Coronary artery disease and the risk of life-threatening cardiac events after age 40 in long QT syndrome.

Background And Aims: Long QT syndrome (LQTS) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are both associated with increased risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia However, there are limited data on the incremental risk conferred by CAD in adult patients with congenital LQTS. We aimed to investigate the risk associated with CAD and life threatening events (LTEs) in patients with LQTS after age 40 years.

Methods: The risk of LTEs (comprising aborted cardiac arrest, sudden cardiac death, or appropriate defibrillator shock) from age 40 through 75 years was examined in 1,020 subjects from the Rochester LQTS registry, categorized to CAD ( = 137) or no-CAD ( = 883) subgroups.

Albumin as a Prognostic Marker for Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence following Cryoballoon Ablation of Pulmonary Venous.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence following pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) ablation has clinical significance. Identifying risk factors for AF recurrence is important. We investigated serum albumin (SA) levels (g/dL) as a prognostic factor for the recurrence of AF following cryoballoon PVI ablation.

Safety of High-Dose Dabigatran in Elderly and Younger Patients with a Low Bleeding Risk: A Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction: In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) at risk for stroke, dabigatran 150 mg twice a day (DE150) is superior to warfarin for stroke prevention. However, there is paucity of data with respect to bleeding risk at this dose in elderly patients (≥75 years). We aimed to evaluate the safety of DE150 in comparison to warfarin in a real-world population with AF and low bleeding risk (HAS-BLED score ≤2).

Biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents versus durable polymer drug-eluting stents for percutaneous coronary intervention: a contemporary registry-based analysis.

Aims: We aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents (BP-DES) versus durable polymer drug-eluting stents (DP-DES).

Methods And Results: Among 11 517 PCIs with second-generation DES performed in our institution between 2007 and 2019, we identified 8042 procedures performed using DP-DES and 3475 using BP-DES. The primary outcome was target lesion failure, the composite target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel myocardial infarction and death.

Epicardial fat and the risk of atrial tachy-arrhythmia recurrence post pulmonary vein isolation: a computed tomography study.

Epicardial and Pericardia fat have been hypothesized to exert local and systemic pathogenic effects on nearby cardiac structures. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of epicardial and pericardial fat volumes on the outcome of patients that underwent a first pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with cryoablation. We included 130 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) that underwent contrast enhanced ECG-gated cardiac computed tomography (CCT) before a PVI.

Permanent His-bundle pacing using stylet-directed, active-fixation leads placed via coronary sinus sheaths compared to conventional lumen-less system.

Background: The use of coronary sinus (CS) sheaths to deliver stylet-driven leads (SDLs) for His-bundle pacing (HBP) has not been described. Conventionally, HBP is achieved using a stylet-less lead delivered through a customized catheter.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize the acute and early-term HBP experience with stylet-driven, active-fixation leads delivered through CS sheaths compared to the conventional approach.

Direct Visualization of the His Bundle Pacing Lead Placement by 3-Dimensional Electroanatomic Mapping: Technique, Anatomy, and Practical Considerations.

Background: His bundle pacing (HBP) remains technically challenging and is currently guided by electrograms and 2-dimensional fluoroscopy. Our objective was to describe a new technique for HBP directly guided by electroanatomic mapping (EAM).

Methods: Twenty-eight patients were included.

Effect of supplemented intake of omega-3 fatty acids on arrhythmias in patients with ICD: fish oil therapy may reduce ventricular arrhythmia.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fish oils, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on ventricular tachyarrhythmic episodes (VTEs) in implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Methods: One hundred five ICD recipients with ischemic cardiomyopathy received 3.6 g of EPA and DHA and placebo for 6 months, each at a random order, with a 4-month washout period between treatments.

Chewing versus Swallowing Ticagrelor to Accelerate Platelet Inhibition in Acute Coronary Syndrome - the CHEERS study. For The PLATIS (Platelets and Thrombosis in Sheba) Study Group.

It was the study objective to evaluate whether chewing a 180 mg loading dose of ticagrelor versus an equal dose of traditional oral administration, enhances inhibition of platelet aggregation 1 hour (h) after administering a ticagrelor loading dose in non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients. Dual anti-platelet therapy represents standard care for treating NSTEMI patients. Ticagrelor is a direct acting P2Y12 inhibitor and, unlike clopidogrel and prasugrel, does not require metabolic activation.

Temporal trends and outcomes associated with atrial fibrillation observed during acute coronary syndrome: Real-world data from the Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Survey (ACSIS), 2000-2013.

Background: The past decade has brought major advances in therapy of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Hypothesis: The outcomes of ACS patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has improved over the years.

Methods: We evaluated time-dependent changes in clinical characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes associated with AF observed during ACS hospitalization in patients enrolled in the biannual ACS Israeli Surveys (ACSIS) between 2000 and 2013.

Elevated Triglyceride Level Is Independently Associated With Increased All-Cause Mortality in Patients With Established Coronary Heart Disease: Twenty-Two-Year Follow-Up of the Bezafibrate Infarction Prevention Study and Registry.

Background: The independent association between elevated triglycerides and all-cause mortality among patients with established coronary heart disease is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate this association in a large cohort of patients with proven coronary heart disease.

Methods And Results: The study cohort comprised 15 355 patients who were screened for the Bezafibrate Infarction Prevention (BIP) trial.

Body mass index and the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation in middle-aged adults.

Background: Increased body mass index (BMI) and obesity are associated with increased risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) among middle-aged adults.

Objectives: The objective of the study is to investigate the association between BMI and the risk for new-onset AF among middle-aged adults.

Methods: We investigated 18,290 men and women who were annually screened in a tertiary medical center.

Bezafibrate for the treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with coronary artery disease: 20-year mortality follow-up of the BIP randomized control trial.

Background: Recent data support the renewed interest in hypertriglyceridemia as a possible important therapeutic target for cardiovascular risk reduction. This study was designed to address the question of all-cause mortality during extended follow-up of the BIP trial in patients stratified by baseline triglyceride levels.

Methods: In the BIP trial 3090 patients with proven coronary artery disease were randomized to bezafibrate 400 mg/day or placebo.

Clinical impact of diabetes mellitus in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and aortic stenosis (AS) are frequent findings in the elderly population. Data regarding the influence of DM on the outcomes of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) due to AS are limited. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of DM on TAVR outcomes.

Impaired fasting glucose and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in middle-age adults: a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 2971 subjects.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is a well-established and early echocardiographic characteristic of diabetic cardiomyopathy. However, there are limited data on the association between impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and LVDD.

Objective: To determine whether IFG is associated with LVDD among middle age adults.

Extrinsic compression of the left main coronary artery by a contained aortic annular rupture following trans-catheter aortic valve implantation.

We present a case of an 83-year-old female who suffered from annular rupture with contained hematoma immediately after trans-apical implantation of balloon-expandable Sapien valve. The patient developed acute cardiogenic shock which resulted from an extrinsic compression of the left main coronary artery. We report the successful management of this complication.

The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular risk may be modulated by known cardiovascular risk factors.

Background: We aimed to evaluate whether reduced cardiovascular fitness has a direct or indirect effect for the development of cardiovascular disease.

Methods: We investigated 15,595 men and women who were annually screened in a tertiary medical center. All subjects were free of ischemic heart disease and had completed maximal exercise stress test according to the Bruce protocol at their first visit.

Short and long term survival following hospitalization with a primary versus non-primary diagnosis of acute heart failure.

Objective: To compare the short-term and long-term outcomes of patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of acute heart failure (AHF) versus AHF associated with an alternative principal diagnosis.

Methods: The Israel nationwide Heart Failure (HF) survey examined prospectively 4102 consecutive HF patients admitted to all 25 public hospitals in the country. This study focused on 2302 patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of AHF.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of very high serum lactate dehydrogenase in admitted medical patients.

Background: Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is elevated in various diseases.

Objectives: To analyze serum LDH as a distinguishing clinical biomarker and as a predictor of in-hospital outcome in admitted medical patients.

Methods: We analyzed a cohort of all 158 patients with very high isolated LDH (LDH > or = 800 IU/ml without concomitant elevations of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) admitted to our internal medicine department during a 3 year period.

Factors affecting survival in men versus women following transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Although transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for severe aortic stenosis is becoming an established technique, the impact of gender-related differences remains unclear. Two hundred twenty-four consecutive patients undergoing TAVI were prospectively followed up in a tertiary medical center. The primary end point of the present study was all-cause mortality at 2 years of follow-up.