Stellate Ganglion Block for Electrical Storm Associated With Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a reversible condition characterized by apical ballooning of the left ventricle, primarily triggered by catecholamine discharge due to stress. Patients may present with symptoms similar to acute coronary syndrome or with refractory ventricular arrhythmias such as QT prolongation, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. We report a case of TCM with prolonged QT intervals and refractory ventricular arrhythmias, triggered by noncardiac systemic insult, that responded successfully to stellate ganglion block (SGB).

Septal myocardial scar burden predicts the response to cardiac contractility modulation in patients with heart failure.

We hypothesized that myocardial septal scarring, assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), at the site of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) lead placement may predict treatment response. Eligible heart failure (HF) patients underwent LGE CMR imaging before CCM device implantation. The response to CCM therapy at follow-up was determined by a change in NYHA class and echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) assessment.

Local dose rate effects in implantable cardioverter-defibrillators with flattening filter free and flattened photon radiation.

Purpose: In the beam penumbra of stereotactic body radiotherapy volumes, dose rate effects in implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may be the predominant cause for failures in the absence of neutron-generating photon energies. We investigate such dose rate effects in ICDs and provide evidence for safe use of lung tumor stereotactic radioablation with flattening filter free (FFF) and flattened 6 Megavolt (MV) beams in ICD-bearing patients.

Methods: Sixty-two ICDs were subjected to scatter radiation in 1.

Predictors of positive response to beta-blockers for treatment of premature ventricular complexes.

Background: The aim of the present study is to investigate the possible factors that might be predictive of effective antiarrhythmic effect of beta-blockers on premature ventricular complexes (PVC).

Methods: Data of 190 eligible consecutive patients to whom beta-blocker therapy had been initiated for treatment of PVC's were retrospectively evaluated. The Holter recording acquired before beta-blocker initiation and the first Holter acquired after beta blocker initiation during follow up was comprehensively evaluated for each patient.

Prediction of cardiac events with non-contrast magnetic resonance feature tracking in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of feature tracking (FT) derived cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) strain parameters of the left ventricle (LV)/right ventricle (RV) in ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) patients treated with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Current guidelines suggest a LV-ejection fraction ≤35% as major criterion for ICD implantation in ICM, but this is a poor predictor for arrhythmic events. Supplementary parameters are missing.