Arhythmia

The increasing adoption of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) necessitates a reassessment of bleeding risk scores. Because known risk factors for bleeding are largely the same as for stroke, we hypothesize that stroke risk scores could also be used to identify patients with high bleeding risks. We aimed to compare the performance of 2 stroke risk scores (Congestive Heart failure, hypertension, Age ≥75 [doubled], Diabetes, Stroke [doubled], Vascular disease, Age 65-74, and Sex [female] [CHA2 DS2 -VASc] and Cardiac failure, Hypertension, Age, Diabetes, Stroke [Doubled] [CHADS2 ]) and 3 bleeding risk scores (hypertension, abnormal renal/liver function [1 point each], stroke, bleeding history or predisposition, labile INR, elderly [...

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The clinical use of ivabradine has and continues to evolve along channels that are predicated on its mechanism of action. It selectively inhibits the funny current (If ) in sinoatrial nodal tissue, resulting in a decrease in the rate of diastolic depolarization and, consequently, the heart rate, a mechanism that is distinct from those of other negative chronotropic agents. Thus, it has been evaluated and is used in select patients with systolic heart failure and chronic stable angina without clinically significant adverse effects...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest cardiac rhythm disorder. Evaluation of patients with AF requires an electrocardiogram, but imaging techniques should be considered for defining management and driving treatment. The present document is an expert consensus from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) and the European Heart Rhythm Association. The clinical value of echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), computed tomography (CT), and nuclear imaging in AF patients are challenged...

Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure is being increasingly used as a treatment strategy to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have contraindications to anticoagulants. Several approaches and devices have been developed in the last few years, each with their own unique set of advantages and disadvantages. In this article, the published studies on surgical and percutaneous approaches to LAA closure are reviewed, focusing on stroke mechanisms in AF, LAA structure and function relevant to stroke prevention, practical differences in procedural approach, and clinical considerations surrounding management...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.