Heart : official journal of the British Cardiac Society
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Although the benefit of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) at risk for sudden cardiac arrest is well established, there may be a higher risk for device complications and inappropriate shocks. ⋯ The rate of inappropriate ICD shocks and frequency of device complications in HCM patients are not insignificant and are most common in younger patients and those with atrial fibrillation. Inappropriate ICD shocks are the most common device complication and should be accounted for when counselling high-risk HCM patients for ICD implantation.
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency catheter ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation in the United Kingdom.
To assess the cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) compared with anti-arrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) from the perspective of the UK NHS. ⋯ RFCA is potentially cost-effective for the treatment of paroxysmal AF in patients' predominantly refractory to AAD therapy provided the quality-of-life benefits from treatment are maintained for more than 5 years. These findings remain subject to limitations in the existing evidence regarding the nature of life benefits and the prognostic importance of restoring normal sinus rhythm conferred using RFCA.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Coagulase-negative staphylococcal prosthetic valve endocarditis--a contemporary update based on the International Collaboration on Endocarditis: prospective cohort study.
To describe the contemporary features of coagulase-negative staphylococcal (CoNS) prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). ⋯ Nearly one-half of CoNS PVE cases occur between 60 days and 365 days of prosthetic valve implantation. CoNS PVE is associated with a high rate of meticillin resistance and significant valvular complications.
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Echocardiography is one of the most important diagnostic imaging modalities in paediatric cardiology. Owing to the large number of lesions, achieving expertise often requires years of training. Echocardiography is still taught using the apprenticeship model, which is time- and personnel consuming. ⋯ According to this validation the prototype simulator could make a significant contribution to training in the use of echocardiography in congenital heart disease.