Noncardiac Versus Cardiac Mortality in Heart Failure With Preserved, Midrange, and Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background A thorough analysis of noncardiac determinants of mortality in heart failure (HF) is missing. Furthermore, evidence conflicts on the outcome of patients with HF and no or mild systolic dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of noncardiac and cardiac causes of death in a cohort of chronic HF patients, covering the whole spectrum of systolic function.

Simultaneous His Bundle and Left Ventricular Pacing for Optimal Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Delivery: Acute Hemodynamic Assessment by Pressure-Volume Loops.

Background: Previous studies have investigated the role of intrinsic conduction in optimizing cardiac resynchronization therapy. We investigated the role of fusing pacing-induced activation and intrinsic conduction in cardiac resynchronization therapy by evaluating the acute hemodynamic effects of simultaneous His-bundle (HIS) and left ventricular (LV) pacing.

Methods And Results: We studied 11 patients with systolic heart failure and left bundle-branch block scheduled for cardiac resynchronization therapy implantation.

Beyond Thrombus Detection: The Role of Multimodality Imaging Approach.

We present a very rare case of paraneoplastic syndrome characterized by the unusual coexistence of a left ventricular apical thrombus and pulmonary embolism as the first manifestation of an unrecognized lung adenocarcinoma.

Renal function impairment predicts mortality in patients with chronic heart failure treated with resynchronization therapy.

Background: The use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and implantable cardioverter- defibrillator (ICD) for advanced heart failure (HF) is increasing. Renal dysfunction is a common condition in HF which is associated with a worse survival. The study aims at identifying in patients with advanced HF treated with CRT the effect of baseline glomerular filtration rate (GFR), GFR improvement and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) change, after 6-months of CRT implant, on survival.

Dual antiplatelet therapy tailored on platelet function test after coronary stent implantation: a real-world experience.

Patients' response to dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is subject to variations and its monitoring allows to individualize this therapy. In this study, we evaluated if a strategy of tailored DAPT after platelet function testing could reduce high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) and improve outcome of patients treated with stent implantation. In 257 patients undergoing percutaneous angioplasty, platelet function was measured by light transmittance aggregometry (LTA) using 10 µM/L adenosine-diphosphate (ADP) and 1 mM arachidonic acid (AA) as agonists.

Venous-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for refractory cardiac arrest: a clinical challenge.

Guidelines stated that extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may improve outcomes after refractory cardiac arrest (CA) in cases of cardiogenic shock and witnessed arrest, where there is an underlying circulatory disease amenable to immediate corrective intervention. Due to the lack of randomized trials, available data are supported by small series and observational studies, being therefore characterized by heterogeneity and controversial results. In clinical practice, using ECMO involves quite a challenging medical decision in a setting where the patient is extremely vulnerable and completely dependent on the medical team's judgment.

Arrhythmic complication in cardiorenal syndrome.

In this paper, two different aspects of the relationship between chronic kidney disease and sudden cardiac death (SCD) have been reviewed. In end-stage renal disease patients, SCD risk is increased, and among patients implanted with a cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), dialysed ones carry a superior relative risk compared to non-dialysed ones. Cardiorenal syndrome patients have increase in SCD risk, and when receiving ICD implantation, survival improves.