The American journal of cardiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Results of ENHANCED Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Programming to Reduce Therapies and Improve Quality of Life (from the ENHANCED-ICD Study).
Novel implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) discrimination algorithms and programming strategies have significantly reduced the incidence of inappropriate shocks, but there are still gains to be made with respect to reducing appropriate but unnecessary antitachycardia pacing (ATP) and shocks. We examined whether programming a number of intervals to detect (NID) of 60/80 for ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF) detection was safe and the impact of this strategy on (1) adverse events related to ICD shocks and syncopal events; (2) ATPs/shocks; and (3) patient-reported outcomes. The "ENHANCED Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator programming to reduce therapies and improve quality of life" study (ENHANCED-ICD study) was a prospective, safety-monitoring study enrolling 60 primary and secondary prevention patients at the University Medical Center Utrecht. ⋯ Because of the new programming strategy, unnecessary ICD therapy was prevented in 10% of ENHANCED-ICD patients during a median follow-up period of 1.3 years. With respect to patient-reported outcomes, levels of distress were highest and perceived health status lowest at the time of implantation, which both gradually improved during follow-up. In conclusion, the ENHANCED-ICD study demonstrates that programming a NID 60/80 for VT/VF detection is safe for ICD patients and does not negatively impact their quality of life.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of Single and Multiple Energy Shots on Blood Pressure and Electrocardiographic Parameters.
We assessed the effects of single and multiple caffeinated energy shots on hemodynamic and electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters. This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study in otherwise healthy volunteers (n = 26) where a caffeinated energy shot or matching placebo was ingested. The study drink was consumed twice daily for 7 days during each phase, with a 7-day washout period in between. ⋯ In conclusion, a single shot of a caffeinated energy drink significantly raised systolic and diastolic BPs. However, these elevations were not sustained with chronic consumption. ECG parameters were not altered.