Atrial High-Rate Episodes and Their Association with Cerebral Ischemic Events in Chagasic Patients

Emanoela Lima Freitas1, Elieusa E Silva Sampaio2, Márcia Maria Carneiro Oliveira2,3

  • 1Hospital Cardio Pulmonar, Salvador, BA - Brasil.

Insights

Atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) detected by implantable devices predict silent strokes in Chagasic patients. This finding highlights the importance of monitoring AHREs for stroke prevention in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) are linked to increased stroke risk.
  • No prior studies have investigated AHREs and cerebral ischemic events in Chagasic patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the association between AHREs lasting at least 6 minutes and cerebral ischemic events in Chagasic patients.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study followed Chagasic patients with implantable electronic cardiac devices (IECDs).
  • AHREs were defined as atrial frequency ≥ 190 bpm and duration ≥ 6 minutes.
  • Cerebral ischemic events were identified using computed tomography (CT) of the skull.

Main Results:

  • Of 67 participants, 11.9% experienced AHREs ≥ 6 minutes.
  • Silent cerebral ischemic events were detected in 16.4% of patients via CT.
  • AHREs ≥ 6 minutes (OR 96.2) and advanced age (OR 1.12) were independent predictors of ischemic events.

Conclusions:

  • Implantable electronic cardiac device-detected AHREs are associated with silent cerebral ischemic events in Chagasic patients.
  • This association underscores the potential role of AHRE monitoring in stroke risk assessment for Chagasic individuals.
Abstract

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