Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis in Australia and New Zealand-A Multi-Site Snapshot for 2022.

Objective: To estimate the burden of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) through a cross- sectional 'snapshot' of Australian Amyloidosis Network (AAN) and New Zealand (NZ) specialist amyloidosis clinics.

Design, Setting & Participants: A prospective survey was performed of seven AAN/ specialist amyloidosis clinics across Australia and NZ. All centres were invited to contribute data; participating centres provided clinical and demographic data for patients with ATTR-CA reviewed in the 2022 calendar year.

Role of renin-angiotensin system antagonists on long-term mortality post-percutaneous coronary intervention in reduced and preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs) post-myocardial infarction (MI) is supported by evidence based on trials performed in the thrombolysis era. This was prior to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) being routine practice, and with little direct evidence for the use of these medications in patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) function. This study sought to determine whether there is an association between ACEi/ARB use after PCI for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and long-term all-cause mortality, with a particular focus on patients with preserved LV function.

Role of beta blockers following percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome.

Aims: There is a paucity of evidence supporting routine beta blocker (BB) use in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of this study was to evaluate BB use post PCI and its association with mortality. Furthermore, the study aimed to evaluate the association between BB and mortality in the subgroups of patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <35%, LVEF 35%-50% and LVEF >50%.

Regression of Diffuse Ventricular Fibrosis Following Restoration of Sinus Rhythm With Catheter Ablation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Systolic Dysfunction: A Substudy of the CAMERA MRI Trial.

Objectives: This study sought to determine if diffuse ventricular fibrosis improves in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)-mediated cardiomyopathy following the restoration of sinus rhythm.

Background: AF coexists in 30% of heart failure (HF) patients and may be an underrecognized reversible cause of left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Myocardial fibrosis is the hallmark of adverse cardiac remodeling in HF, yet its reversibility is unclear.

Biatrial Electrical and Structural Atrial Changes in Heart Failure: Electroanatomic Mapping in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in Humans.

Objectives: This study sought to characterize the biatrial substrate in heart failure (HF) and persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF).

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and HF frequently coexist; however, the contribution of HF to the biatrial substrate in PeAF is unclear.

Methods: Consecutive patients with PeAF and normal left ventricular (NLV) systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] >55%) or idiopathic cardiomyopathy (LVEF ≤45%) undergoing AF ablation were enrolled.

Pulmonary vein activity does not predict the outcome of catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: A long-term multicenter prospective study.

Background: Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation (PVI) remains the cornerstone of catheter ablation (CA) in persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) (PeAF), although less successful than for paroxysmal AF. Whether rapid or fibrillatory (PV AF) PV firing may identify patients with PeAF more likely to benefit from a PV-based ablation approach is unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the PV cycle length (PVCL) and the PV AF outcome after CA.

A comparison of the electrophysiologic and electroanatomic characteristics between the right and left atrium in persistent atrial fibrillation: Is the right atrium a window into the left?

Introduction: The right atrium (RA) is readily accessible; however, it is unclear whether changes in the RA are representative of the LA. We performed detailed biatrial electroanatomic mapping to determine the electrophysiological relationship between the atria.

Methods And Results: Consecutive patients with persistent AF underwent biatrial electroanatomical mapping with a contact force catheter acquiring points with a CF >10 g prior to ablation.

Determining the Optimal Dose of Adenosine for Unmasking Dormant Pulmonary Vein Conduction Following Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Electrophysiological and Hemodynamic Assessment. DORMANT-AF Study.

Introduction: ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND HEMODYNAMIC ASSESSMENT.

Dormant-af Study: The significance of adenosine induced dormant pulmonary vein (PV) conduction in atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remains controversial. The optimal dose of adenosine to determine dormant PV conduction is yet to be systematically explored.

Acute Anteroseptal Myocardial Infarction after a Negative Exercise Stress Test.

A myocardial infarction is a rare complication which can occur after an exercise stress test. We report a 48-year-old male who was referred to the Mildura Cardiology Practice, Victoria, Australia, in August 2014 with left-sided chest pain. He underwent an exercise stress test which was negative for myocardial ischaemia.

Medical therapy versus implantable cardioverter -defibrillator in preventing sudden cardiac death in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure: a meta-analysis of > 35,000 patients.

Background: Patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) are at high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have an important role in preventing SCD in selected patients with LVSD and chronic heart failure (CHF). Drug therapies for LVSD and CHF also appear to also be useful in reducing SCD.