We determined the details of ventricular activation sequence during the onset of ventricular fibrillation in 6 dogs. Unipolar electrograms were simultaneously recorded from 192 ventricular epicardial sites evenly spaced in a 3 by 3 cm square area surrounding 2 central sites to which stimuli for inducing fibrillation were delivered. In 5 dogs, 2 to 10 msec duration pulses with amplitudes of 150 ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the association of new-onset atrial fibrillation with outcomes, including ICU length of stay and survival. DESIGN Retrospective cohort of ICU admissions. We found atrial fibrillation using automated detection (≥ 90 s in 30 min) and classed as new-onset if there was no prior diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. We identified determinants of new-onset atrial fibrillation and...

Animals pretreated with appropriate closes of anticholinesterase agents develop auricular flutter and fibrillation following injection of acetylcholine or vagal stimulation. Depression of normal sinoauricular nodal function facilitates induction of fibrillation. During fibrillation, additional injections of acetylcholine, or vagal stimulation, increase the rate of fibrillation. Atropine in smal...

OBJECTIVES To estimate incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients of rheumatic heart disease, to study clinical correlation of atrial fibrillation in term of mitral valve area in mitral stenosis, to estimate incidence of systemic embolization and to find out association of atrial fibrillation with recurrent respiratory infections. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ninty-four cases were assigned with dif...

CONTEXT Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in elderly persons and a potent risk factor for stroke. However, recent prevalence and projected future numbers of persons with atrial fibrillation are not well described. OBJECTIVE To estimate prevalence of atrial fibrillation and US national projections of the numbers of persons with atrial fibrillation through the year 2050. DESIG...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The impact of atrial fibrillation on the prognosis of myocardial infarction is still the subject of debate. We analyzed the influence of previous and new-onset atrial fibrillation on in-hospital and long-term prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction. METHODS Prospective study of 4284 patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. We s...

I review the present understanding of thromboembolic complications and their prevention in patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation. Chronic atrial fibrillation carries an annual 3-6% risk of thromboembolic complications, which is 5-7 times greater than that of controls with sinus rhythm. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is associated with a lower risk of thromboembolic complications than c...

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation and delayed gastric emptying (DGE) are common after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Our aim was to investigate a potential relationship between atrial fibrillation and DGE, which we defined as failure to tolerate a regular diet by the 7(th) postoperative day. METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review of 249 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy at our ...

Background: Although several conditions have been proposed as risk factors contributing to the incidence of atrial fibrillation, many individuals without such 'risk factors' also suffer from atrial fibrillation. The present study tested the hypothesis that the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation increases with increasing circulating levels of B-type natriuretic peptide in the general populati...

The effect of surgical ablation of atrioventricular accessory pathways on the incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was examined and the results of preoperative electrophysiologic testing were studied to determine factors predictive of outcome. Among 50 consecutive surgical cases, 19 patients were identified with a past history of at least one episode ...