Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE
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Pacing Clin Electrophysiol · Nov 2014
Comparative StudyRefinement of ischemic stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation and CHA2 DS2 -VASc score of 1.
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with CHA2 DS2 -VASc score of 1 (where CHA2 DS2 -VASc is CHA2 DS2 -Vascular disease, Age 65-74 years, Sex category) are recommended to receive antithrombotic therapy. Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether individual components that constitute CHA2 DS2 -VASc score contribute equally to the ischemic stroke risk, particularly in patients with CHA2 DS2 -VASc score of 1. The objective was to describe and compare the risk of ischemic stroke of the six individual components constituting CHA2 DS2 -VASc among AF patients with CHA2 DS2 -VASc score of 1. ⋯ In AF patients with CHA2 DS2 -VASc score of 1, hypertension confers the highest risk for stroke among other risk factors comprising the score. A more aggressive thromboprophylaxis strategy may be justified among AF patients with CHA2 DS2 -VASc score of 1 due to hypertension.
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Pacing Clin Electrophysiol · Nov 2014
Meta AnalysisPerioperative anticoagulation management in patients on chronic oral anticoagulant therapy undergoing cardiac devices implantation: a meta-analysis.
The perioperative anticoagulation strategy during cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) implantation is highly variable without consensus among implanting physicians. A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify clinical trials in patients on chronic oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy undergoing CIEDs implantation. Bleeding and thromboembolic events were compared among heparin bridging, continued OAC, and interrupted OAC groups. ⋯ There was no significant difference between OAC continuation and OAC interruption group in bleeding (RR 0.90, 95% CI, 0.65-1.24, P = 0.52) and thromboembolic (RR 0.57, 95% CI, 0.16-2.01, P = 0.38) complications. The OAC interruption group had an obviously lower incidence of bleeding in comparison with the heparin bridging group and no statistical significance was observed in thrombus occurrence. Implantation of CIEDs with continuous OAC therapy may offer the best option by combining the lower risk of bleeding with rare thromboembolism compared with heparin bridging and OAC interruption therapy.
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Pacing Clin Electrophysiol · Nov 2014
Meta AnalysisRelationship between brain natriuretic peptides and recurrence of atrial fibrillation after successful direct current cardioversion: a meta-analysis.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence is common after successful direct current cardioversion (DCCV), with a 40% rate of recurrence within the first month. Several studies have investigated the potential association between brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal (NT)-proBNP levels before DCCV and the risk of AF recurrence, but results have been inconsistent. We, therefore, conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available data to determine whether sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance after successful DCCV may be determined by preprocedural BNP and NT-proBNP levels. ⋯ Our analysis suggests that low preprocedural BNP/NT-proBNP levels are associated with SR maintenance. The use of BNP or NT-proBNP for prediction of long-term response to DCCV appears to be useful and should be further evaluated.