Use of loop diuretics in patients with chronic heart failure: an observational overview.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the use and dose of loop diuretics (LDs) across the entire ejection fraction (EF) spectrum in a large, 'real-world' cohort of chronic heart failure (HF) patients.

Methods: A total of 10 366 patients with chronic HF from 34 Dutch outpatient HF clinics were analysed regarding diuretic use and diuretic dose. Data regarding daily diuretic dose were stratified by furosemide dose equivalent (FDE)>80 mg or ≤80 mg.

Heart failure treatment in patients with and without obesity with an ejection fraction below 50.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess heart failure (HF) treatment in patients with and without obesity in a large contemporary real-world Western European cohort.

Methods: Patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% and available information on body mass index (BMI) were selected from the CHECK-HF registry. The CHECK-HF registry included chronic HF patients in the period between 2013 and 2016 in 34 Dutch outpatient clinics.

Essential Thrombocytosis in Patients <40 Years Old With Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Not So Uncommon Underlying Diagnosis Often Overlooked.

Background: In patients under <40 years, traditional cardiovascular (CV)-risk factors are a less likely cause of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) compared to older counterparts.

Aims: To estimate the prevalence of essential thrombocytosis (ET), a hematological disorder and less-prevalent risk factor, in young patients presenting with ACS.

Methods: We constructed a retrospective database of all patients <40 years (n=271) that had consecutively undergone coronary angiography (CAG) after their  ACS within our hospital within the last ten years (2010-2020) and had known thrombocyte counts (n=241).

Parenting Behavior at 18 Months Predicts Internalizing and Externalizing Problems at 6 Years in Moderately Preterm and Full Term Children.

Moderately preterm born children (MPT) are at increased risk for behavior problems compared to full term born (FT) children. MPT children may receive less optimal parenting, and in response, may develop behavior problems. Our aims were to examine whether parenting behavior and mother-child interaction quality mediate the association between birth status and child behavior problems.

Outpatient treatment of worsening heart failure with intravenous and subcutaneous diuretics: a systematic review of the literature.

Aims: In the coming decade, heart failure (HF) represents a major global healthcare challenge due to an ageing population and rising prevalence combined with scarcity of medical resources and increasing healthcare costs. A transitional care strategy within the period of clinical worsening of HF before hospitalization may offer a solution to prevent hospitalization. The outpatient treatment of worsening HF with intravenous or subcutaneous diuretics as an alternative strategy for hospitalization has been described in the literature.

Age differences in contemporary treatment of patients with chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

Background: Elderly patients are underrepresented in clinical trials but comprise the majority of heart failure patients. Data on age-specific use of heart failure therapy are limited. The European Society of Cardiology heart failure guidelines provide no age-specific treatment recommendations.

Evidence for contact calls in fish: conspecific vocalisations and ambient soundscape influence group cohesion in a nocturnal species.

Soundscapes provide a new tool for the study of fish communities. Bigeyes (Pempheris adspersa) are nocturnal planktivorous reef fish, feed in loose shoals and are soniferous. These vocalisations have been suggested to be contact calls to maintain group cohesion, however direct evidence for this is absent, despite the fact that contact calls are well documented for many other vertebrates, including marine mammals.

Left ventricular assist device as a bridge to recovery in a young woman admitted with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are an effective therapeutic option for end-stage heart failure patients as a bridge to cardiac transplantation in those who deteriorate despite maximal therapy and when a donor heart is not ready available. In some patients, cardiac recovery has been reported while supported by an LVAD. In this case report, we describe a 29-year-old female who was admitted to our centre because of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

[Unexplained right ventricle dilatation clarified by a cardiac contusion many years ago].

In a 52-year-old man with new onset atrial fibrillation, transthoracic echocardiography showed an isolated, considerably dilated right ventricle. Frequent causes of right ventricular dilatation were ruled out. The image-forming investigation showed an isolated dilation of the ventral part of the heart, which, in combination with a blunt chest trauma 30 years previously, led to a previous cardiac contusion being suspected.

Decisions to terminate resuscitation. Resuscitation Committee.

To gain more insight into decision making around the termination of resuscitation (CPR), we studied factors which influenced the time before discontinuing resuscitation, and the criteria on which those decisions were based. These criteria were compared with those of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and the American Heart Association (AHA). For this study, we reviewed the audiotapes of resuscitation attempts in a hospital.