1. |
- Almroth, Henrik, 1970-, et al.
(author)
-
The safety of flecainide treatment of atrial fibrillation : long-term incidence of sudden cardiac death and proarrhythmic events
- 2011
-
In: Journal of Internal Medicine. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 270:3, s. 281-290
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective:To assess the safety of long-term treatment with flecainide in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), particularly with regard to sudden cardiac death (SCD) andproarrhythmic events.Design: Retrospective,observational cohort study.Setting.Single-centre study at Örebro University Hospital, Sweden.Setting: Single-centre study at Orebro University Hospital, Sweden.Subjects: A total of 112 patients with paroxysmal (51%) or persistent (49%) AF (mean age 60 ± 11 years) were included after identifying all patients with AF who initiated oral flecainide treatment (mean dose 203 ± 43 mg per day) between 1998 and 2006. Standard exclusion⁄inclusion criteria for flecainide were used,andflecainidetreatmentwasusually combined withanatrioventricular-blocking agent (89%).Main outcome measure: Death was classified as sudden or nonsudden according to standard definitions. Proarrhythmia was defined as cardiac syncope or lifethreatening arrhythmia.Results: Eight deaths were reported during a mean follow- up of 3.4 ± .4 years. Compared to the general population, the standardized mortality ratios were 1.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68–3.09) for allcause mortality and 4.16 (95% CI 1.53–9.06) for death from cardiovascular disease. Three deaths were classified as SCDs. Proarrhythmic events occurred in six patients (two each with wide QRS tachycardia, 1 : 1 conducted atrial flutter and syncope during exercise).Conclusion: We found an increased incidence of SCD or proarrhythmic events in this real-world study of flecainide used for the treatment of AF. The findings suggest that further investigation into the safety of flecainide for the treatment of patients with AF is warranted.
|
|
2. |
- Andersson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
Markers of fibrinolysis as predictors for maintenance of sinus rhythm after electrical cardioversion
- 2011
-
In: Thrombosis Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0049-3848 .- 1879-2472. ; 127:3, s. 189-192
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- No fibrinolytic component alone was found to be a predictor of recurrence of atrial fibrillation. In multivariate models lower PAI-1 mass was associated with sinus rhythm even after adjusting for CRP, markers of the metabolic syndrome and treatment with atorvastatin. Our findings suggest a patophysiological link between AF and PAI-1 mass but the relation to inflammation remains unclear.
|
|
3. |
- Berglind, Niklas, et al.
(author)
-
Air Pollution Exposure : A Trigger for Myocardial Infarction?
- 2010
-
In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 7:4, s. 1486-1499
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The association between ambient air pollution exposure and hospitalization for cardiovascular events has been reported in several studies with conflicting results. A case-crossover design was used to investigate the effects of air pollution in 660 first-time myocardial infarction cases in Stockholm in 1993-1994, interviewed shortly after diagnosis using a standard protocol. Air pollution data came from central urban background monitors. No associations were observed between the risk for onset of myocardial infarction and two-hour or 24-hour air pollution exposure. No evidence of susceptible subgroups was found. This study provides no support that moderately elevated air pollution levels trigger first-time myocardial infarction.
|
|
4. |
- Hendrikx, Tijn, et al.
(author)
-
Intermittent short ECG recording is more effective than 24-hour Holter ECG in detection of arrhythmias
- 2014
-
In: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2261 .- 1471-2261. ; 14, s. 41-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Many patients report symptoms of palpitations or dizziness/presyncope. These patients are often referred for 24-hour Holter ECG, although the sensitivity for detecting relevant arrhythmias is comparatively low. Intermittent short ECG recording over a longer time period might be a convenient and more sensitive alternative. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of 24-hour Holter ECG with intermittent short ECG recording over four weeks to detect relevant arrhythmias in patients with palpitations or dizziness/presyncope.Methods:Design: prospective, observational, cross-sectional study. Setting: Clinical Physiology, University Hospital. Patients: 108 consecutive patients referred for ambiguous palpitations or dizziness/presyncope.Interventions: All individuals underwent a 24-hour Holter ECG and additionally registered 30-second handheld ECG (Zenicor EKG ((R)) thumb) recordings at home, twice daily and when having cardiac symptoms, during 28 days.Main outcome measures: Significant arrhythmias: atrial fibrillation (AF), paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), atrioventricular (AV) block II-III, sinus arrest (SA), wide complex tachycardia (WCT).Results: 95 patients, 42 men and 53 women with a mean age of 54.1 years, completed registrations. Analysis of Holter registrations showed atrial fibrillation (AF) in two patients and atrioventricular (AV) block II in one patient (= 3.2% relevant arrhythmias [95% CI 1.1-8.9]). Intermittent handheld ECG detected nine patients with AF, three with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) and one with AV-block-II (= 13.7% relevant arrhythmias [95% CI 8.2-22.0]). There was a significant difference between the two methods in favour of intermittent ECG with regard to the ability to detect relevant arrhythmias (P = 0.0094). With Holter ECG, no symptoms were registered during any of the detected arrhythmias. With intermittent ECG, symptoms were registered during half of the arrhythmia episodes.Conclusions: Intermittent short ECG recording during four weeks is more effective in detecting AF and PSVT in patients with ambiguous symptoms arousing suspicions of arrhythmia than 24-hour Holter ECG.
|
|
5. |
- Hendrikx, Tijn, et al.
(author)
-
Screening for atrial fibrillation with baseline and intermittent ECG recording in an out-of-hospital population
- 2013
-
In: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders. - London : BioMed Central. - 1471-2261 .- 1471-2261. ; 13, s. 41-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: the objective of this study is to investigate the detection rate of undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) with short intermittent ECG recordings during four weeks among out-of-hospital patients, having at least one additional risk factor (CHADS2) for stroke.METHOD: Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Eight family practice centres and two hospital-based out-patient clinics in Sweden. Subjects: 989 out-of-hospital patients, without known AF, having one or more risk factors associated with stroke (CHADS2). Interventions: All individuals were asked to perform 10-second handheld ECG recordings during 28 days, twice daily and when having palpitations. Main outcome measures: Episodes of AF on handheld ECG recordings were defined as irregular supraventricular extrasystoles in series with a duration of 10 seconds.RESULTS: 928 patients completed registration. AF was found in 35 of 928 patients; 3.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.7--5.2). These 35 patients had a mean age of 70.7 years (SD +/- 7.7; range 53--85) and a median CHADS2 of 2 (range 1--4).CONCLUSIONS: Intermittent handheld ECG recording over a four week period had a detection rate of 3.8% newly diagnosed AF, in a population of 928 out-of-hospital patients having at least one additional risk factor for stroke. Intermittent handheld ECG registration is a feasible method to detect AF in patients with an increased risk of stroke in whom oral anticoagulation (OAC) treatment is indicated.
|
|
6. |
- Lyngå, Patrik, et al.
(author)
-
Weight monitoring in patients with severe heart failure (WISH). A randomized controlled trial.
- 2012
-
In: European Journal of Heart Failure. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1388-9842 .- 1879-0844. ; 14:4, s. 438-444
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS: This multicentre, randomized controlled trial hypothesized that daily electronic transmission of body weight to a heart failure (HF) clinic will reduce cardiac hospitalization in patients recently hospitalized with HF.METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 344 patients were randomized to either an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG). Of the 319 patients included in the final analysis, the mean age was 73 years (SD 10.2), 75% were males, and 57% had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <30%. Patients in both groups were recommended to weigh themselves daily and, in the case of sudden weight gain >2 kg in 3 days, to contact the HF clinic. Patients in the IG were given an electronic scale and the weight was automatically transmitted to and monitored at the HF clinic. No significant differences were found for the primary endpoint, cardiac re-hospitalization [70/153 CG, 70/166 IG; hazard ratio (HR) 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65-1.26, P = 0.54], or for the secondary endpoints, which included all-cause hospitalization (84/153 CG, 79/166 IG; HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.61-1.13, P = 0.24), death from any cause (8/153 CG, 5/166 IG; HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.19-1.73, P = 0.32), or the composite endpoint of cardiac hospitalization and death from any cause (78/153 CG, 75/166 IG; HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.65-1.26, P = 0.54). Subgroup analyses did not show any benefits for patients in the IG despite their more frequent monitoring; 398 occasions compared with 30 occasions in the CG.CONCLUSION: Daily electronic transmission of body weight and monitoring three times a week did not decrease hospitalization or death in HF patients followed up at a HF clinic.
|
|
7. |
- Svensson, Leif, et al.
(author)
-
Compression-only CPR or standard CPR in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
- 2010
-
In: The New England journal of medicine. - : Massachusetts Medical Society. - 1533-4406 .- 0028-4793. ; 363:5, s. 434-42
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Emergency medical dispatchers give instructions on how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) over the telephone to callers requesting help for a patient with suspected cardiac arrest, before the arrival of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. A previous study indicated that instructions to perform CPR consisting of only chest compression result in a treatment efficacy that is similar or even superior to that associated with instructions given to perform standard CPR, which consists of both compression and ventilation. That study, however, was not powered to assess a possible difference in survival. The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to evaluate the possible superiority of compression-only CPR over standard CPR with respect to survival.
|
|
8. |
|
|
9. |
- Wallentin, Lars, et al.
(author)
-
Efficacy and safety of apixaban compared with warfarin at different levels of predicted international normalized ratio control for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation
- 2013
-
In: Circulation. - 0009-7322 .- 1524-4539. ; 127:22, s. 2166-2176
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundIn the Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE) trial, apixaban compared with warfarin reduced stroke and systemic embolism, major bleeding, and mortality. We evaluated treatment effects in relation to 2 predictions of time in therapeutic range (TTR).Methods and ResultsThe trial randomized 18 201 patients with atrial fibrillation to apixaban 5 mg twice daily or warfarin for at least 12 months. For each patient, a center average TTR was estimated with the use of a linear mixed model on the basis of the real TTRs in its warfarin-treated patients, with a fixed effect for country and random effect for center. For each patient, an individual TTR was also predicted with the use of a linear mixed effects model including patient characteristics as well. Median center average TTR was 66% (interquartile limits, 61% and 71%). Rates of stroke or systemic embolism, major bleeding, and mortality were consistently lower with apixaban than with warfarin across center average TTR and individual TTR quartiles. In the lowest and highest center average TTR quartiles, hazard ratios for stroke or systemic embolism were 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53–1.00) and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.57–1.35) (Pinteraction=0.078), for mortality were 0.91 (95% CI, 0.74–1.13) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.71–1.16) (Pinteraction=0.34), and for major bleeding were 0.50 (95% CI, 0.36–0.70) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.58–0.97) (Pinteraction=0.095), respectively. Similar results were seen for quartiles of individual TTR.ConclusionsThe benefits of apixaban compared with warfarin for stroke or systemic embolism, bleeding, and mortality appear similar across the range of centers’ and patients’ predicted quality of international normalized ratio control.Clinical Trial RegistrationURL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00412984.
|
|