Defibrillation thresholds in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing is performed in part to ensure an adequate safety margin for the termination of spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias. Left ventricular mass is a predictor of high DFTs, so patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are often considered to be at risk for increased defibrillation energy requirements. However, there are little prospective data addressing this issue.

Remote Monitoring-The Future of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Follow-up.

Remote monitoring has developed out of the need to accommodate the demand of the growing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) population. After several years of clinical use, remote device interrogation systems have demonstrated ease of use for both patient and provider, reliability compared with in-office interrogations, and the ability to detect asymptomatic but clinically significant events. The effect of remote monitoring on morbidity and mortality is currently unknown, but several trials are underway to assess these outcomes.

Osborn wave in accidental hypothermia.

After prolonged exposure to cold, an elderly man was found with altered mentation by his family physical examination revealed hypothermia. The electrocardiogram demonstrated characteristic changes. Results of an extensive diagnostic workup revealed only adrenal insufficiency, and the electrocardiographic abnormalities resolved after warming.

Left ventricular mass indexed to height and prevalent MRI cerebrovascular disease in an African American cohort: the Atherosclerotic Risk in Communities study.

Background And Purpose: Previous studies have demonstrated that echocardiographic left ventricular mass (LVM) is an independent risk factor for stroke in whites. Despite the greater burden of stroke, the echocardiographic predictors of stroke in African Americans remain poorly understood.

Methods: This investigation is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the Jackson, Miss (all African American), cohort of the Atherosclerotic Risk in the Communities study.