Chapter 1: The Burden of Heart Failure.

Heart failure (HF) affects an estimated 6 million American adults, and the prevalence continues to increase, driven in part by the aging of the population and by increases in the prevalence of diabetes. In recent decades, improvements in the survival of patients with HF have resulted in a growing number of individuals living longer with HF. HF and its comorbidities are associated with substantial impairments in physical functioning, emotional well-being, and quality of life, and also with markedly increased rates of morbidity and mortality.

Prognostic factors in treatment of traumatic femoropopliteal arterial injuries at a Brazilian trauma center.

Background: Despite significant improvements in outcomes, traumatic arterial limb injuries remain a significant cause of limb loss and mortality.

Objectives: This study sought to identify predictors of mortality and major amputation in patients undergoing revascularization after femoropopliteal arterial trauma.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of a trauma registry from an urban trauma center in Brazil.

Net atrioventricular compliance is an independent predictor of cardiovascular death in mitral stenosis.

Objectives: Rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) is a progressive disease, and risk of death may persist despite relief of the obstruction. Net atrioventricular compliance (C) modulates the overall haemodynamic burden of the MS and may be useful in predicting cardiovascular death after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV).

Methods: A total of 427 patients (mean age 50±16 years, 84% female) with severe MS undergoing PMV were enrolled.

The echo score revisited: Impact of incorporating commissural morphology and leaflet displacement to the prediction of outcome for patients undergoing percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty.

Background: Current echocardiographic scoring systems for percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) have limitations. This study examined new, more quantitative methods for assessing valvular involvement and the combination of parameters that best predicts immediate and long-term outcome after PMV.

Methods And Results: Two cohorts (derivation n=204 and validation n=121) of patients with symptomatic mitral stenosis undergoing PMV were studied.