Chapters authored
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in General Population and Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is still one of the leading causes of cardiovascular death in the developed countries. The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Europe varies from 67 to 170 per 100,000 population. The chain of survival will be described in detailed steps. We are going to summarize the treatment options for sudden cardiac arrest from recognition of SCD to resuscitation and post cardiac arrest care. The role of awereness and Automated External Defibrillator and Public Access Defibrillation (AED-PAD) programs will be discussed in brief. SCD is one of the most common causes of death among athletes. Sport can trigger SCD in individuals who already have unknown form of heart disease. Our aim was to detail the underlying causes of SCD in athletes and to identify the possible screening techniques. Existing disease (e.g., myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis) can be seen as a substrate, and sport as a trigger can cause arrhythmias, increased catecholamine release, acidosis, and dehydration. We will highlight the importance of sports medicine and periodic examination in screening for these conditions. Depending on the etiology, this may include exercise ECG, Holter monitor, CT, MR, echocardiography, and coronagraphy. We are going to conclude the new recommendations for COVID-19 post-infection care for athletes.
Part of the book: Cardiac Arrhythmias
The Influence of Transthoracic Impedance on Electrical Cardioversion and Defibrillation: Current Data
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a leading cause of death globally, often caused by malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Rapid termination by direct current defibrillation (DF) is the best way to treat pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia in clinical practice. External cardioversion (ECV) is an immediate, effective, and safe procedure for the treatment of arrhythmias with high ventricular rate, for example, AF. The success of both ECV and DF is dependent on the delivery of sufficient current, influenced by energy and transthoracic impedance (TTI). TTI depends on patient characteristics, and the exact factors affecting it are still a matter of debate. Influencing factors such as respiration phase, contact pressure, coupling agent, and total energy delivered are commonly identified. However, there are multiple studies with controversial results concerning the effect of age, gender, body mass index, hemoglobin concentration, the presence of chronic heart failure, and fluid accumulation as independent predictors of TTI. The review emphasizes refining energy dosage during ECV and while minimizing complications caused by an unnecessarily high energy delivery. The value of TTI should be predicted to optimize the energy dosage and the number of shocks for successful ECV and DF.
Part of the book: Updates on Cardiac Defibrillation, Cardioversion and AED Development