Cardiocirculatory Effects of Glucagon in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiogenic Shock EZRA A. AMSTERDAM, MD/ROBERT ZELIS, MD/JAMES F. SPANN, Jr., MD, FACC EDWARD J. HURLEY, MD, FACC and DEAN T. MASON, MD, FACC Davis, California Although the powerful inotropic property of glucagon is well established in isolated heart muscle and experimentd animals, the efficacy of the agent in patients with severe cardiac malfunction has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to define the cardiocirculatory effects of glucagon in patients with congestive heart failure or cardiogenie shock. Accordingly, the hemodynamic actions of intravenously administered glucagon (50 k there was a small but significant (P < 0.05) rise in heart rate (93 to 99). In the 5 patients of both groups whose cardiac output rose, the maximal increase was 14%. In the 3 patients with cardiogenic shock whose blood pressure increased, the increases were 5, 11 and 30%, respectively. These data suggest that glucagon, as administered in these studies, produces inconsistent hemodynamic improvement in patients with congestive heart failure and cardiogenic shock ahd that when favorable changes occur, they are usually of small magnitude. Signs and Symptoms of the Different Causes of Endocarditis Dr. FELIX ANSCHOTZ Dafmstadt, West Germany Knowledge of the causative inflammable process of the heart valves is important to understanding of the origin, progress, prognosis and treatment of the valvular disease. It is impossible to describe valvular heart disease with the aid of hemodynamic studies alone. The origin of the endocarditis is the central problem because of the consequences in therapy and prophylaxis. The differential diagnosis of endocarditis is described by our own studies in which the signs and symptoms are related in each case to the autopsy findings (137 cases of rheumatic heaxt disease, 85 cases of subacute bacterial endocarditis, 44 cases of acute bacterial endocarditis and 40 cases of rafe causes of endocarditis) . It is easier to recognize carditis in acute rheumatic fever than in cases of chronic valvular disease in which the inflammation doubtless influences the progress of the valvular damage. In these cases other possible explanations of inflammation must be considered. Subacute bacterial endocarditis, too, will be easy to recognize, particularly if the bacterial culture is positive. Often abacterial endocarditis may be hard to diagnose because of its indistinct symptoms. The central problem is to find the strains, which is difficult because many patients have already been given antibiotics. In some cases it is impossible to diagnose the cause of the endocarditis definitely even with the help of the most modern clinical studies. Hemodynamic Effects of Glucagon in Patients with Fixed-Rate Pacemakers WILLIAM W. ASHLEY, MD/DAVID M KAMINSKY, MD/JANET I. LIPSKI, MD ARTHUR C. WEISENSEEL, Jr., MD/EPHRAIM DONOSO, MD, FACC and CHARLES K. FRIEDBERG, MD, FACC New York, New York The effects of glucagon (50 clg/kg) on cardiac output (dye dilution) and brachial arterial pressure were studied in 7 patients, aged 57 to 73, with fixed-rate pacemakers. Mean cardiac index at rest increased 0.8 + 0.07 liters/ min per m2 (9% confidence interval) without significant change in braehial arterial pressures. Exercise performed by 5 patients, without glucagon, increased the cardiac index. During the same amount of exercise with glucagon, there was no aignifioant further increase in cardiac index (0.5 + 0.06 liters/min per m*). One additional patient with congestive heart failure did not show an increased cardiac index with glucagon at rest or during exercise. Isoproterenol administered to 2 patients increased cardiac index by 1.91 and 1.90 liters/min per ma compared to 1.02 and 0.75, respectively, with glucagon. Six of 8 patients experienced nausea and lightheadedness, and in 2 patients ventricular premature systoles developed after administration of glucagon. Mean serum potassium in 9 patients decreased from 82 The Amodem JoounMl of CARDlOLOaY