Increased N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels in patients with appropriate implantable defibrillator therapies.

Background: The ability to better identify predictors of implantable defibrillator therapies in patients with heart failure would allow the optimization of patient selection. N-terminal-Pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP) is secreted by the ventricles in response to myocardial stretching and is a sensitive marker of left ventricular dysfunction and cardiac mortality in patients with heart failure. We assessed the relationship between NT-ProBNP and defibrillator therapies for primary or secondary prevention of arrhythmic death.

Hypothermia-induced J waves.

A 36 years old woman with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was admitted to the hospital for pulmonary Mycobacterium Avis Complex infection. Seventy-two hours after the admission she became hypothermic and bradycardic. The ECG showed sinus bradycardia, J waves in leads II, III, aVF, aVR, aVL, V5 and V6 along with QT prolongation and T wave abnormalities.