Quality of life in patients with a leadless pacemaker versus transvenous pacemaker.

Background: The transvenous pacemaker (PM) is a well-accepted device for advanced atrioventricular block and sick sinus syndrome, but it is associated with complications. Leadless pacemakers (LPM) offer a solution by eliminating transvenous leads and PM pocket, potentially improving outcomes. However, the impact of LPM on quality of life (QoL) remains understudied.

Echocardiographic imaging in patients with conduction system pacing.

Conduction system pacing (CSP), encompassing His-bundle pacing (HBP) and left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP), revolutionizes cardiac pacing, allowing a more physiological left ventricular activation than conventional right ventricular (RV) pacing through electrode placed in RV apex, interventricular septum or right ventricular outflow tract. Echocardiography plays a pivotal role in patient assessment, primarily by measuring left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) to determine the pacing strategy in alignment with current guidelines. Clinical data, simulations and ongoing trials on CSP explore CSP viability across various LVEF conditions.

Left bundle branch area pacing in children: case series.

Background: Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is a new concept that provides physiological pacing with a narrow QRS duration. Recently published data suggest that LBBAP may prevent deleterious effects of right ventricular pacing, namely pacemaker-induced cardiomyopathy, especially in patients with expected high ventricular pacing burden, which may be of particular importance in children.

Case Summary: Herein, we report successful implantation of Medtronic SelectSecure (Model 3830, Medtronic Inc.

Long-term outcomes, mortality predictors, and cardiac-device-related infective endocarditis in patients with surgically corrected valvular versus non-valvular heart failure treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Background: Little is known about the prognosis in patients with valvular etiology of heart failure (HF) after cardiac surgery treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Aims: We aimed to assess long-term outcomes, mortality predictors, and the risk of cardiac device-related infective endocarditis (CDRIE) in patients with valvular etiology of HF after cardiac surgery treated with CRT.

Methods: The study population involved 1059 consecutive patients with CRT implanted between 2002 and 2019 in a tertiary care university hospital in Poland.

The impact of shock therapy on depression development and remote prognosis in cardiac resynchronization therapy recipients.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and clinical significance of depression in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (CRT-D). The study was also to evaluate the impact of shock therapy on depression development and long-term prognosis.

Methods: The prospective study encompassed 396 consecutive heart failure (HF) patients implanted with CRT-D.

Predictors of ventricular tachyarrhythmia in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and non-ischemic systolic heart failure.

Background: The benefit derived from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) in subjects with non-ischemic systolic HF (NICM) is less well-established.

Aim: The study aimed to determine the incidence, predictors, and prognostic impact of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ICD and NICM.

Methods: The study sample included 377 consecutive patients with ICD or cardiac resynchronization cardioverter-defibrillators (CRT-D, 74% of patients) and NICM implanted and monitored remotely in a university hospital.

Poststroke Cardiovascular Management: Current Concepts, Integrated Care, and Future Developments.

After an ischemic stroke patients often have cardiovascular complications known as stroke-heart syndrome. The cardiovascular management after stroke has a significant impact on life expectancy as well as the quality of life. The development and implementation of management pathways to improve outcomes for patients with stroke-heart syndrome requires a multidisciplinary involvement from health care professionals from primary, secondary and tertiary prevention levels.

Lead-related tricuspid regurgitation and ventricle dysfunction: Current management and future perspectives.

The implantation of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) may result in or worsen previously existing tricuspid regurgitation (TR). The prevelence of lead-related tricuspid regurgitation (LRTR) in patients with CIEDs is between 7.2% and 44.

Patient selection, peri-procedural management, and ablation techniques for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: an EHRA survey.

Catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is the therapy of choice for the maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with symptomatic AF. Time towards interventional treatment and peri-procedural management of patients undergoing AF ablation may vary in daily practice. The scope of this European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) survey was to report the current clinical practice regarding the management of patients undergoing AF ablation and physician's adherence to the European Society of Cardiology Guidelines and the EHRA/HRS/ECAS expert consensus statement on the CA for AF.

Heart failure in patients with atrial fibrillation: Insights from Polish part of the EORP-AF general long-term registry.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the impact of heart failure (HF) on clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: We analysed data from Polish participants of the EURObservational Research Programme-AF General Long-Term Registry. The primary endpoint was all-cause death, and the secondary endpoints included hospital readmissions, cardiovascular (CV) interventions, thromboembolic and haemorrhagic events, rhythm control interventions, and other CV or non-CV diseases development during one-year follow up.

Contemporary management of ventricular electrical storm in Europe: results of a European Heart Rhythm Association Survey.

Electrical storm (ES) is a predictor of mortality, and its treatment is challenging. Moreover, not all potential therapeutic strategies are available in all hospitals, and a standardized approach among European centres is lacking. The aim of this European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) survey was to assess the current management of patients with ES both in the acute and post-acute phases in 102 different European centres.

Quality of life in patients with a subcutaneous vs. transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

Background: The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD) are well-accepted life-saving devices for treating potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmia, but little is known about quality of life (QoL) in patients with S-ICD and ICD.

Aims: Our study aimed to compare QoL in patients with S-ICD and ICD.

Methods: All consecutive patients who had S-ICD implanted between October 2015 and September 2021 were included in the study.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation as a treatment option in a patient with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and atrial flutter after Fontan operation-Case report.

We report a 15-year-old male with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) after Fontan operation with recurrent, drug-resistant atrial tachycardia. With the use of electro-anatomical mapping system (EnSite) an atrial flutter (AFl) with reentry activation around the tricuspid valve was diagnosed. Successful radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) was performed.

Utilization of Subcutaneous Cardioverter-Defibrillator in Poland and Europe-Comparison of the Results of Multi-Center Registries.

The implantation of a subcutaneous cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) may be used instead of a traditional transvenous system to prevent sudden cardiac death. Our aim was to compare the characteristics of S-ICD patients from the multi-center registry of S-ICD implantations in Poland with the published results of the European Snapshot Survey on S-ICD Implantation (ESSS-SICDI). We compared data of 137 Polish S-ICD patients with 68 patients from the ESSS-SICDI registry.