Clinician use of data elements from cardiovascular implantable electronic devices in clinical practice.

Background: Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) capture an abundance of data for clinicians to review and integrate into the clinical decision-making process. The multitude of data from different device types and vendors presents challenges for viewing and using the data in clinical practice. Efforts are needed to improve CIED reports by focusing on key data elements used by clinicians.

Termination of macroreentrant atrial arrhythmias by pacing stimuli without global propagation.

Background: Electrical stimulation during ventricular tachycardia resulting in tachycardia termination without global propagation (TWGP) is a well-recognized phenomenon. However, there is a paucity of literature showing a similar phenomenon in atrial arrhythmias.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the significance of TWGP in atrial arrhythmias.

Mechanical suppression of premature ventricular complexes during catheter ablation procedures.

Introduction: Mechanical suppression of premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) is not a well-known observation. We retrospectively reviewed this phenomenon in the Ventricular Arrhythmia (VA) ablation procedures performed at Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Health Administration (VHA) center.

Mapping and Ablation of Ventricle Arrhythmia in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Ventricular arrhythmias (VA) constitute well-known problems in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), with incidence ranging from 18% to as high as 52%. Catheter ablation has become a common therapeutic intervention to treat drug-refractory VA, particularly with the increase and more widespread use of durable LVADs to bridge patients to transplantation or as destination therapy. In this article, we focus on etiology, mechanisms, periprocedural management, and mapping and ablation techniques in patients with LVADs and VA.

How to Perform His Bundle Pacing: Tools and Techniques.

Recently, permanent His bundle pacing (HBP) has emerged as a viable pacing strategy for chronic ventricular pacing. It allows for recruitment of the native His Purkinje system thereby preventing pacing-induced ventricular dyssynchrony seen in traditional right ventricular pacing. Current tools allow for relatively good success rates for implantation.

Subcutaneous nerve activity and mechanisms of sudden death in a rat model of chronic kidney disease.

Background: The mechanisms of sudden death in chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that subcutaneous nerve activity (SCNA) can be used to estimate sympathetic tone in ambulatory rats and that abrupt reduction of SCNA precedes the spontaneous arrhythmic death of Cy/+ rats.

Methods: Radiotransmitters were implanted in ambulatory normal (N = 6) and Cy/+ (CKD; N = 6) rats to record electrocardiogram and SCNA.

Ventricular arrhythmias in patients with implanted ventricular assist devices: a contemporary review.

Ventricular arrhythmia (VA) is a significant factor in the clinical management of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Understanding the implications of VA in ventricular assist device-supported CHF patients is critical to appropriate clinical decision making in this special population. This article details research findings on this topic, and attempts to link them to practical patient management strategies.