Occurrence Of Ventricular Extrasystoles Research Articles

Analysis of Holter-electrocardiogram at the early stage of acute coronary syndrome in Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo)

Abstract Introduction: Acute coronary syndrome is a medical emergency resulting from sudden obstruction of the coronary artery. The main objective of this study was to describe the pattern of rhythm abnormalities at the early stage of acute coronary syndrome and their possible associated factors in Brazzaville (Congo). Methods: A prospective and analytical study was carried out in the Cardiology Department of the University Hospital of Brazzaville from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021. We included consecutively all patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome and having carried out a Holter-electrocardiogram (EKG) during the first 24 h. Results: The study concerned 59 patients. Coronary syndrome including ST segment elevation in 54 patients (91.5%) and without ST elevation in five patients (8.5%). The location of electrocardiographic abnormalities was anterosepto-apical (30.5%), extensive anterior (22%), anteroseptal (20.3%), inferior (17%), lateral (6.8%), and apicolateral (3.4%). Rhythm and conduction abnormalities on Holter-EKG were supraventricular extrasystole (49.2%), ventricular extrasystole (47.5%), atrioventricular block (6.8%), atrial fibrillation (3.4%), and ventricular tachycardia (3.4%). No relationship was found between clinico-biological factors and the occurrence of ventricular extrasystoles. Conclusion: The early stage of acute coronary syndrome was mostly associated to ventricular and supraventricular extrasystoles without link with clinico-biological factors.

Development of a Bayesian belief network for the diagnosis of ventricular arrhythmias

Ventricular extrasystoles (VE) are considered the most dangerous type of heart rhythm disorders for human life, their timely detection, diagnosis and prevention are urgent issues of cardiology. In order to ensure the objectivity of diagnosis of VE, it is necessary to process a large amount of information related to the results of various medical studies, tests, anamnesis, accompanying diseases, etc., along with a long-term Holter ECG monitor. In order to process such a large amount of information and make a correct diagnosis, the issue of applying medical expert systems (MES) to doctors is currently relevant. ESs using probabilistic models based on Bayes' theorem are currently preferred because there are uncertainties in medical diagnosis issues that the same symptoms may be related to different diseases. The object of this study is the development and construction of a Bayesian belief network (BBN) for the purpose of diagnosing VEs. The choice of BBN is justified by the fact that they have the ability to combine several types of information, as well as the ability to manage uncertainties and work with incomplete information. The result of the application of the developed BBN is a probabilistic assessment of the diagnosis of VE. This network was built in the NETICA system from Norsys Software Corp. A distinctive feature of this work is that when compiling the table of conditional probabilities of BBN for the diagnosis of VE, together with the results of ECG and echo-ECG studies, data on the influence of additional factors that play a role in the occurrence of VE were used, such as the index of oxygen saturation of erythrocytes in the blood, changes in the thickness of the intima-media layer of the aortic artery and the amount of lipid fractions of blood plasma

Markers of autonomic tone on a standard ECG are predictive of mortality in old age

Background To investigate markers of autonomic tone on a standard electrocardiogram in relation to mortality in old age. Methods A total of 599 inhabitants of Leiden, the Netherlands, were enrolled in a population-based follow-up study at their 85th birthday. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were taken on entry and annually thereafter. ECGs were analysed automatically to determine four markers of autonomic tone, i.e. heart rate, the occurrence of ventricular extrasystoles and two time domain measures of heart rate variability. All participants were followed up for mortality. Results Participants with a heart rate in the highest quartile had a 1.8-fold increased total mortality risk (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0–3.4), but not an increased cardiovascular mortality risk. The occurrence of at least one ventricular extrasystole was related with a 2.3-fold increased total mortality risk (95% CI 1.3–3.9) and a 3.6-fold increased cardiovascular mortality (95% CI 1.6–8.2). In stratified analyses, the prognostic effect was confined to males. Both measures of heart rate variability were not related to mortality. Conclusion High heart rate and the occurrence of a ventricular extrasystole, both markers of sympathetic dominance, were predictive of mortality in old age. Two short-term measures of heart rate variability as measured on a standard 10-s ECG were not related to mortality, and hence may not reflect autonomic tone in old age.

Systemic Anaphylaxis Associated with Intramammary Isosulfan Blue Injection Used for Sentinel Node Detection under General Anesthesia

IDENTIFICATION of the sentinel lymph node, a marker for metastatic disease, is used increasingly for the surgical management of melanomas and tumors of the head and neck, breast, thyroid, and genitourinary and gastrointestinal tracts. 1 Isosulfan blue (Lymphazurin; Ben Venue Laboratories, Bedford, OH) is the agent most commonly used, occasionally in conjunction with technetium sulfur colloid. Allergic reactions to this dye were reported previously during lymphangiography. 2,3 We report a systemic reaction associated with use of isosulfan blue for detection of the axillary sentinel node in breast cancer.

A field study on the immediate effects of exposure to low-altitude flights on heart rate and arrhythmia in patients with cardiac diseases.

Noise from low-altitude military flights differs from most other sources of noise by virtue of its unpredictability in space and time, its very high maximal levels, and the fast increase in noise level at high flight speeds. While this makes low-altitude flights a frightening and annoying experience, the potential immediate health hazards for exposed individuals with preexisting cardiovascular disease are unclear. A field study on the immediate effects of exposure to low-altitude flights on heart rate and arrhythmia was conducted among patients of a rehabilitation clinic for cardiac diseases in the summer of 1990 in Bad Rothenfelde, Germany. Twenty-four hour electrocardiograms of 68 patients taken on days when low-altitude overflights with peak sound pressure levels above 95 dB(A) were registered on the flat roof of the clinic were analyzed for changes in the heart rate or the occurrence of ventricular extrasystoles in four 2-min periods before, around, and after the overflights. Overall, 149 "overflight events" were included in the analysis. No major changes in the heart rate or in the frequency of ventricular extrasystoles were observed, but this could be partly due to problems inherent in the field approach. Nevertheless, the potential effects on heart rate and arrhythmia of low-altitude flights appear to be of limited magnitude compared to the potential effects of other factors, such as psychological or physical exposures, and they are probably too small to be proven under field conditions in an observational epidemiologic study in Germany following the limitations placed on the frequency and altitude of flights in September 1990.

Promising reduction of ventricular fibrillation in experimentally induced heart infarction by antioxidant therapy.

Studies were undertaken using a synthetic free radical scavenger (MTDQ-DA) on regional ischaemic dog hearts; it was found that the rate of malignant ventricular arrhythmias and fibrillation after coronary ligature unexpectedly decreased. According to experiments on 22 dogs, the intravenous MTDQ-DA therapy decreases the unfavourable ECG consequences of left anterior descending branch ligature: already 5 to 10 minutes after drug administration the ST segment elevation, the QT interval lengthening and the occurrence of ventricular extrasystoles and salvos are diminishing. The so-called epicardial ST map ameliorates rapidly. MTDQ-DA as a blocking agent of free radicals is able to prevent the irritative stimuli around and in the border zone of an infarct, has a vigorous anti-arrhythmogenous effect and greatly reduces the electric heterogeneity. These unexpected results may lead to a promising therapy for the acute heart infarction.

Alcohol intake, serum beta 2-microglobulin and ventricular extrasystoles. Factors related to death in five-year follow up of middle-aged men.

Common causes of death in middle-aged men in Sweden are ischemic heart disease and malignant tumours. In this work the authors relate some findings in a healthy survey of sixty-year old men to mortality in the ensuing five-year follow-up period. Of the original population of 331, 60-year old men 15 subjects (4.5%) died in the follow-up period. The factors tested for relation to death in the follow-up period were: indices of alcohol abuse, serum concentration of β2-microglobulin and occurrence of ventricular extrasystoles in a long term (6 hrs) ambulatory electrocardiogram. It was found that in seven of the fifteen deceased subjects at least episodical heavy abuse of alcohol had prevailed. This was not evident at the health examination by use of serum gammaglutamyltransferase analysis, nor through the death certificates, but through hospital records and registration at the Temperance Board. Four subjects died (1.2%) of malignant tumours, and three of these subjects had serum-β2-microglobulin values above t...