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(Circulation. 2004;110:1021.)
© 2004 American Heart Association, Inc.
Issue Highlights |
An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract. |
THE 1+1 TRIAL: A PROSPECTIVE TRIAL OF A DUAL- VERSUS A SINGLE-CHAMBER IMPLANTABLE DEFIBRILLATOR IN PATIENTS WITH SLOW VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIAS, by Bänsch et al.
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are used with increasing frequency to treat patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT). Inappropriate therapies due to misclassification of supraventricular tachycardia as VT have remained an important clinical problem, particularly for patients with relatively slow VTs, which could be influenced by use of dual-chamber (DCH) compared with single-chamber devices and the programmed ICD detection algorithms. The 1+1 Trial reported by Bänsch et al randomized patients with slow monomorphic VT and no primary indication for DCH pacing to be treated with either a DCH ICD set with a long tachycardia detection interval (TDI) or a single-chamber ICD. Treatment with a DCH ICD and long TDI was superior to a single-chamber ICD for preventing a composite end point of failure to properly respond to a VT episode or delivering an inappropriate shock therapy for a supraventricular arrhythmia. This study provides important data to help define the problem and guide selection of ICD type and programming in patients with slow monomorphic VT. See p 1022.
EARLY STATIN TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME: DEMONSTRATION OF THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON ATHEROSCLEROTIC LESIONS BY SERIAL VOLUMETRIC INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND ANALYSIS DURING HALF A YEAR AFTER CORONARY EVENT: THE ESTABLISH STUDY, by Okazaki et al.
Statins have been shown to delay both angiographic progression of atherosclerosis and clinical events in patients with hypercholesterolemia or normal lipid profiles. These benefits have been attributed largely to the effects of statins on plaque stabilization. In patients with acute coronary syndromes, early initiation of statins results in improved clinical outcomes; however, the mechanism by which statins modulate these beneficial effects remains incompletely understood. In this study by Okazaki and colleagues, 70 patients with acute coronary syndromes were randomized to atorvastatin or usual care
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