Heart rate turbulence in patients with stable coronary artery disease and its relationship with the severity of the disease.

Objective: Heart rate turbulence (HRT) indicates the impairment of cardiac autonomic function. With the literature containing insufficient information on HRT in stable coronary artery disease (CAD), this study aimed to investigate the role of HRT in patients with stable CAD.

Methods: The study included 58 patients (mean age: 58.

P-wave dispersion and its relationship with the severity of the disease in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Objective: P- wave dispersion (PD) is an indicator of inhomogeneous and discontinuous propagation of sinus impulses. In the present study we aimed to investigate the PD and its association with the severity of the disease. in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Cardiac tamponade due to left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after aortic valve replacement.

Left ventricular outflow tract pseudoaneurysm is a rare but a potentially lethal complication, mainly after aortic root endocarditis or surgery. Usually, it originates from a dehiscence in the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa and arises posteriorly to the aortic root. We report a rare case of a patient with cardiac tamponade due to left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after aortic valve replacement.

Permanent atrial standstill with irregular junctional ectopic rhythm mimicking atrial fibrillation.

We present an interesting case of 'pseudo' atrial fibrillation which was further diagnosed as atrial standstill with irregular junctional ectopic rhythm during electrophysiologic study. A 56-year-old woman presented to a health facility with symptoms of palpitation, lightheadedness, and shortness of breath. Upon detection of irregular rhythm with narrow QRS complexes and no visible P waves on the electrocardiogram, newly developed atrial fibrillation was considered and a direct current cardioversion was performed, during which cardiac asystole developed necessitating cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Optimization of repolarization during biventricular pacing: a new target in patients with biventricular devices?

Background: Evaluation of repolarization during sequentional biventricular pacing.

Methods: Patients with biventricular devices, and left ventricular leads placed to the basal part of lateral left ventricular wall were enrolled. QRS, QTc, JTc, and corrected Tpeak-Tend intervals were compared during sequentional biventricular, left ventricular, and right ventricular pacing.

Electrophysiologic characteristics of wide QRS complexes during pharmacologic termination of sustained supraventricular tachycardias with verapamil and adenosine: observations from electrophysiologic study.

Background: In this study we evaluate wide QRS complexes observed during pharmacologic termination of supraventricular tachycardias.

Methods: Patients with supraventricular tachycardia, undergoing electrophysiologic study were enrolled. 12 mg of adenosine or 10 mg of verapamil were administered during tachycardia, under continuous monitoring of intaracardiac and surface electrocardiograms.

Chronic mad honey intoxication syndrome: a new form of an old disease?

Aims: Although cases of acute mad honey intoxication have been reported earlier, chronic mad honey intoxication (CMHI) syndrome has not been described and we address this issue only in this study.

Methods And Results: We prospectively evaluated the history of non-commercial honey intake in all patients referred to our institution for investigation of slow heart rate or atrioventricular (AV) conduction abnormalities. Between April 2008 and December 2008, 173 patients were referred to our institution for assessment of sinus bradycardia and various degrees of AV block and/or permanent pacemaker implantation.

Asymptomatic Pericardial Hydatid Cyst.

Cardiac involvement is rare in hydatid disease, but it carries a significant risk of potentially lethal complications. Cardiac hydatid cysts are mostly intramyocardial. Pericardial hydatid cysts without myocardial involvement are much less frequent.

A case of ventricular tachycardia refractory to medical treatment related to a cystic mass in left ventricle--a case report.

This is a case report of a twenty-two-year-old woman who had attacks of ventricular tachycardia that could be prevented by the use of various antiarrhythmic drugs for three months. Electrophysiologic study showed that the mechanism of the tachycardia was "reentry." In cardiac catheterization a non-contractile mass having calcification was seen on the apical portion of the left ventricle.