Daily Exposure to Air Pollution Particulate Matter Is Associated with Atrial Fibrillation in High-Risk Patients.

Several epidemiological studies found an association between acute exposure to fine particulate matter of less than 2.5 μm and 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM and PM) and cardiovascular diseases, ventricular fibrillation incidence and mortality. The effects of pollution on atrial fibrillation (AF) beyond the first several hours of exposure remain controversial.

Inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks due to atrial far-field on the tip-to-ring channel for lead dislodgement.

We reported a case of inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks, due to atrial far-field on the tip-to-ring channel of the fast electrical activity during atrial fibrillation, caused by lead dislocation in the right ventricle outflow tract. During these episodes the can-to-right ventricle coil signal correctly recorded the ventricular activity. The shock storm stopped when an antitachycardia pacing restored sinus rhythm.

Association between air pollution and ventricular arrhythmias in high-risk patients (ARIA study): a multicentre longitudinal study.

Background: Although the effects of air pollution on mortality have been clearly shown in many epidemiological and observational studies, the pro-arrhythmic effects remain unknown. We aimed to assess the short-term effects of air pollution on ventricular arrhythmias in a population of high-risk patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) or cardiac resynchronisation therapy defibrillators (ICD-CRT).

Methods: In this prospective multicentre study, we assessed 281 patients (median age 71 years) across nine centres in the Veneto region of Italy.