Survival analysis in patients with preserved left ventricular function and standard indications for permanent cardiac pacing randomized to right ventricular apical or septal outflow tract pacing.

Background: Optimal right ventricular (RV) pacing site in patients referred for permanent cardiac pacing remains controversial. A prospective randomized trial was done to compare long-term effect of permanent RV apex (RVA) vs RV outflow tract (RVOT) pacing on the all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Methods And Results: A total of 122 consecutive patients (70 men, 69 +/-11 years), with standard pacing indications were randomized to RVA (66 patients) or RVOT (56 patients) ventricular lead placement.

Echocardiographic evaluation of patients with severe heart failure and impairment of intraventricular conduction following cardiac resynchronisation therapy.

Background: Echocardiographic examination is essential for clinical assessment of patients after cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT).

Aim: To assess the benefit of CRT in patients with end-stage heart failure at long-term follow-up.

Methods: 28 patients with end-stage heart failure, NYHA class >or= III (>or= II in patients with indications for implantable cardioverter defibrillator and echocardiographic signs of ventricular mechanical systolic dyssynchrony), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <35%, QRS duration >120 ms and left bundle branch block morphology received a biventricular device.

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy in patients with end-stage heart failure--long-term follow-up.

Background: Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure (HF). However, long-term results of CRT have not yet been validated.

Aim: To assess the sustained benefit of CRT in patients with end-stage HF at long-term follow-up.

Right ventricular apex versus right ventricular outflow tract pacing: prospective, randomised, long-term clinical and echocardiographic evaluation.

Introduction: In patients treated with permanent pacing, the electrode is typically placed in the right ventricular apex (RVA). Published data indicate that such electrode placement leads to an unfavourable ventricular depolarization pattern, while right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) pacing seems to be more physiological.

Aim: To compare long-term effects of RVOT versus RVA pacing on clinical status, left ventricular (LV) function, and the degree of atrioventricular valve regurgitation.

The localisation of the electrode in permanently paced heart--an echocardiographical study.

Unlabelled: Permanent cardiac pacing is a widely applied procedure in invasive cardiology. The aim of our study was the analysis of the localisation of the tip of the pacemaker lead and its course in the right ventricle. Research was carried out on a group of 12 patients (5F, 7M), from 40 to 93 years of age (average 70 +/- 15 yrs) with permanent cardiac pacing or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).