Publications

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for 230,000 to 350,000 deaths per year in the United States. While many who suffer SCD possess underlying structural heart disease, inherited arrhythmia syndromes are also important contributors to SCD. In patients without structural heart disease, inherited arrhythmia syndromes are identified in >50% of the remaining patients. In this review, we will focus on the presentation and management of three major inherited syndromes that lead to SCD in patients without structural heart disease: long QT syndrome (LQTS), Brugada syndrome, and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). All these syndromes can present in patients who are asymptomatic or, at the other extreme, with syncope and even SCD. LQTS syndrome and Brugada are the most common inherited arrhythmogenic syndromes, while CPVT is much rarer. Determining which patients need pharmacologic treatment and those who would benefit from more aggressive treatment such as sympathectomies and implantable defibrillators is not always clear.

Studies show that people who inject drugs (PWID) underestimate their overdose risk. We sought to explore this phenomenon by comparing how PWID perceive causes of personal overdoses compared to witnessed overdoses. We analyzed 40 interviews from participants enrolled in a randomized-controlled behavioral intervention to reduce overdose among at-risk PWID in San Francisco from 2014 to 2016. Subjects were current illicit opioid injectors with opioid use disorder, had received take-home naloxone, and had overdosed within five years. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using thematic content analysis, three analysts coded the interviews and measured interrater reliability. The analysts developed a codebook of a priori and inductively generated codes, and applied it to all interviews. Coding discrepancies were discussed. : We used two theoretical frameworks - actor observer bias (AOB) and intragroup stigma - to analyze participants' descriptions of personal and witnessed overdoses. AOB suggests individuals may assign responsibility of their actions to external factors, while assigning responsibility for others' actions to internal mechanisms. Intragroup stigma describes the process whereby people perpetuate stigma within their own group. Related to these concepts, two principal themes were used to describe personal overdose: (1) drug volatility and (2) ascribing blame to others, and witnessed overdoses: (1) greed and (2) inexperience/foolishness. The differences in perceived causes of personal versus witnessed overdose align with AOB and intragroup stigma. Understanding how these theories shape overdose experiences may improve behavioral interventions by introducing peer based supports and encouraging PWIDs to employ evidence-based safety precautions when using opioids.