To editor The identification of an optimal modality to monitor the severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains imperative. The authors demonstrated that a prolonged RS interval on the electrocardiogram was associated with adverse clinical outcomes in this cohort, under the hypothesis that right heart electrical conduction is compromised in patients with severe PAH. Nonetheless, several concerns merit consideration. […]

Abstract Background Left bundle branch block (LBBB) causes delays that alter the mechanics of the ventricular cycle. The effect of other intraventricular blocks (IVB) remains little explored. Objectives To study the phases of the cardiac cycle (CC) and ventricular synchrony in different ventricular activation patterns. Methods Cross-sectional study with 328 consecutive individuals without structural heart disease, normal electrocardiogram or IVB, conducted in the period between August/2020 and January/2022. Echocardiogram and Vectorcardiogram were performed simultaneously to analyze the electromechanics of the […]

Introduction The presence of a left bundle branch block (LBBB) in the apparent absence of any other heart disease raises questions and concerns about the stratification of the risk of subsequent cardiovascular events or symptoms. – The detection of LBBB in asymptomatic adults, including athletes, is estimated to range between 0.1% and 0.8%, which is more likely to represent a structural heart disease rather than a physiological response to exercise. – On the other hand, some studies have shown that […]

Abstract Background: Clinical studies demonstrate that up to 40% of patients do not respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), thus, appropriate patient selection is critical to the success of CRT in heart failure. Objective: Evaluation of mortality predictors and response to CRT in the Brazilian scenario. Methods: Retrospective cohort study including patients submitted to CRT in a tertiary hospital in southern Brazil from 2008 to 2014. Survival was assessed through a database of the State Department of Health (RS). Predictors […]

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular events, and its detection usually begins with an electrocardiogram (ECG). Objective: To evaluate the impact of complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB) in hypertensive patients in the diagnostic performance of LVH by ECG. Methods: A total of 2,240 hypertensive patients were studied. All of them were submitted to an ECG and an echocardiogram (ECHO). We evaluated the most frequently used electrocardiographic criteria for LVH diagnosis: Cornell voltage, Cornell […]