Comparison of telemonitoring combined with intensive patient support with standard care in patients with chronic cardiovascular disease - a randomized clinical trial.

Importance: Healthcare concepts for chronic diseases based on tele-monitoring have become increasingly important during COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To study the effectiveness of a novel integrated care concept (NICC) that combines tele-monitoring with the support of a call centre in addition to guideline therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or treatment-resistant hypertension.

Design: A prospective, parallel-group, open-label, randomized, controlled trial.

New strategies for energy supply of cardiac implantable devices.

Background: Heart disease and atrial fibrillation are the leading causes of death worldwide. Patient morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease can be reduced by more accurate and continuous diagnostic and therapeutic tools provided by cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs).

Objectives: Long-term operation of CIEDs continues to be a challenge due to limited battery life and the associated risk of device failure.

[Atrial fibrillation and the limits of oral anticoagulation: for whom are left atrial appendage occluders suitable?].

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation are at a significantly increased risk of thromboembolic events, especially ischemic strokes. Oral anticoagulation reduces this risk, but cannot be used in some patients for various reasons and is associated with a relevantly increased risk of bleeding. As an alternative for prophylaxis of thromboembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation, there are different options of left atrial appendage closure.

Left atrial appendage closure with the watchman device reduces atrial fibrillation management costs.

Aims: To report hospitalization costs of patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) submitted to percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) with the Watchman device.

Methods: Pre- and post-procedural hospitalization AF-related costs were calculated using the DRG system (diagnosis-related groups) and compared.

Results: Between 2012 and 2016, 677 non-valvular AF patients underwent LAAC.

Implantation of an Innovative Intracardiac Microcomputer System for Web-Based Real-Time Monitoring of Heart Failure: Usability and Patients' Attitudes.

Background: Heart failure (HF) management guided by the measurement of intracardiac and pulmonary pressure values obtained through innovative permanent intracardiac microsensors has been recently proposed as a valid strategy to individualize treatment and anticipate hemodynamic destabilization. These sensors have potential to reduce patient hospitalization rates and optimize quality of life.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability and patients' attitudes toward a new permanent intracardiac device implanted to remotely monitor left intra-atrial pressures (V-LAP, Vectorious Medical Technologies, Tel Aviv, Israel) in patients with chronic HF.