BACKGROUND During the past decade, quality of life (QoL) has become an accepted measure of disease impact, therapeutic outcome, and evaluation of interventions. So far, very little is known about the effects of community-based interventions on people's QoL. Therefore, the effect of an integrative cardiovascular diseases community-based intervention programme 'Hartslag Limburg' on QoL after 5-ye...

OBJECTIVE This prospective study investigated the diagnostic significance of the N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic (NT-proBNP) and troponin I peptides in emergency department patients presenting with palpitations. METHODS Two groups of patients with palpitations but without documented supraventricular tachycardia were compared: a group with supraventricular tachycardia (n = 49) and a control g...

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a progressive genetic disease of the myocardium characterized by loss myocardial cells and replacement fibrofatty tissue in right and/or left ventricle (RV/LV), clinically manifested syncope, palpitations, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death (SCD). We presented case where patient suffered from palpitations for previous three to four years, which resolve...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between socioeconomic factors and the exacerbation of cardiovascular symptoms among evacuees after the Great East Japan Earthquake. METHODS A sample of 73 433 individuals was included in the Fukushima Health Management Survey. Self-report questionnaires were used to determine the influence of socioeconomic factors including living arrangements, loss of...

OBJECTIVES This study assesses the value of the "ATP test" (injection of adenosine triphosphate [ATP] during sinus rhythm) for identifying patients with palpitations of unclear etiology who actually have atrioventricular (AV) nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT) or AV re-entry tachycardia (AVRT). BACKGROUND Because AVNRT and AVRT can be cured with radiofrequency ablation, documentation of spont...