Predictors of Oral Anticoagulants Utilization in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disturbance, increasing in prevalence with age. It is often associated with structural heart disease, although a substantial proportion of patients with AF have no detectable heart disease. Hemodynamic impairment and thromboembolic events related to AF result in significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. Several factors are associated with the prescription of oral anticoagulants. This review predicts the overall factors that are associated with oral anticoagulant utilization in patients with AF. Methods: Literatures that analyze the predictors of oral anticoagulant utilization in atrial fibrillation were searched using PubMed and Google Scholar published in journals from 2003 to 2019. Eligibility, data extraction and quality assessment were followed by a narrative synthesis of data. An extensive search of recent literature was performed. Results: Older age, comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, moderate to severe kidney disease, polypharmacy, higher stroke and bleeding risk, history of smoking and alcohol or substance abuse, and lower cost are predictors of warfarin utilization. Similarly, younger age, better kidney function with creatinine clearance at least 30 mL/min, no or lower risk of stroke and hemorrhage, no polypharmacy, less comorbidities, prescriptions by neurologists and cardiologist, people residing in countries with lower poverty rates, and high cost are potential predictors of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants utilization. Conclusion: Our study suggests that knowing the predictors for anticoagulation utilization can improve medication appropriateness in arterial fibrillation patients.

P953Smartphone monitor kardia: an effective diagnostic tool for paroxysmal palpitations

Funding Acknowledgements no grants to declare OnBehalf not applicable Background : Paroxysmal palpitations are diagnostic challenge because the ECG and the 24-hour holter ECG monitoring without palpitations is usually normal. We report a 1 year experience of a new diagnostic tool for paroxysmal palpitations: the smartphone monitor Kardia®. Patients with paroxysmal palpitation and negative 24 hour holter ECG was ask to sent iECG during symptoms during the 1 month follow-up. Results Between January and December 2018, 20 patients have received Kardia®, mean age 40 years, the mean duration kardia-monitoring was 26 days. A total of 235 iECGs were sent by email, a median of 6 iECG/patients. 9 (45%) patients remained without rhythmic diagnosis (sinus rhythm, normal heart rate), 11 (55%) patients had at least one pathological iECG: 4 atrial fibrillation, 4 junctional tachycardia including 1 with paroxysmal pre-excitation, 2 atrial flutters. These diagnosis had therapeutic consequences: 2 AF ablations, 2 AF treated by antiarythmic drugs (AAD), 2 atrial flutters ablation, 1 ILR was implanted for absence of diagnosis with kardia®. The other patients without diagnosis at the time of palpitations were reassured on the absence of cardiac rhythm disturbance. Conclusion The purchase of 5 Kardia® as a new diagnostic tool for paroxtysmal palpitations is a reasonable investment for a cardiology derpartment, the diagnostic performance is higher than current standards (24 hours holters ECG monitoring), since it allows an arhythmic diagnosis in more than 50% of cases in 1 mounth. The main limitation is the selection of patients, most often young, who already have a smartphone and can send an email. patient age (years) duration (days) i-ECG sent number diagnosis treatment patient 1 23 11 3 AF AF ablation patient 3 51 23 7 AF AA Drugs patient 10 65 20 5 AF AA Drugs patient 11 35 29 6 SVT : AVNRT no ablation patient 12 48 22 27 atrial flutter flutter ablation patient 13 34 1 13 SVT : AVNRT no ablation patient 14 56 7 18 atrial flutter flutter ablation patient 15 59 21 80 AF and PVC AF Ablation patient 16 50 1 3 SVT : AVRT no ablation patient 17 28 28 2 SVT : AVNRT no ablation patient 19 49 35 8 PVC AA Drugs 1 year kardia experience : diagnosis performance in the 11/20 patients with abnormal iECG Abstract Figure. iECG : termination of SVT (patient 17)

Fibrotic Changes in the Myocardium as an Independent Predictor of Rhythm Disturbance in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

The aim: to show the possibilities of the method of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection and characterization of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Identify the relationship between the presence of foci of fibrosis in the myocardium of the left ventricle (LV) and the occurrence of arrhythmia.Materials and methods.The study involved 31 patients with HCM and obstruction of the LV outflow tract, who subsequently underwent Morrose's myoseptectomy. In order to detect abnormalities of rhythm, all patients underwent daily Holter monitoring. The presence and nature of the accumulation of contrast medium was assessed by the MRI method in the early and delayed phases of contrasting.Results.The use of MRI with contrast enhancement made it possible to identify areas of delayed contrast in the hypertrophied walls of the LV - fibrotic changes in the myocardium. The centers of fibrosis were revealed in 14 (45.2%) patients. In 5 patients (16.1%), there were no cardiac rhythm disturbances in the presence of changes in the myocardium. Multivariate regression analysis of risk factors showed the relationship between the presence of foci of fibrosis in the myocardium of the LV and the occurrence of arrhythmia (p = 0.021). The presence of violation zones of local contractility (p = 0.327) and the thickness of the hypertrophic wall (p = 0.146) have no significant effect on cardiac rhythm disturbance.Conclusions.The presence of foci of delayed contrast (fibrosis) in the wall of the left ventricle, detected by MRI, increases the chance of arrhythmia in patients with HCM in 12.9 times. MRI with contrast enhancement should be included in the algorithm for diagnosis of HCM, including for evaluating the onset of structural changes in the myocardium.

Abstract TP241: Concordance of Pre-hospital Stroke Recognition by Medical Dispatchers and Paramedics in an Urban County

Background: Immediately after a stroke, the time it takes to reach a designated stroke center can determine the patient’s chances of recovery or permanent disability. In pre-hospital care, the first level of care occurs when 911 is called, second when the paramedics arrive and triage, and third, transport to the nearest primary stroke center (PSC). When emergency medical dispatchers (EMD) initially recognize stroke they provide critical stroke triage codes guiding the paramedic’s decision in appropriate hospital choice, saving time and improving patient recovery. This study assessed EMD and paramedic stroke recognition and performance in an urban area. Hypothesis: EMD recognition of stroke would provide paramedics adequate codes for correct recognition and influence transports to area primary stroke centers (PSCs). Methods: All emergency medical service (EMS) transports in an urban county area (392,664 population) during 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The transports encompassed True/Negatives, False/Positives, False/Negatives and True/Positives for data on the number and percentages of EMS correctly identified stroke ground transport 911 calls. Dispatch impressions of calls were compared to paramedic decisions and confirmed by hospital ICD-9-CM billing codes 430-438. Transports to area PSC and non-PSC hospitals were determined. Results: Over 12 months, in N=40,171 total transports, EMDs impression of strokes were n=942 with 51.3% confirmed as strokes by paramedics. The other 47.6% of calls reported as strokes by EMDs were coded by paramedics as syncope/fainting, altered level of consciousness, abdominal pain, diabetic, behavioral, cardiac rhythm disturbance and seizures. Paramedic reported strokes were coded by dispatchers as 52.0% strokes/CVA or as headaches, sick person, unconscious/fainting, fall victim, chest pain, convulsions/seizures and breathing problems. Significantly more stroke-related deliveries were made to PSCs (55%, p<0.001) than other area facilities. Hospital confirmation by discharge data services of paramedic coded strokes provided a true positive predictive value of 44.8% and sensitivity of 25%. Conclusion: EMS dispatch and paramedic services could benefit from stroke recognition education.

Features of remodeling of right heart chambers according to tissue Doppler and its correlation with cardiac rhythm disturbance in patients with COPD 2-3 severity

The article presents the study of early sings of dysfunction of right and left chambers of heart in patients with COPD 2 - 3 severity, correlation between structural and electrical remodeling of heart according to the stages of pulmonary hypertension. Standard tissue Doppler echocardiographic parameters and modes were used for the diagnosing. We examined 35 patients with COPD 2 - 3 severity; the control group consisted of 15 patients. The ECG Holter monitoring was made for all patients to identify cardiac rhythm disturbance and correlation with the COPD severity. Standard method of the ECG with modes of tissue Doppler (pulsed wave Tissue Doppler Imaging - PW TDI, color tissue Doppler imaging -TDI, tissue myocardial Doppler - TMD, tissue Tracking - TT, Doppler for evaluation of myocardial strain and myocardial strain rate) were made to identify the stage of dysfunction. The results of the study concluded that according to the TDI the dysfunction of right ventricle was more apparent in patients with COPD 3 severity. Pathological arrhythmias were significantly detected in group of patients with COPD 3 severity. In compliance with our observations, the reduce of rapid myocardial strain rates and its inverse proportion with the severity in accordance to the evaluation of longitudinal strain and rate of movement of fibrous ring in tricuspid valve were observed in patients with COPD. Thus the application of the TDI modes for evaluating of early signs of cardiac remodeling in patients with COPD and potential adequate jugulation for preventing chronic cor pulmonale is expedient.

Comparison of Uniatrial and Biatrial Radiofrequency Ablation Procedures in Atrial Fibrillation: Initial Results

<p><b>Background:</b> Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly sustained cardiac rhythm disturbance. Surgical ablation techniques were developed involving the left atrium only and modifications of the maze procedure in ablating both atria.</p><p>Objective: The aim of this study was to compare, in patients with permanent AF, the efficacy of uniatrial versus biatrial radiofrequency ablation procedure in the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation in patients with associated cardiac disease.</p><p><b>Method:</b> Between September 2003 and May 2009, 30 patients were submitted to the radiofrequency ablation procedure for AF associated with concomitant cardiac surgery; 15 patients underwent a uniatrial procedure, and 15 patients underwent biatrial ablation. The mean age was 47.73 � 9.85 years, and 53.4% were men. The average followup time was 12.16 � 10.89 months for the uniatrial group and 7.0 � 4.0 months for the biatrial group.</p><p><b>Results:</b> Neither hospital mortality nor complications related to radiofrequency ablation were was registered. At the time of hospital discharge, 9 patients (60%) were in a state of sinus rhythm in both groups. However, patients undergoing biatrial ablation (range 73.3% versus 46.7%) demonstrated complete freedom from atrial fibrillation at all times.</p><p><b>Conclusion:</b> Biatrial ablation surgical procedures were more effective in controlling atrial fibrillation than procedures limited to the left atrium.</p>