Arrhythmias are common problems in hypertensive patients. The presence and complexity of both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias may influence morbidity, mortality, as well as the quality of life of patients. Diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle, left atrial size and function, and left ventricular hypertrophy have been suggested as the underlying risk factors for supraventricul...

The study by St John Sutton et al 1 in this issue of Circulation provides additional information on the importance of the myocardial substrate for the genesis of cardiac arrhythmias, in this instance, ventricular arrhythmias in the postinfarction remodeled human left ventricle (LV). The authors demonstrate significant relationships between ventricular arrhythmias and LV size, mass, and function...

The development of ventricular arrhythmias is often a consequence of the interaction between structural abnormalities of the heart and transient disturbances in the electrophysiologic milieu. The critically ill patient is particularly susceptible to arrhythmias given the metabolic, ischemic, and neurohormonal stressors present in the intensive care unit. The significance of ventricular arrhythm...

Management strategies for ventricular arrhythmias are guided by the risk of sudden death and severity of symptoms. Patients with a substantial risk of sudden death usually need an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Although ICDs effectively end most episodes of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation and decrease mortality in specific populations of patients, they have in...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the circadian variation of ventricular arrhythmias detected by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in patients with and without ischemic heart disease. BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown a circadian variation of ventricular arrhythmias, sudden death and myocardial infarction with a peak occurrence in the morning hours. The circadia...

The incidence and significance of the development of ventricular arrhythmias during insertion and removal of pulmonary artery monitoring catheters were determined in stable postcardiac surgical patients. Insertion of 173 (69 percent) of 250 catheters was associated with ventricular arrhythmias and removal in 158 (63 percent) of these catheters (p greater than 0.05). All arrhythmias resolved spo...

Historically, left ventricular cardiomyopathy and coronary heart disease have been regarded as the main causes of ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. However, within last two decades, arrhythmias originating from the right ventricle have begun to attract the attention of the scientific world for a number of reasons. Ventricular arrhythmias originating from the right ventricle usual...

OBJECTIVE To assess QT interval dispersion on the surface electrocardiogram in patients with sustained ventricular arrhythmias. DESIGN A retrospective and prospective blinded controlled study of patients referred for investigation of ventricular arrhythmias at a tertiary cardiac centre. PATIENTS AND METHODS 89 consecutive patients with sustained ventricular arrhythmias due to chronic ischae...