Aims: To evaluate the effect of atorvastatin in achieving stable sinus rhythm (SR) 30 days after electrical cardioversion (CV) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).
Methods And Results: The study included 234 patients. The patients were randomized to treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg daily (n = 118) or placebo (n = 116) in a prospective, double-blinded fashion. Treatment was initiated 14 days before CV and was continued 30 days after CV. The two groups were well-balanced with respect to baseline characteristics. Mean age was 65 +/- 10 years, 76% of the patients were male and 4% had ischaemic heart disease. Study medication was well-tolerated in all patients but one. Before primary endpoint 12 patients were excluded. In the atorvastatin group 99 patients (89%) converted to SR at electrical CV compared with 95 (86%) in the placebo group (P = 0.42). An intention-to-treat analysis with the available data, by randomization group, showed that 57 (51%) in the atorvastatin group and 47 (42%) in the placebo group were in SR 30 days after CV (OR 1.44, 95%CI 0.85-2.44, P = 0.18).
Conclusion: Atorvastatin was not statistically superior to placebo with regards to maintaining SR 30 days after CV in patients with persistent AF.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehp006 | DOI Listing |
Catheter Cardiovasc Interv
December 2024
Heart Valve Center, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and over the past decade, the diagnosis of atrial functional mitral regurgitation (aFMR) has been increasingly observed in the elderly, especially in those with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Annular enlargement, perturbations of annular contraction, and atriogenic leaflet tethering distinguish the pathophysiology of aFMR from the one of ventricular origin. However, no consensus provides recommendations regarding the differential diagnosis and the subsequent management of aFMR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomed Hub
December 2024
Division of Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics, Willem-Alexander Children's Hospital, Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands.
Introduction: Transposition of the great arteries (TGA), especially with intact ventricular septum (TGA-IVS), presents unique challenges during fetal-to-neonatal transition, which can contribute to developing persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN).
Case Presentation: A male newborn with TGA-IVS, delivered via caesarean section, presented with hypoxemia and tachycardia immediately after birth (preductal SpO: 50-60%, post-ductal SpO: 70-75%). Echocardiography revealed a floppy interatrial septum and two interatrial connections with bidirectional shunting.
ESC Heart Fail
December 2024
Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
Int J Stroke
December 2024
Division of Neurology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Background: Secondary stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the fastest growing areas in the field of cerebrovascular diseases. This Scientific statement from the World Stroke Organization Brain & Heart Task Force provides a critical analysis of the strength of current evidence this topic, highlights areas of current controversy, identifies knowledge gaps, and proposes priorities for future research.
Methods: We select topics with the highest clinical relevance and perform a systematic search to answer specific practical questions.
Radiol Case Rep
February 2025
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Cor triatriatum is an uncommon cardiac defect that occurs in 0.1-0.4% of congenital heart disease patients.
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