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Background: When otherwise unexplained, syncope in patients with Alzheimer's disease may be attributed to bradycardia caused by cholinesterase inhibitors. We studied prospectively the clinical events and cardiovascular changes occurring during treatment with donepezil in patients with Alzheimer's disease.Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease were included in the study. Their clinical characteristics, blood pressure, heart rate and electrocardiogram were recorded before (baseline) and during treatment with donepezil. The drug was administered at a dosage of 5 mg/day for 1 month and 10 mg/day for the following 7 months, as tolerated. We compared the baseline observations with those made at 1, 2 and 8 months of donepezil treatment. We also examined the effects of negatively chronotropic or dromotropic drugs concomitantly administered with donepezil.Results: Thirty patients were included in the study, of whom 43% were taking negatively chronotropic or dromotropic drugs. The first month of therapy (donepezil 5 mg/day) was completed by 26 patients. During the 7-month high-dosage phase (10 mg/day), four patients dropped out of the study; thus, 22 patients completed the full 8 months of the study. The mean heart rate was 66 +/- 8 beats/min at baseline in the overall study population. This decreased significantly to 62 +/- 9, 61 +/- 7 and 62 +/- 8 beats/min at the 1, 2 and 8 month timepoints, respectively (all p = 0.002 vs baseline). Among patients not receiving negatively chronotropic or dromotropic drugs, heart rate decreased significantly over the course of the study (from 67 +/- 8 beats/min at baseline to 62 +/- 8 beats/min at 1 month, 62 +/- 7 beats/min at 2 months and 62 +/- 8 beats/min at 8 months [all p = 0.005 vs baseline]). There was no significant change in heart rate in patients who were receiving negatively chronotropic or dromotropic drugs. The PR interval increased over the course of the study in all patient groups, but these changes were only statistically significant in the group of patients who were not taking negatively chronotropic or dromotropic drugs (155 +/- 23ms at baseline vs 158 +/- 21, 160 +/- 22 and 163 +/- 24ms at the 1, 2 and 8 month timepoints; all p = 0.02 vs baseline). One patient developed syncope due to orthostatic hypotension; there were no cases of bradycardia-induced syncope. Gastrointestinal manifestations were reported in ten of the study patients. Abdominal pain and vomiting were the reasons for study termination in five of the eight patients who did not complete the trial.Conclusion: A donepezil-induced decrease in heart rate and increase in PR interval were observed only in patients with Alzheimer's disease who were not treated with negatively chronotropic or dromotropic drugs. These changes were not associated with bradycardia-induced syncope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with cholinesterase inhibitors carries a theoretical risk of precipitating bradycardia. Though syncope occurs in patients with AD, its aetiology is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the causes of syncope in patients with AD who were treated with donepezil and hospitalised for evaluation of syncope.Methods: We studied 16 consecutive patients (12 women, 4 men) with AD aged 80 +/- 4 years who were hospitalised for evaluation of syncope. All patients underwent staged evaluation, ranging from physical examination to electrophysiological testing.Results: The mean dose of donepezil administered was 7.8 mg/day, and the mean duration of donepezil treatment at the time of syncope was 12 +/- 8 months. A cause of syncope was identified in 69% of patients. Carotid sinus syndrome was observed in three patients, complete atrioventricular block in two patients, sinus node dysfunction in two patients, severe orthostatic hypotension in two patients and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in one patient. A brain tumour was discovered in one patient. No cause of syncope was found in 31% of patients despite comprehensive investigation. Repetition of the investigations after discontinuation of donepezil was noncontributory.Conclusion: In patients with AD treated with donepezil, a noninvasive evaluation identified a probable cause of syncope in over two-thirds of patients. Cardiovascular abnormalities were predominant. Noninvasive evaluation is recommended before discontinuing treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors in patients with AD and unexplained syncope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe three cases of patients with Alzheimer's disease who presented with cardiac syncope soon after initiation of a cholinesterase inhibitor therapy (donepezil). Bradyarrhythmia was documented in two patients, considered probable in one, and was presumed related to the cholinergic therapy. Pacemaker implantation seemed justified rather than donepezil cessation. Moreover, it permitted an increase in donepezil dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Este trabalho aborda o comportamento do nível dinâmico de 93 poços artesianos, situados no município de João Pessoa, através de técnicas de interpolação. O objetivo é realizar uma análise do nível de rebaixamento dos poços registrados, além de realizar um levantamento de suas formas de utilização. A metodologia adotada constou-se de revisão bibliográfica; investigação e coleta das análises das informações existentes; elaboração de planilhas eletrônicas; obtenção dos atributos; manipulação dos softwares Excel e Surfer®; edição dos modelos gerados; integração dos resultados. Os resultados da análise estatística descritiva indicou que a profundidade dos poços alcança um limite de -115 m e uma profundidade mínima de -10 m. As curvas do isovalores assinalam maiores profundidades de até -60 m na porção central e setentrional da área. Os valores mais superficiais dos cones de rebaixamento concentram-se no patamar de até -35 m, e compreendem as porções extremo norte e noroeste da área, onde ocorrem terrenos alagados dos mangues, cursos fluviais e áreas de sedimentos costeiros recentes.

We describe three cases of patients with Alzheimer's disease who presented with cardiac syncope soon after initiation of a cholinesterase inhibitor therapy (donepezil). Bradyarrhythmia was documented in two patients, considered probable in one, and was presumed related to the cholinergic therapy. Pacemaker implantation seemed justified rather than donepezil cessation. More over, it permitted an increase in donepezil dosage.

The case of a woman with short neuralgiform paroxysmal attacks located in orbital-periorbital area and associated with autonomic features of ten years duration is reported. This headache syndrome is compared with trigeminal neuralgia involving the first branch of the nerve. Duration, intensity, spreading of the pain and presence of accompanying ipsilateral vasomotor phenomena may be of help in the differential diagnosis. According to the latest reports, sex distribution which passed from 17 men/2 women to 18/6 and effect of the carbamazepine on pain would not appear to have an effect. Nevertheless other reports are needed to distinguish these two clinical syndromes and to develop an etiological and pathogenesis hypothesis.

A thirty-three-year-old patient developed polyradiculoneuritis with several post-therapeutic relapses despite excellent response to treatment by intravenous polyvalent gammaglobulin. After the second relapse, positive titres for Borrelia burgdorferi were found in serum and C.S.F. We gave her intravenous antibiotic and clinical signs and electrophysiological data improved. Our report and the literature can distinguish two clinical and electrophysiological presentations of neurological peripheral involvement in Lyme disease: meningoradiculoneuritis with axonal involvement and polyradiculoneuritis with demyelinization.