Idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias originating from the moderator band: Electrocardiographic characteristics and treatment by catheter ablation.

Background: The moderator band (MB) can be a source of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT), and idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to define the electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics and procedural techniques to successfully identify and ablate MB PVCs/VT.

Methods: In 10 patients with left bundle branch block morphology PVCs/VT, electroanatomic mapping in conjunction with intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) localized the site of origin of the PVCs to the MB.

Atrial fibrillation following autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma: incidence and risk factors.

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) often develops in patients with multiple myeloma following autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), but the exact incidence of, and the risk factors for AF have not been described. In this study, we sought to determine the incidence of AF in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing ASCT.

Methods: Patients who received ASCT for multiple myeloma between January 2000 and December 2009 were identified using the ICD-9 codes for multiple myeloma and ASCT, and formed the basis of this report.

A patient with mexiletine-related psychosis.

Mexiletine is a commonly used Class IB (Vaughan William classification) antiarrhythmic drug. We report a case of mexiletine-induced psychosis that was successfully managed by decreasing the dose and using alternative medications for management of ventricular tachycardia.

Predictors of in-stent restenosis and patient outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Diabetics have a significantly higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and in-stent restenosis (ISR) than nondiabetics after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Predictors of MACEs and ISR are uncertain in diabetics. In recent studies, microalbuminuria and proliferative retinopathy have been believed to relate to progressive coronary atherosclerosis.

Assessment of left ventricular function: comparison of cardiac multidetector-row computed tomography with two-dimension standard echocardiography for assessment of left ventricular function.

Objective: To compare global Left Ventricular (LV) systolic function assessment by 16-detector row Computed Tomography (MDCT) with Two-Dimensional Standard Echocardiography (2DSE) in a routine cardiology practice setting and to ascertain the degree of correlation between LV volumes and measurements obtained by 2DSE with those measured by MDCT.

Methods: In 52 patients with suspected coronary artery disease, a contrast enhanced MDCT study was performed using retrospective gating without dose modulation for better endocardial delineation. Eight phases of the cardiac cycle were analyzed to identify the end-diastolic and end-systolic phases.

Use of clopidogrel in coronary artery disease.

Clopidogrel has an established and important role in the management of patients with coronary artery disease after an acute event. It is generally a well-tolerated drug. The major common problem associated with its use is the increased incidence of bleeding complications during or after coronary artery bypass graft surgery when clopidogrel is used within five days before surgery.