The AFLETES Study: Atrial Fibrillation in Veteran Athletes and the Risk of Stroke.

Objectives: Endurance athletes are at an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) when compared with the general population. However, the risk of stroke in athletes with AF is unknown.

Design And Setting: We aimed to assess this risk using an international online survey.

The Influence of Environmental Air Pollution on Ventricular Arrhythmias: A Scoping Review.

Introduction: Exposure to air pollution is a recognised risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has been associated with supraventricular arrhythmias. The effect of air pollution on ventricular arrhythmias is less clear. This scoping review assessed the effects of particulate and gaseous air pollutants on the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias.

Simultaneous Whole-Chamber Non-contact Mapping of Highest Dominant Frequency Sites During Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: A Prospective Ablation Study.

Purpose: Sites of highest dominant frequency (HDF) are implicated by many proposed mechanisms underlying persistent atrial fibrillation (persAF). We hypothesized that prospectively identifying and ablating dynamic left atrial HDF sites would favorably impact the electrophysiological substrate of persAF. We aim to assess the feasibility of prospectively identifying HDF sites by global simultaneous left atrial mapping.

An algorithm to assist novices with electrocardiogram interpretation: Validation with the Delphi Method.

Purpose: Electrocardiograms (ECG) are often poorly interpreted by novices and this can delay time-sensitive, critical intervention. This study aimed to assess, improve and validate a stepwise ECG algorithm designed to assist with ECG interpretation by novices by soliciting the opinions of an international cohort of expert cardiologists.

Methods: The Delphi Method was used, and an online questionnaire was sent to an international panel of cardiologists.

β1-Adrenoreceptor Polymorphisms and Blood Pressure: 49S Variant Increases Plasma Renin But Not Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients.

Background: Activation of beta-1 adrenoreceptor (β1-AR) in the kidney releases renin that plays a major role in the maintenance of blood pressure. Genetic variation in β1-AR could therefore alter the physiological and clinical effects of this hormone. We tested this hypothesis in patients from a primary care cohort being screened for primary hyperaldosteronism (n = 467).

Prospective evaluation of two novel ECG-based restitution biomarkers for prediction of sudden cardiac death risk in ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

Objective: To improve prediction of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Electrical heterogeneity is known to contribute to risk of SCD. We have previously developed Regional Restitution Instability Index (R2I2), an ECG-based biomarker, which quantifies cardiac electrical instability by measuring heterogeneity in electrical restitution, and demonstrated its potential utility for risk stratification in a retrospective analysis of patients with ICM.

The impact of power output during percutaneous catheter radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation on efficacy and safety outcomes: a systematic review.

Introduction: Percutaneous catheter radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been widely used to treat patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Success rates are, however, variable and optimal levels of power used and duration of power delivery have not been fully established. Different ablation centers continue to use various power protocols.

A novel surface electrocardiogram-based marker of ventricular arrhythmia risk in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Better sudden cardiac death risk markers are needed in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Increased heterogeneity of electrical restitution is an important mechanism underlying the risk of ventricular arrhythmia (VA). Our aim was to develop and test a novel quantitative surface electrocardiogram-based measure of VA risk in patients with ICM: the Regional Restitution Instability Index (R2I2).