John Po-Shan Li

Bidirectional Tachycardia Induced by Herbal Aconite Poisoning

TAI, Y.‐T., et al.: Bidirectional Tachycardia Induced by Herbal Aconite Poisoning. This report details the clinical, electrocardiographic, and electropharmacological characteristics of an unusual case of bidirectional tachycardia induced by aconites present in a Chinese herbal decoction consumed by a previously healthy subject. The tachycardia showed marked susceptibility to vagotonic maneuvers, cholinesterase inhibition, and adenosine triphosphate. The incessant nature of the tachycardia, rapid recurrence after transient suppression, and failure to respond to direct current cardioversion suggested an automatic tachycardia mechanism consistent with known data on the cellular electrophysiological mechanism of aconitine‐mediated arrhythmogenesis. A fascicular or ventricular myocardial origin of the tachycardia with alternating activation patterns, or dual foci with alternate discharge, appeared most plausible. The rootstocks of aconitum plants have been commonly employed in traditional Chinese herbal recipes for “cardiotonic” actions and for relieving “rheumatism.” Multiple pitfalls could occur during the processing of these herbs that might have predisposed to aconite poisoning. The need for strict control and surveillance of herbal substances with low margins of safety is highlighted.

Incessant Automatic Ventricular Tachycardia Complicating Acute Coxsackie B Myocarditis

A 13-year-old girl presented with incessant ventricular tachycardia complicating acute Coxsackie B3 myocarditis. Electrophysiologic assessment revealed that the tachycardia could not be terminated, overdrive suppressed or accelerated by programmed electrical stimulation, but was transiently slowed by intravenous adenosine triphosphate and had marked spontaneous and sympathoautonomic-mediated fluctuation in the tachycardia cycle length. These features were atypical of reentry and triggered automaticity and suggested that abnormal automaticity was the likely tachycardia mechanism. Intravenous amiodarone slowed the ventricular tachycardia, but the patient eventually succumbed from rapidly progressive left ventricular failure. Postmortem pathohistologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of acute myocarditis.

Clinical experience with an activity sensing DDDR pacemaker using an accelerometer sensor.

The rate adaptive characteristics and pacemaker mediated tachycardia protection algorithm of an accelerometer based DDDR pacemaker were evaluated in 11 patients with bradycardia (seven atrioventricular block, four sick sinus syndrome). Rate adaptive programming was effected by collecting the acceleration level during a 3‐minute moderate exercise (“tailoring” of sensor). In comparison with an externally attached piezoelectric sensor, the accelerometer sensor showed lower rate changes during external tapping of the pacemaker (16 ± 3 vs 29 ± 4 ppm, P < 0.02) and applied direct pressure (1 ± 1 vs 40 ± 3 beats/min, P < 0.001) on the pacemaker. At nominal setting, the accelerometer sensor showed improved rate stability and higher rate response to jogging and standing, although responses to other daily activities and treadmill exercise were similar. Apart from changing the rate responsive slope, rate response could be improved by repeat “tailoring” of the sensor at a lower exercise level, resulting in better overall rate response characteristics. The ability of the rate monitoring software to collect acceleration levels for an activity and profile the projected rate response at different rate responsive settings allowed programming to be effected with the minimum amount of exercise testing. The pacemaker also discriminated atrial tachyarrhythmias from normal sinus response using the sensor to judge the appropriateness of the atrial rate, which correctly identified and prevented rapid ventricular tracking in two patients during atrial flutter/fibrillation.

Atrial Arrhythmia Management with Sensor Controlled Atrial Refractory Period and Automatic Mode Switching in Patients with Minute Ventilation Sensing Dual Chamber Rate Adaptive Pacemakers

Although a long postventricular atrial refractory period fPVARP) may prevent the occurrence of pacemaker mediated tachycardias and inadvertent tracking of atrial arrhythmias in dual chamber (DDD) pacing, the maximum upper rate will necessarily be compromised. We tested the feasibility of using minute ventilation sensing in a dual chamber rate adaptive pacemaker (DDDR) to shorten the PVARP during exercise in 13 patients with bradycardias (resting PVARP = 463 ± 29 msec) to avoid premature upper rate behavior. Graded treadmill exercise tests in the DDD and DDDR modes at this PVARP resulted in maximum ventricular rates of 98 ± 8 and 142 ± 3 beats/min, respectively (P < 0.0001), due to chronotropic incompetence and upper rate limitation in the DDD mode, both circumvened with the use of sensor. In order to simulate atrial arrhythmias, chest wall stimulation was applied for 30 seconds at a rate of 250 beats/min at a mean unipolar atrial sensitivity of 0.82 mV. Irregular ventricular responses occurred in the DDD mode fthe rates at a PVARP of 280 and 463 ± 29 msec were, respectively 92 ± 5 and 66 ± 3 msec; P < 0.0001). In the DDDR mode at a PVARP of 463 ± 29 msec, regular ventricular pacing at 53 ± 2 beats/min occurred due to mode switching to VVIR mode in the presence of repetitive sensed atrial events within the PVARP. One patient developed spontaneous atrial fibrillation on follow‐up, which was correctly identified by the pacemaker algorithm, resulting in mode switch from DDDR to regular VVIR pacing and preservation of rate response. In conclusion, sensor controlled PVARP allows a long PVARP to be used at rest without limiting the maximum rate during exercise. In addition, to offer protection against retrograde conduction, a long PVARP and mode switching also limit the rate during atrial arrhythmias and allow regular ventricular rate responses according to the physiological demands.

Initial Clinical Experience with a Single Pass VDDR Pacing System

Although ventricular rate adaptive pacing (VVIR) improves exercise capacity and cardiac output compared to constant rate ventricular pacing (WI), this pacing mode does not provide benefit of atrioventricular (AV) synchrony. We evaluated the use of a custom‐built VDDR pacing system using a single pass, ventricular lead, which detects end cavity P wave using a pair of diagonally arranged atrial bipolar (DAB) electrodes. In the VDDR mode, AV synchrony is enabled and the P wave rate is used in conjunction with an accelerometer based activity sensor for rate adaptive pacing. A VDDR pacemaker was implanted in three patients with complete AV block (mean age 63 ± 1 year) and the mean implantation time was 29 minutes. Mean P wave amplitude was 2.4 mV (1.2–4.2 mV) at implantation and telemeter P wave amplitude was stable over a follow‐up of 6 months. At a sensitivity of 0.2 mV, stable P wave sensing was observed during breathing maneuvers, arm swinging, my potential induction, and Holter recording. Paired exercise tests performed in the VDDR and VVIR modes showed higher cardiac output at rest, during exercise, and in the recovery period in the VDDR pacing mode. Thus VDDR pacing using a single pass lead is superior to VVIR pacing by enabling P synchronous ventricular pacing without adding to the complexity of implantation.

Rate Adaptive Cardiac Pacing Using Right Ventricular Venous Oxygen Saturation: Quantification of Chronotropic Behavior During Daily Activities and Maximal Exercise

Central venous oxygen saturation (SvOz) closely reflects cardiac output and tissue oxygen consumption. In the absence of an adequate chronotropic response during exercise, SvO2 will decrease and the extent of desaturation maybe used as a parameter for rate adaptive cardiac pacing. Eight patients with sinoatrial disease received a DDDR pacemaker capable of DDDR pacing by sensing either SVO2 or piezoelectric detected body movement. Both sensors were programmed to attain a rate of about 100 beats/min during walking, and with the lower and upper rates set at 50% and 90% of age predicted maximum, respectively. Chronotropic behavior of the two sensors were compared in the DDD mode with measurement of sensor responses, during everyday activities (walking, stair climbing, postural changes, and physiological stresses) and at each quartile of workload during a continuous treadmill exercise test. During walking at 2.5 mph, both sensors showed no significant difference in delay time (both react within 15 sees) or half‐time (SVO2= 36 ± 12 sec and activity 24 ± 3 sec; P = NS), although SVO2 driven pacing achieved 90% target rate response slowerthan activity sensing (124 ± 16 sec vs 77 ± 10 sec; P < 0.02). SVO2 pacing was associated with a more physiological rate response during walking upslope (68 ± 12 beats/min vs 57 ± 10 beats/ min; P < 0.05), ascending stairs (59 ± 10 beats/min vs 31 ± 6 beats/min; P < 0.05), and standing (34 ± 7 beats/min vs 9 ± 2 beats/min; P < 0.05). The SvO2 sensor significantly overpaced in the first quartile of exercise (51.8 ± 25.6% in excess of heart rate expected from workload), but the rate was within 20% of expected for the remainder of exercise. “Underpacing” was observed with the activity sensor at the higher workload. In conclusion, the SvO2 sensor demonstrated a more physiological response to activities of daily living compared with the activity sensor. Using a quantitative method, the speed of onset of rate response of the SvO2 sensor was comparable to activity sensing, and was more proportional in rate response. Significant overpacing occurs at the beginning of exercise during SVO2 driven pacing, which may be improved with the use of a curvilinear algorithm.

Sensor-initiated termination of pacemaker-mediated tachycardia in a DDDR pacemaker

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