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Aim: In children, a broad range of paroxysmal events, including syncope and arrhythmias, may mimic true epileptic seizures. When a definitive diagnosis could not be established, long-term video electroencephalogram monitoring (LTVEM) should be taken into consideration. Furthermore, epilepsy patients have a higher rate of cardiac comorbidities. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the rationale and results of the pediatric cardiology consultations in patients admitted to the LTVEM unit. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the files of children who were admitted to LTVEM unit and consulted with the pediatric cardiology department between January 2006 and May 2014. The patients who had both echocardiography and 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring were included. Results: Among 70 children, 74.3% (n: 52) were classified as having epilepsy, 21.4%. (n: 15) with nonepileptic events, and 4.3% (n: 3) could not be classified. In epilepsy group, 21 children (40.4%) were consulted with pediatric cardiology due to rhythm disturbances detected during LTVEM, the remaining consultations (59.6%) were due to history of known cardiac diagnosis (arrhythmias n: 2, structural/congenital heart disease n: 5), tuberosclerosis (n: 6), drop attacks (n: 5), murmur (n: 5), and other reasons. The cardiac evaluation revealed previously undetected arrhythmia (n:3) and mitral valve prolapse (n:1) in four patients with epilepsy. In addition to the pre-existing long QT syndrome, one child experienced his typical attack, subsequently he was diagnosed as epilepsy. The remaining group consisted of 18 children, with syncope being the most common diagnosis for consultation (n: 10, 55.5%). Conclusion: Our study revealed that a subgroup of children with epilepsy had cardiovascular comorbidities. Additionally, epilepsy was confirmed in some patients who already had cardiac problems. Pediatricians should be aware of potential mimickers of epilepsy and note that epilepsy and cardiac problems may also co-exist. Correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment are crucial in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite impressive strides in diagnosis and management of acute myocardial infarction in the past three decades, acute myocardial infarction continues to be a major health problem. About 50% of death from acute myocardial infarction occur within 1 hour of the event and are attributable to arrhythmias most often ventricular fibrillation. Ischemic injury can produce conduction blocks at any level of the atrioventricular or Intraventricular conduction systems. Such conduction block can occur in the atrioventricular node producing various grades of AV block. Conduction block can occur in either main bundle branch producing right or left bundle branch block or in the anterior and posterior fascicle of left bundle branch, producing left anterior &left posterior fascicular blocks respectively. Aim of the Study: To study the incidence of rhythm disturbances in acute myocardial infarction, to evaluate the age, sex distribution and various other risk factors in relation to rhythm disturbances occurring in acute myocardial infarction, to correlate between the different types of rhythm disturbances in relation to the location and type of acute myocardial infarction. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital during the period from November 2016 to May 2017. The patients admitted to ICCU were taken up for study. A detailed history physical examination &laboratory work up was done in all patients. Results: 100 Patients of acute myocardial infarction were included in this study. They consisted of 77 male and 23 female patients. The youngest patient was a 23 year old male and the oldest patient was an 84 year old male. Out of 100 patients with myocardial infarction 80 were males and 20 were females. Out of 80 males 37 had rhythm disturbances with a percentage of 46.25 and out of 20 females 9 had rhythm disturbance with a percentage of 45. 8 patients had previous ischemic heart disease prior to present episode. Of these 4 developed rhythm disturbances. All female patients were postmenopausal. 6 patients had COPD and 3 developed rhythm disturbances. Out of 100 patients 25 patients had Intraventricular block, of these right bundle branch block was common with an incidence of 10. Conclusion: The distribution of rhythm disturbances were almost equal in males and females (p value 0.3365). Rhythm disturbances were more common in the age group 50-59. The incidence of rhythm disturbances in patients with Diabetes mellitus and hypertension was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhythm disturbances are life-threatening cardiovascular diseases, accounting for many deaths annually worldwide. Abnormal electrical activity might arise in a structurally normal heart in response to specific triggers or as a consequence of cardiac tissue alterations, in both cases with catastrophic consequences on heart global functioning. Preclinical modeling by recapitulating human pathophysiology of rhythm disturbances is fundamental to increase the comprehension of these diseases and propose effective strategies for their prevention, diagnosis, and clinical management. In silico, in vivo, and in vitro models found variable application to dissect many congenital and acquired rhythm disturbances. In the copious list of rhythm disturbances, diseases of the conduction system, as sick sinus syndrome, Brugada syndrome, and atrial fibrillation, have found extensive preclinical modeling. In addition, the electrical remodeling as a result of other cardiovascular diseases has also been investigated in models of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cardiac fibrosis, as well as arrhythmias induced by other non-cardiac pathologies, stress, and drug cardiotoxicity. This review aims to offer a critical overview on the effective ability of in silico bioinformatic tools, in vivo animal studies, in vitro models to provide insights on human heart rhythm pathophysiology in case of sick sinus syndrome, Brugada syndrome, and atrial fibrillation and advance their safe and successful translation into the cardiology arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarizes the current knowledge on changes of the circadian system in advanced age, mainly for rodents. The first part is dedicated to changes of the overt rhythms. Possible causes are discussed, as are methods to treat the disturbances. In aging animals and humans, all rhythm characters change. The most prominent changes are the decrease of the amplitude and the diminished ability to synchronize with a periodic environment. The susceptibility to photic and nonphotic cues is decreased. As a consequence, both internal and external temporal order are disturbed under steady-state conditions and, even more, following changes in the periodic environment. Due to the high complexity of the circadian system, which includes oscillator(s), mechanisms of external synchronization and of internal coupling, the changes may arise for several reasons. Many of the changes seem to occur within the SCN itself. The number of functioning neurons decreases with advancing age and, probably, so does the coupling between them. As a result, the SCN is unable, or at least less able, to produce stable rhythms and to transmit timing information to target sites. Initially, only the ability to synchronize with the periodic environment is diminished, whereas the rhythms themselves continue to be well pronounced. Therefore, the possibility exists to treat age-dependent disturbances. This can be done pharmacologically or by increasing the zeitgeber strength. So, some of the rhythm disturbances can be reversed, increasing the magnitude of the light-dark (LD) zeitgeber. Another possibility is to strengthen feedback effects, for example, by increasing the daily amount of activity. By this means, the stability and synchronization of the circadian activity rhythm of old mice and men were improved. (Chronobiology International,17(3), 261–283, 2000) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical injury can cause cardiac problems and various electrocardiographic (ECG) changes. It has been suggested that an electrical current may permanently damage the cardiac conduction tissue and predispose to late dysrhythmia. Less serious transient ECG changes have also been described after electrical injury, such as ST segment elevation. Electrical injuries can cause delayed cardiac problems. In the emergency department, a patient who has chest pain and ECG changes should be investigated through his history about any previous electrical injury, so that we can differentiate myocardial infarction and other cardiac problems mimicking it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]