Publications by authors named "Alexandre L Bortolotto"

Background: Arterial stiffness is associated with higher burden of atrial arrhythmias and worsening left atrial function (conduit and reservoir), even before dilation of this cavity. PACs: premature atrial contractions; cfPWV: carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity.

Background: Increased arterial stiffness is currently an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, but the pathophysiological mechanisms of this arrhythmia remain an area of knowledge gap to be explored.

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Arterial stiffness has been investigated as part of the physiopathology of arterial hypertension since the 1970s. Its role in increasing the "pulsatile load" imposed over the Left Ventricle (LV) has been intensely studied recently and has helped in understanding the mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) in hypertensive patients. This paper aims to review the main evidence on this issue and establish possible mechanisms involved in the development of AF in patients with arterial stiffness.

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Objective: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) complications include left bundle branch block (LBBB) and right ventricular paced rhythm (RVP). We hypothesised that changes in electrocardiographic heterogeneity would correlate better with speckle tracking strain measures than with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) among patients with TAVR-induced conduction abnormalities.

Methods: We reviewed medical records of 446 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR at our institution.

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Aims: We analysed whether incorporating electrocardiographic interlead T-wave heterogeneity (TWH) with myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) during pharmacologic stress improves detection of flow-limiting lesions (FLL).

Methods And Results: Medical records of all 103 patients at our institution who underwent stress testing with regadenoson (0.4 mg IV bolus) within 3 months of coronary angiography from September 2017 to March 2019 were studied.

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Background: Reliable quantitative preimplantation predictors of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are needed.

Objective: We tested the utility of preimplantation R-wave and T-wave heterogeneity (RWH and TWH, respectively) compared to standard QRS complex duration in identifying mechanical super-responders to CRT and mortality risk.

Methods: We analyzed resting 12-lead electrocardiographic recordings from all 155 patients who received CRT devices between 2006 and 2018 at our institution and met class I and IIA American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society guidelines with echocardiograms before and after implantation.

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Background: Safe, effective pulmonary delivery of cardioactive agents in humans is under development.

Objectives: We examined whether intratracheal delivery of metoprolol can reduce ventricular rate during atrial fibrillation (AF) and accelerate conversion to sinus rhythm.

Methods: In 7 closed-chest, anesthetized Yorkshire pigs, AF was induced by intrapericardial infusion of acetylcholine (1 mL of 102.

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Introduction: Inhaled flecainide significantly alters atrial electrical properties with the potential to terminate atrial fibrillation (AF) efficiently by optimizing dose and drug formulation.

Methods: Seventeen Yorkshire pigs were studied. Intrapericardial acetylcholine and burst pacing were used to induce AF.

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Background: We investigated whether rapid administration of a low dose of flecainide, either intratracheally or intravenously (IV), could accelerate conversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) while reducing adverse ventricular effects.

Methods: Flecainide was delivered via intratracheal administration at 1.5 mg/kg bolus and compared to IV infusion at 1.

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Background: Pulmonary delivery of flecainide results in the rapid conversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) to normal sinus rhythm in large-animal models and is safe and well-tolerated by normal human volunteers.

Objective: We investigated the effects of pulmonary delivery of flecainide on atrial and ventricular depolarization and repolarization duration.

Methods: Intratracheal instillation (1.

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Background: Pulmonary delivery of antiarrhythmic agents has the potential to increase rapidly targeted drug concentrations in pulmonary veins and left atrium to terminate atrial fibrillation (AF).

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy of flecainide administered via intratracheal instillation in terminating AF in a reliable preclinical model.

Methods: In 11 closed-chest anesthetized Yorkshire pigs, AF was induced by intrapericardial administration of acetylcholine (1 mL of 102.

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