Comparison of radiocephalic fistulas placed in the proximal forearm and in the wrist.

Non-maturation is a common problem in patients receiving an arteriovenous fistula. The first vascular access choice is a distal radiocephalic fistula (dRCF) at the wrist. Patients with a failed dRCF or with vessels unsuitable for dRCF, the recommendation is to place a brachiocephalic fistula in the upper arm.

Increased ventricular premature contraction frequency during rem sleep in patients with coronary artery disease and obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea are reported to have a peak of sudden cardiac death at night, in contrast to patients without apnea whose peak is in the morning. We hypothesized that ventricular premature contraction (VPC) frequency would correlate with measures of apnea and sympathetic activity.

Methods: Electrocardiograms from a sleep study of 125 patients with coronary artery disease were evaluated.