Background: Predictable progression to battery depletion is necessary for device management in patients with pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, particularly in patients who either are pacemaker dependent or have required implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies.
Objective: To determine the incidence and characteristics of unexpected battery depletion in patients implanted with a cardiac resynchronization therapy - defibrillator (CRT-D) device.
Methods: All patients with a St Jude Atlas+ HF or Atlas II HF CRT-D device implanted between 2004 and 2007 at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Nashville VA Medical Center (Vanderbilt University) were studied.
Interference between pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and electromagnetic fields are of great concern due to the potential harmful influence on the function of the device. We report a case of intermittent, erratic behaviour of an ICD secondary to electromagnetic interference (EMI) caused by small magnets that were incorporated into the patient's clothing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: With the increasing use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), device complications are becoming more common. Fungal-related ICD infections have rarely been reported, and little is known about the presentation, prevalence, and treatment options for these morbid infections.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical features, treatment, and outcomes of patients with fungal ICD infections.
Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol
January 2006
Background: The first multicenter automatic defibrillator implantation trial (MADIT-I) was a landmark study that identified a significant reduction in mortality among high-risk patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy treated prophylactically with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), yet the direct and indirect impact of this trial on clinical practice is unknown.
Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the 679 patients who underwent primary ICD implantation between 1994 and 2000 at a single academic center. The baseline characteristics of each patient were determined at the time of ICD implantation, and the vital status of all patients was determined as of January 1, 2004.
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol
January 2003
ICDs are used frequently to treat malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Despite the expanding role of these devices, little is known about the manufacturer variability in the performance of ICD generators. The purpose of this study is to explore the indications for ICD pulse generator replacement and to examine performance differences between the three major manufacturers of ICDs in the United States.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The proportion of penicillin and ceftriaxone resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates and associated risk factors varies by geographic areas in the world. We conducted a retrospective study to determine the extent of penicillin and ceftriaxone non-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia in a tertiary care medical center in the city of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Methods: We reviewed 172 episodes of Streptrococcus pneumoniae bacteremic diseases involving 160 hospitalized patients at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, over a 5 year period between January 1995 through to December 1999.