Investigation of distal aortic compliance and vasodilator responsiveness in heart failure due to proximal aortic stenosis in the guinea pig.
(1/1864)
Hypotension and syncope are recognized features of chronic aortic stenosis. This study examined vasomotor responses and dynamic compliance in isolated abdominal aortae after chronic constriction of the ascending aorta. Guinea pigs underwent constriction of the ascending aorta or sham operation. Sections of descending aorta were removed for studies of contractile performance and compliance. Dynamic compliance was measured using a feedback-controlled pulsatile pressure system at frequencies of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 Hz and mean pressures from 40 to 100 mmHg. Chronic (149+/-6 days) aortic constriction resulted in significant increases in organ weight/body weight ratios for left ventricle (58%), right ventricle (100%) and lung (61%). The presence of heart failure was indicated by increased lung weights, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and systemic vascular resistance, reduced cardiac output and increased levels of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (166%), adrenaline (x20), noradrenaline (106%) and dopamine (x3). Aortic rings showed similar constrictor responses to phenylephrine and angiotensin II, but maximal vasodilator responses to acetylcholine and isoprenaline were significantly increased (144% and 48% respectively). Dilator responses to sodium nitroprusside, forskolin and cromokalim were unchanged. Compliance of all vessels decreased with increasing pulsatile frequency and to a lesser extent with increased mean pressure, but were similar in aortic-constricted and control groups. Chronic constriction of the ascending aorta resulted in heart failure and increased vasodilator responses to acetylcholine and isoprenaline in the distal aorta while dynamic compliance was unchanged. We hypothesize that increased endothelium-mediated vasodilatation may contribute to hypotension and syncope in patients with left ventricular outflow obstruction. (+info)
Extent and severity of atherosclerotic involvement of the aortic valve and root in familial hypercholesterolaemia.
(2/1864)
OBJECTIVE: To compare the frequency of valvar and supravalvar aortic stenosis in homozygous and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). DESIGN: Analysis of life time cholesterol exposure and prevalence of aortic atherosclerosis in 84 consecutive cases attending a lipid clinic. SETTING: A tertiary referral centre in London. PATIENTS: Outpatients with FH (six homozygous, 78 heterozygous). INTERVENTIONS: Maintenance of lipid lowering treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Calculated cholesterol x years score (CYS) and echocardiographic measurement of aortic root diameter, aortic valve thickness, and transaortic gradient. RESULTS: Four homozygotes with a mean (SD) CYS of 387 (124) mmol/1 x years had severe aortic stenosis (treatment started after seven years of age), whereas the other two had echocardiographic evidence of supravalvar thickening but no aortic valve stenosis (treatment started before three years of age). On multivariate analysis, mean transaortic gradient correlated significantly with CYS (mean = 523 (175) mmol/1 x years) in heterozygotes (p = 0.0001), but only two had severe aortic valve and root involvement. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia, aortic stenosis is common in homozygotes, and aortic root involvement is always present despite the lower CYS than in heterozygotes. It appears to be determined by short term exposure to high cholesterol concentrations in early life. Conversely, aortic root and valve involvement are rare in heterozygotes and occur only with severe, prolonged hypercholesterolaemia, possibly accelerating age related degenerative effects. (+info)
Development of atherosclerotic lesions in cholesterol-loaded rabbits.
(3/1864)
To examine both of the target vessels and the optimal time of their endothelial denudation to study vascular restenosis after balloon injury in cholesterol-loaded rabbits, we made 36 atherosclerotic rabbits by feeding a hypercholesterol diet, and histologically examined the onset time and the development of atherosclerosis. Atheromatous changes were observed first after the 5th week in the thoracic aorta from the start of the diet, and then extended to the abdominal aorta, coronary artery with time. The atherosclerotic lesions in the thoracic aorta and the proximal portion of the coronary artery showed high-grade concentric intimal thickening with luminal stenosis. The abdominal aortic lesion mildly progressed. In the renal, carotid and femoral arteries, in contrast, slight atheroscleromatous changes developed during the diet period. These results suggest that the thoracic and abdominal aortas and the coronary artery would be suitable as target vessels to study vascular restenosis after balloon injury, and the endothelial denudation of these vessels should be performed between the 8th and 15th week in this diet protocol for an accurate analysis. (+info)
Bileaflet mechanical prostheses for aortic valve replacement in patients younger than 65 years and 65 years of age or older: major thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications.
(4/1864)
OBJECTIVE: To determine major thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications and predictive risk factors associated with aortic valve replacement (AVR), using bileaflet mechanical prostheses (CarboMedics and St. Jude Medical). DESIGN: A case series. SETTING: Cardiac surgical services at the teaching institutions of the University of British Columbia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients 2 age groups who had undergone AVR between 1989 and 1994 were studied. Group 1 comprised 384 patients younger than 65 years. Group 2 comprised 215 patients 65 years of age and older. RESULTS: The linearized rates of major thromboembolism (TE) occurring after AVR were 1.54%/patient-year for group 1 and 3.32%/patient-year for group 2; the rates for major TE occurring more than 30 days after AVR were 1.13%/patient-year for group 1 and 1.55%/patient-year for group 2. The crude rates for major TE occurring within 30 days of AVR were 1.04% for group 1 and 3.72% for group 2. The death rate from major TE in group 1 was 0.31%/patient-year and in group 2 was 0.88%/patient-year. Of the major TE events occurring within 30 days, 100% of patients in both age groups were inadequately anticoagulated at the time of the event, and for events occurring more than 30 days after AVR, 45% in group 1 and 57% in group 2 were inadequately anticoagulated (INR less than 2.0). The overall linearized rates of major hemorrhage were 1.54%/patient-year for group 1 and 2.21%/patient-year for group 2. There were no cases of prosthesis thrombosis in either group. The mean (and standard error) overall freedom from major TE for group 1 patients at 5 years was 95.6% (1.4%) and with exclusion of early events was 96.7% (1.3%); for group 2 patients the rates were 90.0% (3.2%) and 93.7% (3.0%), respectively. The mean (and SE) overall freedom from major and fatal TE and hemorrhage for group 1 patients was 90.1% (2.3%) and with exclusion of early events was 91.2% (2.3%); for group 2 patients the rates were 87.9% (3.1%) and 92.5% (2.9%), respectively. The 5-year rate for freedom from valve-related death for group 1 patients was 96.3% (2.1%) and for group 2 patients was 97.2% (1.2%). CONCLUSION: The thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications after AVR with bileaflet mechanical prostheses occur more frequently and result in more deaths in patients 65 years of age and older than in patients years younger than 65 years. (+info)
Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement through a transverse sternotomy: a word of caution.
(5/1864)
OBJECTIVES: To compare aortic valve replacement (AVR) using a minimally invasive approach through a transverse sternotomy with the established approach of median sternotomy. DESIGN: Retrospective, case-control study. PATIENTS: Fourteen high risk patients (median age 78, Parsonnet score of 18%) who underwent AVR performed through a minimally invasive transverse sternotomy were compared with a historical group of patients matched for age, sex, and Parsonnet score who underwent AVR performed through a median sternotomy by the same surgeon. OUTCOME MEASURES: Cross clamp time, total bypass time, intensive care stay, postoperative in-hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: There were two deaths in the minimally invasive group and none in the control group (NS). The cross clamp and total bypass times were longer in the minimally invasive group (67 and 92 minutes v 46 and 66 minutes, p < 0.001). There was a higher incidence of re-exploration for bleeding (14% v 0%) and paravalvar leaks (21% v 0%) in the minimally invasive group but these differences were not significant. The minimally invasive group had a longer postoperative in-hospital stay (p = 0.025). The incidence of mortality or major morbidity was 43% (six of 14) in the minimally invasive group and 7% (one of 14) in the matched pairs (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: AVR can be performed through a transverse sternotomy but the operation takes longer and there is an unacceptably high incidence of morbidity and mortality. (+info)
Double outlet right ventricle. Study of 27 cases.
(6/1864)
Out of 1610 children's hearts with congenital malformations there were 27 specimens showing double outlet right ventricle. Cases with dextrocardia, situs inversus, or l-venticular loop were excluded. Anatomical examination was performed with particular reference to the infundibular region, the great vessels, and the ventricular septum. The commonest associated malformations were ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis. Aortic stenosis was the predominant finding in those cases dying in the neonatal period. An aortic conus was associated with pulmonary stenosis, ventricular septal defect, and d-transposition, a pulmonary conus with ventricular septal defect and a double conus with stenosis of either great vessel. The anterior vessel always had a muscular conus and the posterior vessel was commonly stenotic. (+info)
Combined aortic and mitral stenosis in mucopolysaccharidosis type I-S (Ullrich-Scheie syndrome).
(7/1864)
The genetic mucopolysaccharidosis syndromes (MPS) are autosomal recessive inborn errors of metabolism. Heart valve involvement in MPS is not uncommon but only a few case reports of successful cardiac surgery are available. In particular, reports of combined aortic and mitral stenosis associated with MPS type I-S are very rare. Both type I and type VI MPS are associated with significant left sided valvar heart disease that requires surgical valve replacement because of irregular valve thickening, fibrosis, and calcification. A 35 year old man had severe mitral valve stenosis after successful surgical replacement of a stenotic aortic valve. Valvar heart disease was investigated by cardiac ultrasound and left heart catheterisation. Histomorphological characterisation of the affected mitral valve was performed. The case illustrates typically associated clinical features of cardiac and extracardiac abnormalities found in MPS type I-S. (+info)
Effect of NO donors on LV diastolic function in patients with severe pressure-overload hypertrophy.
(8/1864)
BACKGROUND: Previous experimental studies have shown that nitric oxide (NO) modulates cardiac function by an abbreviation of systolic contraction and an enhancement of diastolic relaxation. However, the response to NO donors of patients with severe pressure-overload hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Intracoronary NO donors were given to 17 patients with severe aortic stenosis. A dose-response curve was obtained with nitroglycerin (30, 90, and 150 microg) in 11 patients and sodium nitroprusside (1, 2, and 4 microg/min) in 6. Left ventricular (LV) high-fidelity pressure measurements with simultaneous LV angiograms were performed at baseline and after the maximal dose of NO. The dose-response curve for intracoronary NO donors showed a marked fall in LV end-diastolic pressure, from 23 to 14 mm Hg (-39%; P<0.0001), whereas LV peak systolic pressure fell only slightly, from 206 to 196 mm Hg (-4%; P<0.01). End-diastolic chamber stiffness decreased from 0.12 to 0.07 mm Hg/mL (P<0.0001) and end-systolic stiffness from 1.6 to 1.3 mm Hg/mL (P<0.01). Heart rate, right atrial pressure, LV ejection fraction, the time constant of isovolumic pressure decay (tau), and LV filling rates remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with severe pressure-overload hypertrophy, intracoronary NO donors exert a marked decrease in LV end-diastolic pressure without affecting LV systolic pump function. Thus, the hypertrophied myocardium appears to be particularly susceptible to NO donors, with a marked improvement in diastolic function. (+info)