[Surprising mechanism of highly symptomatic tachycardia in a young patient : Diagnosis and treatment]. / Überraschender Pathomechanismus hochsymptomatischer Tachykardien bei einem jugendlichen Patienten : Diagnostik und Therapie.

The diagnosis of paroxysmal tachycardia can be challenging in clinical practice because even with a typical patient history including palpitations, tachycardia, and an on/off phenomenon, 24 h Holter monitoring frequently fails to document the tachycardia. After unsuccessful 24 h Holter monitoring, we managed to document a very fast wide QRS complex tachycardia in a young patient by a mobile portable event monitor. Subsequent invasive electrophysiologic diagnostics followed by catheter ablation clarified the tachycardia mechanism and led to permanent elimination of the tachycardia.

[Echocardiographic assessment of myocardial function during His bundle and right ventricular pacing]. / Echokardiographische Beurteilung der myokardialen Funktion unter His-Bündel- und rechtsventrikulärer Schrittmacherstimulation.

INTRODUCTION: In patients with pacemaker (PM) therapy, His bundle stimulation (HBS) may lead to a more synchronous activation of the left ventricle (LV) than conventional right ventricular stimulation (RVS). In this study, we investigated to which extent this effect can be objectified by means of contemporary echocardiographic functional imaging. METHODS: In all, 15 RVS patients (6 women, mean age 76.6 ± 4.1 years) and 15 HBS patients (6 women, mean age 74.6 ± 3.7 years) underwent echocardiography with and without cardiac pacing. Besides LV end-diastolic volume (EDV), ejection fraction (EF), and global strain (GLS), we measured global and regional myocardial work and LV efficiency based on noninvasive pressure-strain loops. RESULTS: In all HBS patients, optimization of PM settings resulted in immediate changes in myocardial function parameters. With pacing, RVS patients showed a higher decrease in EF and GLS than HBS patients. Global LV work and LV work efficiency decreased significantly only in RVS patients. CONCLUSION: Changes in regional and global myocardial function can by proven and quantified by functional echocardiography. In patients under PM therapy, HBS shows functional advantages in comparison to conventional RVS.

[Bachmann bundle pacing]. / Bachmann-Bündel-Pacing.

In pacemaker and ICD therapy, atrial leads are usually implanted in the right atrial appendage (RAA). This is easy but associated with a risk of negative hemodynamic and electrophysiological effects. Atrial depolarization, atrial contraction, and atrioventricular conduction can be delayed and desynchronized by RAA pacing leading to atrial fibrillation, pacing-induced long first-degree AV block, right ventricular pacing and the development of heart failure. High-septal atrial pacing near Bachmann's bundle that connects the right and left atrium can prevent the negative effects of RAA pacing and synchronize atrial excitation as demonstrated by the shortening of the PQ time and P wave duration during Bachmann bundle pacing. This review presents techniques to implant atrial leads at Bachmann's bundle. Apart from fluoroscopy in left anterior oblique projection, no additional effort compared to RAA implantation is required. Clinical studies on Bachmann bundle pacing are sparse; our own results suggest beneficial effects in patients with sick sinus syndrome and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who receive atrial pacing for ≥50% of the time. Bachmann bundle pacing represents an interesting and simple option for atrial pacing. It is desirable to make this technique known to a wider spectrum of implanters and to generate more data on its clinical potential.

[Sudden cardiac death in diabetes mellitus]. / Plötzlicher Herztod bei Diabetes mellitus.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) represents one of the most frequent causes of death in patients with diabetes. In contrast to patients without diabetes it has not been significantly reduced despite improvements in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction and long-term treatment of cardiovascular diseases as well as diabetes mellitus. Several mechanisms can be responsible for the high incidence of SCD in diabetics: 1. arrhythmogenic effects mediated via cardiac autonomic neuropathy, repolarization disturbances or sympathetic tone activation (hypoglycemia), 2. myocardial ischemia due to atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction, platelet aggregation or thrombophilic effects, 3. myocardial disease due to inflammation, fibrosis, associated hypertension or uremia and 4. potassium imbalance due to diabetic nephropathy or hypoglycemia. This review introduces concepts of mechanisms that are responsible for SCD in patients with diabetes. Treatment of patients with diabetes should primarily consider a systematic assessment of any deterioration of this chronic disease and of complications at an early stage. Cardiovascular drug treatment corresponds to that of non-diabetics. In antidiabetic treatment drugs with a low risk of hypoglycemia should be preferred. Treatment with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) also combined with cardiac resynchronization therapy () demonstrated a high life-saving potential particularly in patients with diabetes.

[Device therapy of chronic heart failure: Update 2015]. / Device-Therapie der chronischen Herzinsuffizienz: Update 2015.

Cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) and systems for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) represent an important component of heart failure therapy. Pacemakers only play a role in bradycardia-associated heart failure and require optimal programming to prevent ventricular desynchronization. Primary prophylactic ICD implantation is indicated in patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤ 35 %, clinical stages NYHA II-III and a life expectancy > 1 year. The CRT is indicated in patients with a left bundle branch block but only in individual cases for other QRS morphologies of < 150 ms duration. The combination of CRT with a pacemaker or defibrillator must be decided on an individual basis. Device therapy in heart failure should always include remote monitoring to detect events early and to implement treatment accordingly. New developments include quadripolar left ventricular leads and pacing from multiple sites simultaneously thus enabling better resynchronization. Stimulation for modulation of cardiac contractility and the autonomous nervous system are currently being clinically tested. The optimal utilization of device therapy improves the course of heart failure and prevents cardiac decompensation and fatalities.

[17-year-old student with recurrent seizures]. / 17-jährige Schülerin mit rezidivierenden Krampfanfällen.

HISTORY: A 17-year-old female student presented in our emergency room after a seizure with motoric fits and enuresis. It was the second event of this kind within 3 weeks. INVESTIGATIONS: The resting ECG on admission showed sinus bradycardia at 45 bpm and a remarkable repolarisation with notched or bifurcated T waves in several leads. Further clinical investigations were unremarkable. TREATMENT AND COURSE: As an arrhythmogenic syncope (bradycardia or tachycardia related) was presumed, beta-blocker therapy was initiated and an implantable loop recorder (ILR) was inserted. Approximately one year after the index event, the student was brought to the emergency room by ambulance after another seizure. Interrogation of the ILR revealed torsade de pointes tachycardia with spontaneous termination after 1 min and 24 s. A dual-chamber ICD for secondary prophylaxis of sudden cardiac death was therefore implanted and the dose of beta-blocker was increased. Genetic analysis for long-QT-syndrome (LQTS) was negative with regards to the most frequent known gene loci. For 6 months the patient has been free of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Arrhythmogenic syncopes can clinically resemble epileptic seizures ("convulsive syncope"). During basic work-up of syncope, the 12 lead ECG may provide valuable clues indicating an arrhythmogenic cause of syncope, showing excitation as well as repolarisation abnormalities. If an arrhythmogenic cause of syncope is suspected but ECG documentation as a proof of diagnosis is missing, implantation of an ILR can be useful. In LQTS, multiple gene mutations are known but cover only a fraction of clinical LQTS.

[Indications for catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia]. / Indikationen zur Katheterablation bei ventrikulärer Tachykardie.

Ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT) can cause sudden cardiac death. This can be prevented by an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) but approximately 25% of patients with an ICD develop electrical storm (≥ 3 VTs within 24 hours) during the course of 4-5 years. This is a life-threatening event even in the presence of an ICD, particularly if incessant VT is present, and may significantly deteriorate the patient's psychological state if multiple shocks are discharged. Catheter ablation of VT has developed into a standard procedure in many specialized electrophysiology centers. Patients with hemodynamically stable and unstable VT are amendable to substrate-based ablation strategies. Catheter ablation can be performed as emergency procedure in patients with electrical storm as well as electively in patients with monomorphic VT stored in ICD memory. In patients with ischemic or non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, VT ablation is complementary to ICD implantation and can reduce the number of ventricular arrhythmia episodes and shocks and should be performed early. In patients with electrical storm, catheter ablation can acutely achieve rhythm stabilization and may improve prognosis in the long term. Further indications for catheter ablation exist in patients with idiopathic VT where catheter ablation represents a curative therapy, and in patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic frequent premature ventricular beats which may improve prognosis in patients with heart failure and cardiac resynchronization therapy.

[ESC Guidelines on Pacemaker Therapy 2013: what is new and relevant for daily practice?]. / ESC-Leitlinien zur Herzschrittmachertherapie 2013: Was ist neu und wichtig für die Praxis?

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) published new guidelines for pacemaker and cardiac resynchronisation therapy in June 2013. The most important recommendations for daily clinical practice of pacemaker therapy firstly refer to the diagnosis of bradycardia and bradycardia-symptom-correlation. Bradycardia is classified into persistent and intermittent, the latter with and without documentation of spontaneous bradycardia. Evidence for pacemaker therapy depends on the quality of bradycardia-symptom-correlation. The indication for pacing in sick-sinus-syndrome and AV block is significantly simplified and the use of implantable loop-recording in syncope of unknown origin encouraged. If loop recorders document long asymptomatic pauses, the authors felt that an indication for pacing exists if pauses exceed 6 sec. Other newly defined pacing indications are syncope in bundle branch block and very long PR (> 300 ms), particularly in older patients and those with structural heart disease. New insights and recommendations are further provided for complications of pacemaker therapy, right ventricular pacing sites, perioperative anticoagulation, pacing and magnetic resonance imaging and remote monitoring. In conclusion, the new ESC guidelines elegantly summarize results of new trials and studies in bradycardia and pacemaker therapy and provide valuable recommendations for daily practice.

[GSTCVS certificate for cardiac pacemaker, ICD and CRT therapy]. / DGTHG-Zertifizierung zur Herzschrittmacher-, ICD- und CRT-Therapie.

Medical qualifications to perform operations with cardiac electronic implantable devices as well as for preoperative and postoperative therapy, including follow-up in this patient population are not well defined. Based on recommendations which have been worked out and published by an interdisciplinary consensus of cardiac surgeons, cardiologists and electrophysiologists, a certificate with three modules has been developed by the Working Group for Electrophysiologic Surgery of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Thorax-, Herz- und Gefäßchirurgie, DGTHG). First examinations for this certificate will be held in 2013 and transitional regulations apply until 1st April 2014. Further details are available on the homepage of the GSTCVS.

[Patient selection for the implantation of a left atrial appendage occluder in primary and secondary prevention of cardioembolic stroke in atrial fibrillation]. / Patientenauswahl für die Implantation eines Vorhofohr-Okkluders in der Primär- und Sekundärprävention des kardioembolischen Schlaganfalls bei Vorhofflimmern.

The implantation of a left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder has evolved into an established non-pharmacological alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) in the prevention of cardioembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. While 2 randomized trials investigated the LAA occluder as an alternative treatment in patients who can also undergo OAC, current guidelines recommend the LAA occluder rather as a second line therapy if permanent OAC is not possible due to contraindications. This is in line with current practice where an LAA occluder is usually only implanted if OAC is contraindicated or stopped due to bleeding. The LAA occluder seems most promising for patients with a high risk for both, stroke without OAC and severe bleeding with OAC. After patient informed consent, the LAA occluder may also represent an option for patients who are unwilling to undergo OAC. Since a large proportion of patients do not receive OAC despite an indication (because of contraindications or mere fear of bleeding) and since the majority of patients have to stop OAC during the course of 2 years, mostly due to bleeding, the LAA occluder may play an important role in the long-term prophylaxis of cardioembolic stroke due to atrial fibrillation.

[Sport for pacemaker patients]. / Sport bei Schrittmacherpatienten.

Sport activity is an important issue in many patients with a pacemaker either because they performed sport activities before pacemaker implantation to reduce the cardiovascular risk or to improve the course of an underlying cardiovascular disease (e.g. coronary artery disease, heart failure) by sports. Compared to patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) the risks from underlying cardiovascular disease (e.g. ischemia, heart failure), arrhythmia, lead dysfunction or inappropriate therapy are less important or absent. Sport is contraindicated in dyspnea at rest, acute heart failure, new complex arrhythmia, acute myocarditis and acute myocardial infarction, valvular disease with indications for intervention and surgery and comorbidities which prevent physical activity. Patients with underlying cardiovascular disease (including hypertension) should preferably perform types and levels of physical activity that are aerobic (with dynamic exercise) such as running, swimming, cycling instead of sport with high anaerobic demands and high muscular workload. In heart failure, studies demonstrated advantages of isometric sport that increases the amount of muscle, thereby preventing cardiac cachexia. Sport with a risk of blows to the chest or physical contact (e.g. boxing, rugby, martial arts) should be avoided. Implantation, programming and follow-up should respect specific precautions to allow optimal physical activity with a pacemaker including implantation of bipolar leads on the side contralateral to the dominant hand, individual programming of the upper sensor and tracking rate and regular exercise testing.

[Recommendations of the Working Group of Arrhythmias of the German Society of Cardiology on the approach to patients with Riata® and Riata ST® leads (St. Jude Medical). Nucleus of the Working Group of Arrhythmias of the German Society of Cardiology]. / Empfehlungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kardiologie (Arbeitsgruppe Rhythmologie) zum Umgang mit Patienten mit ICD-Elektroden Riata® und Riata ST® der Firma St. Jude Medical. Nucleus der AG Rhythmologie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kardiologie.

Riata® and Riata ST® implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) leads (St. Jude Medical, Sylmar, CA) show an increased incidence of insulation defects, particularly "inside-out" lead fracture where inner, separately insulated cables penetrate through the surrounding silicone of the lead body. The exact incidence of Riata® lead problems is not clear and seems to range between 2-4% per year in the first 5 years after implantation according to new registry data. We recommend beyond a detailed information the following care of patients with Riata® and Riata ST® leads: 1) Activation of automatic ICD alerts, 2) remote monitoring with automatic daily alerts whenever possible, 3) monthly ICD controls in patients at high risk (pacemaker dependency, history of ventricular tachyarrhythmias) and high or moderate lead-related risk (8F, 7F single coil), 3-monthly controls in moderate patient and lead-related risk, 3 to 6-monthly controls in low patient and lead-related risk (no bradycardia, no history of ventricular tachyarrhythmia). Every ICD control should include meticulous analysis of oversensing artifacts in stored electrograms (EGMs) of sustained and non-sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias and registration of EGMs during provocation testing (pectoral muscle activity, arm movements). If electrical abnormalities are observed, reoperation with addition of a new ICD lead is recommended; lead extraction only if indicated according to current guidelines. Fluoroscopy should only be performed if electrical abnormalities are found by an experienced electrophysiologist and a high frame rate and resolution. Management of fluoroscopic abnormalities in the absence of electrical abnormalities is not clear. Therefore, routine fluoroscopy of patients with Riata® leads without electrical abnormalities is not recommended.

[Commentary on the 2010 ESC guidelines on device therapy in heart failure ]. / Kommentar zu den ESC-Leitlinien zur Device-Therapie bei Herzinsuffizienz 2010.

As part of the 2010 focused update of ESC guidelines on device therapy in heart failure, the guidelines on pacemakers in the treatment of heart failure were renewed. A new feature is that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is indicated for New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III and IV irrespective of the presence of left ventricular dilatation and specified for NYHA class IV (patient ambulatory, stable, life expectancy >6 months). Furthermore, NYHA class II (but not class I) has been added when there is left bundle branch block and QRS duration ≥150 ms. CRT is also indicated for patients in NYHA class III-IV with permanent atrial fibrillation and heart failure [left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 35%] when QRS is ≥ 130 ms and ventricular rate has slowed either spontaneously or by AV node ablation. In patients with heart failure (NYHA class II-IV, LVEF ≤ 35%) who need a pacemaker for AV block, CRT is generally indicated to avoid progression of heart failure caused by right ventricular stimulation, also in cases of intrinsic QRS <120 ms. For patients with terminal heart failure who are not eligible for heart transplantation, treatment with a left ventricular assist device can be performed as destination therapy. The new guidelines expand the indication for device therapy in heart failure based on the newest study findings, particularly for patients in NYHA class II, and specify the old guidelines. There are still uncertainties that must be investigated in randomized trials regarding patients with permanent atrial fibrillation, the indication for CRT in heart block, and the question of CRT with pacemaker or defibrillator.

[Pacemaker ECG quiz no. 24. Implanted the wrong device?]. / Schrittmacher-EKG-Quiz Folge 24. Das falsche Gerät implantiert?

In a 73-year-old patient, a loop recorder was implanted for syncope of unknown origin which allowed the diagnosis of sinus node disease with sinus bradycardia and sinus arrest. At implantation of a dual-chamber pacemaker, the loop recorder was not explanted. During a pacemaker check-up visit a few months later, the patient complained about slight dizziness together with palpitations. While the interrogation of pacemaker memory did not provide any significant information, the loop recorder had stored several arrhythmias. This case demonstrates that it may be useful not to explant a loop recorder at the time of pacemaker implantation.