title: Induction of atrial fibrillation with low-energy defibrillator shocks in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.
abstract: In a population of 151 consecutive patients who received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, we found that atrial fibrillation was induced by low-energy shocks in 19% and was most common in patients with lead systems that included a right atrial electrode. Our finding that there was a fixed relation between the energy required to fibrillate (< or = 3 J) and defibrillate (> 3 J) suggests the presence of an upper limit of vulnerability in the human atrium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Florin
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Shorofsky
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged