Association of pulse rate with outcomes in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: In a real-world setting, the effect of pulse rate measured at the time of diagnosis and serially during follow-up and management, on outcomes in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), has not been well-studied. Furthermore, how beta-blockade use in a real-world situation modifies this relation between pulse rate and outcomes in HFrEF is not well-known. Hence, we identified a large, national, real-world cohort of HFrEF to examine the association of pulse rate and outcomes.

Activity Sensors to Evaluate the Effect of Sacubitril/Valsartan on Quality-of-Life in Heart Failure: rational and design of the AWAKE-HF study.

Aims: Limited data are available regarding the ability of sacubitril/valsartan to provide clinically meaningful health-related quality of life (HRQoL) improvements among individuals with heart failure (HF). Objective measurement of physical activity and sleep using actigraphy can provide insight into daily functioning and HRQoL.

Methods And Results: We designed an 18 week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group study to objectively assess changes in function and HRQoL directly after initiating sacubitril/valsartan vs.

Rationale and methods of the Prospective Study of Biomarkers, Symptom Improvement, and Ventricular Remodeling During Sacubitril/Valsartan Therapy for Heart Failure (PROVE-HF).

Background: Sacubitril/valsartan is an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor indicated for the treatment of patients with chronic heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction; however, its mechanism of benefit remains unclear. Biomarkers that are linked to ventricular remodeling, myocardial injury, and fibrosis may provide mechanistic insight and important clinical guidance regarding sacubitril/valsartan use.

Methods: This 52-week, multicenter, open-label, single-arm study is designed to (1) correlate biomarker changes with cardiac remodeling parameters, cardiovascular outcomes, and patient-reported outcome data and (2) determine short- and long-term changes in concentrations of biomarkers related to potential mechanisms of action and effects of sacubitril/valsartan therapy.

Variation in hospital resource use and cost among surgical procedures using topical absorbable hemostats.

Background: Adjunctive hemostats are used to assist with the control of intraoperative bleeding. The most common types are flowables, gelatins, thrombins, and oxidized regenerated celluloses (ORCs). In the US, Surgicel(®) products are the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved ORCs.

Hemostasis during urologic surgery: fibrin sealant compared with absorbable hemostat.

In the United States, fibrin sealants have been used to achieve hemostasis for nearly two decades. Although their clinical utility was first demonstrated in cardiac surgery, their effectiveness and safety have since been demonstrated to extend to a wide array of procedures. Fibrin sealants typically contain two components-fibrinogen and thrombin-that are combined and delivered simultaneously to a target bleeding site in order to achieve hemostasis.

Reduction in hospital costs and resource consumption associated with the use of advanced topical hemostats during inpatient procedures.

Objective: The use of hemostatic agents has increased over time for all surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the newer topical absorbable hemostat products Surgicel * Fibrillar † and Surgicel SNoW ‡ (Surgicel advanced products, abbreviated as SAPs) compared to the older product Surgicel Original (SO) with respect to healthcare resource use and costs in procedures where these hemostats are most commonly used.

Research Design And Methods: A retrospective analysis of the Premier hospital database was used to identify adults who underwent brain/cerebral (BC), cardiovascular (CV: valve surgery and coronary artery bypass graft) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) between January 2011-December 2012.

The four seasons of ruptured sinus of valsalva aneurysms: case presentations and review.

The sinuses of Valsalva are 3 distinct outpouchings of the aortic wall associated with the 3 cusps of the aortic valve that may develop aneurysmal dilation because of weakness of or injury to the sinus wall. Rupture of a sinus aneurysm can create an aortocardiac fistula. Ruptured sinuses of Valsalva aneurysms (RSVAs) may present a diagnostic dilemma because of their varied clinical presentations.

Hemodynamic characterization of calcified stenotic human aortic valves before and after treatment with a novel aortic valve repair system.

Background And Aim Of The Study: The repair of calcified stenotic aortic valves may be a viable alternative to current valve treatments for early-stage aortic valve disease. To date, evaluation of valve repair feasibility on the benchtop has not been performed. A pulsatile flow system for testing intact human aortic valves was developed to perform quantitative hemodynamic and mechanical assessment of a new aortic valve repair approach.