Heart rhythm : the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society
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Both syncope and seizures are important causes of recurrent, unexplained episodes of loss of consciousness. Implantable loop recorders have identified serious arrhythmias in patients with repeated syncope; however, implantable loop recorder detection of seizures is less well established. ⋯ Recognizing this specific myopotential pattern on an implantable loop recorder might help diagnose generalized tonic-clonic seizures as a cause of recurrent, unexplained episodes of loss of consciousness. Having a programmable bandpass filter in the implantable loop recorder might increase its diagnostic yield for such patients.
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Comparative Study
Sudden cardiac arrest in intercollegiate athletes: detailed analysis and outcomes of resuscitation in nine cases.
Public access defibrillation programs have demonstrated a survival benefit in persons with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, little is known about the effectiveness of early defibrillation in young competitive athletes with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). ⋯ Despite witnessed collapse, immediate CPR, and prompt AED use in most cases, early defibrillation showed limited success, and survival was less than expected in this small cohort of intercollegiate athletes. More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of early defibrillation and factors that affect survival in young athletes with SCA.