Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Nov 1993
Regional cardiac sympathetic denervation in patients with ventricular tachycardia in the absence of coronary artery disease.
The aim of this study was to determine whether patients with ventricular arrhythmias in the absence of coronary artery disease also have abnormalities in sympathetic innervation. ⋯ Patients with ventricular tachycardia in the absence of coronary artery disease have abnormal cardiac sympathetic innervation detectable by cardiac sympathetic scintigraphy. The role of regional cardiac sympathetic denervation in arrhythmogenesis remains to be determined.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Nov 1993
Impact of electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation on left atrial appendage function and spontaneous echo contrast: characterization by simultaneous transesophageal echocardiography.
This study assessed the function of the left atrial appendage in the pericardioversion period to gain insights into mechanisms involved in thromboembolism after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. ⋯ Organized left atrial appendage function returns in most patients immediately after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. However, its function is impaired compared with that before cardioversion. Furthermore, spontaneous echo contrast increased in 7 (35%) of 20 patients after cardioversion. These observations suggest that stunned left atrial appendage function after cardioversion may predispose the chamber to thrombus formation, which may play a role in the mechanism involved in the occurrence of embolization after cardioversion.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Oct 1993
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialArgentine randomized trial of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty versus coronary artery bypass surgery in multivessel disease (ERACI): in-hospital results and 1-year follow-up. ERACI Group.
This study was designed to compare freedom from combined cardiac events (death, angina, myocardial infarction) at 1-, 3- and 5-year follow-up in patients with multivessel disease randomized to either percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft surgery. ⋯ No significant differences were found in major in-hospital complications between patients treated with coronary artery bypass grafting or coronary angioplasty. Although at 1-year follow-up there were no differences in survival and freedom from myocardial infarction, patients in the coronary artery bypass grafting group were more frequently free from angina, reinterventions and combined events than were patients in the coronary angioplasty group.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Oct 1993
Unique sensing errors in third-generation implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.
Third-generation cardioverter-defibrillators appear to be susceptible to unique sensing errors. This study was performed to determine the incidence and types of sensing errors in combination therapy implantable devices. ⋯ Important sensing errors occur in approximately 20% of patients with third-generation combination therapy cardioverter-defibrillators. Prompt diagnosis of sensing errors can lead to specific reprogramming steps to avoid recurrent errors.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Oct 1993
Comparative StudySafety of thrombolytic therapy in elderly patients with massive pulmonary embolism: a comparison with nonelderly patients.
The aim of the study was to prospectively estimate the safety of thrombolytic therapy in elderly patients with massive pulmonary embolism in comparison with that in nonelderly patients. ⋯ Thrombolytic therapy administered for massive pulmonary embolism in patients free of contraindication yields similar results and carries a similar risk for bleeding complications in elderly compared with nonelderly patients. Limiting early invasive procedures may result in less frequent major bleeding complications.