Eklof B, LassenThe findings suggested that hypertension was the main risk factor in hemorrhage, whereas in infarction, along with hypertension, other factors such as diabetes, heart enlargement in chest x-ray, ECG abnormalities, and smoking were suggested as risk factors. There was an association also between infarction, on one hand, and the history of receiving anticoagulants, diuretics, and medications for the heart, and the occurrence of myocardial infarction, on the other hand. These features indicate that infarction and ischemic heart disease have similar risk factors.Hemoglobin and hematocrit were higher in infarction cases than in their controls only when measured at stroke admission. No difference was revealed when they were measured prior to stroke. Their association with infarction therefore may be secondary to other factors and of no significance for its risk.
The antiarrhythmic efficacy and safety of oral encainide hydrochloride and quinidine sulfate were compared in a nine center double-blind crossover study in 187 outpatients with benign or potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias. Patients with at least 30 premature ventricular complexes/h were randomized to receive either encainide, 25 mg four times/day, or quinidine, 200 mg four times/day, for 2 weeks. These doses were continued for another 2 weeks if a 75% or greater reduction in premature ventricular complexes was observed. If this reduction was not seen, encainide was increased to 50 mg four times/day or quinidine to 400 mg four times/day for an additional 2 weeks. Both drugs produced a statistically significant reduction in premature ventricular complex frequency compared with baseline values. Encainide produced a statistically significant greater mean reduction in total premature ventricular complexes than did quinidine during the initial dose phase and after dose adjustment. More patients required dose increases of quinidine (60%) than of encainide (51%). Early discontinuation of treatment resulting in advancement to the next study period occurred in 12 patients taking encainide and 38 patients taking quinidine (p less than 0.05). PR and QRS intervals increased significantly during encainide treatment, as did QTc and JT intervals during quinidine treatment. No adverse reactions resulted from these electrocardiographic changes. Adverse reactions were more common with quinidine than with encainide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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