Prescription patterns of direct oral anticoagulants and concomitant use of interacting medications in the Netherlands

Objectives To describe the prevalence, temporal and regional trends in prescribing direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in conjunction with interacting medications. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study of pharmacy dispensing data in the Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics (SFK) registry on patients who have had a prescription for a DOAC filled at one of 831 randomly selected pharmacies in the Netherlands between Jan 2014–Jan 2019. Results We identified 99,211 patients who had a first DOAC prescription filled. Mean age was 71.6 ± 10.9 years, 58% were male. In 2014, 8,293 patients were treated with DOACs, in 2018, 35,415 were newly started on a DOAC. In 2018, the use of apixaban was most common (52%) in the Eastern region, whereas rivaroxaban was most frequently prescribed (32–48%) in the other regions. At time of first prescription, the vast majority (99.3%) used ≥ 1 concomitant interacting drug, and 3.2% used ≥ 3 interacting medications. Most common were digoxin (37.8%), atorvastatin (31.5%), verapamil (13.7%) and amiodarone (9.7%). While the number of interacting medications remained unchanged over time (median 1, interquartile range 1–1), there was a notable decrease in antiarrhythmic medications and an increase in non-cardiovascular interacting medications (e.g. dexamethasone from 0.9% to 7.1%, antiepileptic drugs from 2.5% to 3.8%, and haloperidol from 0.5% to 2.2% in 2014 and 2018, respectively). Conclusion DOAC use has quadrupled in Dutch clinical practice over the 5‑year period from 2014 to 2018. While the number of patients who take interacting medications remained stable, the profile of interacting medications has changed over time from cardiovascular to medications affecting other organ systems.

Ivabradine Monotherapy for the Treatment of Congenital Junctional Ectopic Tachycardia in a Premature Neonate

Congenital junctional ectopic tachycardia is a rare and special type of supraventricular arrhythmia. Junctional ectopic tachycardia is characterized by persistently elevated heart rates that may cause an impairment in cardiac function. Junctional ectopic tachycardia is considered one of the most difficult-to-treat conditions even with a combination of antiarrhythmic medications. Ivabradine is a novel antiarrhythmic medication used to decrease the heart rate in adults with angina pectoris. We report a first case of a premature neonate with a normal heart structure who developed junctional ectopic tachycardia and was subsequently treated successfully with ivabradine.

Surgical Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation for Ventricular Arrhythmias: A Systematic Review

Ventricular arrhythmias are potentially life-threatening disorders that are commonly treated with medications, catheter ablation and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Adult patients who continue to be symptomatic, with frequent ventricular arrhythmia cardiac events or defibrillation from ICD despite medical treatment, are a challenging subgroup to manage. Surgical cardiac sympathetic denervation has emerged as a possible treatment option for people refractory to less invasive medical options. Recent treatment guidelines have recommended cardiac sympathectomy for ventricular tachycardia (VT) or VT/fibrillation storm refractory to antiarrhythmic medications, long QT syndrome, and catecholaminergic polymorphic VT, with much of the data pertaining to pediatric literature. However, for the adult population, the disease indications, complications, and risks of cardiac sympathectomy are less understood, as are the most effective surgical cardiac denervation techniques for this patient demographic. This systematic review navigates available literature evaluating surgical denervation disease state indications, techniques, and sympathectomy risks for medically refractory ventricular arrhythmia in the adult patient population.

Safety of Inpatient Dofetilide Initiation per Cardiology Services: A Retrospective Review

Introduction: Dofetilide is an antiarrhythmic medication that has the potential to cause life threatening arrhythmias, such as Torsade de pointes. The 2014 ACC/AHA/HRS guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation state that patients need to meet certain criteria to be initiated on dofetilide. Patients who are not initiated on this therapy according to the guideline criteria are likely to be at higher risk of adverse reactions. Methods: This is a single center, retrospective chart review of patients who were initiated on dofetilide from July 2016-December 2019. Patients included in the study were initiated on dofetilide as a new antiarrhythmic and monitored inpatient for 3 days. The primary outcome was a composite of incidence of cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, cardiac death, and cardiac related hospital readmission. Results: There were 224 patients included in the analysis: 190 patients who were initiated on dofetilide inappropriately and 34 that were initiated appropriately. The primary outcome (composite of cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, cardiac death, and hospital readmission) was statistically significant with more patients experiencing an outcome in the group initiated inappropriately. Conclusions: Patients are placed at a higher risk of adverse reactions when this potentially dangerous antiarrhythmic medication is not used according to the protocol set forth by the guidelines. Practitioners should use caution when prescribing dofetilide. Other antiarrhythmic medications or non-pharmacologic options should be considered due to the incidence of these dangerous adverse reactions.

Sinus Rhythm Maintenance After Electrical Cardioversion for Atrial Fibrillation in High-Risk Patients — Comparative Efficacy of Antiarrhythmic Medications

Atrial fibrillation (AF) conversion to sinus rhythm by electrical cardioversion (ECV) is followed by the challenge of preventing arrhythmia recurrence, especially in high-risk patients. The properties of class IC, class III and also class II antiarrhythmic medications have been established, but not all effects have been studied. The aim of the study was to compare efficacy of class IC and class III antiarrhythmic medications, and additionally medication with a class II mechanism of action, or taken concomitantly with a beta-blocker, for post-cardioversion sinus rhythm maintenance in patients with high-risk AF. A total of 112 patients who underwent successful ECV in Latvian Centre of Cardiology were included. Data was acquired by a face-to-face interview and 1-, 3-, 6-month follow-up interviews. Comparing class IC (used by 34.8%) and class III (used by 65.2%) drugs, there was no statistically significant difference between six-month sinus rhythm maintenance rates (53.8% vs. 63.0%, p = 0.346) and arrhythmia-free survival (p = 0.313). Comparing amiodarone (used by 57.1%) and ethacizine, concurrently with a beta-blocker (used by 25.9%), no statistically significant difference was found between six-month sinus rhythm maintenance (64.1% vs. 58.6%, p = 0.616) and arrhythmia-free survival (p = 0.706). The results showed that specific antiarrhythmic drug choice was not associated with superior effectiveness, highlighting that, if not contraindicated, ethacizine, concomitantly with a beta-blocker, could be used as a similarly effective alternative for amiodarone, which has adverse health effects.

Pulmonary Vein Capture is a Predictor for Long-Term Success of Stand-Alone Pulmonary Vein Isolation with Cryoballoon Ablation in Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Background: It is unknown whether cryoballoon technology for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is a reasonable initial strategy for patients with persistent AF (perAF). Methods: 390 consecutive procedures using cryoballoon for initial AF ablation were evaluated and divided first by clinical presentation: paroxysmal AF (PAF) or perAF, and then whether PV potentials associated PV pacing (PV capture) were identified after ablation. Patients were followed for recurrent AF (median 20 months). Results: PV capture was identified in patients with PAF and perAF (PAF: 20.3% vs. perAF: 14.6%; p < 0.05). No patient charactieristic differences were identified between those patients with or without PV capture. The presence of PV capture was not associated with different outcomes in patients with PAF. However, in patients with perAF, the presence of PV capture was associated with long-term outcomes similar to patients with PAF and significantly better than patients with perAF without PV capture (p < 0.001). In patients with perAF and PV capture, a strategy of reisolation of the PVs only for recurrent AF resulted in 20/23 (87%) patients in sinus rhythm off antiarrhythmic medications at study completion. In patients with PV capture, specific electrophysiologic properties of PV tissue did not have an impact on AF recurrence. Conclusion: PV capture (and not specific PV electrophysiologic characteristics) was associated with decreased recurrent AF in patients with perAF. PV capture may identify those patients with perAF in whom PV isolation alone is sufficient at initial ablation procedure and also as the primary ablation strategy for recurrent AF.

Postoperative Ventricular Fibrillation

This chapter assesses ventricular arrhythmias. The most common ventricular arrhythmias are premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). Occasional PVCs are rarely harmful and may be related to tissue reperfusion or electrolyte abnormalities. Other types of ventricular arrhythmias are non-sustained ventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachyarrhythmias, which include ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular tachycardia is defined as a rate >100 bpm with 3 or more ventricular complexes in a row, which is sustained. Meanwhile, ventricular fibrillation is a form of complex ventricular arrhythmias and usually indicates a left ventricular problem. The possible causes of ventricular arrhythmias in the perioperative period include ischemia; electrolyte abnormalities such as hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, hypomagnesemia, and hypocalcemia; pulmonary artery catheters; hypothermia and metabolic acidosis; antiarrhythmic medications; adrenergic medications and inotropes; and pacing wires. The treatment of ventricular arrhythmias includes cardioversion and defibrillation; identification and treatment of ischemia, including coronary artery bypass grafting, valvular surgery, and aortic root surgery; and the administration of lidocaine and amiodarone.

Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in three consecutive pregnancies

Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy is rare during pregnancy and is reversible when the underlying arrhythmia is effectively treated. Management can be complex due to the risks of antiarrhythmic medications and cardiac interventions on the developing fetus. The care requires a well-coordinated multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and maternal-fetal specialists. In this report, we describe a case of recurrent atrial tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in pregnancy.