Ordinary AV Nodal Reentry Tachycardia-Unusual Ablation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

A 72-year-old woman was referred to us with typical symptoms of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia for electrophysiological diagnostics and catheter ablation. During the first session of catheter ablation, a probing of the right ventricle was not successful. Therefore, an angiography of the central veins was performed.

Efficacy of temperature-guided cryoballoon ablation without using real-time recordings - 12-Month follow-up.

Background: We sought to evaluate a temperature-guided approach of cryoballoon (CB) ablation without visualization of real-time recordings.

Methods And Results: We analysed 166 patients (34.9% female, 60 ± 11 years) with paroxysmal or short-term persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Renal denervation as a second-line option in a patient with electrical storm resistant to medical treatment and conventional radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Electrical storm (ES) represents a critical state of electrical instability. We describe a patient with coronary artery disease, mechanical aortic valve replacement, and reduced left ventricular function with recurrent ICD shocks. Despite medical treatment with beta-blocker and amiodarone, and after successful ablation of different VT morphologies in combination with substrate modification, ES could not be controlled.

Predictors of future arrhythmic events in patients with unexplained syncope.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of implantable loop recorders (ILRs) for symptom-rhythm correlation and to identify predictors of future arrhythmic events.

Patients And Methods: In our dual-centre study, we analysed ILR data of 189 patients (mean age 67.4 ± 15.

[Acute chest pain and new ECG changes in pacemaker patients : A clinical challenge].

We report the case of a 82-year-old woman who was admitted to our institution with acute chest pain, nausea, and vomiting. Because of atrial fibrillation with intermittent bradycardia, a single-chamber pacemaker was implanted 4 years ago. The initial 12-lead ECG showed atrial fibrillation with a heart rate of 70 bpm, narrow QRS, and T‑wave inversions in the inferolateral leads.

ST-segment Elevation Following Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation in the Emergency Department: Unmasked Myocardial Infarction due to Left Main Coronary Artery Plaque Rupture or Unspecific Finding?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent reason for emergency department visits. According to current guidelines either rate- or rhythm-control are acceptable therapeutic options in such situations. In this report, we present the complicated clinical course of a patient with AF and a rapid ventricular response.

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis During Dronedarone Treatment: First Report of a Severe Serious Adverse Event Of A New Antiarrhythmic Drug.

A 77-year-old female patient with symptomatic atrial fibrillation with fast ventricular rate despite conventional antiarrhythmic therapy was treated with dronedarone. Five days later, she developed a maculopapulous exanthema and small flaccid blisters, which spread over the common integument predominantly located on the dorsal trunk. Over few days, the patient showed a severe epidermal necrolysis of approximately 30 % of the body area and ultimately died in multiorgan failure.

Renal denervation with cryoenergy as second-line option is effective in the treatment of resistant hypertension in non-responders to radiofrequency ablation.

Aims: Renal denervation (RDN) with radiofrequency (RF) is being used to treat resistant hypertension (rHTN). As 15-30% of treated patients are non-responders to RDN, we investigated whether RDN with cryoenergy can serve as a second-line option.

Methods And Results: Ten non-responder patients (mean age 55 years, six male) with rHTN were treated with cryoenergy for RDN.

First clinical manifestation of Brugada syndrome during pregnancy.

The role of hormonal changes during pregnancy in Brugada syndrome is unknown. Only rare case reports of Brugada syndrome during pregnancy have been published. In this article, we describe a patient with first clinical manifestation of Brugada syndrome during pregnancy.

Unmasked superoparaseptal pathway conduction due to atrial fibrillation in a patient with left ventricular dysfunction. Rapid recovery after successful radiofrequency ablation.

We report the case of a 56-year-old woman with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) and severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction caused by rapid conduction via an accessory pathway (AP), mimicking left bundle branch block, as the first clinical manifestation of Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. Electrical cardioversion of the AF revealed a short PR interval and a delta wave, which was positive in leads I, II, aVL, and V2 and negative in lead V1 with a transition zone between V1 and V2. Radiofrequency catheter ablation of a superoparaseptal pathway was accompanied by rapid recovery from LV systolic dysfunction.

Supra-additive expression of interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and basic fibroblast growth factor in vascular smooth muscle cells following coinfection with Chlamydia pneumoniae and cytomegalovirus as a novel link between infection and atherosclerosis.

Background: Chlamydia pneumoniae and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Prospective studies indicate an increased risk for cardiovascular events in patients with evidence of multiple infections.

Objective: To determine whether there is a synergistic effect of coinfection with C pneumoniae and HCMV on expression of selected growth factors and cytokines.

Renal denervation in the treatment of drug-resistant hypertension: current knowledge and future perspectives.

Resistant hypertension remains a challenging issue even for modern medicine. Therefore, research is focusing on the development of new technologies to optimize the treatment of this condition. It has been demonstrated that the dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system is crucial in the development and maintenance of advanced stages of hypertension.

Human cytomegalovirus induces MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression in aortic smooth muscle cells.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by modulating functions of smooth muscle cells (SMC). In this study, we performed an oligonucleotide microarray screening of 780 inflammation-associated genes in HCMV-infected aortic SMC (AoSMC). The expression of 31 genes was stimulated and 24 genes were down-regulated following infection with HCMV strain DC-134.

Multidimensional ECG-based analysis of cardiac autonomic regulation predicts early AF recurrence after electrical cardioversion.

Background: Heart rate turbulence, deceleration capacity (DC), and symbolic dynamics (SD) are promising novel domains of autonomic indices representing the multidimensional qualities of autonomic heart rate dynamics.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to test the impact of these novel indices in predicting early AF recurrence within the first month after electrical cardioversion (CV).

Methods: In 45 patients with AF, standard Holter recordings were commenced immediately after CV.

Catheter-based renal denervation for drug-resistant hypertension by using a standard electrophysiology catheter.

Aims: The endovascular application of low-dose radiofrequency (RF) energy to the renal arteries results in effective ablation of sympathetic nerve fibres leading to a significant lowering of blood pressure (BP). This study aims to examine the feasibility and safety of renal denervation by the use of a standard electrophysiology (EP) catheter.

Methods And Results: Twelve patients (mean age 62±14 years, nine male) with drug resistant hypertension despite medical treatment with at least four antihypertensive drugs underwent renal denervation by using a standard steerable RF ablation catheter with a 7 Fr diameter (Marinr®; Medtronic Inc.

Optimization of the atrioventricular delay during cardiac resynchronization therapy using a device for non-invasive measurement of cardiac index at rest and during exercise.

Aims: It is not clear whether cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) should only be optimized at rest or whether it is necessary to perform CRT optimization during exercise. Our study aims to answer this question by using an inert gas rebreathing method (Innocor®).

Methods And Results: Twenty-seven patients with congestive heart failure and implanted CRT devices were included in the study.

QRS duration and QTc interval are predictors of risk for ventricular arrhythmias during cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Background And Objectives: QRS duration (QRSd) and prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc) are associated with ventricular arrhythmic events. This study was designed to determine whether CRT by means of biventricular pacing alters the QTc and QRSd, and whether such changes are related to the risk of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias (sVTA).

Methods And Results: A total of 127 patients (102 men, mean age 63.