The Safety Profile of Amiodarone Among Older Adults (age ≥ 75 years): A Pharmacovigilance Study from the FDA Data.

Background: Amiodarone is a widely used antiarrhythmic agent with significant toxicities and drug interactions more likely to affect older adults. Nevertheless, data regarding amiodarone safety in this population are limited.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) data from 2003 to 2024 .

A Case of Post-TAVI: Left Septal Fascicular Block & Right Bundle Branch Block.

This paper describes a case of patient post-TAVI who developed Left Septal Fascicular Block (LSFB) and Right Bundle Branch Block (RBBB). This combination has not been previously reported and must be actively sought out, given the possible increased risk of complete atrioventricular block and sudden cardiac death. RBBB following transcatheter aortic valve replacement is rare and is associated with complete atrioventricular block and permanent pacemaker implantation.

Coronary artery disease and the risk of life-threatening cardiac events after age 40 in long QT syndrome.

Background And Aims: Long QT syndrome (LQTS) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are both associated with increased risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia However, there are limited data on the incremental risk conferred by CAD in adult patients with congenital LQTS. We aimed to investigate the risk associated with CAD and life threatening events (LTEs) in patients with LQTS after age 40 years.

Methods: The risk of LTEs (comprising aborted cardiac arrest, sudden cardiac death, or appropriate defibrillator shock) from age 40 through 75 years was examined in 1,020 subjects from the Rochester LQTS registry, categorized to CAD ( = 137) or no-CAD ( = 883) subgroups.

Albumin as a Prognostic Marker for Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence following Cryoballoon Ablation of Pulmonary Venous.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence following pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) ablation has clinical significance. Identifying risk factors for AF recurrence is important. We investigated serum albumin (SA) levels (g/dL) as a prognostic factor for the recurrence of AF following cryoballoon PVI ablation.

Combined mechanical circulatory support for ventricular fibrillation in left ventricular assist device patient.

Ventricular fibrillation, a life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia, may result in pulselessness, loss of consciousness and sudden cardiac death. In this case report, we describe our experience in managing a 54-year-old man with HeartMate3 left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a bridge to transplantation due to dilated non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, presenting with incessant ventricular arrhythmia for 35 days despite multiple attempts to restore normal rhythm with external direct current cardioversion and anti-arrhythmic medications. The patient remained stable in ventricular arrhythmia with no progression to asystole, but hemodynamic collapse due to right heart failure occurred in the third week.

Safety of High-Dose Dabigatran in Elderly and Younger Patients with a Low Bleeding Risk: A Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction: In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) at risk for stroke, dabigatran 150 mg twice a day (DE150) is superior to warfarin for stroke prevention. However, there is paucity of data with respect to bleeding risk at this dose in elderly patients (≥75 years). We aimed to evaluate the safety of DE150 in comparison to warfarin in a real-world population with AF and low bleeding risk (HAS-BLED score ≤2).

Epicardial fat and the risk of atrial tachy-arrhythmia recurrence post pulmonary vein isolation: a computed tomography study.

Epicardial and Pericardia fat have been hypothesized to exert local and systemic pathogenic effects on nearby cardiac structures. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of epicardial and pericardial fat volumes on the outcome of patients that underwent a first pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with cryoablation. We included 130 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) that underwent contrast enhanced ECG-gated cardiac computed tomography (CCT) before a PVI.

Effect of fibrotic capsule debridement during generator replacement on cardiac implantable electronic device infection risk.

Background: Cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) replacement is increasingly common. It has been proposed that capsule removal at the time of CIED replacement may reduce infection rates. In this study, we aimed to assess how pocket capsule removal impacted infection rates in patients undergoing CIED replacement.

Gender-Related Differences in Outcomes of Patients with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Background: Gender-related differences (GRD) exist in the outcome of patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Objectives: To assess GRD in patients who underwent CRT.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 178 patients who were implanted with a CRT in a tertiary center 2005-2009 was analyzed.

Syncope in Primary Prevention Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Implantation.

Background: Syncope prognosis varies widely: 1 year mortality may range from 0% in the case of vasovagal events up to 30% in the presence of heart disease.

Objectives: To assess the outcomes and prognosis of patients with implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) and indication of primary prevention and compare patients presenting with or without prior syncope.

Methods: We reviewed the charts of 75 patients who underwent ICD implantation with the indication of primary prevention and history of syncope and compared them to a control group of 80 patients without prior syncope.

Antiarrhythmic therapy as an adjuvant to promote post pulmonary vein isolation success-a meta-analysis.

Background: Three months of empirical antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy after atrial fibrillation ablation (AFA) is a common practice to prevent early arrhythmia recurrence; the data of influence of this practice on longer term ablation outcomes is limited.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of published controlled trials comparing temporary AAD therapy after AFA with no AAD therapy in patients after AFA. The primary outcome was recurrence of arrhythmia.

The incremental benefit of non-pulmonary vein left atrial ablation in patients undergoing a repeat persistent atrial fibrillation ablation procedure.

Purpose: Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after an initial persistent AF ablation procedure is high, frequently resulting in the need for a repeat AF ablation procedure. Guidance on the optimal strategy for repeat procedures is non-existent. The objective of this study was to compare the freedom from recurrent atrial arrhythmia associated with two strategies for repeat persistent AF ablation procedure: (1) pulmonary vein re-isolation alone and (2) non-pulmonary vein LA ablation in addition to pulmonary vein re-isolation.

Syncope in Primary Prevention Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Patients.

Background: Syncope is a common clinical condition spanning from benign to life-threatening diseases. There is sparse information on the outcomes of syncopal patients who received an implantable cardiac defibrillator (lCD) for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD).

Objectives: To assess the outcomes and prognosis of patients who underwent implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) implantation for primary prevention of SCD and compare them to patients who presented with or without prior syncope.

Association between Red Cell Distribution Width and Mortality after Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a non-pharmacological option for patients with heart failure and interventricular dyssynchrony. Elevated red cell distribution width (RDW) reflects higher size and heterogeneity of erythrocytes and is associated with poor outcome in patients with chronic heart failure.

Objectives: To examine the association between RDW levels and outcomes after CRT implantation.

Pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Thirty- to 35% of patients after transcatheter aortic valve implantation undergo implantation of a permanent pacemaker (PPM) because of development of atrioventricular block (AVB) or development of a condition with high risk of progression to AVB. There are insufficient data regarding long-term follow-up on pacing dependency. From February 2009 to July 2011, 191 transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures were performed at the Rabin Medical Center (125 CoreValve and 66 Edwards SAPIEN).

Electrocardiographic algorithm for the diagnosis of inadvertent implantation of permanent pacemaker lead in the left ventricular cavity.

Inadvertent placement of a pacemaker lead electrode in the left ventricle is an unusual complication and the electrocardiogram is a useful tool for the diagnoses. We present such a patient and review the electrocardiographic characteristics that should raise such a possibility.

Predictors and course of high-degree atrioventricular block after transcatheter aortic valve implantation using the CoreValve Revalving System.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a novel treatment for high risk or inoperable patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. However, significant atrioventricular (AV) conduction system abnormalities requiring permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation might complicate this procedure. We used best subsets logistic regression analysis to identify the independent predictors for the development of high-degree AV block (HDAVB) among 70 patients who underwent TAVI at 3 referral centers in Israel from 2008 to 2010.