Assessment of left ventricular systolic function by deformation imaging derived from speckle tracking: a comparison between 2D and 3D echo modalities.

Aims: Deformation imaging is undergoing continuous development with the emergence of new technologies allowing the evaluation of the different components of strain simultaneously in three dimensions. Assessment of all global strain parameters in 2D and 3D modes and comparison with LVEF have been the focus of our study.

Methods And Results: Out of 166 patients, 147 were evaluated with the use of both 2D and 3D speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE).

Comparison of the diagnostic and prognostic values of B-type and atrial-type natriuretic peptides in acute heart failure.

Background: We compared diagnostic and prognostic properties of brain natruiretic peptide (BNP), proBNP, NT-proBNP and MR-pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in patients admitted with shortness of breath (SOB).

Methods: All 4 NPs were measured in patients admitted to the emergency unit with SOB (in 2 centers) or acute heart failure (AHF) (1 FINN-AKVA cohort) and in a control population of stable chronic HF. Follow-up was 1 (2 centers) and 5 years (1 FINN-AKVA cohort).

Arrhythmogenic effect of flecainide toxicity.

Flecainide is a class 1C antiarrhythmic drug especially used for the management of supraventricular arrhythmia. In overdose cases, flecainide can induce life treating ventricular arrhythmias and cardiogenic shock. We report the case of a 72-year-old woman admitted to our intensive care unit for a regular monomorphic wide complex tachycardia (QRS duration 240 ms, right bundle branch block and superior axis morphology) without apparent P waves.

Acute intraventricular thrombosis of an impella LP 5.0 device in an ST-elevated myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.

A 58-year-old male patient, suffering from an acute anterior ST-elevated myocardial infarction, developed cardiogenic shock, despite an optimal revascularization and hemodynamic support through the use of an intra-aortic balloon pump and inotropic pharmacological agents. Additional support was provided by a left ventricular assistance device Impella LP 5.0 (Abiomed, Europe GmbH).

Accelerated coronary atherosclerosis revealed by arrhythmogenic coronary spasm.

Coronary artery spasm is sometimes associated with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Based on intravascular ultrasound findings, it appears that coronary artery spasm promotes negative arterial remodeling, suggesting that patients with coronary artery spasm might be at higher risk of accelerated coronary atherosclerosis. We report the cases of 3 patients with ventricular arrhythmia secondary to coronary artery spasm complicated by accelerated coronary atherosclerosis.

Novelties in the early management of acute heart failure syndromes.

The recent European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines delineate the diagnosis and management of distinct categories of acute heart failure syndromes. However, physicians dealing with these patients may need guidance in choosing therapeutic alternatives as soon as the dyspneic patient arrives at the emergency department, until distinct categories of the ESC guidelines are identified. Hence, this manuscript summarizes practical recommendations for the very early management of patients with acute heart failure syndromes.