2018 Joint European consensus document on the management of antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome and/or undergoing percutaneous cardiovascular interventions: a joint consensus document of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Thrombosis, European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), and European Association of Acute Cardiac Care (ACCA) endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), Latin America Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS), and Cardiac Arrhythmia Society of Southern Africa (CASSA).

In 2014, a joint consensus document dealing with the management of antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and/or undergoing percutaneous coronary or valve interventions was published, which represented an effort of the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Thrombosis, European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), and European Association of Acute Cardiac Care (ACCA) endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS). Since publication of this document, additional data from observational cohorts, randomized controlled trials, and percutaneous interventions as well as new guidelines have been published. Moreover, new drugs and devices/interventions are also available, with an increasing evidence base.

A survey on the treatment of atrial fibrillation in South Africa.

Background: The burden of cardiovascular disease is expected to escalate in developing countries. However, studies and guidelines concerning atrial fibrillation (AF) are restricted to the developed world.

Objectives: To assess the treatment modalities of AF in South Africa.

Mitral valve billow and prolapse: a brief review at 45 years - with reference to : mitral valve billowing and prolapse : perspective at 25 years.

Barlow's syndrome has become a regular, often-used and very often misused diagnosis. Its description followed extensive, prolonged and detailed clinical observation by JB Barlow and his co-workers. This major research effort was necessary because of the protean manifestations of the condition.

The haemodynamic correlations of the cardiopulmonary flow index, a relatively non-invasive technique for diagnosis of myocardial pump insufficiency.

The cardiopulmonary flow index (CPFI) is the ratio of cardiopulmonary blood volume to stroke volume. OBJECTIVE. To compare the CPFI derived from a first-pass radiocardiogram and electrocardiogram with the usual haemodynamic measurements obtained by bedside catheterisation.

Efficacy of oral sotalol in reentrant ventricular tachycardia.

Oral sotalol was given to 64 patients (78% postinfarction) with recurrent, reentrant ventricular tachycardia (VT) during an average follow-up period of 19.7 months. Fifty-nine (92%) patients had previously experienced recurrent ventricular tachycardia, in spite of having received an average of three conventional antiarrhythmic drugs (13 had previously failed on other Class III drugs).

Atrial pacing and the risk for AV block: is there a time for change in attitude?

A literature survey was performed to establish the prevalence of second and third degree AV block among patients with permanent atrial pacemakers because of sinus node disease. This study reviews data from 28 different studies on atrial pacing with a median follow-up of 36 months. The collected data shows a median annual incidence of second and third degree AV block of 0.

Flecainide acetate in the treatment of resistant supraventricular arrhythmias.

Thirty-one patients with a variety of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias resistant to conventional anti-arrhythmic therapy were treated with flecainide acetate, a new class Ic antiarrhythmic drug. The mean follow-up period was 7 months. Control was attained in 19 patients (62%) initially, and the long-term success rate was 39%.

Late potentials, ventricular stimulation and ventricular tachycardia.

Late potentials are depolarizations which arise from areas of delayed ventricular activation and may indicate a propensity for ventricular tachycardia. Sixty-four subjects were assessed by non-invasive measurement. Late potentials were not present in 20 subjects with normal hearts nor in 6 patients with cardiac disease but with no evidence of ventricular tachycardia (VT).

Intravenous acebutolol raises serum potassium in acute myocardial infarction.

Hypokalaemia commonly occurs in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and may be caused by elevated serum levels of adrenaline, allegedly by beta 2-adrenergic mediated influx of potassium (K) into cells. We investigated the effect on serum K of intravenous acebutolol (a relatively beta 1-selective agent) in 50 patients with AMI. Serum K was measured before and 1 hour after drug administration.

Some aspects of neurological presentation of patients with important cardiac arrhythmias requiring pacemaker therapy: a preliminary report.

We report the short- and long-term effects of pacing on 82 patients presenting with significant bradyarrhythmias and neurological symptoms. The 3 categories of neurological symptoms were dizziness alone, syncope with or without dizziness and focal neurological symptoms with a history of dizziness or syncope.

Atrial trigeminy induced by a normally functioning DVI pacemaker.

Atrial trigeminy was seen in a patient with a normally functioning DVI pacemaker (Byrel-5992). Atrial competition resulted from coincidence of sinus and atrial escape rates together with late ventricular sensing. This resulted in atrial output stimuli occurring within the QRS complex.

Sotalol, hypokalaemia, syncope, and torsade de pointes.

Thirteen patients developed syncope and a prolonged QTc interval while taking therapeutic doses of sotalol. Polymorphous ventricular tachycardia was observed in 12 patients, and criteria typical of torsade de pointes were present in 10. In 12 patients sotalol had been given with hydrochlorothiazide in a combined preparation, Sotazide, but with inadequate or no potassium supplementation.