aVR - the forgotten lead.

Electrocardiography continues to be a focal point of modern medicine, and the electrocardiogram (ECG) continues to be the most frequently ordered cardiac test. Most of the clinical importance of the ECG rests on the invaluable information it renders in diagnosing acute coronary syndromes and cardiac arrhythmias. However, the ECG is a valuable tool and diagnostic aid in the evaluation of many other conditions such as pericarditis and pulmonary embolism.

Diuretics - a panacea for acute heart failure? Different formulations, doses, and combinations.

Diuretics have been the cornerstone of acute heart failure (AHF) therapy for >200 years, although the treatment of chronic heart failure has changed dramatically over the past decades with the introduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, beta-blockers, and aldosterone inhibitors. These treatment modalities were never tested prospectively in the acute setting. Furthermore, there is a significant lack of prospective data on the use of diuretics in both chronic (CHF) and AHF.

Nonpharmacologic therapy in heart failure: an overview.

Heart failure therapy has seen significant changes over the past few decades. Therapies aimed at various pathophysiologic states have been and are currently used in the treatment of heart failure. Despite this, incidence and mortality continue to rise.