Early Changes in Atrial Electromechanical Coupling in Patients with Hypertension: Assessment by Tissue Doppler Imaging.

Background: Hypertension (HT) is associated with atrial electrophysiological abnormalities. Echocardiographic pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is one of the noninvasive methods for evaluation of atrial electromechanical properties. The aims of our study were to investigate the early changes in atrial electromechanical conduction in patients with HT and to assess the parameters that affect atrial electromechanical conduction.

Prognostic significance of the absence of normal septal Q waves before aortic valve replacement.

Purpose: Aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of absence of septal Q waves in patients scheduled for aortic valve replacement.

Material And Methods: Sixty-one patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis were retrospectively evaluated. Septal Q waves were defined as Q waves of<2mm in amplitude and<40ms in width and absence of septal Q waves was defined as simultaneous loss of Q waves from at least three of the leads I, aVL, V5 and V6.

Percutaneous ablation of atrial fibrillation: for whom and how?

Recent developments in our understanding of atrial fibrillation (AF) have focused on the key role of pulmonary vein initiators of multiple wavelet reentry in the atria. Percutaneous catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is commonly performed by electrical disconnection of pulmonary vein myocardium from the left atrium. As a result, pulmonary vein foci can no longer drive the atria into fibrillation.