An increased prevalence and incidence of LVH on ECG, irrespective cause, is associated with a poor prognosis in very old men and women. Regression of ECG LVH in older people, irrespective of cause, may confer improvement in risk for cardiovascular disease.

Patients receiving long-term amiodarone treatment after myocardial infarction had a higher rate of intra-aortic balloon use after cardiac surgery. There was no increased risk of pulmonary complications, need for pacing, or death.

No abstract

In a pacemaker dependent, 60-year-old man with complete heart block, programming high (5.0 V and 1.0 ms) atrial output and 5.0 volt and 0.5 ms ventricular output while in the DDD mode of a pulse generator, resulted in loss of ventricular channel output with resulting asystole, while the simultaneous, pulse generator produced ECG interpretation channel falsely indicated continuing ventricular channel output. Ventricular pacing was promptly restored by programming to the emergency VVI mode. At later operation the atrial lead was determined to be defective, with a low impedance, while the ventricular lead was intact (lead impedance telemetry was not available). The manufacturer has acknowledged a pulse generator design anomaly that may occur in the setting of a low atrial impedance and issued a Health Safety Alert.