Single and dual coil shock efficacy and predictors of shock failure in patients with modern implantable cardioverter defibrillators-a single-center paired randomized study.

Purpose: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) can treat life-threatening tachyarrhythmia with high-voltage shocks. The aims were to compare the efficacy of single and dual coil shock vectors in modern ICDs and to identify predictors of shock failure.

Methods: This is a single-center paired randomized study including 216 patients with mixed indications and ICDs from four manufacturers.

Long pacing pulses reduce phrenic nerve stimulation in left ventricular pacing.

Introduction: Phrenic nerve stimulation is a major obstacle in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Activation characteristics of the heart and phrenic nerve are different with higher chronaxie for the heart. Therefore, longer pulse durations could be beneficial in preventing phrenic nerve stimulation during CRT due to a decreased threshold for the heart compared with the phrenic nerve.

[Sudden cardiac death among young athletes--should we screen?].

Sudden death involving athletes is always tragic and receives widespread public attention. The European Society of Cardiology has proposed cardiovascular screening of young competitive athletes. A report from the Danish Society of Cardiology recently concluded that screening cannot be recommended in Denmark at present.

Statins, ventricular arrhythmias and heart rate variability in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators and coronary heart disease.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and heart rate variability were influenced by statin treatment and lipid levels in patients treated with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Heart rate variability measurements were performed in 86 patients with coronary heart disease and an ICD implant. The number of events with ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia were recorded during a 12-month period.

n-3 Fatty acids and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ischaemic heart disease and implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between serum content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).

Methods: We included 98 patients with ischaemic heart disease and an ICD. The numbers of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) events were assessed during a 12-month period and related to the concentration of n-3 PUFA in serum phospholipids.