Benefits of additional cardiologic examination in patients admitted for differential diagnosis to the Epilepsy Center Bethel.

Additional cardiologic examination for syncope is used for patients admitted for diagnostic reasons in the Epilepsy Center Bethel if, after epileptologic examination, the etiology of seizures remains uncertain and a cardiologic etiology is suspected. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed all patient data from the diagnostic department between 02/2011 and 07/2015 to evaluate the benefits to patients of additional cardiologic examination for syncope. 78 out of 1567 patients underwent additional cardiologic examination for syncope.

[Device therapy of chronic heart failure: Update 2015].

Cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) and systems for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) represent an important component of heart failure therapy. Pacemakers only play a role in bradycardia-associated heart failure and require optimal programming to prevent ventricular desynchronization. Primary prophylactic ICD implantation is indicated in patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤ 35 %, clinical stages NYHA II-III and a life expectancy > 1 year.

[Problems, complications, and emergencies during pacemaker implantation. Importance of access].

Pacemaker implantation represents a standard procedure with a perceived 100% success rate, without mortality and with extremely rare complications. However, some pacemaker implantations may develop into a very difficult procedure or even be associated with significant complications. Good venous access is crucial and may distinguish between comfortable, successful implantation and futile implantation with severe complications (e.

[Analysis of pacemaker ECGs].

Introduction: The key to a successful analysis of a pacemaker electrocardiogram (ECG) is the application of the systematic approach used for any other ECG without a pacemaker: analysis of (1) basic rhythm and rate, (2) QRS axis, (3) PQ, QRS and QT intervals, (4) morphology of P waves, QRS, ST segments and T(U) waves and (5) the presence of arrhythmias.

Methods: If only the most obvious abnormality of a pacemaker ECG is considered, wrong conclusions can easily be drawn. If a systematic approach is skipped it may be overlooked that e.