Technology in cardiology

No Abstract

ECG Quiz no. 24

Patient with palpitations

ECG Quiz no. 25

Outpatient with dyspnoea, dizziness and palpitations for four days

Pacemaker system sepsis

Oozing pacemaker wound for an opinion regarding whether the pacemaker pocket was infected

Intracardiac thrombotic complications

Any patient with a prosthetic valve should have a malfunction of the valve actively excluded if he presents with any new or worsening symptoms of cardiac failure and new arrhythmias. This is even if another cause seems obvious, such as poorly controlled atrial fl utter in this case, and despite apparent normal prosthetic valve auscultatory fi ndings. (2) Unless the anticoagulation levels are known to have been stable in the therapeutic range, if a procedure is to be done that may be associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism, screening for intracardiac thrombosis is indicated

ECG Quiz no. 23

Recurrent episodes of tachycardia

Arrhythmias and electrophysiology: The State of the Nation

For far too long in South Africa, cardiac electrophysiology and an interest in arrhythmias has been treated like an orphaned infant of a distant relative, only to be tolerated in the home of cardiology where cardiac intervention,understood mainly as “plumbing”, is considered to be the favored son and heir. Yet, elsewhere, the fi eld of arrhythmias and cardiac electrophysiology (EP) has grown exponentially, arrhythmia and heart rhythm societies have passed their coming of age and EP is a recognized and certifi able subspecialty of cardiology. It is time, therefore, that EP, the “cardiac-electrician” son, be accepted and be accorded due respect, nurturing and equal opportunity in the South African family of cardiology

Sport and Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Sudden deaths have been reported in sportspersons and have been related to physical activity. It is possible that exercise may be a trigger of potentially lethal arrhythmias in susceptible individuals or may be the factor that converts a defect of genotype to an abnormal and arrhythmogenic phenotype. Patients with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)may be at higher risk of sports-related arrhythmias and sudden death. In the South African ARVC registry,56% of patients were involved in regular sport participation. Various potential mechanisms linking sport and exercise to arrhythmias in patients with ARVC may exist