WITHDRAWN: Diuretics for heart failure.

This protocol was withdrawn in April 2016 as the author team was unable to progress to the final review stage. An editorial decision was taken not to pursue this title. The editorial group responsible for this previously published document have withdrawn it from publication.

Diuretics for heart failure.

Background: Chronic heart failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Diuretics are regarded as the first-line treatment for patients with congestive heart failure since they provide symptomatic relief. The effects of diuretics on disease progression and survival remain unclear.

Ventricular long axis function is predictive of outcome in patients with chronic heart failure secondary to non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Ventricular long axis function has recently been proved to be of prognostic value in patients with heart failure. However, it remains unclear whether it can provide additional independent information over that provided by conventionally used LVEF or functional status. We conducted this study to address this issue, and to determine the prognostic importance of sequential change in long axis function over time in patients with idiopathic DCM.

Echocardiography-derived variables predict outcome in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy with or without a restrictive filling pattern.

Background: Despite recent therapeutic advances, patients with heart failure caused by dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) still have high morbidity and mortality rates. In this study, we sought to assess the prognostic value of echocardiographic variables in patients with DCM and to assess the impact of a restrictive left ventricle filling pattern.

Design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 337 patients with DCM, using the Royal Brompton Hospital Echocardiography database for the years 1994 to 1998.