Cardiac Rhythm Device Threshold Testing Via Pulse Oxymetry.

Threshold testing of cardiac rhythm devices is essential to monitoring the proper functioning of such devices (1). However, the currently method of applying multiple ECG leads to the patient is burdensome and time consuming (2). We are presenting a completely new way to perform cardiac rhythm device threshold testing using pulse oximetry.

Path length entropy analysis of diastolic heart sounds.

Early detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) using the acoustic approach, a noninvasive and cost-effective method, would greatly improve the outcome of CAD patients. To detect CAD, we analyze diastolic sounds for possible CAD murmurs. We observed diastolic sounds to exhibit 1/f structure and developed a new method, path length entropy (PLE) and a scaled version (SPLE), to characterize this structure to improve CAD detection.

Noise detection in heart sound recordings.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Although progression of CAD can be controlled using drugs and diet, it is usually detected in advanced stages when invasive treatment is required. Current methods to detect CAD are invasive and/or costly, hence not suitable as a regular screening tool to detect CAD in early stages.

Unusual pauses in sinus rhythm and intermittent 2 to 1 AV block in a patient with concealed his extra systoles--a rare cause of bradycardia.

A 56 year old male with a past medical history of hypertension and dyslipidemia presented with recurrent dizziness. Routine EKG was performed, which suggested frequent junctional extra systoles with compensatory pauses. During telemetry periods of 2:1 block with effective ventricular rate of 34 bpm was observed.

Rate smoothing induced ventricular arrhythmia and syncope: a new device-induced proarrhythmia.

A 74-year-old male presented to our emergency room with history of sudden onset palpitations associated with syncope. He had a single-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator implanted for secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death due to ischaemic cardiomyopathy. Interrogation of the device revealed episodes of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) at 220 ms.

Atropine-induced polymorphic ventricular tachycardia: a rare and bygone occurrence revisited.

Atropine is commonly a used pre anesthetic medication. A 22-year-old female with history of unexplained recurrent syncope during electrophysiology developed inducible ventricular arrhythmias when 0.5 mg of atropine was injected intravenously to improve this Wenckebach.

Atrial flutter with spontaneous 1:1 atrioventricular conduction in adults: an uncommon but frequently missed cause for syncope/presyncope.

Aims: To compare patients with atrial flutter (AFl) and 1:1 atrioventricular conduction (AVC) with patients with AFl and higher AVC.

Methods: The characteristics of 19 patients with AFl and 1:1 AVC (group A) were compared with those of 116 consecutive patients with AFl and 2:1 AVC or higher degree AV block (group B).

Results: Age, gender, and left ventricular function were similar in the two groups.

Prolonged transient atrial electrical silence following termination of chronic atrial tachyarrhythmias.

Introduction: Atrial standstill is a rare heterogeneous arrhythmia characterized by electrical and mechanical standstill and electrical inexcitability. A long-lasting progressive form is seen with cardiac and neuromuscular diseases, and a familial or idiopathic form may have a genetic basis. A transient form was described secondary to drug intoxication, electrolyte imbalance, cardiac inflammation, and ischemia.

Left bundle branch block in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a sign of advanced cardiovascular involvement.

Objective: To evaluate left bundle branch block (LBBB) as an indicator of advanced cardiovascular involvement in diabetic (DM) patients by examining left ventricular systolic function and proteinurea.

Methods: Data of 26 diabetic patients with left bundle branch block (DM with LBBB) were compared with data of 31 diabetic patients without left bundle branch block (DM without LBBB) and 18 nondiabetic patients with left bundle branch block (non-DM with LBBB). The inclusion criteria were age >45 years, and diabetes mellitus type 2 of >5 years.