Personal recording devices for arrhythmia detection.

Persistent cardiac arrhythmias are readily amenable to detection by performing a standard electrocardiogram (ECG), but detection of transient (paroxysmal) arrhythmias has long been a significant cause of frustration to both doctors and patients. Often a significantly symptomatic arrhythmia is experienced by the patient but terminates before an ECG can be recorded to allow diagnosis. Prognostically important treatment is often delayed, and recurrent symptomatic attacks represent a high morbidity in patients' lives and result in a burden on emergency services, who often arrive after the arrhythmia has terminated with no resultant progress in making a diagnosis.

Cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation as first-line treatment of typical atrial flutter: long-term outcomes of the CRAFT trial.

Background: CRAFT was an international, multicentre, randomised controlled trial across 11 sites in the United UK and Switzerland. Given the evidence that pulmonary vein triggers may be responsible for atrial flutter (AFL) as well as atrial fibrillation (AF), we hypothesised that cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) would provide greater symptomatic arrhythmia reduction than cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation, whilst also reducing the subsequent burden of AF. Twelve-month outcomes were previously reported.

Cryoballoon Pulmonary Vein Isolation as First-Line Treatment for Typical Atrial Flutter.

Objective: We aimed to compare cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with standard radiofrequency cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation as first-line treatment for typical atrial flutter (AFL).

Methods: Cryoballoon Pulmonary Vein Isolation as First-Line Treatment for Typical Atrial Flutter was an international, multicentre, open with blinded assessment trial. Patients with CTI-dependent AFL and no documented atrial fibrillation (AF) were randomised to either cryoballoon PVI alone or radiofrequency CTI ablation.

Opportunistic atrial fibrillation screening and detection in "self-service health check-up stations": a brief overview of current technology potential and possibilities.

Up to a fifth of patients who suffer a stroke had undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). About 30% of AF patients are asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed, so there are no obvious (to the patient) forewarnings. Opportunistic screening for AF applied to the above clinical situation can save lives, since the strokes that occur as a result of AF are often large, severely debilitating or fatal.