Enhancing patient acceptance of ICD implantation through structured shared decision making: conversation is key.

Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D) are lifesaving treatments for patients at risk for sudden cardiac death. Effective physician-patient communication during the shared decision-making process is essential. Electrophysiologist-patient conversations were targeted to obtain objective data on the interaction, understand the conversation framework, and uncover opportunities for improved communication.

Contemporary outcomes of acute ischemic stroke in atrial fibrillation patients on anticoagulation.

Background: Long-term anticoagulation (AC) therapy reduces the risk of stroke in patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF). However, data on the impact of AC on in-hospital stroke outcomes is lacking.

Methods: The National Inpatient Sample was used to identify adult inpatients with AF and a primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke between 2016 and 2020.

Flecainide Toxicity Leading to Loss of Pacemaker Capture and Cardiac Arrest.

An 86-year-old man with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation on flecainide, a class IC antiarrhythmic, presented with cardiac arrest. The patient had extremely wide QRS complexes with inconsistent pacemaker capture on electrocardiography. Due to cardiac failure and renal failure, the patient developed progressive flecainide toxicity, which led to pacemaker failure, and ultimately, death.

Network meta-analysis of His bundle, biventricular, or right ventricular pacing as a primary strategy for advanced atrioventricular conduction disease with normal or mildly reduced ejection fraction.

Introduction: Although right ventricular pacing (RVP) may impair ventricular function, it is commonly used for advanced atrioventricular block (AVB) and normal or mildly reduced ejection fraction (EF). We aimed to compare His bundle pacing (HBP), biventricular pacing (BiVP), and RVP for advanced AVB in patients with normal or mildly reduced EF.

Methods And Results: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.

A meta-analysis of arrhythmia endpoints in randomized controlled trials of transendocardial stem cell injections for chronic ischemic heart disease.

Introduction: The electrophysiologic impact of cell-based therapy on the injured myocardium remains highly controversial. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis of studies comparing arrhythmia burden following transendocardial stem cell therapy vs placebo in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease (CIHD).

Methods And Results: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched.

Prevention of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Stenting.

Background and Purpose- The optimal antithrombotic strategy to balance thromboembolic and bleeding events, especially acute stroke, for patients with atrial fibrillation following coronary stenting remains a matter of debate. We conducted a network meta-analysis to identify the antithrombotic regimen associated with the lowest rate of bleeding and thromboembolic events in atrial fibrillation after coronary stenting. Methods- PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Central were searched for randomized controlled trials and observational studies of patients with atrial fibrillation after coronary stenting.

Systematic review for the 2017 AHA/ACC/HRS guideline for management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society.

Background: Although large randomized clinical trials have found that primary prevention use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) improves survival in patients with cardiomyopathy and heart failure symptoms, patients who receive ICDs in practice are often older and have more comorbidities than patients who were enrolled in the clinical trials. In addition, there is a debate among clinicians on the usefulness of electrophysiological study for risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome.

Aim: Our analysis has 2 objectives.

Systematic Review for the 2017 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society.

Background: Although large randomized clinical trials have found that primary prevention use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) improves survival in patients with cardiomyopathy and heart failure symptoms, patients who receive ICDs in practice are often older and have more comorbidities than patients who were enrolled in the clinical trials. In addition, there is a debate among clinicians on the usefulness of electrophysiological study for risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome.

Aim: Our analysis has 2 objectives.

Systematic Review for the 2017 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society.

Background: Although large randomized clinical trials have found that primary prevention use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) improves survival in patients with cardiomyopathy and heart failure symptoms, patients who receive ICDs in practice are often older and have more comorbidities than patients who were enrolled in the clinical trials. In addition, there is a debate among clinicians on the usefulness of electrophysiological study for risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome.

Aim: Our analysis has 2 objectives.

Cryoballoon versus Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation: A Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Radiofrequency (RF) and cryoballoon (CB) catheter ablation are effective for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in atrial fibrillation (AF). This report presents an updated meta-analysis comparing the efficacy and safety of CB versus RF ablations in AF.

Methods: Databases and conference abstracts were systematically searched for studies that directly compared CB and RF PVI, and reported safety or efficacy outcomes in follow-up ≥12 months.