficient dosage of propranolol to reduce myocardial ischemia in the elderly. METHODS: The study comprised 14 elderly men (73.6 ± 5.3 years) with stable coronary heart disease documented on coronary cineangiography, ischemic response to exercise testing, and preserved left ventricular function. Titration was performed to identify the dosage of propranolol that would cause a 15% reduction in heart rate at the end of a 50 W load (corresponding to normal daily activities in the elderly) in weekly exercise tests. Synchronous scintigraphic study of the cardiac chambers was performed at rest and during exercise prior to and after propranolol use. RESULTS: The reductions in heart rate with the 50 W load and at rest were similar (21% vs 20%; P=0.5100). Propranolol improved the duration of exercise (12.2 ± 2.0 min vs 13.1 ± 1.8 min; P=0.0313) and abolished the changes in the ST segment induced by exercise in 8 (57%) patients. At rest, the ejection fraction was not modified by the beta-blocker. During maximum exercise, propranolol reduced the end-systolic volume index and increased ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: The strategy of using beta-blockers to reduce heart rate by 15% with a 50 W load is safe and beneficial in the elderly patient with myocardial ischemia and preserved ventricular function. The dose of beta-blocker used reduced myocardial ischemia and improved tolerance to exercise without hampering ventricular performance during maximum exercise.