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Mitral and aortic regurgitations impose an abnormal volume overload on the left ventricle. Recent advances in radionuclide angiographic measurements of all cardiac volumes have made this a practical technique for the detection, quantification and functional assessment of valvular regurgitations and shunts. The method is based on the comparative evaluation of total and effective left ventricular stroke volume. In the radionuclide technique, the right ventricular stroke volume is most frequently used to represent the effective left ventricular stroke volume although techniques have been presented which used as reference the left ventricular stroke volume calculated from measurements of heart rate and cardiac output (Fick method or dye dilution or scintigraphic techniques). The technique can be performed either during first-pass or at equilibrium. Equilibrium measurements are performed in the left anterior oblique position. The stroke volume ratio and the regurgitant fraction are calculated. This technique has been shown to provide adequate quantitative measurements of mitral and aortic regurgitations. Its specificity is adequate with careful positioning and if regions of interest are determined and care is taken to exclude inadequate studies (as these can be prospectively recognized). The technique can separate moderate from severe regurgitation, provide follow-up values for both left ventricular volume and regurgitant fraction, and assess the effect of interventions on the amount of regurgitation. The technique is, however, not adequate to detect mild or minimal regurgitation. In conclusion, equilibrium scintigraphic measurement of valvular regurgitation is an attractive new technique for measuring valvular regurgitation. Its clinical value lies in its simplicity, its reproducibility and its wide applicability. Its accuracy will be improved by performance of gated tomographic acquisitions.

SUMMARYNinety-five patients with angina at rest were observed in the coronary care unit. Eighty-one per cent presented concomitantly or had previously presented some other manifestations of coronary artery disease. These patients were divided into two subgroups. In subgroup 1 (40 patients), episodes of non-exertional angina were associated with a pattern of hyperacute subepicardial injury and, frequently, with ventricular arrhythmias. In subgroup 2 (55 patients), the episodes of angina at rest were attended by horizontal ST depression, isolated T wave inversion, or trivial ST-T changes. Coronary angiographic findings were similar in both subgroups.Symptoms regressed in only 9% of patients in subgroup 1 while they were receiving beta-receptor antagonists, whereas amiodarone alone or amiodarone with nifedipine was successful in 58%. Of these patients, 25% developed a myocardial infarction shortly after admission.In subgroup 2 patients, beta-blockers were successful in 61%. Amiodarone isolated or associated with nifedipine was successful in 55% of the patients in whom it was tried. Only 5% of patients in this subgroup developed a myocardial infarction during their hospital stay.It is concluded that: (1) observation of the electrocardiogram during spontaneous angina in patients with known atherosclerotic coronary heart disease may be of prognostic significance and may influence therapeutic decision. (2) Amiodarone by virtue of its anginal and antiarrhythmic properties may be particularly useful in the treatment of non-exertional angina.It has long been recognised that angina pectoris can occur spontaneously at rest and that different pathogenetic mechanisms may be involved in the production of this type of myocardial ischaemia.Recent studies have identified coronary vasospasm as one of the possible causes of the hyperacute attacks of ischaemia which occur at rest. 1-7 This new concept raises some questions regarding the therapeutic approach for patients with non-exertional angina.5Recently, in our coronary care unit we have observed 95 patients with angina at rest. The present report is concerned with the clinical features and results of treatment in these cases.

Glyceryl trinitrate (GNT, 0.8 mg) was administered in a spray to 15 coronary patients of whom 7 had a pulmonary wedge pressure (PWP) greater than 16 mm Hg on exercise (subgroup I) and the others (subgroup II) had a normal PWP at rest and during exercise. At rest, GNT increased heart rate and decreased cardiac output, systolic index, stroke work index, right atrial pressure, pulmonary wedge and mean systemic pressures in all patients. Peripheral resistances did not change. During exercise, GNT lowered PWP, systemic arterial pressure and peripheral resistances in all cases. It increased cardiac output as well as systolic and stroke work indices only in patients of subgroup I. In subjects with coronary disease, no overt cardiac failure but elevated PWP on exercise, GNT in a spray can quickly improve exercise capacity and hemodynamic reserves and increase anginal threshold.