Bleeding risk assessment and management in atrial fibrillation patients: a position document from the European Heart Rhythm Association, endorsed by the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Thrombosis.
Europace. 2011 May;13(…

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Prospective multicentre systematic guideline-based management of patients referred to the Syncope Units of general hospitals.

Europace. 2010 Jan;12(1):109-18

Authors: Brignole M, Ungar A, Casagranda I, Gulizia M, Lunati M, Ammirati F, Del Rosso A, Sasdelli M, Santini M, Maggi R, Vitale E, Morrione A, Francese GM, Vecchi MR, Giada F,

AIMS: Although an organizational model for syncope management facilities was proposed in the 2004 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), its implementation in clinical practice and its effectiveness are largely unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: This prospective study enrolled 941 consecutive patients referred to the Syncope Units of nine general hospitals from 15 March 2008 to 15 September 2008. A median of 15 patients per month were examined in each unit, but the five older units had a two-fold higher volume of activity than the four newer ones (instituted <1 year before): 23 vs. 12, P = 0.02. These figures give an estimated volume of 163 and 60 patients per 100,000 inhabitants per year, respectively. Referrals: 60% from out-of-hospital services, 11% immediate and 13% delayed referrals from the Emergency Department, and 16% hospitalized patients. A diagnosis was established on initial evaluation in 191 (21%) patients and early by means of 2.9 +/- 1.6 tests in 541 (61%) patients. A likely reflex cause was established in 67%, orthostatic hypotension in 4%, cardiac in 6% and non-syncopal in 5% of the cases. The cause of syncope remained unexplained in 159 (18%) patients, despite a mean of 3.5 +/- 1.8 tests per patient. These latter patients were older, more frequently had structural heart disease or electrocardiographic abnormalities, unpredictable onset of syncope due to the lack of prodromes, and higher OESIL and EGSIS risk scores than the other groups of patients. The mean costs of diagnostic evaluation was 209 euro per outpatient and 1073 euro per inpatient. The median cost of hospital stay was 2990 euro per patient. CONCLUSION: We documented the current practice of syncope management in specialized facilities that have adopted the management model proposed by the ESC. The results are useful for those who wish to replicate this model in other hospitals. Syncope remains unexplained during in-hospital evaluation in more complex cases at higher risk.

PMID: 19948566 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Intravenous magnesium sulfate enhances the ability of dofetilide to successfully cardiovert atrial fibrillation or flutter: results of the Dofetilide and Intravenous Magnesium Evaluation.

Europace. 2009 Jul;11(7):892-5

Authors: Coleman CI, Sood N, Chawla D, Talati R, Ghatak A, Kluger J,

AIMS: A previous study found that the adjunctive use of intravenous magnesium sulfate with ibutilide could increase the odds of a patient chemically cardioverting from atrial fibrillation (AF) or flutter (AFL) to normal sinus rhythm (NSR) by 78%. Whether or not intravenous magnesium has the same effect on dofetilide's ability to chemically cardiovert patients from AF/AFL to NSR is not known. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a retrospective cohort evaluation of consecutive eligible patients receiving dofetilide for chemical cardioversion of AF or AFL at a single institution. All AF or AFL patients received dofetilide according to the institution's standard protocol, which required patients to remain as an inpatient for a minimum of 3 days or 6 doses after the initiation of dofetilide therapy. Patients receiving any dose of intravenous magnesium starting on the same day as dofetilide constituted the treatment group. Controls received dofetilide, but no intravenous magnesium any time prior to chemical cardioversion. Patients underwent continuous electrocardiographic monitoring throughout their hospital admission. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the impact of intravenous magnesium on dofetilide's efficacy. A total of 160 patients in persistent AF or AFL (mean age 66.6 +/- 11.0 years, 70.0% male, 30.0% in AF or AFL >15 days, 54.4% hypertension, 37.5% heart failure, 16.3% valvular disease, 16.3% previous myocardial infarction, and baseline serum magnesium levels 2.1 +/- 0.26 mg/dL) and receiving dofetilide (mean dose 428 +/- 118 microg/dose) were included in this analysis. The overall chemical cardioversion rate with dofetilide irrespective of adjunctive intravenous magnesium utilization was 41.9%. The concurrent administration of intravenous magnesium (n = 50) was associated with a 107% increased odds of successful chemical cardioversion [adjusted odds ratio: 2.07 (95% confidence intervals: 1.00-4.33)] compared with those who did not receive magnesium (n = 110). Only one case of torsade de pointes occurred in the no magnesium group during the index hospital admission. CONCLUSION: Concurrent use of intravenous magnesium is associated with an enhanced ability of dofetilide to successfully convert AF or AFL.

PMID: 19351630 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Serum potassium and arrhythmias.

Europace. 2009 Apr;11(4):421-2

Authors: Zaza A

Alterations in serum potassium levels are a common occurrence in clinical practice and entail a significant proarrhythmic risk. The present review is a short tutorial meant to assist clinicians in the pathophysiological interpretation of arrhythmias caused by dyskalaemia.

PMID: 19182234 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Long-term predictors of mortality in ICD patients with non-ischaemic cardiac disease: impact of renal function.

Europace. 2008 Sep;10(9):1052-9

Authors: Schefer T, Wolber T, Binggeli C, Holzmeister J, Brunckhorst C, Duru F

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials have demonstrated that implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy may reduce the risk of death in patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (CMP). In this study, we aimed at determining the long-term benefit of ICD therapy among patients with dilated CMP (DCM) and among those with other non-ischaemic cardiac diseases (NICDs). METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a single-centre longitudinal study to assess the outcomes of 176 patients with NICDs who were implanted with an ICD for primary or secondary prevention of cardiac death. The cumulative survival rate after 1, 2, 5, and 10 years was 91, 87, 78, and 65%, respectively. Mortality risk did not differ significantly between patients with DCM and those with other NICDs. Atrial fibrillation, recurrent ventricular arrhythmias requiring ICD therapy, and right ventricular pacing, but not delayed intrinsic ventricular conduction, were associated with higher risk. New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class > or =III was an independent predictor of adverse outcome among patients with DCM [hazard ratio (HR) 5.27, P = 0.01], whereas reduced left ventricular function with ejection fraction <35% (HR 12.1, P < 0.001) and anti-arrhythmic drug use (HR 4.82, P = 0.03) were independent predictors among those with other NICDs. Renal insufficiency with estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (HR 5.9, P < 0.001) was a strong independent predictor of mortality among all patients with NICD, irrespective of underlying cardiac condition. CONCLUSION: In ICD patients with DCM, higher NYHA functional class is associated with adverse outcomes. Impaired left ventricular function and anti-arrhythmic drug use predict higher mortality among patients with non-dilated, NICDs. Impaired renal function is a strong predictor of mortality in all patients with NICD.

PMID: 18687703 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Primary prevention of sudden cardiac death using implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

Europace. 2008 Sep;10(9):1034-41

Authors: Ding L, Hua W, Niu H, Chen K, Zhang S

Despite substantial advances in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains a leading cause of death in industrialized countries. Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has been demonstrated to be an attractive option for primary prevention of SCD in high-risk patients. This review discusses the progress in the risk stratification for selecting high-risk patients, highlights the clinical trials of primary prevention for SCD, outlines the efficacy of combined use of cardiac resynchronization therapy with ICD, and analyses the cost-effectiveness issue of this device.

PMID: 18559335 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Orthostatic hypotension: a new classification system.

Europace. 2007 Oct;9(10):937-41

Authors: Deegan BM, O’Connor M, Donnelly T, Carew S, Costelloe A, Sheehy T, OLaighin G, Lyons D

AIMS: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common condition, which is defined as a reduction in systolic blood pressure of >or=20 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of >or=10 mmHg within 3 min of orthostatic stress. Utilizing total peripheral resistance (TPR) and cardiac output (CO) measurements during tilt-table testing (Modelflow method), we classified OH into three categories, namely arteriolar, venular, and mixed. The principle defect in arteriolar OH is impaired vasoconstriction after orthostatic stress, reflected by absence of the compensatory increase in TPR. In venular OH, the predominant defect is excessive reduction in venous return, reflected by a large drop in CO after orthostatic stress with marked tachycardia. Mixed OH is due to a combination of both these mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed haemodynamic parameters of 110 patients with OH and categorized them as arteriolar, venular, or mixed. Significant differences between the groups were found for the magnitude and time to reach nadir of the systolic blood pressure drop post-head-up tilt. The mixed OH category had the largest systolic blood pressure reduction (42.5, 31.9, 53.3 mmHg, P < 0.001) and the longest nadir time (18.6, 20, 30.7 s, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: This is a practical classification tool and when validated physiologically, this system could be useful in directing treatment of OH.

PMID: 17720979 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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