Return to full normal activities including work at two weeks after acute myocardial infarction.

Patients are generally advised to return to full normal activities, including work, 6 to 8 weeks after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We assessed the outcomes of early return to normal activities, including work at 2 weeks, after AMI in patients who were stratified to be at a low risk for future cardiac events. Patients were considered for randomization before discharge if they had no angina, had left ventricular ejection fraction >40%, a negative result from a symptom-limited exercise stress test for ischemia (<2 mm ST depression) at 1 week, and achieved >7 METs.

Comparison of radiofrequency ablation in normal versus scarred myocardium.

Introduction: Reentrant circuits causing ventricular tachycardia are closely associated with previously scarred myocardium. The presence of scar has been blamed for the poor success rate of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in that context. This article investigates the in vivo effects of radiofrequency ablation in myocardium scarred from acute myocardial infarction.

Intramural radiofrequency ablation: effects of electrode temperature and length.

The aim of this study was to evaluate intramural temperature-controlled radiofrequency ablation by determining the intramural temperature profile during ablation and by correlating lesion geometry with intramural electrode size and temperature. Intramural ablation might be useful to create deeper lesions for ventricular tachycardia secondary to underlying heart disease. Intramural radiofrequency ablation was performed in 17 greyhounds at thoracotomy, from an epicardial approach, using a 21-gauge needle electrode.

Effects of simultaneous insertion of 66 plunge needle electrodes on myocardial activation, function, and structure.

Transmural recordings using plunge needle electrodes are useful in mapping ventricular tachyarrhythmia, but they interfere with activation sequences or damage the myocardium. This study evaluated the effects of insertion of 66 transmural needles on myocardial activation, structure, and function. Epicardial maps were performed at thoracotomy using a 40-electrode plaque in five mongrel dogs.