Background Selective radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the slow pathway is an effective treatment f... more Background Selective radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the slow pathway is an effective treatment for atrioventricular (AV) nodal reentry tachycardia. A previous report showed that rapid junctional tachycardia (JT) caused by RF associated with loss of ventriculoatrial (VA) conduction is ...
Cardiovascular screening tests to prevent sudden cardiac death in athletes are discussed controve... more Cardiovascular screening tests to prevent sudden cardiac death in athletes are discussed controversially, but they should include diligent patient history and physical examination as well as registration of an ECG. If palpitations or tachycardias are described or if preexcitation, supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias are documented, further risk stratification is mandatory. Specifically the origin and the complexity of the arrhythmia need to be analyzed and any form of structural cardiac pathologies has to be ruled out. Sinus tachycardia, supraventricular and ventricular premature beats, atrial fibrillation as well as supraventricular and ventricular tachycardia may serve as substrate for palpitations. Each of these arrhythmias is associated with a different amount of cardiac risk and can be evidence for certain forms of structural cardiac disease. Recommendations to limit physical activity and specific treatment options depend on the type of the arrhythmia and the presence and the nature of underlying cardiac disease.
Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society, Jan 20, 2015
To determine the effects of sex and age on cardiovascular autonomic parameters in healthy adults ... more To determine the effects of sex and age on cardiovascular autonomic parameters in healthy adults as assessed by Finapres (finger arterial pressure) method and prolonged head-up tilt (HUT). We enrolled 81 healthy volunteers (41 females, 40 males, 18-74 years) for extensive cardiovascular autonomic function testing including blood pressure (BP) recordings, electrocardiography, and impedance cardiography at rest, under 60° HUT for 45 min, active standing for 5 min, Valsalva maneuver, and deep breathing (DB). Mean values and orthostatic changes, i.e., differences to baseline, of heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic BP, stroke volume (SV), and total peripheral resistance (TPR), as well as DB ratio and Valsalva ratio were calculated. A generalized linear model (extended by generalized estimating equations) was used to assess sex- and age-related differences. Mean HR at rest was higher in women than in men (p = 0.035). In men, we observed significantly higher mean BP at rest (p < 0.0...
Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is increasingly accepted as an outcome measure when conside... more Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is increasingly accepted as an outcome measure when considering the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Little is known about the HRQL of patients with different clinical circumstances before and after pacemaker implantation (PMI). The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of clinical symptoms and ECG diagnoses as predictors of improved HRQL in patients referred for PMI. Sixty eight patients with different indications for PMI completed the MacNew Heart Disease Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (MacNew) and the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) before and one, three and six months after PMI. Symptoms, ECG indications and pacing mode were collected using the European Pacemaker Patient Identification Card codes. Within the first month after PMI overall Mac-New but not SF-36 scores improved significantly and was maintained during the entire 6 month follow up period. Improvement in HRQL as measured with the MacNew was rather related to baseline symptoms and ECG diagnosis than to the pacing mode. The important finding of this study is that improved HRQL seen after PMI appears to be largely driven by baseline symptoms and the ECG diagnoses rather than the pacing mode of the device.
Background Selective radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the slow pathway is an effective treatment f... more Background Selective radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the slow pathway is an effective treatment for atrioventricular (AV) nodal reentry tachycardia. A previous report showed that rapid junctional tachycardia (JT) caused by RF associated with loss of ventriculoatrial (VA) conduction is ...
Cardiovascular screening tests to prevent sudden cardiac death in athletes are discussed controve... more Cardiovascular screening tests to prevent sudden cardiac death in athletes are discussed controversially, but they should include diligent patient history and physical examination as well as registration of an ECG. If palpitations or tachycardias are described or if preexcitation, supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias are documented, further risk stratification is mandatory. Specifically the origin and the complexity of the arrhythmia need to be analyzed and any form of structural cardiac pathologies has to be ruled out. Sinus tachycardia, supraventricular and ventricular premature beats, atrial fibrillation as well as supraventricular and ventricular tachycardia may serve as substrate for palpitations. Each of these arrhythmias is associated with a different amount of cardiac risk and can be evidence for certain forms of structural cardiac disease. Recommendations to limit physical activity and specific treatment options depend on the type of the arrhythmia and the presence and the nature of underlying cardiac disease.
Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society, Jan 20, 2015
To determine the effects of sex and age on cardiovascular autonomic parameters in healthy adults ... more To determine the effects of sex and age on cardiovascular autonomic parameters in healthy adults as assessed by Finapres (finger arterial pressure) method and prolonged head-up tilt (HUT). We enrolled 81 healthy volunteers (41 females, 40 males, 18-74 years) for extensive cardiovascular autonomic function testing including blood pressure (BP) recordings, electrocardiography, and impedance cardiography at rest, under 60° HUT for 45 min, active standing for 5 min, Valsalva maneuver, and deep breathing (DB). Mean values and orthostatic changes, i.e., differences to baseline, of heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic BP, stroke volume (SV), and total peripheral resistance (TPR), as well as DB ratio and Valsalva ratio were calculated. A generalized linear model (extended by generalized estimating equations) was used to assess sex- and age-related differences. Mean HR at rest was higher in women than in men (p = 0.035). In men, we observed significantly higher mean BP at rest (p < 0.0...
Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is increasingly accepted as an outcome measure when conside... more Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is increasingly accepted as an outcome measure when considering the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Little is known about the HRQL of patients with different clinical circumstances before and after pacemaker implantation (PMI). The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of clinical symptoms and ECG diagnoses as predictors of improved HRQL in patients referred for PMI. Sixty eight patients with different indications for PMI completed the MacNew Heart Disease Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (MacNew) and the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) before and one, three and six months after PMI. Symptoms, ECG indications and pacing mode were collected using the European Pacemaker Patient Identification Card codes. Within the first month after PMI overall Mac-New but not SF-36 scores improved significantly and was maintained during the entire 6 month follow up period. Improvement in HRQL as measured with the MacNew was rather related to baseline symptoms and ECG diagnosis than to the pacing mode. The important finding of this study is that improved HRQL seen after PMI appears to be largely driven by baseline symptoms and the ECG diagnoses rather than the pacing mode of the device.
Uploads
Papers