Journal of the American Heart Association
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In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is a major public health problem with significant mortality. A better understanding of where IHCA occurs in hospitals (intensive care unit [ICU] versus monitored ward [telemetry] versus unmonitored ward) could inform strategies for reducing preventable deaths. ⋯ Survival rates vary based on location of IHCA. Optimizing patient assignment to unmonitored wards versus telemetry wards may contribute to improved survival after IHCA.
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Sex-related differences in morbidity and survival in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) adults are fundamentally unknown. Contemporary studies portend excellent survival for BAV patients identified at early echocardiographic-clinical stages. Whether BAV adults incur a survival disadvantage throughout subsequent echocardiographic-clinical stages remains undetermined. ⋯ Within evolving echocardiographic-clinical stages, the long-term survival of adults with BAV is not benign, as both men and women incur excess mortality. Although BAV-related morbidity is higher in men in the community, and AR and infective endocarditis are more prevalent in men, women exhibit a significantly higher relative risk of death in tertiary and surgical referral cohorts, which is independently associated with AR.
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Observational Study
Short-Term Influence of Radiofrequency Ablation on NT-proBNP, MR-proANP, Copeptin, and MR-proADM in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Data From the Observational SMURF Study.
There is limited knowledge on the short-term influence of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) on 2 cardiac biomarkers; the N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and the midregional fragment of the N-terminal of pro-ANP (MR-proANP) and 2 extracardiac biomarkers; the c-terminal provasopressin (copeptin) and the midregional portion of proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM). There are also limited data concerning cardiac production of the latter two. ⋯ URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique Identifier: NCT01553045.
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate sex differences in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) characteristics, interventions, and outcomes. ⋯ Sex-related differences in OHCA characteristics and treatment are predictors of survival outcome disparities. With adjustment for these factors, sex was not associated with survival or neurological outcome after OHCA.
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Observational Study
Alcohol Consumption, Left Atrial Diameter, and Atrial Fibrillation.
Alcohol consumption has been associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) in several epidemiologic studies, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We sought to test the hypothesis that an atrial myopathy, manifested by echocardiographic left atrial enlargement, explains the association between chronic alcohol use and AF. ⋯ Our study of a large, community-based sample identified alcohol consumption as a predictor of left atrial enlargement and subsequent incident AF. Left atrial enlargement may be an intermediate phenotype along the causal pathway linking long-term alcohol consumption to AF.