Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology
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Cerebral and microvascular perfusion is reduced in atrial fibrillation (AF). Maintenance of brain perfusion is important in acute disease and long-term course. Assessment of brain perfusion and oxygenation is difficult in clinical practice. Our study aimed to determine changes in cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (SctO2) with bedside near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). ⋯ Cerebral tissue oxygen saturation increases significantly after restoration of sinus rhythm. Near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring can identify changes of SctO2 after successful CV of AF independent from standard monitoring parameters (MAP, SaO2). Near-infrared spectroscopy can be used to detect cerebral oxygen saturation deficits in AF patients or patients at high risk for AF. Clinical applications may include monitoring during ablation procedures and in critical care.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASC anticoagulation recommendations: evaluation in a cohort of atrial fibrillation ablation patients.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a high incidence of strokes/thromboembolism. The CHADS2 score assigns points for several clinical variables to identify stroke risk. The CHA2DS2-VASC score uses the same variables but also incorporates age 65 to 74, female gender, and vascular disease in an effort to provide a more refined risk of stroke/thromboembolism. We aimed to examine oral anticoagulation (OAC) recommendations for a cohort of patients undergoing AF ablation depending upon whether thrombo-embolic risk was determined by the CHADS2 or CHA2DS2-VASC score. ⋯ Compared with the CHADS2 score, in our AF ablation population, the CHA2DS2-VASC score markedly increases the number of AF patients for whom OAC is recommended. It will be important to determine by randomized trials if this major paradigm shift to greater use of OAC using the CHA2DS2-VASC scoring improves patient outcomes.
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Reduced forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) have been associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases. However, whether reduced lung function is also a risk factor for incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is still unclear. We aimed to determine whether lung function predicted AF in the Malmö Preventive Project, a large population-based cohort with a long follow-up. ⋯ Impaired lung function is an independent predictor of AF. This may explain some risk of AF that is currently unaccounted for.
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Pharmacological rhythm control (often including electrical or pharmacological cardioversion) is an integral part of therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF) worldwide. Antiarrhythmic drug strategies would be preferred in many patients provided effective and safe antiarrhythmic agents are available. Also, pharmacological cardioversion could be the preferred option if the limitations of currently available drugs, such as restriction to patients without structural heart disease (flecainide and propafenone), risk of torsade de pointes (ibutilide), and slow onset of action (amiodarone), were overcome. ⋯ Vernakalant retained its efficacy in subgroups of patients with associated cardiovascular disease such as hypertension and ischaemic heart disease, but its benefit may be lower and risk of adverse effects is higher in patients with heart failure. In the post-market reports, cardioversion rates with vernakalant are 65-70%. This review focuses on the role of vernakalant in pharmacological cardioversion for AF.
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Strategically chosen ventricular tachycardia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF) detection and therapy parameters aimed at reducing shock deliveries were proven effective in studies that utilized single manufacturer devices with a follow-up of up to 1 year. Whether these beneficiary effects can be generalized to additional manufacturers and be maintained for longer periods is to be determined. Our aim was to evaluate the durability and applicability of the programming of strategic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) of various manufacturers, which is aimed at reducing the shock delivery burden in primary prevention ICD recipients. ⋯ Utilization of strategically chosen VT/VF detection and therapy parameters was found to be effective and safe in ICDs of various manufacturers at a median follow-up period of 2 years among primary prevention patients.