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- Title
Thromboembolic prophylaxis protocol with warfarin after radiofrequency catheter ablation of infarct‐related ventricular tachycardia.
- Authors
Siontis, Konstantinos C.; Jamé, Sina; Sharaf Dabbagh, Ghaith; Latchamsetty, Rakesh; Jongnarangsin, Krit; Morady, Fred; Bogun, Frank M.
- Abstract
Abstract: Introduction: Ablation in the left ventricle (LV) is associated with a risk of thromboembolism. There are limited data on the use of specific thromboembolic prophylaxis strategies postablation. We aimed to evaluate a thromboembolic prophylaxis protocol after ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation. Methods and results: The index procedures of 217 patients undergoing ablation for infarct‐related VT with open irrigated‐tip catheters were included. Patients with large LV endocardial ablation area (>3 cm between ablation lesions) were started on low‐dose, slowly escalating unfractionated heparin (UFH) infusion 8 hours after access hemostasis, followed by 3 months of anticoagulation. Patients with less extensive ablation were treated only with antiplatelet agents postablation. Postablation bridging anticoagulation was used in 181 (83%) patients. Of them, 11 (6%) patients experienced bleeding events (1 required endovascular intervention) and 1 (0.6%) experienced lower extremity arterial embolism requiring vascular surgery. Systemic anticoagulation was prescribed in 190 (89%) of 214 patients discharged from the hospital (warfarin in 98%), while the rest received single‐ or dual‐antiplatelet therapy alone. Patients treated with an anticoagulant had significantly longer radiofrequency time compared to patients treated with antiplatelet agents only. One (0.5%) of the patients treated with oral anticoagulation experienced major bleeding 2 weeks postablation. No thromboembolic events were documented in either the anticoagulation or the “antiplatelet only” group postdischarge. Conclusion: A slowly escalating bridging regimen of UFH, followed by 3 months of oral anticoagulation, is associated with low thromboembolic and bleeding risks after infarct‐related VT ablation. In the absence of extensive ablation, antiplatelet therapy alone is reasonable.
- Subjects
THROMBOEMBOLISM prevention; HEMORRHAGE risk factors; ALGORITHMS; CATHETER ablation; MEDICAL protocols; MYOCARDIAL infarction; VENTRICULAR tachycardia; WARFARIN; DATA analysis software; DESCRIPTIVE statistics
- Publication
Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 2018, Vol 29, Issue 4, p584
- ISSN
1045-3873
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/jce.13418