International journal of cardiology
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Editorial Review
Obstructive sleep apnea and arrhythmia: A systemic review.
There is a growing consensus in the scientific community that suggests a strong association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular (CVD) conditions and events, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, arrhythmia, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. We reviewed evidence on the relationship between OSA and arrhythmia. ⋯ Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) appears to reduce the CVD consequences of OSA. Future research is expected to clarify the benefits and optimal application of these treatment approaches.
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The outcome of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) has improved thanks to left atrium (LA) anatomy reconstruction by cardiac computed tomography (CCT). A new model-based iterative reconstruction algorithm (MBIR) provides image noise reduction achieving effective radiation dose (ED) close to chest X-ray exposure. Aim of this study was comparing RFCA procedural characteristics, AF recurrence and radiation exposure between patients in whom RFCA was guided by CCT image integration with MBIR versus a CCT standard protocol. ⋯ CCT with MBIR allows accurate reconstruction of LA anatomy in AF patients undergoing RFCA with a sub-millisievert ED and comparable success rate of RFCA as compared to a standard CCT scan protocol.