Management Of Tachyarrhythmias Research Articles

An Overview of the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Landiolol (an Ultra-Short Acting β1 Selective Antagonist) in Atrial Fibrillation.

Landiolol is an ultra-short-acting, selective β1-adrenergic receptor blocker that was originally approved in Japan for the treatment of intraoperative tachyarrhythmias. It has gained attention for its use in the management of tachyarrhythmias and perioperative tachycardia, especially atrial fibrillation for both cardiac and non-cardiac surgeries. It can be the ideal agent for heart rate control due to its high β1-selectivity, potent negative chronotropic effect, a limited negative inotropic potential, and an ultrashort elimination half-life (around 4 min); moreover, it may have a potential therapeutic effects for sepsis and pediatric patients. Landiolol seems to be superior to other short-acting and selective beta-blockers such as esmolol. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of landiolol, a new ultra-short-acting β1 selective antagonist, including its pharmacology, clinical applications, efficacy, safety profile, and future directions in research and clinical data.

Fetal arrhythmias: Ten years' experience and review of the literature.

Fetal arrhythmias complicate 1-2% of all pregnancies. Ultrasound evaluation and Doppler technology are indispensable in both diagnosis and management. Digoxin, sotalol, flecainide and amiodarone are widely accepted antiarrhythmic agents that are frequently. We reviewed the maternal and fetal outcomes in cases with fetal arrhythmia in a tertiary care center in the last decade. Fetal arrhythmias were classified under three main groups: Irregular rhythms, tachyarrhythmia and bradyarrhythmia. Detailed anatomical evaluation and fetal echocardiography were performed in all cases to determine whether a structural cardiac and extracardiac anomaly accompanied fetal arrhythmia and the type of fetal arrhythmia. Digoxin was started primarily as first-line therapy in patients with persistent fetal tachyarrhythmia. In cases, not responding to digoxin, other antiarrhythmic agents (sotalol, flecainide) were combined with treatment without discontinuing digoxin. Fetal arrhythmia was detected in 36 cases during the study period. 50% (n=18/36) of the cases had supraventricular tachycardia, whereas 28% (n=10/36) of them were fetal bradyarrhythmia and 22% (n=8/36) of them were with various irregular rhythms. Transplacental therapy was initiated in 13 patients with persistent supraventricular tachycardia and atrial flutter regardless of the presence of hydrops. The success rate in transplacental therapy was 77% (n=10/13). Successful transplacental therapy was achieved in approximately 80% of cases and delivery could be postponed to advanced gestational weeks, confirming the crucial role of this treatment for the management of tachyarrhythmia.

Ebstein's Anomaly between Valve Damage and Cardiac Arrhythmia

Ebstein’s anomaly (E.A) is a congenital malformation that represents less than 1% of all congenital heart disease. They are predisposed to arrhythmias because of abnormal cardiac anatomy. We report the case of a 60-year-old female with a history of early infancy diagnosis of E.A, admitted for tachycardia with wide QRS complex. An electrophysiology study revealed an atrial rhythm and programmed atrial stimulation induced atrial tachycardia identical to the clinical tachycardia with multiple circuits. Radiofrequency ablation was not performed because of technical difficulties. At two months follow-up, the patient’s cardiac condition worsened and echocardiography revealed worsening tricuspid regurgitation. She underwent surgical repair. The postoperative course was uneventful. The diagnosis of this anomaly is mainly made by transthoracic echocardiogram, which constitutes the cornerstone of imaging examinations. Diagnosis is made when there is an apical displacement of the tricuspid septal leaflets past 8mm/m². Cardiac arrhythmias are frequent with Ebstein malformation; sudden death and accessory pathway fast-conducting AV with anterograde and retrograde conduction are commonly described in most patients. While, wide-QRS tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia (VT), or flutter through the para-septal pathway may occur. The management of tachyarrhythmias associated with E.A remains a real challenge. Even if it can be difficult given the atrial dilatation, electrophysiological exploration with possible radiofrequency ablation of symptomatic supraventricular tachyarrhythmias remains necessary. Otherwise, supraventricular tachyarrhythmia in E.A, can also be ablated surgically.

An Evaluation of Prehospital Adenosine Use

Background Adenosine has been safely used by paramedics for the treatment of stable supraventricular tachycardia since the mid-1990s. However, there continues to be variability in paramedics’ ability to identify appropriate indications for adenosine administration. As the first of a planned series of studies aimed at improving the accuracy of SVT diagnosis and successful administration of adenosine by paramedics, this study details the current usage patterns of adenosine by paramedics. Methods This cross-sectional retrospective study investigated adenosine use within a large northeast EMS region from January 1, 2019, through September 30, 2021. Excluding pediatric and duplicate case reports, we created a dataset containing patient age, sex, and vital signs before, during, and after adenosine administration; intravenous line location; and coded medical history from paramedic narrative documentation, including a history of atrial fibrillation, suspected arrhythmia diagnosis, and effect of adenosine. In cases with available prehospital electrocardiograms (EKGs) for review, two physicians independently coded the arrhythmia diagnosis and outcome of adenosine administration. Statistical analysis included interrater reliability with Cohen’s kappa statistic. Results One hundred eighty-three cases were included for final analysis, 84 did not have a documented EKG for review. Categorization of presenting rhythms in these cases occurred by a physician reviewing EMS narrative and documentation. Forty of these 84 cases (48%) were adjudicated as SVT likely, 32 (38%) as SVT unlikely and 12 (14%) as uncategorized due to lack of supporting documentation. Of the 99 cases with EKGs available to review, there was substantial agreement of arrhythmia diagnosis interpretation between physician reviewers (Cohen’s kappa 0.77–1.0); 54 cases were adjudicated as SVT by two physician reviewers. Other identified cardiac rhythms included atrial fibrillation (16), sinus tachycardia (11), and ventricular tachycardia (2). Adenosine cardioversion occurred in 47 of the 99 cases with EKGs available for physician review (47.5%). Adenosine cardioversion was also deemed to occur in 87% (47/54) of cases when the EKG rhythm was physician adjudicated SVT. Conclusions This study supports the use of adenosine as a prehospital treatment for SVT while highlighting the need for continued efforts to improve paramedics’ identification and management of tachyarrhythmias.

Fetal Tachyarrhythmia Management from Digoxin to Amiodarone-A Review.

Sustained fetal tachycardias are rare but represent a high risk of mortality and morbidity. Consensus has yet to be found regarding their optimal management. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the data available in the current literature regarding the efficacy and safety of medications used in the management of intrauterine tachyarrhythmias and to provide possible treatment protocols. In this review, we would like to emphasize the importance of a thorough evaluation of both the fetus and the mother, prior to transplacental antiarrhythmic drug initiation. Factors such as the hemodynamic status of the fetus, possible mechanisms of fetal arrhythmia, and concomitant maternal conditions are of primordial importance. As a possible treatment protocol, we would like to recommend the following: due to the risk of sustained supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), fetuses with frequent premature atrial beats should be evaluated more frequently by echocardiography. A careful hemodynamic evaluation of a fetus with tachycardia is primordial in forestalling the appearance of hydrops. In the case of atrial flutter (AFL), sotalol therapy could represent a first choice, whereas when dealing with SVT patients, flecainide should be considered, especially for hydropic patients. These data require consolidation through larger scale, non-randomized studies and should be handled with caution.

Catheter ablation in grown-up congenital heart disease patients: A single-center experience

BackgroundSupraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias represent a common complication in grown-up patients with congenital heart defects (CHD) associated with worsening of functional capacity and increased morbidity. The aim of this study was to present the experience of our department on catheter ablation (CA) addressing safety and efficacy concerns. MethodsConsecutive patients with CHD treated with CA between 2002 and 2021 in our hospital were included in this study. The established ablation techniques modified according to the patient's special anatomic characteristics were applied. NYHA functional status along with the underlying cardiac rhythm were recorded during the follow-up. ResultsIn total, 35 patients (44.9 ​± ​2.7 years, 22 males) underwent CA for the management of either supraventricular or ventricular (n ​= ​2) arrhythmia during the study period. The most common anatomical diagnoses were atrial septal defect (13), Tetralogy of Fallot (5) and transposition of great arteries (3). Atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter was the most frequent baseline diagnosis, observed in 15 (42.8%) patients, followed by intra-atrial reentrant tachycardia in 9 (25.7%) patients and atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) in 5 (14.2%). No significant complication occurred during CA. Patients were followed for a median period of 9 years after the index procedure. At this time, arrhythmia recurrence was observed in 13 patients (37,1%) of whom 6 underwent a redo procedure. Furthermore, 4 patients underwent a permanent pacemaker implantation, while 6 were offered an ICD treatment. ConclusionCA is a safe method offering significant benefits regarding the management of tachyarrhythmias and preserving functional capacity in adult patients with CHD.

Arrhythmias in Pregnancy.

Increasing maternal mortality and incidence of arrhythmias in pregnancy have been noted over the past 2 decades in the United States. Pregnancy is associated with a greater risk of arrhythmias, and patients with a history of arrhythmias are at significant risk of arrhythmia recurrence during pregnancy. The incidence of atrial fibrillation in pregnancy is rising. This review discusses the management of tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias in pregnancy, including management of cardiac arrest. Management of fetal arrhythmias are also reviewed. For patients without structural heart disease, β-blocker therapy, especially propranolol and metoprolol, and antiarrhythmic drugs, such as flecainide and sotalol, can be safely used to treat tachyarrhythmias. As a last resort, catheter ablation with minimal fluoroscopy can be performed. Device implantation can be safely performed with minimal fluoroscopy and under echocardiographic or ultrasound guidance in patients with clear indications for devices during pregnancy. Because of rising maternal mortality in the United States, which is partly driven by increasing maternal age and comorbidities, a multidisciplinary and/or integrative approach to arrhythmia management from the prepartum to the postpartum period is needed.

Characteristics, indications and complications in patients undergoing cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED): A single centre experience

Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device (CIED) is a term that encompasses pacemakers for bradyarrhythmia treatment, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) for tachyarrhythmia management, and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for heart failure with conduction delay management.

A Systematic Review of the Spectrum of Cardiac Arrhythmias in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Major structural cardiovascular diseases are associated with cardiac arrhythmias, but their full spectrum remains unknown in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which we addressed in this systematic review. Atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF/AFL) prevalence is 16–22% in heart failure, 10–28% in rheumatic heart disease, 3–7% in cardiology admissions, but <1% in the general population. Use of oral anticoagulation is heterogenous (9–79%) across SSA. The epidemiology of sudden cardiac arrest/death is less characterized in SSA. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is challenging, owing to low awareness and lack of equipment for life-support. About 18% of SSA countries have no cardiac implantable electronic devices services, leaving hundreds of millions of people without any access to treatment for advanced bradyarrhythmias, and implant rates are more than 200-fold lower than in the western world. Management of tachyarrhythmias is largely non-invasive (about 80% AF/AFL via rate-controlled strategy only), as electrophysiological study and catheter ablation centers are almost non-existent in most countries.Highlights:- Atrial fibrillation/flutter prevalence is 16–22% in heart failure, 10–28% in rheumatic heart disease, 3–7% in cardiology admissions, and <1% in the general population in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).- Rates of oral anticoagulation use for CHA2DS2VASC score ≥2 are very diverse (9–79%) across SSA countries.- Data on sudden cardiac arrest are scant in SSA with low cardiopulmonary resuscitation awareness.- Low rates of cardiac implantable electronic devices insertions and rarity of invasive arrhythmia treatment centers are seen in SSA, relative to the high-income countries.

Management of tachyarrhythmias in pregnancy - A review.

The most common arrhythmias detected during pregnancy include sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia, and sinus arrhythmia, identified in 0.1% of pregnancies. Isolated premature atrial or ventricular arrhythmias are observed in 0.03% of pregnancies. Arrhythmias may become more frequent during pregnancy or may manifest for the first time.

Special Considerations in the Management of Tachyarrhythmias in Neonates and Infants: A Report of Four Cases

Tachyarrhythmias may have variable presentations in infancy. We describe four cases of tachyarrhythmias that had an atypical course, presented a diagnostic challenge, or warranted specific management considerations. The cases highlight the need for close supervision and individualized treatment, which may vary from timely aggressive management to a cautious approach or, in some cases, watchful expectancy.

A CASE OF AMIODARONE-INDUCED HYPOTHYROIDISM COMPLICATED BY TORSADES DE POINTES

Amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic drug that is commonly used for management of tachyarrhythmias. Amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism is a well-established side effect; however severe hypothyroidism presenting with torsades de pointes (TdP) is an underappreciated complication. A 69-year-old

Intermittent Wolff-Parkinson-White.

A 16-year-old female presented to the emergency department with complaints of palpitations of two hours duration. She had similar episodes in the past brought on by stress, anger, chocolate, or coffee. The ECG obtained in the course of her medical work-up led to the diagnosis of Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. The characteristic short PR segment and delta wave are best seen in the lead I rhythm strip. In this rare example, the electrocardiographic morphology alternates between multiple beats of WPW and beats of normal sinus rhythm (A). It is important to recognize the characteristic features of pre-excitation syndromes such as WPW as patients may require treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs and/or radiofrequency ablation. Furthermore, emergency management of tachyarrhythmias in patients with a known history of WPW may differ from those without. However, as demonstrated in this example, such findings may be intermittent thus making an accurate and timely diagnosis challenging. Once it is apparent, proper documentation with copies of the ECG or rhythm strip in the patient record is imperative. In this case, the patient was also provided with a copy of her ECG to show the cardiologist which proved to be important since a repeat ECG at the cardiology clinic later the same day was unremarkable (B).

High sensitivity troponin in the management of tachyarrhythmias.

The introduction of the highly sensitive troponin (hs-trop) assays into clinical practice has allowed for the more rapid diagnosis or exclusion of type 1 myocardial infarctions (T1MI) by clinicians, in addition type 2 myocardial infarctions (T2MI) are now more frequently detected. Tachyarrhythmias are one of the common causes of T2MI, the medium and long term outcome for this cohort of T2MI is yet to be clarified. Retrospective review of consecutive patients admitted with a diagnosis of either (a) non ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or (b) tachyarrhythmia was performed. Data were collected on patient demographics and investigations. Patient mortality status was recorded through the Personal Demographics Service (PDS) via NHS Digital. A total of 704 patients were eligible for inclusion to the study. 264 patients were included in the study with a final discharge diagnosis of NSTEMI and 440 patients with a final discharge diagnosis of tachyarrhythmia. There was a significantly higher peak troponin in NSTEMI patients compared to the tachyarrhythmia troponin positive group (4552ng/L vs 571ng/L, p<0.001). Mortality was significantly higher in the troponin positive tachyarrhythmia patients than the troponin negative patients (54 vs 34, 26.2% vs 14.5%, log rank p=0.003), furthermore, the mortality of NSTEMI and troponin positive tachyarrhythmia patients was similar (55 vs 54, 20.8% vs 26.2%, log rank p=0.416). Only one patient (0.14%) was given a formal diagnosis of T2MI. These data suggest that troponin positive tachyarrhythmia is not a benign diagnosis, and has a mortality rate similar to NSTEMI. Formal labeling as T2MI is rare in real life practice. More investigation into the detection and management of T2MI and troponin positive arrhythmia patients is now warranted.

P363Atrial tachyarrhythmia management in commercial airline pilots: do they regain their licence after catheter ablation?

P363Atrial tachyarrhythmia management in commercial airline pilots: do they regain their licence after catheter ablation?

Management of tachyarrhythmia during pregnancy

Maternal tachyarrhythmia is a common complication during pregnancy due to hormonal changes that enhance pre-existing arrhythmias or induce new arrhythmias in the presence of congenital heart defects in pregnant females. Presence of tachyarrhythmia during pregnancy poses risk to the mother and fetus, calling for proper treatment with medications. Use of antiarrhythmic drugs in cases of maternal tachyarrhythmia must give due consideration of potential teratogenic side effects. Utilization of antiarrhythmic drugs during pregnancy has been well studied; some result in minimal fetal harm or none at all. New techniques, such as cardiac ablation, have also been implemented with minimal or no radiation exposure to the fetus or mother. Pregnant women with tachyarrhythmia have been successfully treated with little to no impact on the developing fetus as result of increasing experience with antiarrhythmic drugs and progress of new procedural techniques.

Diagnosis and Acute Management of Tachyarrhythmias in Children.

Tachyarrhythmias form a significant majority of the cardiac emergencies encountered in the pediatric age group. While the initial management often depends on the hemodynamic status of the patient at presentation, a systematic approach that follows the stabilization of the patient with the tools available at bedside, specifically the surface electrocardiogram often results in optimal treatment response that is tailored towards the mechanism and severity of the arrhythmia. The goal of this review is to provide the pediatric cardiologist with such an approach based on clinical history and analysis of the electrocardiogram (ECG). Illustrative examples are used to explain this approach towards the more common tachyarrhythmias. A general overview of the initial anti-arrhythmic interventions will be provided.

Learning decision making through serious games.

In Serious Games (SGs), educational content is integrated into a game so that learning is intrinsic to play, thereby motivating players and improving engagement. SGs enable learning by developing situated understanding in users and by enabling players to practise safe clinical decision making; however, the use of SGs in medical education is not well established. We aimed to design a game-based resource to teach clinical decision making to medical students, and to assess user perceptions of educational value, usability and the role for SGs in undergraduate training. An SG focusing on the acute management of tachyarrhythmias was developed. Third- and fourth-year medical students at the medical school were invited to use and evaluate the game using questionnaires and focus groups. We invited 479 students, and 281 accessed the game. Only 47 students completed the questionnaire and 31 students participated in the focus groups. The data suggest that SGs: (1) can allow students to rehearse taking responsibility for decision making; (2) are fun and motivational; (3) have a role in revising and consolidating knowledge; and (4) could be formative assessment tools. Serious Games enable learning by developing situated understanding in users SGs could be employed as adjuvant learning resources to develop students' skills and knowledge. Further empirical research is required to assess the added value of games in medical education.

Electrophysiology and radiofrequency ablation for the management of tachyarrhythmias in adult Fontan patients

Electrophysiology and radiofrequency ablation for the management of tachyarrhythmias in adult Fontan patients

敗血症患者における頻脈性不整脈の検討

敗血症患者における頻脈性不整脈の検討