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| 2. |
- Everts, B, et al.
(author)
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A comparison of metoprolol and morphine in the treatment of chest pain in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction--the MEMO study
- 1998
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In: Journal of Internal Medicine. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 245:2, s. 133-141
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives. To compare the analgesic effect of metoprolol and morphine in patients with chest pain due to suspected or definite acute myocardial infarction after initial treatment with intravenous metoprolol. Design. All patients, regardless of age, admitted to the coronary care unit at Uddevalla Central Hospital due to suspected acute myocardial infarction were evaluated for inclusion in the MEMO study (metoprolol–morphine). The effects on chest pain and side-effects of the two treatments were followed during 24 h. Pain was assessed by a numerical rating scale. Results. A total of 265 patients were randomized in this prospective double-blind study and 59% developed a confirmed acute myocardial infarction. In both treatment groups, there were rapid reductions of pain intensity. However, in the patient group treated with morphine, there was a more pronounced pain relief during the first 80 min after start of double-blind treatment. The side-effects were few and were those expected from each therapeutic regimen. During the first 24 h, nausea requiring anti-emetics was more common in the morphine-treated patients. Conclusion. In suspected acute myocardial infarction, if chest pain persists after intravenous beta-adrenergic blockade treatment, standard doses of an opioid analgesic such as morphine will offer better pain relief than increased dosages of metoprolol.
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| 3. |
- Everts, B, et al.
(author)
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Effects and pharmacokinetics of high dose metoprolol on chest pain in patients with suspected or definite acute myocardial infarction
- 1997
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In: European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. - : Springer. - 0031-6970 .- 1432-1041. ; 53:1, s. 23-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Pain intensity and the plasma concentrations of metoprolol and its major metabolite alpha-hydroxymetoprolol as well as noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) were determined in patients with pain due to definite or suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after graded metoprolol infusion. Pain intensity and metoprolol kinetics were assessed over 8 h. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients of either sex, aged 48-84 years with ongoing chest pain upon arrival to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) were subdivided into two groups: (1) patients with ECG signs of threatening transmural myocardial damage (n = 15); and (2) patients without such ECG signs (n = 12). Pain intensity was assessed by a numerical rating scale (NRS) and venous blood was obtained for determination of plasma catecholamine and NPY concentrations. A continuous infusion of metoprolol (3 mg.min-1 i.v) was started and serial blood samples for plasma catecholamines, NPY as well as metoprolol and its major metabolite alpha-hydroxymetoprolol were obtained from the contralateral arm. RESULTS: Initial pain intensity was 5.9 (arbitrary units) and 5.4 in the groups with and without signs of transmural myocardial damage, respectively. One third of the patients with ST changes reported full pain relief (NRS = 0) within 70 min after starting metoprolol infusion (accumulated dose, 15-180 mg). Among the patients without ST changes upon arrival, full pain relief was obtained in 70% (accumulated dose, 30-120 mg). There was a dose-dependent relation between accumulated metoprolol dose and pain relief. The diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was confirmed in all 15 patients with ECG signs on arrival of transmural myocardial damage. The mean metoprolol dose in this group was 91(12) mg. The mean metoprolol dose in the 12 patients without ST changes was 64(8) mg. In all, seven of these patients developed definite AMI. The terminal half-life of unchanged metoprolol ranged from 2.5 to 8.5 h in group 1 and from 2.2 to 5.2 h in group 2. In group 1, metoprolol half-life was 4.5 h and total plasma clearance (CL) 54.1 1.h-1. In group 2, the metoprolol half-life was 3.7 h and total plasma clearance 75.4 1.h-1. There was a significant difference in clearance between the groups. After the intravenous metoprolol infusion, alpha-hydroxymetoprolol concentrations increased gradually. In groups 1 and 2, maximal concentrations in plasma (Cmax) were 143 and 135 nmol.1(-1) for alpha-hydroxymetoprolol and 2830 and 1653 nmol.1(-1) for metoprolol, respectively. Plasma NA or NPY did not differ between the groups. In contrast, plasma A was significantly higher during the initial 90 min of observation in patients with ECG signs of transmural myocardial damage. CONCLUSION: High-dose intravenous metoprolol was well tolerated in patients with suspected AMI. There was a more rapid and almost complete pain relief in patients without signs of transmural ischaemia compared with the patients with ECG signs of transmural AMI at arrival. In the later group of patients, plasma clearance of metoprolol was significantly reduced.
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| 4. |
- Everts, B, et al.
(author)
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Localization of pain in suspected acute myocardial infarction in relation to final diagnosis, age and sex, and site and type of infarction
- 1996
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In: Heart & Lung. - : Heart & Lung. - 0147-9563 .- 1527-3288. ; 25:6, s. 430-437
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To describe the localization of pain in consecutive patients admitted to the coronary care unit for possible acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to relate it to the development of AMI, age, and gender. DESIGN: Prospective evaluation. SETTING: Sahlgrenska Hospital, covering half the area of the city of Göteborg, with half a million inhabitants. SUBJECTS: Nine hundred three consecutive patients admitted to the coronary care unit for possible AMI between 24 and 87 years old with a mean age of 64 years. OUTCOME MEASURES: Localizations of pain according to a self-constructed figure. Patient were approached between 1 and 14 days after onset of symptoms and asked to describe the localization of pain according to the figure, including nine positions on the chest, left and right arm, neck, and back. RESULTS: AMI developed in 50% of patients during the first 3 days in hospital. Patients in whom AMI developed localized their pain to an extent similar to those without AMI in seven of nine chest areas. However, patients with AMI reported pain in the upper right square of the chest more frequently (p < 0.001) and in the middle left square of the chest less frequently (p < 0.01) than did patients without AMI. Pain in both the right (p < 0.001) and left arms (p < 0.01) was more frequently reported by patients who had AMI. Among patients with AMI, women reported pain in the neck (p < 0.05) and in the back (p < 0.01) more frequently than did men. Compared with elderly patients, younger patients reported pain more frequently in the left arm (p < 0.01), right arm (p < 0.01), and neck (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among consecutive patients with possible AMI admitted to the coronary care unit, patients who had confirmed AMI reported pain in both arms more frequently than did patients without AMI. However, both groups described their chest surface distribution of pain similarly in the majority of positions, thereby indicating that the localization of chest pain is of limited use in predicting which patients will eventually have AMI.
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| 5. |
- Everts, B, et al.
(author)
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Morphine use and pharmacokinetics in patients with chest pain due to suspected or definite acute myocardial infarction. The Memo Study
- 1998
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In: European Journal of Pain. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 1090-3801 .- 1532-2149. ; 2:2, s. 115-125
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The characteristics of chest pain due to suspected acute myocardial infarction and morphine use during the first 3 hospital days are described in a population of 2988 consecutive patients admitted to hospital. The duration of pain was usually less than 24h (mean 20.9±0.55h), and only 24.8% of patients experienced chest pain of longer duration. The majority of patients had only one attack of pain, but 34.4% experienced four or more attacks during hospitalization. A mean morphine dose of 6.7±0.2mg was administered over the 3 hospitalization days, but surprisingly 52.4% of all patients required no morphine analgesia at all. Independent predictors of an increased morphine consumption were initial degree of suspicion of acute myocardial infarction, ST changes on admission ECG, male sex, a history of angina pectoris and a history of congestive heart failure. In a separate pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic study in 10 patients, plasma concentrations of morphine and its major metabolites, morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G), were measured after intravenous administration of morphine. In this patient group, terminal half-life of unchanged morphine ranged from 0.77 to 3.22h. M3G and M6G plasma concentrations increased gradually up to 60–90 min after the intravenous morphine injection. Initial pain intensity by numerical rating scale was 6.6±0.6 (arbitrary units), and after morphine administration, there was a rapid and significant decrease in pain intensity. After 20 min, pain relief was 69±11% and remained at this level during the following 8 h observation period. It is concluded that the need for morphine administration in patients with suspected or definite acute myocardial infarction, differs among subgroups of patients and, in particular, higher doses are needed in those with a strong suspicion of myocardial infarction at arrival. When intravenous morphine is given, it attains full effect 20 min after injection. Furthermore, the active morphine metabolites M3G and M6G appear rapidly in thecirculation, which could influence the analgesic response to morphine treatment.
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| 6. |
- Everts, B, et al.
(author)
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Pain recollection after chest pain of cardiac origin
- 1999
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In: Cardiology. - : S. Karger AG. - 0008-6312 .- 1421-9751. ; 92:2, s. 115-120
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Memory for pain is an important research and clinical issue since patients ability to accurately recall pain plays a prominent role in medical practice. The purpose of this prospective study was to find out if patients, with an episode of chest pain due to suspected acute myocardial infarction could accurately retrieve the pain initially experienced at home and during the first day of hospitalization after 6 months. A total of 177 patients were included in this analysis. The patients rated their experience of pain on a numerical rating scale. The maximal pain at home was retrospectively assessed, thereafter pain assessments were made at several points of time after admission. After 6 months they were asked to recall the intensity of pain and once again rate it on the numerical rating scale. The results from the initial and 6-month registrations were compared. In general, patients rated their maximal intensity of chest pain as being higher at the 6-month recollection as compared with the assessments made during the initial hospitalization. In particular, in patients with a high level of emotional distress, there was a systematic overestimation of the pain intensity at recall.
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| 7. |
- Herlitz, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Mortality and morbidity among patients who undergo combined valve and coronary artery bypass surgery. Early and late results
- 1998
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In: European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1010-7940 .- 1873-734X. ; 12:6, s. 836-846
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIM: To describe mortality and morbidity early and late after combined valve surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) as compared with CABG alone. PATIENTS and METHODS: All patients from western Sweden in whom CABG in combination with valve surgery or CABG alone was carried out in 1988-1991. RESULTS: Among 2116 patients who underwent CABG, 35 (2%) had this combined with mitral valve surgery and 134 (6%) had this combined with aortic valve surgery, whereas the remaining 92% underwent CABG alone. Patients who underwent combined valve surgery and CABG were older, included more women and had a higher prevalence of previous congestive heart failure and renal dysfunction but on the other hand a less severe coronary artery disease. Among patients who underwent mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG the mortality over the subsequent 5 years was 45%). The corresponding figure for patients who underwent aortic valve surgery in combination with CABG was 24%. Both were higher than for CABG alone (14%; P < 0.0001 and P = 0.003, respectively). In a stepwise multiple regression model mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG was found to be an independent significant predictor for death but aortic valve surgery in combination with CABG was not. Among patients who underwent mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG and were discharged alive from hospital 77% were rehospitalized during the 2 years following the operation as compared with 48% among patients who underwent aortic valve surgery in combination with CABG and 43% among patients with CABG alone. Multiple regression identified mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG as a significant independent predictor for rehospitalization but not aortic valve plus CABG. CONCLUSION: Among patients who either underwent CABG in combination with mitral valve surgery or aortic valve surgery or CABG alone, mitral valve surgery in combination with CABG was independently associated with death and rehospitalization, but the combination of aortic valve surgery and CABG was not.
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| 8. |
- Herlitz, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Physical activity, dyspnea and chest pain prior to and after coronary artery bypass grafting in relation to a history of diabetes
- 1998
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In: Diabetes Care. - : American Diabetes Association. - 0149-5992 .- 1935-5548. ; 21:10, s. 1603-1611
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To describe the limitation of physical activity and symptoms of chest pain and dyspnea before and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in relation to a history of diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: All patients in western Sweden in whom CABG was performed between 1988 and 1991 were asked to complete a questionnaire before 3 months and 2 years after the operation. The questionnaire evaluated limitation of physical activity and symptoms of chest pain and dyspnea. RESULTS: In all, 2,121 patients participated in the evaluation, of whom 13% had a history of diabetes. The overall 2-year mortality was 14% among patients with a history of diabetes and 6% among patients without such a history (P < 0.001). The proportion of patients with a limitation of physical activity caused by chest pain decreased from 76% before CABG to 19% 2 years after in diabetic patients (P < 0.001) and from 79 to 17% in nondiabetic patients (P < 0.001). The proportion of diabetic patients without dyspnea increased from 13% before to 31% 2 years after CABG (P < 0.001). The corresponding figures for nondiabetic patients were 12 and 43% (P < 0.001). Symptoms of angina pectoris were reported in 94% of diabetic patients before CABG versus 35% after 2 years (P < 0.001). Corresponding figures for nondiabetic patients were 93 and 29% (P < 0.001). Aggregate data confirmed differences between diabetic and nondiabetic patients, with more symptoms in the diabetic patients, particularly with regard to dyspnea. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality during 2 years of follow up was more than twice as high in diabetic than in nondiabetic patients. Limitation of physical activity, dyspnea, and angina pectoris improved markedly and similarly in diabetic and nondiabetic patients after CABG. Whereas limitation of physical activity and dyspnea was more frequent in diabetic than in nondiabetic patients, the occurrence of angina pectoris was more similar in the two groups.
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