thromboplastin and Heart-Valve-Diseases

Tissue factor is the primary initiator of coagulation cascade and plays an essential role in haemostasis and thrombosis. In addition, tissue factor and coagulation proteases contribute to many cellular responses via activation of protease activated receptors. The heart is an organ with high levels of constitutive tissue factor expression. This review focuses on the role of tissue factor, coagulation proteases and protease activated receptors in heart haemostasis and the pathological heart remodelling associated with myocardial infarction, viral myocarditis and hypertension.

Topics: Animals; Blood Coagulation Factors; Fibrosis; Heart Valve Diseases; Hemostasis; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Hypertrophy; Models, Cardiovascular; Myocardial Infarction; Myocarditis; Myocytes, Cardiac; Receptors, Proteinase-Activated; Renin-Angiotensin System; Thromboplastin; Ventricular Remodeling

The effect of dipyridamole (Persantine) on the thrombocyte count and bleeding tendency in connection with open-heart surgery and perfusion was studied in 22 patients. A control series of 21 patients undergoing open-heart surgery was available. The treatment group received dipyridamole, 0.5 mg. per kilogram of body weight, in the beginning of cardiopulmonary bypass into the heart-lung machine and thereafter 10 mg. intravenously three times daily for 2 days. From the third day dipyridamole was administered by mouth, 75 mg. three times a day, until the patient was discharged from hospital. We found that dipyridamole had the effect of maintaining the thrombocyte count during cardiopulmonary bypass and the first and second postoperative days. Thereafter no significant difference was seen between the dipyridamole and control groups. The use of dipyridamole did not increase the postoperative hemorrhagic tendency. There were no significant differences in per- and postoperative blood loss and in bleeding and activated partial thromboplastin times between the groups.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Blood Cell Count; Blood Coagulation; Blood Platelets; Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Dipyridamole; Female; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular; Heart Valve Diseases; Hemostasis, Surgical; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications; Thrombocytopenia; Thromboplastin

Massive thrombosis formation on the valve periphery and on the top surface of the valve occurred in three patients (1,5%) in the immediate postoperative period with the Björk-Shiley valve in the aortic position. Between the third and sixth day these patients died of acute heart failure as a result of coronary artery displacement. Upon autopsy operative technical complications and postoperative infections were ruled out as the cause of death. What appears to be clinically important is an increase in clotting time in the immediate postoperative period which can be proven statistically. This increased clotting inclination was only found in these three patients and in one patient with frequent immediate postoperative peripheral embolic episodes. We therefore feel that early anticoagulation therapy is necessary. Heparin administration is preferred as it not only lowers the clotting ability of the blood but also the adhesive quality of the platelets.

Topics: Aortic Valve; Blood Cell Count; Blood Coagulation; Blood Platelets; Extracorporeal Circulation; Factor V; Fibrinogen; Heart Valve Diseases; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Humans; Prothrombin; Thromboplastin; Thrombosis; Time Factors

The activated partial thromboplastin time is compared with the corresponding prothrombin ratio in 6378 samples of platelet-poor plasma from 446 patients treated for a total of more than 4500 patient/months with oral anticoagulatnts. A relative decrease in the activated partial thromboplastin time following deep vein thrombosis is described, which tends to become less obvious during the first year of treatment and is greater in older patients. Although this relative decrease is also found in patients treated after cerebrovascular accidents, it is not found in patients treated after myocardial infarction or in patients with mitral valve disease treated prophylactically with long-term oral anticoagulants. It is though possible that these changes following deep vein thrombosis might be useful in helping to determine the duration of oral anticoagulant treatment.

Topics: Adult; Blood Coagulation; Female; Heart Valve Diseases; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Phenindione; Prothrombin Time; Thrombophlebitis; Thromboplastin; Warfarin

Topics: Adult; Aged; Anticoagulants; Blood Coagulation Tests; Female; Heart Valve Diseases; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Phenindione; Prothrombin Time; Pulmonary Embolism; Thrombophlebitis; Thromboplastin; Warfarin