Heart rhythm : the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Should all individuals with a nondiagnostic Brugada-electrocardiogram undergo sodium-channel blocker test?
The diagnostic Brugada-electrocardiogram (Br-ECG) is characterized by "coved-type" ST-segment elevation (type 1) in V(1) to V(2)/V(3). The sodium-channel blocker test is clinically used to unmask diagnostic Br-ECG in patients with nondiagnostic "saddle-back" Br-ECG (type 2 and type 3). ⋯ In asymptomatic individuals with a nondiagnostic Br-ECG, the incidence of events is low regardless of the sodium-channel blocker test result while in symptomatic patients a positive sodium-channel blocker test result is associated with an adverse arrhythmic outcome and may contribute to risk stratification.
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Comparative Study
Electrophysiologic characteristics and catheter ablation of ventricular tachyarrhythmias among patients with heart failure on ventricular assist device support.
Ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT) are common among ventricular assist device (VAD) recipients, yet electrophysiologic (EP) characteristics and catheter ablation outcomes remain uncharacterized. ⋯ Catheter ablation of VT is effective among recipients of VAD. Intrinsic myocardial scar, rather than the apical device cannulation site, appears to be the dominant substrate.