Atrio-Ventricular Dyssynchrony After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: An Unusual Contributor to Heart Failure Symptoms.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is the mainstay for the management of systolic heart failure with LVEF <35% and evidence of dyssynchrony despite optimal medical therapy. After CRT placement, persistent dyssynchronization is possible and can contribute to heart failure symptoms despite a well-functioning CRT device. Echo-guided imaging can be beneficial for the optimization of CRT in selected patients who have evidence of continued dyssynchrony despite a well-functioning CRT device.

Augmenting Traditional Cardiac and Medical Care in Africa via Telemedicine: A Pilot Study.

Background A critical decrease in the number of healthcare providers in developing countries is one of the major burdens to healthcare access in these countries. Many factors contribute to the lack of healthcare providers, including low doctor-to-population ratio, emigration of doctors to other countries, long travel distances to hospitals, increasing cost of healthcare, and concentration of doctors in urban cities. Several measures have been taken by both governmental and nongovernmental organizations in these countries to mitigate this crisis with varying outcomes.