[Alcohol has a toxic effect on the whole body. Alcohol abuse must be considered as one of the risk-factors to be able to challenge a broad spectrum of organ injuries. Chronic alcoholism, however, is a disease. In order to take preventive measures and to discover the early stages of organ damage caused by alcohol abuse, it is important to conduct those laboratory tests which can help to reveal the under Tyingetiology. With regular alcohol intake, the activity of serum enzymes (GGT, SGOT) and the SGOT/SGPT-index become elevated and the mean corpuscular volume of red cells (MCV) will increase. On the basis of their own experiences and supported by data found in the literature, the authors point out that regular alcohol intake cannot be proved by a single test. To enhance the specificity as well as the sensitivity of the laboratory tests, a combination of parameters must be obtained and tests should be repeated after a certain abstention period.]

[Alcoholic cardiomyopathy represents a serious public health problem in Hungary. The author describes the diagnostic criteria and three clinical types: Vitamin B, deficiency, arrhythmic form and congestive alcoholic heart disease. The importance of arrhythmias is emphasized with regard to pathogenesis and clinical features. Non-invasive and invasive diagnostic methods are discussed. The latest therapeutic possibilities are discussed, but emphasis is placed on the importance of prevention.]

[In spite of the unifying intentions on the nomenclature of congenital anomalies the problem is still considered to be unsolved internationally. Contradictions among each classifications are mainly based on the different viewpoints of practice and scientific researchers. The authors present here a proposition of nomenclature that fits the recommendations of the major international scientific committees but, as a synthesis, they are trying to give a role to etiopathogenesis as well as clinical presentation of congenital abnormalities in their classification. They intended to make this classification to give a proper nomenclature to everyday practice and scientific research work, too.]

[The Professional College, on the recommendation of the Epidemiology and Care Section of the Society of Lung Physicians, discussed the above topic at its meeting on 5 February 1993. After a lengthy discussion, and after the clash of opposing views, a compromise resolution was reached, summarised in the following points.]

[The patency of the vessel leading to infarction at 60 min was 71.8% in the rscu-PA group and 48% in the streptokinase-treated group (p < 0.001). At 90 min, the same values were 71.2% and 63.9%, respectively (p = 0.15). Between 24 and 36 h, reocclusion of the vessel occurred in 6/121 cases treated with rscu-PA and 5/114 cases treated with streptokinase. At the end of thrombolytic treatment, fibrinogen concentrations decreased to 0.44 g/l for rscu-PA injection and 0.17 g/l for streptokinase administration. The incidence of bleeding complications was significantly lower after rscu-PA treatment than after streptokinase (p<0.01).]