Intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP) are commonly used in the setting of an acute myocardial infarction that is complicated by cardiogenic shock or mechanical complications such as a ventricular septal defect or papillary muscle rupture. IABP has also been shown to be useful in patients with refractory and hemodynamically unstable ventricular arrhythmias and refractory post-myocardial infarction a...

The effect of the autonomic system on conduction disorders in the infarction zone (IZ) and related reentrant ventricular arrhythmias (RVA) in the late myocardial infarction period in the dog was studied utilizing averaged recordings of the reentrant pathways from the epicardial surface of the IZ. Vagal (V) stimulation was found to have no significant direct electrophysiologic effect while sympa...

Reperfusion-induced lethal ventricular arrhythmias are observed during relief of coronary artery spasm, with unstable angina, exercise-induced ischemia, and silent ischemia. Accordingly, significant efforts are underway to understand the mechanisms responsible for reperfusion-induced lethal arrhythmias and mice have become increasingly important in these efforts. However, although reperfusion-i...

Inhalational anesthetic-induced preconditioning (APC) has been shown to reduce infarct size and attenuate contractile dysfunction caused by myocardial ischemia. Only a few studies have reported the effects of APC on arrhythmias during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, focusing exclusively on reperfusion. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to examine the influence of APC on vent...

since the introduction of our local manufacturing of terfenadine, we have observed and expressed our concern about a small but increasing number of serious ventricular arrhythmias associated with the use of this non sedating antihistamine. in january 1997 a case of torsade de pointes ventricular tachycardia was detected in a previously healthy woman taking terfenadine with erythromycin. electro...

The prognostic significance of the response to programmed ventricular stimulation was studied in 75 stable survivors of acute myocardial infarction. Programmed ventricular stimulation induced sustained ventricular arrhythmias in 33 (44%) patients and did not induce these arrhythmias in 42 (56%) patients. During a mean follow up of 18 months, four patients died suddenly and three developed spont...

OBJECTIVES In a retrospective study, we sought to evaluate the effect of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy on ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with advanced congestive heart failure. BACKGROUND Despite the increasing use of LVAD as a bridge to cardiac transplantation, our knowledge regarding its effect on ventricular arrhythmias is currently limited to small series. Little...