Modelo de intervención coronaria percutánea primaria en la Comunidad de Navarra / The primary percutaneous coronary intervention program in Navarre

El tratamiento del infarto agudo de miocardio ha evolucionado notablemente en las últimas tres décadas. Actualmente están establecidas con total nitidez las ventajas del tratamiento de reperfusión en cuanto a reducción de la morbimortalidad en una enfermedad tan prevalente en los países desarrollados. Si las diferentes opciones de reperfusión, farmacológica o mecánica, se aplican y especialmente si es precozmente desde el inicio de los síntomas, la mortalidad del infarto de miocardio puede ser inferior al 5%, cifra impensable hace tan sólo unos años. La intervención coronaria percutánea primaria es el método de reperfusión ideal. Sin embargo, desde una visión comunitaria y a la vista de la extensión del territorio y los tiempos de acceso desde el inicio de los síntomas al contacto con el sistema sanitario, así como al centro intervencionista, la reperfusión farmacológica y el traslado simultáneo para realizar intervención coronaria percutánea de rescate, si procediera, pueden ser una opción complementaria, con resultados no inferiores a los de la intervención coronaria percutánea primaria, en caso de que se la considerara como única opción. Navarra es una comunidad relativamente extensa (10.391 km2 ), con tres centros hospitalarios públicos: un centro con unidad coronaria y cardiología intervencionista, en el Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra en Pamplona, y dos hospitales comarcales, Estella y Tudela, ubicados a 50 y 90 km del centro intervencionista. Estratégicamente, el objetivo es reperfundir al mayor número de pacientes que presenten un infarto de miocardio con elevación del ST. Si es en el área de Pamplona-Pamplona Norte, siempre intervención coronaria percutánea primaria; si es en los dependientes de los hospitales comarcales de Estella y Tudela, estrategia invasiva o farmacoinvasiva en función de la suma de tiempos desde el inicio de los síntomas hasta el contacto con el sistema sanitario, más el tiempo teórico de traslado al centro intervencionista de Pamplona. Este tipo de estrategia combinada, con protocolos bien definidos, en una comunidad como la de Navarra, con peculiaridades urbanas y rurales, se muestra muy eficiente y su modelo, dentro de las dificultades, es de aplicación sencilla (AU)

The treatment of acute myocardial infarction has advanced considerably over the last three decades. Today, the benefits of reperfusion therapy are abundantly clear: it can reduce morbidity and mortality in a disease that has a very high prevalence in developed countries. If the various reperfusion treatments are used early after symptom onset, mortality due to myocardial infarction may be less than 5%, a level that was unthinkable just a few years ago. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is the ideal reperfusion method. However, for the community as a whole in a region where distances are large and there may be a lengthy delay between symptom onset and hospital admission, pharmacological reperfusion with simultaneous transport for rescue percutaneous coronary intervention, if warranted, may be an alternative, and outcomes are not inferior to those of primary percutaneous coronary intervention when this is the only option. In the region of Navarre in Spain, a relatively extensive area (i.e. 10391 km2 ) is covered by three public hospitals: the Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra in Pamplona and two district hospitals in Estella and Tudela, located 50 km and 90 km, respectively, from the interventional cardiology service in Pamplona. Strategically, the goal is to provide reperfusion therapy for the maximum possible number of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is always performed in patients from the area around Pamplona and North Pamplona. In areas served by the district hospitals in Estella and Tudela, either invasive treatment or the combination of pharmacological and invasive therapy may be used depending on the sum total of the time between symptom onset and first contact with the health system plus the theoretical transfer time to the interventional cardiology service in Pamplona. The use of this combination treatment strategy, based on well-defined protocols, in a region like Navarre, which is characterized a mixture of urban and rural communities, appears to be very effective and, within its limitations, the program was simple to implement (AU)

Clinical effectiveness of antiarrhythmic treatment after electrical cardioversion in patients without structural heart disease.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of using antiarrhythmic drugs after electrical cardioversion in patients without structural heart disease, including their effect on the maintenance of sinus rhythm. METHODS: In total, 528 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation but without significant structural heart disease who underwent successful electrical cardioversion at 96 Spanish hospitals were followed up for 1 year. Patients were assessed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The use and effectiveness of antiarrhythmic drugs for preventing the recurrence of persistent atrial fibrillation was evaluated. RESULTS: Some 80% of patients were receiving antiarrhythmic drugs at discharge, most frequently amiodarone. No specific clinical factor was associated with greater use of antiarrhythmics. Overall, 37% of patients were in sinus rhythm at all follow-up assessments. At the 1-year assessment, 59% of patients who remained in sinus rhythm were still taking antiarrhythmic drugs. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified weight (hazard ratio [HR]=1.01 per kg; P=.04) and no antiarrhythmic treatment (HR=1.59; P=.001) as being independently associated with the recurrence of persistent atrial fibrillation. Amiodarone tended to be better than other antiarrhythmic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: In routine clinical practice, the large majority of patients without structural heart disease received antiarrhythmic drugs, most frequently amiodarone, after successful electrical cardioversion. Drug use was the principal factor associated with the maintenance of sinus rhythm at 1 year.

Utilidad en la práctica clínica del tratamiento antiarrítmico tras cardioversión eléctrica en pacientes sin cardiopatía estructural / Clinical effectiveness of antiarrhythmic treatment after electrical cardioversion in patients without structural heart disease

Introducción y objetivos. Conocer en la práctica clínica el uso de antiarrítmicos tras cardioversión eléctrica en pacientes sin cardiopatía y su repercusión en el mantenimiento del ritmo sinusal. Métodos. Se realizó un seguimiento a un año de 528 pacientes con fibrilación auricular persistente sin cardiopatía significativa tras una cardioversión eléctrica efectiva en 96 hospitales españoles, con controles clínicos 1, 3, 6 y 12 meses después. Se analizó el uso y la utilidad de los fármacos antiarrítmicos en la prevención de recurrencias de fibrilación auricular persistente. Resultados. Se trató al alta con fármacos antiarrítmicos al 80% de los pacientes, y el más utilizado fue la amiodarona. Ningún factor clínico se relacionó con un mayor uso de antiarrítmicos. El 37% de los pacientes siguió en ritmo sinusal en todos los controles. En el control a los 12 meses, se mantuvo el tratamiento antiarrítmico al 59% de los pacientes que seguían en ritmo sinusal. En el análisis multivariable de la regresión de Cox, el peso (hazard ratio [HR] por cada kilo = 1,01; p = 0,04) y la ausencia de tratamiento antiarrítmico (HR = 1,59; p = 0,001) fueron factores independientes relacionados con la recurrencia de fibrilación auricular persistente. La amiodarona tendía a ser superior a los otros antiarrítmicos. Conclusiones. En la práctica clínica habitual, tras una cardioversión eléctrica efectiva, la gran mayoría de los pacientes sin cardiopatía estructural recibe fármacos antiarrítmicos, especialmente amiodarona, que es el principal factor relacionado con el mantenimiento del ritmo sinusal 1 año más tarde (AU)

Introduction and objectives. The aim was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of using antiarrhythmic drugs after electrical cardioversion in patients without structural heart disease, including their effect on the maintenance of sinus rhythm. Methods. In total, 528 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation but without significant structural heart disease who underwent successful electrical cardioversion at 96 Spanish hospitals were followed up for 1 year. Patients were assessed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The use and effectiveness of antiarrhythmic drugs for preventing the recurrence of persistent atrial fibrillation was evaluated. Results. Some 80% of patients were receiving antiarrhythmic drugs at discharge, most frequently amiodarone. No specific clinical factor was associated with greater use of antiarrhythmics. Overall, 37% of patients were in sinus rhythm at all follow-up assessments. At the 1-year assessment, 59% of patients who remained in sinus rhythm were still taking antiarrhythmic drugs. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified weight (hazard ratio [HR]=1.01 per kg; P=.04) and no antiarrhythmic treatment (HR=1.59; P=.001) as being independently associated with the recurrence of persistent atrial fibrillation. Amiodarone tended to be better than other antiarrhythmic drugs. Conclusions. In routine clinical practice, the large majority of patients without structural heart disease received antiarrhythmic drugs, most frequently amiodarone, after successful electrical cardioversion. Drug use was the principal factor associated with the maintenance of sinus rhythm at 1 year (AU)

Impact of anti-tachycardia pacing on atrial fibrillation burden when added on top of preventive pacing algorithms: results of the prevention or termination (POT) trial.

AIMS: The efficacy of preventive pacing algorithms (PPA) and anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) in reducing atrial fibrillation (AF) burden remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess whether ATP on top of PPA decreases AF burden. METHODS AND RESULTS: A series of 199 consecutive patients, with conventional indications for pacing, and documented AF, received a DDDR (rate adaptive dual chamber pacemaker) pacemaker with ATP capabilities (AT 500 Medtronic). After 3 months of conventional DDDR pacing at 70 b.p.m., AF burden was analysed. If patients had >30 min/week of AF, they were randomized to PPA or to PPA+ATP for 3 months (period 1). They were then crossed to the alternative therapy (period 2) and followed three additional months with a 1-month wash out period in-between. A group of 85 patients were randomized. Mean age 68 +/- 8 years, 61% men. Both groups showed a significant decrease in AF burden at the end of period 1 (64 and 81%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Atrial pacing with PPA decreases AF burden in patients with pacing indication. We did not observe a further decrease in AF burden or in the number of episodes when adding ATP on top of PPA.