Low Heartbeat Research Articles

Design and Implementation of Heart Attack Detection and Medication Using Ad a fruit Flora Module

In this project we are trying to decrease the rate of death due to the lack of timely medication during a situation of a heart attack. As we all know the risk of having a heart attack is more now a day’s due to mental stress in daily life. But at the time of a heart attack, if the patient gets the prescribed medicine in time, then the death of the patient can be avoided. So, we have designed a watch which will regularly monitor the heart rate of the person wearing it and then according to the rate of heart beat it will calculate whether the heartbeat of the patient is normal or not. Because in both the case of low heart beat and high heart rate can cause a heart failure. A bradycardia is a condition in which the heart rate is too low, and a tachycardia is a condition in which the heart rate is too high. Thesetwo situations may potentially result in a heart attack or heart failure. The model we created will monitor the heart rate on a regular basis, and if the person's heart rate becomes too high, it will have the prescribed prescription stored in two compartments of the smartwatch. This may aid in the early treatment of the patient and maybe save many lives.

Cardiotoxicity among Children Accidentally Exposed to Organophosphate Insecticides Coupled with Scorpion Bites in Gaza

Insecticides are toxic chemicals used at homes for controlling insects of public health importance and controlling agricultural pests at home gardens. Their application may result in accidental poisoning. Four accidental insecticide-poisoning children coupled with a scorpion bitten child were brought to the main hospital in southern Gaza for medical treatment. Primary investigation showed severe breath shortness, low heartbeat, and low blood pressure (hypotension). These symptoms are indications of potential cardiotoxicity among children. Electrocardiograms were measured and indicated various heart complications between cases. Complete blood count (CBC) determination showed the highest white blood cells (WBC) in the scorpion-bitted child suggesting the development of immune defense system. Blood electrolyte (Na+, K+, Ca2+) concentrations indicated disturbances due to poisoning. An interesting outcome of the study is the dramatic alteration in blood glucose concentration. Additionally, activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) indicated normal activity in poisoning case 1, moderate inhibition in poisoning case 2 and case 3, normal activity in poisoning case 4 and severe inhibition in poisoning case 5. The levels of Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) were within the acceptable range whereas the level of Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) was above the acceptable reference range suggesting potential Hepato-toxicity. Scorpion bitten child did not receive atropine whereas two poisoned cases were successfully cured by atropine injection. Additionally, alternative safe medical management may be used for cardiotoxicity using vitamin C, vitamin E, quercetin, and curcumin. These vitamins may be recommended as alternative medical treatments for cardiotoxicity.

Cardio-Respiratory Monitoring in Archery Using a Smart Textile Based on Flexible Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

In precision sports, the control of breathing and heart rate is crucial to help the body to remain stable in the shooting position. To improve stability, archers try to adopt similar breathing patterns and to have a low heartbeat during each shot. We proposed an easy-to-use and unobtrusive smart textile (ST) which is able to detect chest wall excursions due to breathing and heart beating. The sensing part is based on two FBGs housed into a soft polymer matrix to optimize the adherence to the chest wall and the system robustness. The ST was assessed on volunteers to figure out its performance in the estimation of respiratory frequency (fR) and heart rate (HR). Then, the system was tested on two archers during four shooting sessions. This is the first study to monitor cardio-respiratory activity on archers during shooting. The good performance of the ST is supported by the low mean absolute percentage error for fR and HR estimation (≤1.97% and ≤5.74%, respectively), calculated with respect to reference signals (flow sensor for fR, photopletismography sensor for HR). Moreover, results showed the capability of the ST to estimate fR and HR during different phases of shooting action. The promising results motivate future investigations to speculate about the influence of fR and HR on archers’ performance.

Identification of CACNA1D variants associated with sinoatrial node dysfunction and deafness in additional Pakistani families reveals a clinical significance.

Sinoatrial node dysfunction and deafness (SANDD) syndrome is rare and characterized by a low heart beat and severe-to-profound deafness. Additional features include fatigue, dizziness, and episodic syncope. The sinoatrial node (SAN) drives heart automaticity and continuously regulates heart rate. The CACNA1D gene encoding the Cav1.3 protein expressed in inner hair cells, atria and SAN, induces loss-of-function in channel activity and underlies SANDD. To date, only one variant c.1208_1209insGGG:p.(G403_V404insG) has been reported for SANDD syndrome. We studied five Pakistani families with SANDD and characterized a new missense variant p.(A376V) in CACNA1D in one family, and further characterized the founder variant p.(G403_V404insG) in four additional pedigrees. We show that affected individuals in the four families which segregate p.(G403_V404insG) share a 1.03 MB haplotype on 3p21.1 suggesting they share a common distant ancestor. In conclusion, we identified new and known variants in CACNA1D in five Pakistani families with SANDD. This study is of clinical importance as the CACNA1D founder variant is only observed in families from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, in Pakistan. Therefore, screening patients with congenital deafness for SAN dysfunction in this province could ensure adequate follow-up and prevent cardiac failure associated with SAN.

Formal Modelling and Verification of the Operational Modes of Pacemaker

Objectives: The importance of error free smooth functioning of the heart pacemaker in providing consistent relief to the heart patients has pushed the researchers to devise highly refined bug free devices. Pacemaker is an important safety critical device that is used to keep the heartbeat uniform in patients with low heartbeat. Since the smooth functioning of the pacemaker is responsible to provide oxygen and nutrients to the whole body of the patient in an appropriate ratio, therefore, any conflict in the device would be life threatening. It is therefore extremely necessary to ensure the error free working of such critical health device. Methods: Previously, different verification methods have been employed to design and verify safety critical devices with varying degree of reliability and reproducibility. Keeping in view the specifications of the pacemaker, this paper presents a model for the verification and validation of a pacemaker system using the SPIN model checker. Findings: The LTL formulas are characterized to handle the uncertainty or any abnormal activity during the process. The system model is designed using SPIN model checker in which different LTL properties are verified. A theoretical description is supported by some experimental results, generated using the existing logics and techniques. Application: This work can be further enhanced for the formal verification of critical medical equipment to ensure their correct functioning.

Cardiac signal estimation based on the arterial and venous pressure signals of a hemodialysis machine

Continuous cardiac monitoring is usually not performed during hemodialysis treatment, although a majority of patients with kidney failure suffer from cardiovascular disease. In the present paper, a method is proposed for estimating a cardiac pressure signal by combining the arterial and the venous pressure sensor signals of the hemodialysis machine. The estimation is complicated by the periodic pressure disturbance caused by the peristaltic blood pump, with an amplitude much larger than that of the cardiac pressure signal. Using different techniques for combining the arterial and venous pressure signals, the performance is evaluated and compared to that of an earlier method which made use of the venous pressure only. The heart rate and the heartbeat occurrence times, determined from the estimated cardiac pressure signal, are compared to the corresponding quantities determined from a photoplethysmographic reference signal. Signals from 9 complete hemodialysis treatments were analyzed. For a heartbeat amplitude of 0.5 mmHg, the median absolute deviation between estimated and reference heart rate was 1.3 bpm when using the venous pressure signal only, but dropped to 0.6 bpm when combining the pressure signals. The results show that the proposed method offers superior estimation at low heartbeat amplitudes. Consequently, more patients can be successfully monitored during treatment without the need of extra sensors. The results are preliminary, and need to be verified on a separate dataset.

The Role of Shox2 in SAN Development and Function

Embryonic development is a tightly regulated process, and many families of genes functions to provide a regulatory genetic network to achieve such a program. The homeobox genes are an extensive family that encodes transcription factors with a characteristic 60-amino acid homeodomain. Mutations in these genes or in the encoded proteins might result in structural malformations, physiological defects, and even embryonic death. Mutations in the short-stature homeobox gene (SHOX) is associated with idiopathic short stature in humans, as observed in patients with Turner syndrome and/or Leri-Weill dyschondrosteosis. A closely related human homolog, SHOX2, has not been linked to any syndrome or defect so far. In mice, a SHOX ortholog gene is not present in the genome; however, a true SHOX2 ortholog has been identified. Analyses of Shox2 knockout mouse models have showed crucial functions during embryonic development, including limb skeletogenesis, palatogenesis, temporomandibular joint formation, and cardiovascular development. During embryonic cardiac development, Shox2 is restrictedly expressed in the sinus venosus region, including the sinoatrial node (SAN) and the sinus valves. Shox2 null mutant is embryonically lethal due to cardiovascular defects, including a severely hypoplastic SAN and sinus valves attributed to a significantly decreased level of cell proliferation in addition to an abnormal low heartbeat rate (bradycardia). In addition, it has been demonstrated that Shox2 regulates a genetic network through the repression of Nkx2.5 to maintain the SAN fate and thus plays essential roles in its proper formation and differentiation.

Shox2 is essential for the differentiation of cardiac pacemaker cells by repressing Nkx2-5

The pacemaker is composed of specialized cardiomyocytes located within the sinoatrial node (SAN), and is responsible for originating and regulating the heart beat. Recent advances towards understanding the SAN development have been made on the genetic control and gene interaction within this structure. Here we report that the Shox2 homeodomain transcription factor is restrictedly expressed in the sinus venosus region including the SAN and the sinus valves during embryonic heart development. Shox2 null mutation results in embryonic lethality due to cardiovascular defects, including an abnormal low heart beat rate (bradycardia) and severely hypoplastic SAN and sinus valves attributed to a significantly decreased level of cell proliferation. Genetically, the lack of Tbx3 and Hcn4 expression, along with ectopic activation of Nppa, Cx40, and Nkx2-5 in the Shox2 −/− SAN region, indicates a failure in SAN differentiation. Furthermore, Shox2 overexpression in Xenopus embryos results in extensive repression of Nkx2-5 in the developing heart, leading to a reduced cardiac field and aberrant heart formation. Reporter gene expression assays provide additional evidence for the repression of Nkx2-5 promoter activity by Shox2. Taken together our results demonstrate that Shox2 plays an essential role in the SAN and pacemaker development by controlling a genetic cascade through the repression of Nkx2-5.

Basic functional properties of the cardiac muscle of the common shrew (Sorex araneus) and some other small mammals.

The resting heartbeat frequency of all the studied wild small mammals (body mass 3-20 g) was lower than that predicted by the allometric equation for a typical mammal. The heart rate of the laboratory mouse was a little higher than the expected value. The ventricular mass of the small wild mammals was higher than predicted for their size, but that of the laboratory mouse was below the expected value. Thus, adequate cardiac output in the wild small mammals is achieved by compensating the low heartbeat frequency with greater stroke volume. The shrew species are notable exceptions, which, despite having a metabolic rate 2-3 times higher than the mammalian average, neither have exceptionally high heart rates nor larger hearts than other wild small mammals. The adaptation of the shrew heart to high metabolic rate may reside in the shape of heart. The ventricular myocardium of shrews is characteristically long and narrow with a tapered apex, whereas other small mammals have rounder hearts. The duration of the ventricular action potential was short and inversely proportional to the resting heart rate of the mammalian species. Caffeine (5 mmol l-1) strongly decreased the isometric contractile force of right ventricular strips in all the studied mammals. These findings suggest that in the small mammals intracellular stores are the main source of activating Ca2+, whereas transsarcolemmal Ca2+ movement may only serve the triggering function.