Comparison of partners-heart failure algorithm vs care alert in remote heart failure management.

Aim: To compare the utility of the partners-heart failure (HF) algorithm with the care alert strategy for remote monitoring, in guiding clinical actions oriented to treat impending HF.

Methods: Consecutive cardiac resynchronization-defibrillator recipients were followed with biweekly automatic transmissions. After every transmission, patients received a phone contact in order to check their health status, eventually followed by clinical actions, classified as "no-action", "non-active" and "active".

A prospective comparison of remote monitoring systems in implantable cardiac defibrillators: potential effects of frequency of transmissions.

Purpose: Currently, cardiac implantable electronic devices allow remote monitoring (RM) based on periodic (Boston Latitude [LAT], Medtronic Carelink [MCL], St. Jude Merlin [SJM]) or daily transmissions (Biotronik Home Monitoring [BHM]). The aim of this study was to compare all the current RM systems in normal practice and investigate the effect of periodicity of RM transmissions on early detection of clinical and device-related events.

Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy: mechanisms of heart failure and clinical implications.

The prognosis of dilated cardiomyopathy is generally poor. The cause of ventricular dysfunction often cannot be identified. In most cases, the clinical history of cardiomyopathy is irreversible but, in some cases, potentially curable causes may be identified.