T Jared Bunch

..Intracardiac ultrasound (ICE) can provide a real-time assessment of the esophagus during ablation. We hypothesized that ICE can accurately define esophageal anatomy and location to enhance avoidance strategies during ablation...

..Ranolazine may be an option for recurrent AAD-refractory ICD shocks secondary to VT, but its efficacy, outcomes, and tolerance are unknown...

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..This study explored the potential associations between short-term elevations in PM exposure and atrial fibrillation (AF)...

..Intracardiac ultrasound (ICE) can visualize and quantify the function of all left ventricular wall segments. We thus hypothesized that ICE could identify scar tissue and provide a guide to facilitate substrate-guided VT ablation...

..With improved safety, the therapy has been offered to increasingly older populations. Arrhythmia mechanisms, medical comorbidities, and safety may vary in the very elderly population...

..AF ablation eliminates AF in most patients. We evaluated the long-term impact of AF ablation on mortality, heart failure (HF), stroke, and dementia in a large system-wide patient population...

..The objective of the study was to assess outcomes based upon anticoagulation practice after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation to determine relative risk of a strategy of aspirin only in low-risk patients...

..However, patients who received bisphosphonates were older and had more cardiovascular disease that we suspect accounts for the increased arrhythmia risk reported in other trials...

..These principles can be used to titrate energy delivery and plan ablative approaches in an effort to minimize complications during the procedure...

..Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with higher rates of all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). The risk of newly detected AF in patients receiving implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy is unknown...

..Recent focus has been placed on understanding the long-term consequences of chronic cardiovascular disease, such as a potential increased risk of dementia...

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..Survivors of acute myocardial infarction (MI) are at high risk for death from both sudden cardiac death and progressive heart failure...

..There were more long-term-memory complaints in younger patients. Patients with higher long-term quality-of-life score have fewer memory complaints...

..Therefore, a Carto-based 3D ultrasound image system (Biosense Webster Inc) was validated in an animal model and tested in 15 atrial fibrillation patients...

..Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk of mortality and stroke. However, it is unclear if AF is independently associated with these poor outcomes or it is merely a risk marker of other processes that convey the risk...

..The relative increasing incidence of non-ischemic VF OHCA suggests that more efforts are required to minimize mortality in this cohort population...

..CONCLUSION: Women are more likely to survive to hospital admission following an OHCA. However, admitted women less likely to survive their hospital stay. Long-term survival and QOL are equally favorable in both sexes...

..Nonetheless, in patients with IHD, use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and statin therapy were associated with higher long-term survival rates...

..Similarly, it is unclear if inflammatory markers are elevated due to the AF alone or the coexisting cardiovascular diseases that increase the risk of AF...

..The survival, although high, in older patients is less than that in age-matched healthy controls, and physical and emotional quality of life scores are decreased...

..Mortality is the most definitive clinical endpoint, but medical care is more easily applied to modify morbidity and thereby prevent death. This study tested whether IMRS is associated with clinical morbidity endpoints...

..Although older age was highly associated with AF risk in this population, H pylori was additive across 3 distinct age groups, with the highest risk conveyed in the younger cohort...

..Although catheter ablation for drug-refractory AF is an effective treatment, the efficacy in HCM remains to be established...

..The thermodynamics and extent of PV and phrenic nerve (PN) heating during HIFU ablation have not been established...

..Transient nerve effects occur prior to permanent damage, providing an opportunity to discontinue energy delivery before permanent injury...

..The mechanisms of these discrete potentials in the great arteries and the utility of such potentials in guiding radiofrequency ablation are unknown...

..By the end of the 10-year study, more patients were receiving antiarrhythmic therapy, in particular ICD implantation, after hospital admission. Overall, the long-term survival in patients with VF OHCA is favorable...

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..Most perforations occur in the left atrium; however, few require surgical closure. Although less than with uncomplicated procedures, the majority of patients with complete ablations achieve long-term elimination of AF...

..IMRS may be used to stratify age-specific risk of mortality in research, clinical/preventive, and quality improvement applications. A web calculator is located at http://intermountainhealthcare.org/IMRS...

..No effect was observed on longitudinal incidence of AMI or the combination of death/nonfatal MI...

..Neither the absence of microbubbles nor the presence of type I microbubble formation ensures against excessive tissue heating. The appearance of microbubbles may indicate possible tissue overheating and signal a need to decrease energy...

..Further studies are needed to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of this technique...

..In conclusion, in this cohort of patients with HC, exercise testing was safe. Test results were associated with risk for adverse events...

..Sudden death preventive strategies are multifactorial. These observations suggest that ICD termination of potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias may contribute to the lower incidence of VF out-of-hospital cardiac arrest...

..Prompt chest CT scans with oral and i.v. contrast should be considered in any patient with sub-sternal chest pain or dysphagia following LACA...

..While catheter tip/tissue contact has been shown to be an important determinant of ablative lesions in in vitro studies, the impact of contact on the outcomes of mapping and ablation in the intact heart has not been evaluated...

..We sought to compare the complication and success rates of pVAD-assisted VT ablation with scar-based techniques...

..In conclusion, catheter ablation of AF in patients with Marfan syndrome is a viable option in those individuals refractory to conventional therapy...

..Similarly advanced restrictive diastolic dysfunction caused by fibrosis from repeated moderate-to-severe (grade 3 or more) rejections was predominant in the patients with arrhythmia and was a marker of poor long-term outcome...

..Initial enthusiasm for their widespread use has been dampened by phrenic nerve (PN) injury. The interaction between PN and pulmonary vein (PV) geometry contributing to PN injury is unclear...

..The effect on AV node conduction is substantially enhanced by pretreatment of fibroblasts with TGF-beta1. These data have therapeutic potential for the management of rapid ventricular rate during AF without pacemaker implantation...

..Despite a negative dobutamine stress echocardiographic result, aggressive risk factor assessment and control should be implemented in patients with coronary risk factors due to an underlying abnormal CFR...

..The quality of life among the majority of survivors is similar to that of the general population...

..Studies have shown an association between obesity and total mortality among people with and without coronary artery disease. This study reviews outcomes among obese survivors of ventricular fibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest...

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..The rate of long-term cardiac death or revascularization was not influenced by the development of stress-induced atrial arrhythmias...

..Patients with esophagitis were more likely to develop AF, although this association requires further study...

..Further research, adequately powered to assess age-related differences, is needed to confirm the findings of observational studies of elderly patients who have undergone nonpharmacologic approaches to rhythm control...

..However, overall long-term quality-of-life was favorable and independent of the ejection fraction...

..Following the trial, the program was expanded as the city grew in population and area. In 1998 firefighters also were equipped with AEDs, bringing to a total 18 AEDs with police and fire personnel, in addition to paramedic capability...

..Broadening the focus of the chain of survival to include in-hospital and long-term care will further improve favorable outcomes achieved in an early defibrillation program...

..This case highlights features and management strategies of this perplexing clinical condition...

..Finally, microbubbles are inconsistent markers of tissue overheating...

..This case report demonstrates the systemic nature of acute coronary syndromes, highlights the inherent instability of coronary artery disease, and supports the notion of aggressive secondary prevention in these patients...

..This approach entails the management of physiological variables which fall outside the realm of conventional critical cardiac care. Management of serum potassium fluxes remains pivotal in the avoidance of lethal ventricular arrhythmia...

..To our knowledge, no randomized trials comparing anticoagulation with surgical or catheter-based closure have been performed...

..One patient died as a result of renal and respiratory failure postoperatively. The long-term outcome of the other 2 patients was favorable without evidence of additional cardiac rupture or instability...

..To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with acute tetanus presenting with hiccups. This report also confirms the results of previous studies that suggested a need for improved immunity in the elderly population...