Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2017 Sep 20. Epub 2017 Sep 20.

Heart Research Follow-up Program, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.

Background: Frequent ventricular ectopy on preimplantation Holter has been associated with attenuated benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, it is unclear whether ectopic burden measured post-CRT implantation can be utilized to evaluate long-term prognosis. We aimed to describe the association between post-CRT implantation ectopic burden and subsequent risk of clinical outcomes. Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2017 Sep 22. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson.

Introduction: Asymptomatic arrhythmias can have important therapeutic implications in certain patient populations, for example, atrial fibrillation in patients with prior ischemic stroke. We sought to compare the diagnostic yield of two commercially available monitoring systems with automated arrhythmia detection algorithms.

Methods: We queried a large, proprietary database containing rhythm data for patients receiving ambulatory EKG monitoring (BioTelemetry, Malvern, PA). Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2017 Sep 21. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Arrhythmia Service, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: Right ventricular (RV)-scar related ventricular tachycardia (VT) is often due to arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) or cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), but some patients whose clinical course has not been described do not fulfill diagnostic criteria for these diseases. We sought to characterize the electrophysiologic substrate and catheter ablation outcomes of such patients, termed RV cardiomyopathy of unknown source (RCUS).

Methods And Results: Data of 100 consecutive patients who presented with RV cardiomyopathy and/or RV-related VT for ablation was reviewed (51 ARVC/D, 22 CS; 27 RCUS). Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2017 Sep 22. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Entrainment mapping enables the diagnosis and characterization of reentrant arrhythmias from analysis of the specific interaction between pacing maneuvers and tachycardia. Described 40 years ago, the implementation and interpretation of pacing maneuvers to entrain tachycardias has evolved into an indispensible tool for diagnosis and mapping reentrant cardiac arrhythmias. For complex reentry pathways entrainment mapping allows determination of the relation of pacing sites to the reentry circuit and discrimination relevant reentry parts from bystander areas. Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2017 Sep 22. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.

J Genet Couns 2017 Sep 23. Epub 2017 Sep 23.

Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology, Centenary Institute, Locked Bag 6, Newtown, NSW, 2042, Australia.

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a rare inherited arrhythmogenic disease with a high risk of sudden cardiac death. The impact on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and psychosocial outcomes is not known. We sought to provide the first description of HR-QoL and psychosocial wellbeing of adults with CPVT, parents of affected children and at-risk relatives. Read More

J Vet Cardiol 2017 Sep 19. Epub 2017 Sep 19.

Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan Sate University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. Electronic address:

A 6-year-old castrated male Golden Retriever was diagnosed with severe subaortic stenosis with severe left atrial enlargement and high heart rate due to atrial fibrillation. Treatment with digoxin and diltiazem to control ventricular response rate was initiated. Ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring (Holter monitoring) was performed at the beginning of treatment and was repeated to evaluate the patient's response to drug therapy. Read More

Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed) 2017 Sep 19. Epub 2017 Sep 19.

Unidad de Arritmias, Hospital Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.

Introduction And Objectives: This report describes the findings of the 2016 Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected by means of a standardized questionnaire completed by each of the participating centers.

Results: Data were collected from 83 centers. Read More

World J Cardiol 2017 Aug;9(8):702-709

Iván Javier Nuñez-Gil, Luis Nombela-Franco, Nieves Gonzalo, Pilar Jiménez-Quevedo, Javier Escaned, Antonio Fernández-Ortiz, Carlos Macaya, Ana Viana-Tejedor, Interventional Cardiology and Coronary Care Unit, Cardiovascular Institute, Hospital Universitario Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain.

Aim: To investigate the impact of coronary artery disease in a cohort of patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest with non-diagnostic electrocardiogram.

Methods: From March 2004 to February 2016, 203 consecutive patients resuscitated from in or out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest and non-diagnostic post-resuscitation electrocardiogram (defined as ST segment elevation or pre-sumably new left bundle branch block) who underwent invasive coronary angiogram during hospitalization were included. For purpose of analysis and comparison, patients were classified in two groups: Initial shockable rhythm (ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation; n = 148, 72. Read More

Sci Rep 2017 Sep 20;7(1):11957. Epub 2017 Sep 20.

Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder but data on survival rates are still conflicting and have not so far been quantitatively reviewed. The aim of this study is to conduct a meta-analysis of cohort studies to assess pooled survival rates and prognostic factors for survival in patients with HCM. Nineteen studies were included representing 12,146 HCM patients. Read More

Front Biosci (Landmark Ed) 2018 Jan 1;23:852-864. Epub 2018 Jan 1.

Human and Clinical Nutrition Unit, Department of Medical Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, "G. D'Annunzio" University, Via Dei Vestini 31, Chieti, 66013, Italy.

The antioxidants such as polyphenols, especially flavonols, present in large quantitites in cocoa, cause vasodilation, modulate inflammatory markers and cardiovascular health, and possess a range of protective cardiovascular effects. On the other hand, overconsumption of chocolate can lead to tachyarrhythmias, supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation due to its caffeine content. This review describes both the cardioprotective and adverse effects of chocolate and its constituents. Read More

Lupus 2017 Jan 1:961203317731533. Epub 2017 Jan 1.

1 Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.

Background Accurate diagnosis of cardiovascular involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains challenging, due to limitations of echocardiography. We hypothesized that cardiovascular magnetic resonance can detect cardiac lesions missed by echocardiography in SLE patients with atypical symptoms. Aim To use cardiovascular magnetic resonance in SLE patients with atypical symptoms and investigate the possibility of silent heart disease, missed by echocardiography. Read More

Eur Heart J Qual Care Clin Outcomes 2017 Jan;3(1):83-92

Division of Environmental Medicine and Population Sciences, Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.

Aims: To evaluate and compare outcomes and impacts of delay of time to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by type of first documented rhythm in paediatric patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Methods And Results: We enrolled 3968 paediatric (aged <18 years) OHCA patients whose events were witnessed between 2005 and 2012 from a prospective nationwide population-based cohort database in Japan. We assessed and compared their neurologically favourable 1-month survival according to first documented rhythm: pulseless ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (pVT/VF), pulseless electrical activity (PEA), or asystole. Read More

Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2017 Sep 18. Epub 2017 Sep 18.

The Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

Background: A myocardial bridge (MB) has been associated with ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death during exercise. QT dispersion (QTd) is a measure of abnormal repolarization and may predict ventricular arrhythmia. We investigated the frequency of ventricular arrhythmias during exercise and the QTd at rest and after exercise, in patients with an MB compared to a normal cohort. Read More

CJEM 2017 Sep 18:1-4. Epub 2017 Sep 18.

‡Department of Medicine,University of British Columbia,Kelowna,BC.

Eslicarbazepine is a novel anti-epileptic agent indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures. We present the case of an 18 year old female that presented to the Emergency Department four hours after a reported intentional ingestion of an estimated 5600 mg of eslicarbazepine. Although initially hemodynamically stable and neurologically normal, shortly after arrival she developed confusion, rigidity and clonus, followed by recurrent seizures, hypoxemia and cardiac arrest which responded to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and wide complex tachycardia requiring defibrillation. Read More

Heart Rhythm 2017 Sep 14. Epub 2017 Sep 14.

Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Sciences, Rochester, MN. Electronic address:

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) represents a major cause of death among patients with heart failure. While scar-based, macro-reentrant ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) is the primary etiology for SCD among patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, a more diverse set of mechanisms and substrates are likely at play for the diverse group of patients characterized by non-ischemic, dilated cardiomyopathy (NICM). These causes may include scar-based re-entry, but also neurohormonal stimulation (sympathetic, parasympathetic, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone), inflammation, and non-arrhythmic processes occurring in the context of a genetic predisposition. Read More

Heart Rhythm 2017 Sep 13. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Electrophysiology Section, Cardiovascular Division, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address:

Background: In patients with ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) electrical storm (ES) undergoing catheter ablation (CA), hypotension due to refractory VT/VF, use of anesthesia and cardiac stunning due to repeated ICD shocks might precipitate acute hemodynamic decompensation (AHD).

Objective: We evaluated the outcomes of emergent cardiopulmonary support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to rescue AHD in patients undergoing CA of ES.

Methods: Between 2010 and 2016, 21 patients with ES (VT in 11 and PVC-triggered VF in 10) were referred for CA and had periprocedural AHD requiring emergent ECMO support. Read More

Heart Rhythm 2017 Sep 13. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Department of Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: A chronic total occlusion (CTO) is common in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors with coronary artery disease. It is unclear whether a CTO contributes to ventricular arrhythmias in this population.

Objective: This study sought to evaluate the impact of unrevascularized CTO's on the occurrence of appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy and all-cause mortality in OHCA survivors with coronary artery disease. Read More

Heart Rhythm 2017 Sep 13. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

UCLA Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address:

Background: Pericardial adhesions can prevent epicardial access and restrict catheter movement during mapping and ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) . The incidence of adhesions in patients without prior cardiac surgery or clinically evident pericarditis is not known.

Objective: To describe the incidence of pericardial adhesions in patients without prior cardiac surgery or pericarditis and explore their impact. Read More

Heart Rhythm 2017 Sep 13. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology; The Rappaport Institute; Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel. Electronic address:

Background: Mutations in the PRKAG2 gene encoding the γ-subunit of adenosine monophosphate-kinase (AMPK) cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and familial-Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW). Patients carrying the R302Q mutation in PRKAG2 present sinus bradycardia, escape rhythms, ventricular pre-excitation, supraventricular tachycardia and atrioventricular block. This mutation affects AMPK activity and increases glycogen storage in cardiomyocytes. Read More

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Department of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark; Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark (J.B.J.); Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, El Paso (M.A.); and Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA (C.D.S.).

Background: In clinical trials, manufacturer-specific, strategic programming of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), including faster detection rates, reduces unnecessary therapy but permits therapy for ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VF). Present consensus recommends a generic rate threshold between 185 and 200 beats per minute, which exceeds the rate tested in clinical trials for some manufacturers. In a case series, we sought to determine the relationship between programmed parameters and failure of modern ICDs to treat VF. Read More

Case Rep Med 2017 20;2017:6501738. Epub 2017 Aug 20.

Surgical Consultative Nephrology, UCLA Stone Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), previously known as Wegener's granulomatosis, is a pulmonary-renal syndrome affecting small and medium sized blood vessels. The disease has a prevalence in studies ranging from 3 to 15.7 cases per 100,000, with a noted increasing incidence and prevalence in more recent studies. Read More

Circ Res 2017 Sep;121(7):749-770

From the Center for Cardiovascular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston (A.J.M.); Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.J.M.); and TIMI Study Group, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (E.B.).

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disorder that is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy unexplained by secondary causes and a nondilated left ventricle with preserved or increased ejection fraction. It is commonly asymmetrical with the most severe hypertrophy involving the basal interventricular septum. Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction is present at rest in about one third of the patients and can be provoked in another third. Read More

Circ Res 2017 Sep;121(7):722-730

From the Imperial College London, United Kingdom (W.J.M.); Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Institute, Division of Cardiology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA (B.J.M.); and Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua Medical School, Italy (G.T.).

In the past 25 years, major advances were achieved in the nosography of cardiomyopathies, influencing the definition and taxonomy of this important chapter of cardiovascular disease. Nearly, 50% of patients dying suddenly in childhood or adolescence or undergoing cardiac transplantation are affected by cardiomyopathies. Novel cardiomyopathies have been discovered (arrhythmogenic, restrictive, and noncompacted) and added to update the World Health Organization classification. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2017 18;27:129. Epub 2017 Jun 18.

Service de Cardiologie du CHU Campus, Lomé, Togo.

Introduction: This study provides an analysis of the evolutionary, clinical and epidemiological aspects of pulmonary embolism at the University Hospital Campus of Lome.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, analytic and descriptive study over a period of 39 months (November 1 , 2011- January 31, 2015). All the medical records of patients hospitalized for PE in the Department of Cardiology at the University Hospital Campus were analyzed. Read More

Circ J 2017 Sep 13. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California.

Background: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is a life-threatening disease that is frequently under-diagnosed.Methods and Results:We used a nationwide inpatient sample to identify CS patients from 2005 to 2011 in the USA. The annual admissions of CS increased from 1,108 in 2005 to 2,182 in 2011, representing a 2-fold rise over a short time. Read More

Circulation 2017 Sep 13. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Rescu, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Background -Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) commonly presents with non-shockable rhythms (asystole and pulseless electrical activity (PEA)). Whether antiarrhythmic drugs are safe and effective when these evolve to shockable rhythms (ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/VT)) during resuscitation is not known. Methods -Adults with non-traumatic OHCA, vascular access and VF/VT anytime after ≥1 shock(s) were prospectively randomized, double-blind, to receive amiodarone, lidocaine or placebo by paramedics. Read More

Circ Heart Fail 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, MN.

PLoS One 2017 13;12(9):e0183804. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, Children's National Health System, Washington, D.C., United States of America.

Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) and atrial fibrillation (AF) occur in patients recovering from open-heart surgery (OHS). Pharmacologic treatment is used for the control of post-operative atrial arrhythmias (POAA), but is associated with side effects. There is a need for a reversible, modulated solution to rate control. Read More

Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2017 Sep 12. Epub 2017 Sep 12.

First Department of Cardiology, Interventional Electrocardiology and Hypertension, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland.

Background: Despite substantial progress in the field of differentiation between ventricular tachycardia (VT) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) with wide QRS complexes, differentiation between VT and preexcited SVT remains largely unresolved due to significant overlap in QRS morphology. Our aim was to assess the specificities of various single ECG criteria and sets of criteria (Brugada algorithm, aVR algorithm, Steurer algorithm, and the VT score) for diagnosis of VT in a sizable cohort of patients with preexcitation.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of consecutive accessory pathway ablation procedures to identify preexcited tachycardias. Read More

Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2017 Sep 12. Epub 2017 Sep 12.

Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ionic-Molecular Function of Cardiovascular disease, Tianjin Institute of Cardiology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.

Background: The total cosine R-to-T (TCRT), a vectorcardiographic marker reflecting the spatial difference between the depolarization and repolarization wavefronts, has been used to predict ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in different clinical settings. However, its prognostic value has been controversial.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the significance of TRCT in predicting arrhythmic and/or mortality endpoints. Read More

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2017 Sep 13. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Pauley Heart Center, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center,, Richmond, VA, USA.

Curr Cardiol Rep 2017 Sep 13;19(11):105. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

QEII Health Sciences Centre, Room 2501 B/F Halifax Infirmary 1796 Summer Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 3A7, Canada.

Purpose Of Review: Ventricular tachycardia occurrence in implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients may result in shock delivery and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In addition, shocks may have deleterious mechanical and psychological effects. Prevention of ventricular tachycardia (VT) recurrence with the use of antiarrhythmic drugs or catheter ablation may be warranted. Read More

J Ultrasound 2017 Sep 24;20(3):243-245. Epub 2017 Feb 24.

UOSD Ecografia Internistica, Università degli studi G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.

A 36-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department of "SS Annunziata" hospital in Chieti complaining of a sharp chest pain arisen some hours before admission. On examination, the patient looked sweaty; his vital signs showed tachycardia and augmented breath rate; sinus tachycardia and normal ventricular repolarization were observed on ECG, and no abnormalities were observed in the echoscan of the hearth. According to the clinical and electrocardiographic findings, and to previous episode of DVT in anamnesis, a thorax CT scan was performed in order to rule out pulmonary embolism. Read More

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco.

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Departments of Cardiothoracic Surgery (E.M.J.P.M.) and Cardiology (E.M.J.P.M., N.M.S.d.G.), Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Department of Cardiology and CIBERCV, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain (P.Á., J.M.O., R.P., F.S., R.Y., F.F.-A.); Adult Congenital Heart Disease Unit, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain (J.M.O., A.G.-G., E.C., J.R.-C., R.P.); and Intercenter Congenital Heart Disease Unit, Hospital Virgen del Rocío y Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain (P.G., M.J.R.-P., A.C.).

Background: Atrial tachycardias (ATs) are a significant source of morbidity in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). This study evaluates the incidence and clinical predictors of AT in a cohort of patients with CHD.

Methods And Results: We included 3311 adults (median age at entry 22. Read More

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel (Y.M., O.T.-B., I.H., M.R., H.S., A.G., B.B.); Department of Cardiology, Sheba Medical Center, Israel (A.S.); and Department of Cardiology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel (Y.M., O.T.-B., I.H., A.S., M.R., H.S., A.G., B.B.).

Background: Left posterior fascicular ventricular tachycardia (LPF-VT) is frequently misdiagnosed as supraventricular tachycardia with aberrant right bundle branch block (RBBB) and left anterior hemiblock (LAHB). The purpose of the present study was to define the morphological ECG characteristics of LPF-VT and attempt to differentiate it from RBBB and LAHB aberrancy.

Methods And Results: A systematic Medline search was used to identify or locate ECG tracings from patients with LPF-VTs. Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital (A.I., D.S.D., G.P.B., A.M., A.A., J.H., S.A.K., A.G., T.J.S., J.F.H.); Department of Statistical Sciences, NewYork-Presbyterian Cornell University, Ithaca (W.M.B.); and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (I.K.).

Background: Presence of prominent left ventricular trabeculation satisfying criteria for left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) on routine cardiac magnetic resonance examination is frequently encountered; however, the clinical and prognostic significance of these findings remain elusive. This registry aimed to assess LVNC prevalence by 4 current criteria and to prospectively evaluate an association between diagnosis of LVNC by these criteria and adverse events.

Methods And Results: There were 700 patients referred for cardiac magnetic resonance: 42% were women, median age was 70 years (range, 45-71 years), mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 51% (±17%), and 32% had late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance. Read More

BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2017 Sep 12;17(1):244. Epub 2017 Sep 12.

Department of Cardiology & Angiology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625, Hannover, Germany.

Background: Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome and idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia (ILVT) are rare and up to now the coexistence of both entities has rarely been reported. In patients with ventricular preexcitation the underlying mechanism of paroxysmal tachycardia most likely is atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT). However, without ECG documentation of the tachycardia diagnosis of the underlying mechanism cannot be made due to similar clinical presentation of AVRT and ILVT. Read More

Heart 2017 Oct;103(19):1554-1555

Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.

Clinical Introduction: A 72-year-old woman presented with an 8-year history of palpitations occurring every few weeks. They were sudden in onset, were associated with dizziness and could last for up to 2 hours. She was prescribed bisoprolol which reduced the frequency of events but did not abolish them. Read More

Intern Med J 2017 Sep;47(9):1068-1071

Department of Interventional Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

A 63-year-old man with an ischaemic cardiomyopathy, supported by the HeartWare left ventricular assist device (LVAD), presented with ventricular tachycardia and inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with associated acute right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. He underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention with balloon angioplasty and placement of three drug-eluting stents in the proximal-to-mid right coronary artery. Post-procedure, ventricular arrhythmias abated, RV systolic dysfunction resolved and RV size normalised. Read More

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Rhythmology and Electrophysiology, Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2017 Sep;10(9)

From the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada (R.Y.); Department of Medicine, Montefiore-Einstein Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (J.D.F.); Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla (U.B.-G.); Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (T.W.S.); Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Florida Heart Rhythm Specialists, Ft. Lauderdale (D.N.K.); Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia, Austin (R.C.); and Cardiac Rhythm Heart Failure, Medtronic, Inc, Minneapolis, MN (T.J., R.T., P.D.).

Background: Antitachycardia pacing (ATP) in implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) decreases patient shock burden but has recognized limitations. A new automated ATP (AATP) based on electrophysiological first principles was designed. The study objective was to assess the feasibility and safety of AATP in ambulatory ICD patients. Read More

J Cardiol 2017 Sep 5. Epub 2017 Sep 5.

National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita City, Osaka, Japan.

Background: Experimental studies suggest that angiotensin II-receptor blockers can influence atrial remodeling and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, we hypothesized that irbesartan may prevent the recurrence of AF following either catheter ablation or electrical cardioversion of AF.

Methods: Study on the Effect of Irbesartan on Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence in Kumamoto (SILK study) is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, and open-label comparative evaluation of the effects of irbesartan and amlodipine on AF recurrence in hypertensive patients with AF who are scheduled to undergo catheter ablation or electrical cardioversion of AF. Read More

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2017 Sep 8. Epub 2017 Sep 8.

Division of Cardiology at Montefiore-Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.

J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2017 Sep 8. Epub 2017 Sep 8.

Leighton Hospital, UK.

Herz 2017 Sep 7. Epub 2017 Sep 7.

Abt. Elektrophysiologie, Herzzentrum, Universität Leipzig, Strümpellstraße 39, 04289, Leipzig, Deutschland.

The treatment of ventricular tachycardia has recently undergone relevant changes as certain interventional treatment options, such as radiofrequency catheter ablation, have gained in importance. Numerous current publications have demonstrated the advantages of catheter ablation compared to conventional therapy with antiarrhythmic drugs in terms of effectiveness and morbidity. Improving the ablation technique and identifying those patient collectives who are most likely to benefit from ablation are still the objectives of current research. Read More

Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med 2017 Sep 4. Epub 2017 Sep 4.

Pole Réanimations Anesthésie, CHU de Caen, Avenue côte de Nacre, 14033, Caen cedex 9, France; UNICAEN, Université Caen Normandie, Inserm, EA4650, Esplanade de la Paix, CS 14032, 14032 Caen cedex 5, France.

Background: Sleep deprivation has been associated with an increased incidence of medical errors and can jeopardise patients' safety during medical crisis management. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of sleep deprivation on the management of simulated anaesthesia crisis by residents in anaesthesiology.

Methods: A randomised, comparative, monocentric crossover study involving 48 residents in anaesthesia was performed on a high fidelity patient simulator. Read More

J Emerg Med 2017 Sep 4. Epub 2017 Sep 4.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Scott & White Medical Center-Temple, Temple, Texas.

Background: Lightning strike is a rare medical emergency. The primary cause of death in lightning strike victims is immediate cardiac arrest. The mortality rate from lightning exposure can be as high as 30%, with up to 70% of patients left with significant morbidity. Read More