Abstract
Premature atrial complexes (PACs) are a common finding in patients with structural heart disease, as well as in healthy subjects. In addition to the clinical spectrum ranging from asymptomatic patients to irritating palpitations, PACs are suggested to be associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke. Medical treatment leads to a significant reduction in PACs with clear symptom relief in a large proportion of patients, but is limited in cases of PACs that are refractory to antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) treatment. Furthermore, proarrhythmic effects of AAD or the patient’s refusal of AAD treatment due to side effects need to be considered. Ablation of PACs is a good alternative to medical therapy with a comparable safety profile and at least comparable efficacy. In recent years, ultra-high-density (UHD) mapping with multiple improvements for successful ablation has been evolving. Before the introduction of UHD mapping, ablation strategies included activation mapping with single-tip catheters or conventional mapping aiming for the earliest activation of the PAC locally, with the earliest activation suspected to be the origin of the PAC and targeted by radiofrequency (RF) ablation. Using UHD mapping, a three-dimensional local activation map of the atrium can be acquired, identifying the point of earliest activation within the high-resolution map. PAC ablation has therefore developed into a true alternative for the treatment of symptomatic PACs.
Zusammenfassung
Supraventrikuläre Extrasystolen (SVES) sind eine häufige, jedoch meist asymptomatische Rhythmusstörung. Sie treten nicht nur bei Patienten mit Herzerkrankung, sondern auch bei gesunden Menschen auf. Patienten sind bezüglich des Auftretens von SVES oft komplett asymptomatisch, bemerken aber in nicht wenigen Fällen irritierende Palpitationen. SVES sind auch mit dem Auftreten von Vorhofflimmern und einem erhöhten Schlaganfallrisiko assoziiert. Eine medikamentöse Behandlung kann bei einem Großteil der Patienten SVES wesentlich reduzieren und die Symptomlast deutlich bessern. In einigen Fällen lassen sich die SVES jedoch nicht mit Antiarrhythmika behandeln. Auch proarrhythmische Effekte der Antiarrhythmika oder eine Ablehnung der Einnahme durch den Patienten wegen Nebenwirkungen sind zu berücksichtigen. Die Ablation der SVES ist eine gute Alternative zur medikamentösen Therapie mit ähnlichem Sicherheitsprofil und mindestens vergleichbarer Wirksamkeit, insbesondere seit der Entwicklung des Ultra-high-density(UHD)-Mappings mit seinen diversen Verbesserungen. Vor Einführung des UHD-Mappings beinhalteten Ablationsstrategien das Aktivierungs-Mapping mit Single-tip-Katheter oder ein konventionelles Mapping, um die Stelle der frühesten Erregung der SVES Punkt für Punkt zu identifizieren. Der vermutete Ort der frühesten Aktivierung wurde als Ursprung der SVES gedeutet und mit Radiofrequenzenergie abladiert. Mithilfe des UHD-Mappings kann eine 3‑dimensionale lokale Aktivierungskarte des Vorhofs generiert und der Punkt der frühesten Aktivierung in der hochaufgelösten Karte lokalisiert werden. Die Ablation von SVES ist also mittlerweile eine exzellente Alternative zur medikamentösen Therapie symptomatischer SVES.
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R. Wakili reports grants from Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislaufforschung and grants from Boston Scientific outside the submitted work. R. Wakili reports personal fees from Bayer, Boehringer, Daichi Sankyo, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Boston Scientific, Biotronik outside the submitted work. L. Riesinger and J. Siebermair declare that they have no competing interests.
For this article no studies with human participants or animals were performed by any of the authors. All studies performed were in accordance with the ethical standards indicated in each case.
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Riesinger, L., Siebermair, J. & Wakili, R. Mapping strategies and ablation of premature atrial complexes. Herzschr Elektrophys 32, 9–13 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00399-021-00744-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00399-021-00744-9