[Clinical features of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia of various types and their radiofrequency ablation therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (IVT) and evaluate the effect of radiofrequency ablation therapy for their management. METHODS: An retrospective analysis was conducted in 165 IVT patients who received radiofrequency ablation therapy. IVT was classified into 3 types according to the site of origin, namely the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT-IVT, 86 cases), left ventricular septum (LV-IVT, 75 cases), and left Valsalva sinus (4 cases). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: RVOT-IVT was more frequent in female patients than in male patients (60 vs 26, M/F ratio of 0.43). In LV-IVT, male patients prevailed (54 vs 21, M/F ratio of 2.57), suggesting a gender difference in the incidence of IVT. IVT occurred mainly in young and middle-age patients. Most RVOT-IVT occurred in the third to fourth decade of life (mean 36-/+12 years), and LV-IVT occurred at a younger age than did RVOT-IVT (mean 26-/+15 years, P<0.01). Twelve-lead ECGs revealed left bundle branch block morphology in RVOT-IVT, and most of them presented with frequent premature ventricular contraction and/or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. All the RVOT-IVT patients were successfully ablated by radiofrequency energy in pace mapping. LV-IVT patients with right bundle branch block morphology presented sustained ventricular tachycardia for most of the time, and 97% of the patients were successfully managed with radiofrequency ablation in activation mapping. Four IVT patients were characterized by atypical bundle branch block, an inferior axis, and an R/S ratio >1 in lead V3 or V2, and their tachycardia was ablated successfully in the left sinus of Valsalva using pace mapping. Radiofrequency ablation is currently an effective procedure for IVT management.

[Protective effects of losartan against myocardial ischemic reperfusion in intact canine].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the protective effect of losartan, an angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonist, against myocardial ischemic reperfusion in intact canine. METHODS: Sixteen dogs were divided into model group(n=8) with left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 30 min and losartan group (n=8) with 5 mg/(kg x d) intragastric losartan administration for 2 weeks before the ischemic-reperfusion model establishment. Monophasic action potential recording technique was employed to observe the incidence of early after depolarization (EAD) and reperfusion arrhythmias. RESULTS: In the model group, 5 dogs (62.5%) developed EAD and reperfusion arrhythmia while 3 (37.5%) developed the symptoms in losartan group, showing significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). No ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation was observed in losartan group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Losartan can suppress the occurrence of EAD during reperfusion following myocardial ischemia to reduce the incidence of reperfusion arrhythmias, suggesting its protective effect against myocardial ischemic injury.