[The efficacy and safety of edoxaban in non-valvular atrial fibrillation]. / Az edoxabán véralvadásgátló hatásossága és biztonságossága nonvalvuláris pitvarfibrillációban.

The significantly increased incidence of stroke and systemic embolisation caused by atrial fibrillation can be prevented by adequately adjusted anticoagulant therapy. Vitamin K antagonists effectively decrease the risk of thromboembolic events but this effect is influenced by many factors. The development of the new direct oral anticoagulant drugs (DOAC) in the last few years provided new opportunities for us to choose the suitable anticoagulant therapy. According to the results of the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 and ENSURE-AF multicenter, randomized trials, edoxaban, the recently introduced DOAC is equally effective as the traditional coumarin therapy, nevertheless, it ensures more tolerable anticoagulation for patients suffering from non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(12): 466-469.

[Interatrial block and its clinical relevance. Renaissance of an ECG change]. / Az interatrialis blokk és klinikai jelentosége. Egy EKG-entitás reneszánsza.

Interatrial block involves conduction delay between the right and left atria during sinus rhythm. The review describes the classification, pathomechanism and clinical significance of this under-recognised ECG sign, nominated Bayés syndrome. The presented ECGs help to recognise the differentypes of interatrial blocks. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(3): 91-95.

[Novel mechanisms in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation: tailored individual treatment]. / Új felismerések a pitvarfibrilláció genezisében és fenntartásában: az egyénre szabott kezelés lehetoségei.

Atrial fibrillation affects approximately three percent of the adults. Ablation strategies targeting the isolation of the pulmonary veins are the up-to-date cornerstones for atrial fibrillation ablations. However, a one-year success rate of repeated interventions is not more than 70%. Long-term efficacy of catheter ablation is presumably limited by electrical and structural remodeling of the atria, which results in a progressive increase in the duration of atrial fibrillation to become sustained. The potential pathophysiological importance of the epicardial adipose tissue, atrial fibrosis, autonomic nervous system and arrhythmogenic foci are documented by several studies. Increased volume, inflammation induced transformation to fibrosis and myocardial infiltration of atrial subepicardial fat in obese patients result in higher risk of atrial fibrillation development. Changes in atrial autonomic innervation under some conditions including regular physical exercise strongly promote arrhythmogenesis via the mechanism of enhanced triggered activity or abbreviated atrial refractoriness. Individualized management of possible trigger and substrate mechanisms are proposed to provide a novel basis for the effective treatment of atrial fibrillation. Pro-fibrotic signalling pathways can be inhibited by the suppression of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Neuromodulation strategies include renal sympathetic denervation and ganglionic plexi ablation. Anticoagulation therapy has also been shown to reduce the burden of abnormal atrial remodeling. Possible novel catheter ablation techniques are used for right or left atrial linear lesions, scar homogenization and catheter ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms, rotors or ectopic foci. Beside these new management strategies, clinical consideration of factors of particular risks as obesity, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes and obstructive sleep apnoe are also essential. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(28): 1135-1145.

[Old and new oral anticoagulants in the management of atrial fibrillation. Hungarian data]. / Régi és új orális antikoagulánsok hazai alkalmazása pitvarfibrillációban.

INTRODUCTION: Despite a progress in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation this arrhythmia is one of the major causes of stroke, heart failure, sudden death and cardiovascular morbidity. Oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonist or non-vitamin K antagonist markedly reduces stroke and mortality in atrial fibrillation patients. AIM: To estimate the real-life vitamin K antagonist and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant treatment in past years in Hungary. METHOD: Analysis of the National Health Insurance Administation database for atrial fibrillation (BNO: I48) between 2010-2015. We assumed that AF patient would turn to health care provides at least once either as inpatients or outpatients in a 5-year period. The patient was accepted as adherent after 6 months therapy and at least 80% oral anticoagulant prescription. RESULTS: The prevalence of AF in Hungary is 3%. The mortality rate of AF 7%-10% per year. The adherence of the old oral anticoagulant treatment was 55%, but it was 69% among patient treated by "new" oral anticoagulant treatment. However, one third of the patients are not treated by effective old or new oral anticoagulant treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We need more effort to improve the effective and high adherence oral anticoagulant therapy in our country. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(39): 1545-1549.

[Risk of thromboembolism in atrial fibrillation]. / Thromboemboliás kockázat pitvarfibrillációban.

Atrial fibrillation is considered as one of the cardiovascular pandemics of our days due to its increasing prevalence and the significant burden on healthcare systems. Management, especially prevention of thromboembolism associated with the arrhythmia is still a challenge even with recently available treatment options. Herein, the author reviews the possibilities of risk stratification and stroke prevention, which are important to all medical professionals who potentially encounter patients with this arrhythmia. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(38), 1511-1515.

[Catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: new generation cryoballoon or contact force sensing radiofrequency ablation?]. / A paroxysmalis pitvarfibrilláció kezelésének transzkatéteres ablatiós technikái: új generációs krioballon vagy kontaktero-méréssel kombinált rádiófrekvenciás ablatio?

INTRODUCTION: Contact force sensing radiofrequency ablation and the new generation cryoballoon ablation are prevalent techniques for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. AIM: The authors aimed to compare the procedural and 1-year outcome of patients after radiofrequency and cryoballoon ablation. METHOD: 96 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (radiofrequency ablation: 58, cryoballoon: 38 patients; 65 men and 31 women aged 28-70 years) were enrolled. At postprocedural 1, 3, 6 and 12 months ECG, Holter monitoring and telephone interviews were performed. RESULTS: Procedure and fluorosocopy time were: radiofrequency ablation, 118.5 ± 15 min and 15.8 ± 6 min; cryoballoon, 73.5 ± 16 min (p<0.05) and 13.8 ± 4.,1 min (p = 0.09), respectively. One year later freedom from atrial fibrillation was achieved in 76.5% of patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation and in 81% of patients treated with cryoballoon. Temporary phrenic nerve palsy occurred in two patients and pericardial tamponade developed in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: In this single center study freedom from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was similar in the two groups with significant shorter procedure time in the cryoballoon group.

[Recurrent acute myocardial infarction as a thromboembolic complication of atrial fibrillation]. / Recidív akut myocardialis infarctus pitvarfibrilláció miatt.

Coronary thromboembolism with subsequent myocardial infarction is a rare complication of atrial fibrillation. The authors present the history of a 55-year-old male with a history of acute myocardial infarction caused by thromboembolism in the distal part of left anterior descending coronary artery and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, who presented one year later with new chest pain, ST-segment elevation and atrial fibrillation. Coronarography confirmed the presence of thrombus in the circumflex coronary artery. Transesophageal echocardiogram showed left atrial appendage thrombus. To the knowledge of the authors this is the first report of recurrent myocardial infarction caused by atrial fibrillation.

[Direct oral anticoagulants in cardiology]. / Direkt orális antikoagulánsok a kardiológiában.

Antithrombotic drug therapy is a main cornerstone - sometimes a fairly uneven cornerstone - of today's clinical practice. Patients treated with antithrombotic drugs appear sometimes unawaited at those of our colleagues, who are not necessarily experts of this narrow field. Furthermore, new and newer molecules of antiplatelet and anticoagulant medicines have come into practice, frequently in combination. This dramatic development has been important to patients; pharmacological - and recently nonpharmacological - antithrombotic treatment has paved the way to improve current modalities in cardiology. Combining elements of the "old four" (heparin, coumadin, aspirin, clopidogrel) have been the basis of any improvement for a long time. Nowadays, there has been an involvement of new drugs, direct oral anticoagulants into practice. It is time now to catch up in using new anticoagulants, regardless of our current speciality in medicine. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(38), 1507-1510.

[Stroke prevention after stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation: a case-based review]. / Stroke-prevenció stroke után pitvarfibrillációban - eseten alapuló áttekintés.

Non-valvular atrial fibrillation is one of the most important risk factor for embolic cerebral infarcts. Besides vitamin K antagonists, recently developed novel oral anticoagulants are gaining an increasing role in its treatment. Dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban are novel oral anticoagulants available in the routine clinical practice. This review summarizes their use and the corresponding guidelines in the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke, by answering questions raised in relation of a hypothetical case report.

[Efficacy and safety of apixaban compared with warfarin regarding time within the therapeutic range]. / Az apixaban hatékonysága és biztonságossága a warfarinhoz képest a terápiás tartományban töltött ido függvényében.

Prevention of thromboembolism by lifelong anticoagulation is an important therapeutic goal in patients with atrial fibrillation according to recent guidelines. Major drawback of vitamin K antagonists are their narrow therapeutic range and interactions with other drugs and food. These have significant impact on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics requiring regular measurements of the international normalized ratio. Efficiency of the anticoagulant therapy depends considerably on time within the therapeutic range of prothrombin international normalized ratio. Time within the therapeutic range represents the percentage of time within the required range of prothrombin international normalized ratio. Prothrombin international normalized ratio outside the therapeutic range increases the risk of thromboembolism or bleeding according to whether it falls below or above the range. New oral anticoagulants do not require routine monitoring of anticoagulation. Their efficacy and safety are shown to be at least as good as or better than those of warfarin. In patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation ARISTOTLE study revealed that antithrombotic effect of apixaban compared with warfarin is better and with lower bleeding risk irrespective of the quality of prothrombin international normalized ratio control. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(5), 177-181.

[Prognostic significance of variant left common pulmonary vein after transcatheter pulmonary vein isolation]. / A variáns bal oldali közös tüdovéna prognosztikus jelentosége transzkatéteres tüdovéna-izolációt követoen.

INTRODUCTION: Left common pulmonary vein is the most common anatomical variant of pulmonary veins that may affect the outcome of pulmonary vein isolation. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to compare procedural data and outcomes in patients with common trunk versus normal left atrial anatomy for radiofrequency and cryoballoon catheter ablation. METHOD: Data from patients who underwent pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation and had a preprocedural cardiac CT scan at our Institution between 01. 10. 2019 and 10. 03. 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. We defined a common trunk where the left superior and inferior pulmonary vein merged at least 5 mm before the left atrial ostium. RESULTS: From the study population (n = 210), data from 42 patients with a left common trunk (LCPV group) and 60 patients with normal left atrial anatomy (control group) were examined. No significant differences were found between the common trunk and the control group in terms of demographic data. There was no significant difference between the two groups in procedural data for radiofrequency and cryoballoon ablation (procedure time, fluoroscopy time, left atrial dwelling time, radiation dose). After radiofrequency ablation, the success rate at 1-year follow-up was 72.0% in the common trunk group and 76.2% in the control group (p = 0.659). For cryoballoon ablation, the success rate was 64.7% and 69.2% for common trunk and normal anatomy, respectively (p = 0.641). CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in the procedural parameters and clinical outcome between patients with left common pulmonary vein and those with normal left atrial anatomy. Both radiofrequency and cryoballoon ablation techniques are well suited for this population. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(4): 140-147.

The application of landiolol in the cardiovascular and intensive care / A landiolol alkalmazási lehetoségei a kardiológiai és intenzív terápiás ellátásban.

Összefoglaló. A landiolol intravénásan alkalmazandó, kifejezetten cardioselectiv, gyors hatású és rövid felezési ideju béta-1-receptor-blokkoló, mely elsosorban negatív chronotrop és inotrop hatással bír, vérnyomáscsökkento hatása elhanyagolható. Foleg hemodinamikailag instabil állapotú, supraventricularis ritmuszavarban szenvedo betegek kamrafrekvenciájának csökkentésére használható. Nagy esetszámú, randomizált vizsgálatok igazolták hatékonyságát szívmutétek után jelentkezo pitvarfibrilláció megelozésében, valamint súlyos akut szívelégtelenségben és szívmutétek posztoperatív szakában jelentkezo pitvari tachyarrhythmiák kezelésében. Ezek mellett kisebb vizsgálatok alapján a használata biztonságosnak tunik akut myocardialis infarctusban, hatékony szeptikus állapotú, pitvarfibrillációban szenvedo betegek kamrafrekvencia- és ritmuskontrolljára, valamint nem cardialis mutétek esetén a pitvarfibrilláció prevenciójára és kezelésére. Sikerrel alkalmazható elektromos vihar esetén is, és jól használható angiográfiás coronaria-CT-vizsgálat elott az optimális szívfrekvencia elérésére. A gyógyszer 2016 óta Európában, 2018 óta Magyarországon is elérheto. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(2): 53-62. Summary. Landiolol is an intravenous, selective beta-1-receptor blocking agent with rapid onset of action and ultra-short half-life that has a predominant negative chronotropic and only mild negative inotropic effect without significant reduction of blood pressure. Landiolol is indicated to control the ventricular heart rate predominantly in patients with hemodynamic instability due to supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. Large randomized controlled trials have proven the efficacy of landiolol in the prevention of atrial fibrillation and atrial tachyarrhythmias in severe acute heart failure or post-cardiac surgery. Based on lower case-number studies, the administration of landiolol has been proven to be efficient and safe in rhythm and rate control in atrial fibrillation complicating acute myocardial infarction, sepsis, and in the prevention of atrial fibrillation in non-cardiac surgery. Landiolol may be used in electrical storm, and even during coronary CT-angiography to achieve an optimal heart rate for imaging. The drug is available in Europe since 2016 and in Hungary since 2018. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(2): 53-62.

3D MRI left atrial scar map guided anatomical pulmonary vein reisolation / 3D MRI bal pitvari hegtérkép által vezérelt anatómiai pulmonalis véna reizoláció

We present the case of a 58-year-old woman, suffering from high blood pressure, who presented with documented frequently occurring paroxysmal atrial fibrillation attacks. She underwent two prior pulmonary vein isolations, but her palpitations did not cease. We aimed to achieve a long period free of symptoms, and a 3D MRI late enhancement scar map of the left atrium was obtained before the planned third pulmonary vein isolation procedure to visualize the assumed pulmonary vein reconnection sites. First, the endocardial and epicardial contours of the thin left atrial wall were manually determined on the images, then color-coding was added based on the trasmurality of contrast enhancement in the wall. The reconstructed 3D color-coded left atrial surface revealed the localization of left atrial antral wall scars. These images were integrated into the electroanatomical mapping system and ablation was carried out selectively on the spots showing gaps in the antral scar. Isolation was achieved in all four veins without any complications. The patient has become symptom-free for years now. The reconstructed left atrial 3D MRI images gained in an innovative process visualized the gaps in the previous ablation lines and these images were integrated to guide the first gap-closure redo pulmonary vein isolation procedure in Hungary.

Real-world adherence to oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation / [Orális antikoagulánssal kezelt pitvarfibrilláló betegek terápiahusége a mindennapokban]

Introduction: In the treatment of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) with oral anticoagulant (OAC), the patients' adherence to therapy is a very important factor in stroke prevention. Aim: To investigate the one-year persistence of different OAC therapies (vitamin K antagonist [VKA] and new oral anticoagulants [NOAC]) in patients with AF. Method: The authors investigated the persistence of oral anticoagulant (OAC = VKA/NOAC) in atrial fibrillation using the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary prescriptions database on pharmacy claims between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. Results: 122 870 patients met the inclusion criteria. 18 650 patients started OACs therapy newly (therapy-naïve group), while 104 220 were already on one of the OACs. Among new patients, the one-year persistence of NOACs was 65.7% and that of VKA was 39.0% (p<0.001). The one-year persistence rate was 72.6% for NOAC and 53.9% for VKA (p<0.001) in patients already on OACs. In the therapy-naïve group, the one-year persistence to rivaroxaban was 65.7%. To apixaban it was 62.6%, and to dabigatran it was 59.2% (logrank p<0.001 in all comparisons except rivaroxaban vs. apixaban: p = 0.017, and dabigatran vs. apixaban: p<0.01). The one-year persistence rate of patients treated with NOACs was 73.4% to rivaroxaban, 68.0% to apixaban, and 68.4% to dabigatran (logrank p<0.001 in all comparisons except apixaban vs. dabigatran, NS). Conclusions: The one-year persistence of NOACs was significantly higher in AF compared to VKA therapy (in therapy-naïve and in already treated patients, too). Among the NOACs, rivaroxaban has the best one-year persistence in all patient populations. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(20): 839-845.

[ECG pearl: sick sinus syndrome mimicking acute coronary syndrome - the aVR-sign]. / EKG-gyöngyszem: acut coronaria szindrómát utánzó sinuscsomó-betegség ­ az aVR-jel.

The aVR-sign can indicate left main or multivessel coronary disease, but the sign is not STEMI eqvivalent and is not a sensitive sign for coronary disese. The following case is an example of this. An 89-year-old woman was admitted with chest pain, atrial fibrillation and multiple lead ST-segment depression but ST-segment elevation in lead aVR. The aVR-sign indicated urgent angiography with negative result. A spontaneous sinus conversion was observed with repolarization normalisation. Later the ECG demonstrated SA-blocks, and sinus arrest. Sick sinus syndrome was diagnosed and the patient was treated with pacemaker and oral anticoagulant. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(11): 434-436.

[Assessment of the extent of myocardial necrosis following radiofrequency catheter ablation of different supraventricular arrhythmias]. / A myocardialis necrosis mértékének vizsgálata eltéro supraventricularis szívritmuszavarok rádiófrekvenciás katéterablatiós kezelését követoen.

INTRODUCTION: Levels of cardiac necroenzymes, high-sensitive troponin (hsTnT) and creatine kinase muscle-brain (CKMB) increase as a result of a myocardial damage following catheter ablation. AIM: To analyze the mid-term alteration of hsTnT and CKMB levels following radiofrequency ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial flutter (AFlu), AV-nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) and electrophysiological studies (EPS) without ablation. METHOD: Patients undergoing RFCA for various indications and EPS were consecutively enrolled in our prospective study. Concentrations of hsTnT and CKMB were measured from serial blood samples directly before and after the procedure, 4 and 20 hours later and at 3 months follow-up. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (10 EPS, 12 AVNRT, 13 AFlu, 12 AF) with mean age of 55 ± 13 were included. hsTnT levels increased significantly in all groups after the procedures, while CKMB changed only in the AF group. hsTnT exceeded the reference value in all patients with ablation and in 80% of patients with EPS 4 hours post-ablation. Peak average hsTnT levels for EPS, AVNRT, AFlu were 24 ± 11, 260 ± 218 and 541 ± 233 ng/L, respectively. The highest hsTnT level was measured in the AF group (799 ± 433 ng/L). We found a positive correlation between hsTnT levels and ablation time after RFCA. CONCLUSIONS: The hsTnT levels significantly change after EPS and RFCA, in all patients who underwent ablation, and in 80% of those with EPS had hsTnT positivity in the early post-procedural phase. hsTnT levels depended significantly on the type of the subgroups and correlated with the ablation time. Awareness of those observations is essential to correctly interpret elevated hsTnT levels following RFCA. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(14): 540-548.