Defibrilation

Diastolic wall strain (DWS), an echocardiographic index based on linear elasticity theory, has been identified as a predictor of heart failure (HF) in patients with sinus rhythm. However, its effectiveness in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains uncertain. This study aims to assess DWS as a predictor of HF in AF patients with preserved ejection fraction. We analysed a prospective database of AF patients undergoing transthoracic echocardiography. AF patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (< 50%), posterior wall motion abnormality, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, congenital heart disease, or history of pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation or cardiac surgery were excluded...

OBJECTIVE: Current guidelines recommend that patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) to hospitals not capable of performing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) be transferred to a PCI-capable hospital if reperfusion can be accomplished within 120 minutes. Most STEMI patients are accompanied by an advanced care paramedic (ACP, equivalent to EMT-P), nurse, or physician who can manage complications should they arise. In our region, stable STEMI patients are transported by primary care paramedics (PCPs, similar scope of practice to advanced EMT) in cases where a nurse, physician, or ACP paramedic is not available...

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac arrhythmia frequently documented in patients requiring implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and/or cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D). Patients with diagnosed AF at the point of ICD or CRT-D implantation may have an impaired follow-up outcome. METHODS: The German DEVICE I-II registry is a nationwide prospective multicentre database of patients implanted with ICD and CRT-D with clinical follow-up data...

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BACKGROUND: Despite an increased incidence of chronic heart failure (HF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD), the use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is much lower in Japan than in Western countries. The HF Indication and SCD Prevention Trial Japan (HINODE) prospectively assessed the mortality rate, appropriately treated ventricular arrhythmias (VA), and HF in Japanese patients with a higher risk of HF.Methods and Results: HINODE consisted of ICD, CRT-defibrillator (CRT-D), pacing, and non-device treatment cohorts...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) is diagnosed in patients who survive sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), preferably with documented ventricular fibrillation (VF), without any identifiable structural or electrical abnormality. Current evidence provides limited guidance on the diagnosis and follow-up of these patients. Our aim was to assess the clinical outcomes of survivors of an aborted SCA attributed to IVF. METHODS: We retrospectively collected clinical data from all patients who survived SCA and implanted a cardiac defibrillator (ICD) between 2005 and 2023...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Availability of devices capable of continuous rhythm monitoring such as smartwatches, implantable loop recorders, or pacemakers/defibrillators is continuously increasing. Importantly, device detected "subclinical" atrial fibrillation seems to convey a significantly lower risk of thromboembolism than "clinical" atrial fibrillation verified by a conventional ECG recording. While current guidelines indicate a possible role of oral anticoagulation in selected high-risk patients with subclinical AF, recent trials show an ambiguous risk/benefit relationship of anticoagulation in this setting...

INTRODUCTION: Heart failure patients with a history of atrial fibrillation (AF) and ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) are known to have worse outcomes. However, there are limited data on the temporal relationship between development of these arrhythmias and the risk of subsequent congestive heart failure (CHF) exacerbation and death. METHODS: The study cohort comprised 5511 patients implanted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in landmark clinical trials (MADIT-II, MADIT-RISK, MADIT-CRT, MADIT-RIT, and RAID) who were in sinus rhythm at enrollment...

AIMS: Drug-refractory electrical storm (ES) is a life-threatening medical emergency. We describe the use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) in drug-refractory ES without a reversible trigger, for which specific guideline recommendations are still lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective observational study in four Iberian centres on the indications, treatment, complications, and outcome of drug-refractory ES not associated with acute coronary syndromes, decompensated heart failure, drug toxicity, electrolyte disturbances, endocrine emergencies, concomitant acute illness with fever, or poor compliance with anti-arrhythmic drugs, requiring VA-ECMO for circulatory support...

Survival to hospital discharge among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is low and important regional differences in treatment practices and survival have been described. Since the 2017 publication of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society's position statement on OHCA care, multiple randomized controlled trials have helped to better define optimal post cardiac arrest care. This working group provides updated guidance on the timing of cardiac catheterization in patients with ST-elevation and without ST-segment elevation, on a revised temperature control strategy targeting normothermia instead of hypothermia, blood pressure, oxygenation, and ventilation parameters, and on the treatment of rhythmic and periodic electroencephalography patterns in patients with a resuscitated OHCA...

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AIM: Propose new metrics of impulsiveness of manual chest compressions (CCs) that account for shape and duration, separate the characteristics of the compressive part of the CC cycle from those of the recoil part, and are uncorrelated to CC depth and rate. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest monitor-defibrillator recordings having CPR data. Specifically, episodes of adult patients with ≥ 1000 compressions free of leaning were examined...

BACKGROUND: Mitral annular disjunction (MAD) refers to the arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse (MVP) syndrome associated with ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Although the pathophysiology of this disease is still under investigation, specific imaging criteria that establish the diagnosis have been recognized. In this article, we demonstrate most of these criteria using three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3D-TTE) and provide added value in the management of MAD syndrome...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) improves prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF) however the role of ABO blood groups and Rhesus factor are poorly understood. We hypothesise that blood groups may influence clinical and survival outcomes in HF patients undergoing CRT. A total of 499 patients with HF who fulfilled the criteria for CRT implantation were included. Primary outcome of all-cause mortality and/or heart transplant/left ventricular assist device was assessed over a median follow-up of 4...

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a genetic disorder known for its characteristic electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns and increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Brugada phenocopy (BrP) presents similar ECG patterns but is distinguished by its reversible nature when the underlying conditions are resolved. This article delineates the intricacies of BrP, emphasizing its etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. The article categorizes BrP based on various underlying causes, including metabolic disturbances, myocardial infarction, and mechanical compression, among others...

A 72-year-old man revealed typical findings of cardiac sarcoidosis on cardiovascular MRI. However, 18F-FDG PET showed no hypermetabolism. Therefore, immunosuppression was not initiated. After 2 years, ventricular arrhythmias and heart failure worsened. 68Ga-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor PET was initiated to evaluate potential adverse remodeling due to progressive myocardial fibrosis. A second 18F-FDG PET still revealed no hypermetabolism, and the patient received an implanted cardioverter defibrillator after electrophysiological risk stratification...

AIM: To study the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with functional class (FC) III-IV chronic heart failure (CHF) who meet the criteria for inclusion in the palliative care program. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A short registry of severe CHF forms was conducted at 60 outpatient and inpatient clinics in the Samara region for one month (16.05.2022-15.06.2022). The registry included patients with FC III-IV CHF who sought medical help during that period. Lethal outcomes were assessed at 90 days after the inclusion in the registry using the Mortality Information and Analytics system...