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In 30 patients undergoing coronary angiography the effects of lopamidol on sinus node activity, atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction were evaluated using His Bundle recordings, and compared to the effects produced by Diathzoate. Diatrizoate resulted in an increase in sinus cycle length and prolonged AV nodal conduction, resulting in second degree A V block in two patients, lopamidol had significantly less effect on sinus cycle (P<0.01) and AV nodal conduction (P<0.01). Neither contrast media affected intraventricular conduction. No difference was noted in the imaging power of the two contrast media. It is suggested that non-ionic, low osmotic contrast media such as lopamidol will result in increased patient safety during coronary angiography without loss of imaging power. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The case of a patient, aged 63, with isolated post-traumatic tricuspid insufficiency is described. In this patient the correct diagnosis was made immediately after a non penetrating chest trauma. Physical examination, electrocardiogram, phonocardiogram, chest roentgenogram, hemodynamic and angiocardiographic investigations are reported. The usefulness of echocardiographic examination is emphasized and a comparison with the fail valve syndrome of the mitral valve is made. According to previous reports no immediate surgery was considered and the patient is still under follow up.

The communication between the coronary sinus and the left atrium is a very exceptional case. In this work the AA. report the difficulties of the pre and peroperating diagnosis, above all because the coronary sinus, in this case, is not enlarged, but usual. The identification of the malformation, that is also isolated, is difficult also at the surgery, if you don't make a left atriotomy. A personal operative method of correction is reported.

The onset of serious arrhythmias during potassium depletion occurs rather frequently in female subjects who have undergone hypotensive-diuretic treatment, independently from the duration and doses of drugs. These arrhythmias which produce a cardiac arrest, can also occur in subjects not affected with heart disease. They are not necessarily preceeded by clinical prodrumus or other types of minor arrhythmias not accompanied by other important electrocardiographic or serum-logical alterations of hypokaliemia. The most commonly observed type is the "torsades de pointe", though cases of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation are also documented. The ethiopathogenesis is discussed with regard to the alterations of the basic electrocardiogram as well as to the kind of major arrhythmia. In most cases , lidocaine has given the most satisfactory thmias, results in the treatment of these arrhythmias, probably because of the modality of the action which is substantially different from the other antiarrhythmic drugs.