Efficacy and Safety of Ticagrelor Monotherapy in Patients Undergoing Multivessel PCI.

Background: Data on optimal antiplatelet treatment regimens in patients who undergo multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are sparse.

Objectives: This post hoc study investigated the impact of an experimental strategy (1-month dual antiplatelet therapy [DAPT] followed by 23-month ticagrelor monotherapy) versus a reference regimen (12-month DAPT followed by 12-month aspirin monotherapy) according to multivessel PCI.

Methods: The GLOBAL LEADERS trial is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial, allocating all-comer patients in a 1:1 ratio to either the experimental strategy or the reference regimen.

[Fall or syncope?].

Falls among older adults are a major health problem. When older adults fall, it is difficult to determine whether it is just a simple fall or is caused by syncope, as people often have amnesia for the loss of consciousness. We report three cases in which cardiac monitoring, for seven days or more, showed that falls had been caused by cardiac-related syncopes.

Increased risk of sudden and non-sudden cardiovascular death in patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter following acute myocardial infarction.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication in patients with acute myocardial infarction and is associated with an increase in the risk of death. The excess mortality associated with AF complicating acute myocardial infarction has not been studied in detail. Observations indicate that AF facilitates induction of ventricular arrhythmias, which may increase the risk of sudden cardiovascular death (SCD).

Sudden cardiovascular death following myocardial infarction: the importance of left ventricular systolic dysfunction and congestive heart failure.

Background: To study the prognostic information of congestive heart failure (CHF) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction regarding sudden and non-sudden cardiovascular death (SCD and non-SCD) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), as this may indicate the potential benefit of implantable defibrillators.

Methods: Data from consecutive patients with acute MI screened in 1990-92 for the TRAndolapril Cardiac Evaluation (TRACE) study were entered into a registry. A total of 5502 patients were alive 30 days after the MI and were followed for up to 4 years with respect to cause of death.

Prehospital delay in acute coronary syndrome--an analysis of the components of delay.

Background: Prompt hospital admission is essential when treating acute coronary syndrome. Delay prior to admission is unnecessarily long. Therefore, a thorough scrutiny of the influence of characteristics, circumstantial and subjective variables on elements of prehospital delay among patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome is warranted.

Prehospital behaviour of patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome or witnessed cardiac arrest.

Objective: To study prehospital behaviour of patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome or witnessed cardiac arrest.

Design: Structured interview of 250 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome and relatives of 48 patients with witnessed cardiac arrest. The following courses of action were studied: contact the emergency medical service (centre); contact the general practitioner from the emergency service or the general practitioner during working hours; self-transportation to the emergency department; or as the first action to call the emergency medical service.

Heart rate versus heart rate variability in risk prediction after myocardial infarction.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) in risk prediction after acute myocardial infarction (MI) and to evaluate the effect of beta-blocker treatment on the prognostic performance of heart rate and HRV.

Methods And Results: Three hundred sixty-six patients underwent 24-hour Holter recording 1 to 6 days after an MI. HRV was expressed as the standard deviation of all normal-to-normal intervals.

[Isolated ventricular "non-compaction". A rare form of cardiomyopathy].

We describe cardiomyopathy, isolated ventricular non-compaction, in a 21-year old woman.