Phrenic nerve displacement by intrapericardial balloon inflation during epicardial ablation of ventricular tachycardia: Four case reports.

Background: Phrenic nerve (PN) injury is one of the recognized possible complications following epicardial ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). High-output pacing is a widely used maneuver to establish a relationship between the PN and the ablation catheter tip. An absence of PN capture is usually considered an indication that it is safe to ablate, and that successful ablation may be performed at adjacent sites.

Use of wearable cardioverter-defibrillator in association with catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation-related tachycardiomyopathy.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is an effective therapy in patients known to be at high risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Nevertheless, ICD implantation is not indicated in transient or reversible causes of SCD. Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator is increasingly used for SCD prevention in patients with a transient risk of ventricular arrhythmia.

Subclinical cardiovascular damage in patients with HCV cirrhosis before and after treatment with direct antiviral agents: a prospective study.

Background: Cirrhosis is associated with morpho-functional cardiovascular alterations.

Aims: To detect early features of cardiovascular damage in HCV-compensated cirrhotic patients using myocardial deformation indices and carotid arterial stiffness, and, further, to evaluate their short-term behaviour after HCV eradication with direct antiviral agents (DAAs).

Methods: Thirty-nine consecutive patients with HCV cirrhosis, without previous cardiovascular events, were studied and matched for age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors to 39 controls without liver or cardiovascular disease.

Five-year prospective study on cardiovascular events, in patients with erectile dysfunction and hypotestosterone.

Objective: Testosterone levels play a role in cardiac and vascular pathology. In the present study we investigated the prognostic significance of this hormone for cardiovascular outcome, in a 5-year follow-up.

Materials And Methods: Our cohort included 802 adult subjects, from 40 to 80 years.