The efficacy of pirmenol (a class I antiarrhythmic agent) as a converter of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was investigated. Forty patients without congestive heart failure or a history of sinus node disorder were randomly allocated to receive either intravenous pirmenol (50-100 mg) or placebo in a double blind trial. In 12 of 20 patients sinus rhythm was restored 2-16 minutes after pirmenol, a...

We studied exercise performance before and after conversion of atrial tachycardia to sinus rhythm, atrial bradycardia, or junctional rhythm in 10 patients 9-25 years of age 8-20 years after congenital heart disease surgery (complete transposition of the great arteries, seven of 10 patients). The same maximal cycle (five of 10 patients) or treadmill (five of 10 patients) exercise protocol was pe...

The sequence of right and left atrial contractions was analysed in 8 patients during spontaneous sinus rhythm and paced left atrial rhythm. During sinus rhythm, the beginning or peak of the right atrial a wave invariably preceded the beginning or peak of the left atrial a wave by a median of 32 and 34 msec, respectively. During paced left atrial rhythm, the beginning or peak of the right atrial...

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) confers a hypercoagulable state; however, it is not clear whether restoration of sinus rhythm is associated with normalisation of markers of thrombogenesis. We studied the impact of sustained sinus rhythm on prothrombotic markers, and their predictive abilities in foreseeing rhythm outcome after cardioversion. Methods In a double blind, placebo-controlled s...

The effect of suppressing sinus rhythm on initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation was studied in 17 thoraeotomized and artificially ventilated dogs. Atrial fibrillation was evoked by methacholine chloride applied to the right atrium followed by light mechanical stimulation. Episodes of fibrillation were compared before and after sinus rhythm had been suppressed by injection of absolut...

OBJECTIVE To characterise heart rate variability and high frequency components of restored sinus rhythm after the maze procedure. The maze procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation may prevent thrombotic events and improve the quality of life. However, the electrocardiographic nature of restored sinus rhythm after the maze procedure has not been fully elucidated. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between ...

OBJECTIVES This study compared left atrial and left atrial appendage contraction velocities in sinus rhythm before and after a brief period of atrial fibrillation in a canine model. BACKGROUND In patients, left atrial appendage contraction velocities measured during sinus rhythm after cardioversion from atrial fibrillation are depressed relative to left atrial appendage emptying velocities me...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a difficult management problem. The restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm-rhythm control therapy-can markedly improve symptoms and haemodynamics for patients who have paroxysmal or persistent AF, but some patients fare well with rate control alone. Sinus rhythm can be achieved with anti-arrhythmic drugs or electrical cardioversion, but the maintenance of s...

A case presenting with AV nodal escape rhythms after obvious sinus depression is described. The escape rhythms arise from two dissociated AV nodal pacemakers with differential physiological properties. Variation in the rate of the upper AV nodal pacemaker results in a form of escape-capture bigeminy. Temporary acceleration of the sinus rhythm results in dissociation between sinus and lower AV n...

OBJECTIVE In the present study, a modified limb lead (MLL) system was used to record the Ta wave in sinus rhythm and with AV block in male patients. METHODS Eighty male subjects (mean age 36 ± 7 years) in sinus rhythm and 20 male patients with AV block (mean age 72 ± 5 years) were included in this study. Standard limb lead (SLL) ECGs and MLL ECGs were recorded for 60 seconds each with an EDAN...