To characterise the clinical features of patients with suspected heart failure but preserved left ventricular systolic function to determine if they have other potential causes for their symptoms rather than being diagnosed "diastolic failure."Prospective descriptive study.Outpatient based direct access echocardiography service.159 consecutive referred by general practitioners.Symptoms (including shortness breath, ankle oedema, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea) history coronary disease...

Chronic heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction has a high morbidity and mortality. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors reduce symptomatic deterioration, hospitalisation, death. Most patients with suspected present first general practitioners. Recent studies have emphasised the difficulty of diagnosing in community. Fewer than half treated for by practitioners objective evidence cardiac disease.1 2 To improve diagnosis treatment Dargie McMurray suggested that...

<h3>Abstract</h3> <b>Objective</b>: To assess the value of an open access echocardiography service. <b>Design</b>: Study new service for general practitioners, who were invited to refer patients taking diuretics suspected heart failure, untreated with symptoms possible and asymptomatic risk factors left ventricular systolic dysfunction. <b>Setting</b>: Regional cardiology centre. <b>Subjects</b>: 259 consecutive patients. <b>Main outcome measures</b>: Presence or absence dysfunction...

Patients who require positive pressure ventilation through a tracheostomy are unable to phonate due the inflated cuff. Whilst speaking valve (SV) can be used on tube, its use in ventilated ICU patients has been inhibited by concerns regarding potential deleterious effects recovering lungs. The objective of this study was assess end expiratory lung impedance (EELI) and standard bedside respiratory parameters before, during after SV tracheostomised weaning from mechanical ventilation. A...

<h3>Abstract</h3> <b>Objectives</b> : To determine whether blood natriuretic peptide concentrations are helpful in identifying or excluding left ventricular systolic dysfunction stable survivors of acute myocardial infarction. <b>Design</b> Comparison with echocardiographic assessment function a general practice population. <b>Setting</b> Practices Western District Glasgow audit group. <b>Subjects</b> 134 long term infarction recalled for echocardiography as part primary care secondary...

To compare QT dispersion in patients with impaired left ventricular systolic function and matched control normal function.A retrospective, case-control study controls 4:1 for age, sex, previous myocardial infarction, diuretic beta blocker treatment.A regional cardiology centre a university teaching hospital.25 100 function.QT QTc measured by three methods: the difference between maximum minimum intervals, standard deviation of "lead adjusted" dispersion.All measures QT/QTc were closely...

AimsIt is reported that one third of patients with heart failure have normal left ventricular systolic function, and may or not diastolic dysfunction. We sought to define the prevalence filling abnormalities in a large unselected group patients, unlike diagnosis by exclusion small highly selected groups studied previously.

<h3>BACKGROUND:</h3> Head-of-bed elevation (HOBE) has been shown to assist in reducing respiratory complications associated with mechanical ventilation; however, there is minimal research describing changes end-expiratory lung volume. This study aims investigate volume a supine position and 2 levels of HOBE. <h3>METHODS:</h3> Twenty postoperative cardiac surgery subjects were examined using electrical impedance tomography. End-expiratory (EELI) was recorded as surrogate measurement at 20°...

Chest pain accounts for much of the rising numbers emergency admissions, but in-patient assessment is not necessarily best way dealing with these patients. We ran a 'rapid-assessment chest clinic' to provide an alternative route assessment, and audited its outcome. General practitioners referred patients recent-onset pain, increasing at rest, or other concern, on understanding that they would be seen within 24 h. During 8 1/2 months, 334 were 317 seen, most whom had exercise...

<h3>BACKGROUND:</h3> Airway suctioning in mechanically ventilated patients is required to maintain airway patency. Closed suction catheters (CSCs) minimize lung volume loss during but require cleaning post-suction. Despite their widespread use, there no published evidence examining volumes CSC cleaning. The study objectives were quantify changes and determine whether these preventable using a with valve situ between the catheter chamber. <h3>METHODS:</h3> This prospective randomized...

Electrical impedance tomography is a novel technology capable of quantifying ventilation distribution in the lung real time during various therapeutic manoeuvres. The technique requires changes to patient's position place electrical electrodes circumferentially around thorax. impact these on taken stabilise regional determined by unknown. This study aimed determine for after changing position. Eight healthy, male volunteers were connected and pneumotachometer. After 30 minutes stabilisation...

Background: Mechanical ventilation has dramatically improved outcomes in critically ill patients with respiratory failure. Minimizing volumes and higher positive end-expiratory pressures can further improve patient outcomes. Recruitment manoeuvres which be used to individualize pressure may not outcome unless recruitable tissue is present. Existing methods of assessing if lung have a variety limitations. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) new technology that able assess whether or at the...

Background . Lung transplantation is the optimal treatment for end stage lung disease. Donor shortage necessitates single-lung transplants (SLT), yet minimal data exists regarding regional ventilation in diseased versus transplanted measured by Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT). Method We aimed to determine six SLT outpatients using EIT. assessed expiratory volume and tidal volumes. End impedance (EELI) Global Tidal Variation of were supine, right lateral, left sitting, standing...

The reproducibility of the regional distribution ventilation and timing onset filling as measured by electrical impedance tomography lacks evidence. This study investigated whether measurements in healthy males were reproducible when electrodes replaced between measurements. Part 1: Recordings five volunteers lying supine made using a pneumotachometer. Measurements repeated at least three hours later. Skin marking ensured accurate replacement electrodes. No stabilisation period was allowed....