Prediction of readmissions and mortality in patients with heart failure: lessons from the IMPEDANCE-HF extended trial.

Aims: Readmissions for heart failure (HF) are a major burden. We aimed to assess whether the extent of improvement in pulmonary fluid content (ΔPC) during HF hospitalization evaluated by lung impedance (LI), or indirectly by other clinical and laboratory parameters, predicts readmissions.

Methods And Results: The present study is based on pre-defined secondary analysis of the IMPEDANCE-HF extended trial comprising 266 HF patients at New York Heart Association Class II-IV and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 35% randomized to LI-guided or conventional therapy during long-term follow-up.

Non-Invasive Lung IMPEDANCE-Guided Preemptive Treatment in Chronic Heart Failure Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial (IMPEDANCE-HF Trial).

Background: Previous investigations have suggested that lung impedance (LI)-guided treatment reduces hospitalizations for acute heart failure (AHF). A single-blind 2-center trial was performed to evaluate this hypothesis (ClinicalTrials.gov-NCT01315223).

[ISRAELI GUIDELINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF HYPERLIPIDEMIA - 2014 UPDATE].

Atherosclerosis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, including in Israel. This document updates the clinical recommendations of the Israeli medical societies (The Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, The Israel Heart Society, The Israel Association of Family Physicians, The Israel Society of Internal Medicine) from 2012. The need for an update stems from new studies and from the 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults.

The Leaflex™ Catheter System - a viable treatment option alongside valve replacement? Preclinical feasibility of a novel device designed for fracturing aortic valve.

Aims: To demonstrate the feasibility of the Leaflex™ Catheter System, a novel percutaneous device for fracturing valve calcification using mechanical impact in order to regain leaflet mobility.

Methods And Results: Radiographic analysis of calcium patterns in 90 ex vivo human aortic valve leaflets demonstrated that 82% of leaflets had a typical "bridge" or "half-bridge" pattern, which formed the basis for the catheter design. The therapeutic effect was quantified in 13 leaflets showing a reduction of 49±16% in leaflet resistance to folding after treatment.

Derivation of baseline lung impedance in chronic heart failure patients: use for monitoring pulmonary congestion and predicting admissions for decompensation.

The instantaneous lung impedance (ILI) is one of the methods to assess pulmonary congestion or edema (PCE) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. Due to usually existing PCE in CHF patients when evaluated, baseline lung impedance (BLI) is unknown. Therefore, the relation of ILI to BLI is unknown.

Relation of the systemic blood pressure to the collateral pressure distal to an infarct-related coronary artery occlusion during acute myocardial infarction.

Collaterals to occluded coronary arteries have been observed early after the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The pressure distal to the occluded segment of the culprit coronary artery (P(d)) is generated by collateral flow from the feeding coronary artery supplied by the systemic circulation. The aim of the study was to assess the relation between systemic blood pressure (BP) and P(d).

Relationship between the intensity of heparin anticoagulation and clinical outcomes in patients receiving glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors during primary percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: We sought to determine the impact of the activated clotting time (ACT) in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with unfractionated heparin (UFH) and a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI).

Background: UFH+GPI is commonly used during primary PCI for STEMI. UFH anticoagulation is titrated with ACT.

Usefulness of lung impedance-guided pre-emptive therapy to prevent pulmonary edema during ST-elevation myocardial infarction and to improve long-term outcomes.

Patients sustaining an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) frequently develop pulmonary congestion or pulmonary edema (PED). We previously showed that lung impedance (LI) threshold decrease of 12% to 14% from baseline during admission for STEMI marks the onset of the transition zone from interstitial to alveolar edema and predicts evolution to PED with 98% probability. The aim of this study was to prove that pre-emptive LI-guided treatment may prevent PED and improve clinical outcomes.

Novel acute collateral flow index in patients with total coronary artery occlusion during ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: The effect of collaterals to occluded coronary arteries during ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is unclear. The conventional CVP-based formula to calculate collateral flow index during STEMI yields values higher than in elective patients, which prompted derivation of a modified formula, pertinent in STEMI when left ventricular mean diastolic pressure (LVMDP) is the extravascular pressure limiting collateral flow. We aimed to evaluate this new LVMDP-based acute collateral flow index (ACFI).

A novel radiological score to assess lung fluid content during evolving acute heart failure in the course of acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Monitoring of lung fluid content (LFC) in order to predict acute heart failure (AHF) during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an unmet challenge.

Aim: To evaluate in AMI patients the ability of proposed radiological score (RS), which is the sum of selected radiological signs of congestion, to reflect correctly LFC, as assessed with repeat physical examinations and lung impedance (LI) measurements.

Methods: Chest X-rays were taken at baseline, when rales were detected, whenever indicated, and at conclusion of monitoring.

Collateral pressure and flow in acute myocardial infarction with total coronary occlusion correlate with angiographic collateral grade and creatine kinase levels.

Background: The validity of angiographic collateral grade according to the Rentrop classification during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its relation to flow in occluded coronary arteries before angioplasty have never been evaluated.

Methods: We assessed the validity of the angiographic collateral grade according to Rentrop classification in relation to collateral pressure and flow beyond occluded coronary arteries during AMI. Pressure distal to coronary artery occlusions before balloon dilatation was measured in 111 patients undergoing angioplasty for AMI.

Effect of Metoprolol CR/XL on pulmonary artery pressure in chronic heart failure patients assessed by an implanted ultrasonic device with special emphasis on diurnal variation and exercise capacity.

Objective: We evaluated the impact of Metoprolol CR/XL on the diurnal and exercise induced variation on Pulmonary Artery Pressure (PAP) in patients with Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) by implanted ultrasonic device.

Background: Metoprolol produces haemodynamic and clinical benefits in patients with chronic heart failure and improves survival rate. There is limited information about their effect on PAP, its diurnal and exercise induced variation in heart failure.

Pharmacodynamic effect and clinical efficacy of clopidogrel and prasugrel with or without a proton-pump inhibitor: an analysis of two randomised trials.

Background: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often prescribed in combination with thienopyridines. Conflicting data exist as to whether PPIs diminish the efficacy of clopidogrel. We assessed the association between PPI use, measures of platelet function, and clinical outcomes for patients treated with clopidogrel or prasugrel.

Impact of stent length on restenosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention: analysis based on data from the Trial to Assess the Use of the Cypher Stent in Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated with Balloon Angioplasty (TYPHOON).

Aims: Stent length is a major predictor of restenosis in stable patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare metal stents (BMS). The effect of stent length is decreased by using drug eluting stents, however, this association had not been previously determined in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We sought to determine the impact of stent length on restenosis in patients who undergo primary PCI for AMI.

Apical thrombus associated with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a young woman.

We report a case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy complicated by left ventricular apical thrombus in a young woman; the thrombus and wall motion abnormalities disappeared after 3 weeks of anticoagulant therapy. These findings suggest that appropriate anticoagulation therapy should be performed in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy until wall motion abnormalities improve.

Quadrivalvular heart disease: transition from congenital pulmonary stenosis to rheumatic disease.

The case is reported of a 36-year-old male patient suffering from congenital pulmonary stenosis who previously had undergone pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty. During the past nine years, he had experienced recurrent attacks of rheumatic fever that gradually damaged all four heart valves. The patient underwent aortic, mitral and pulmonary valve replacement with tricuspid valve annuloplasty and pulmonary artery reconstruction.

Wireless acoustic communication with a miniature pressure sensor in the pulmonary artery for disease surveillance and therapy of patients with congestive heart failure.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of repeated pulmonary artery (PA) pressure determinations using a newly developed acoustic wireless implanted communication system.

Background: Congestive heart failure management strategies based on monitored intracardiac hemodynamics in patients receiving the best-available therapy may improve outcome. Although electromagnetic communication requires a large antenna for sufficient energy transfer, acoustic energy readily penetrates deep into the body, uses little energy, and uses small internal transducers for bidirectional operation.

BNP in septic patients without systolic myocardial dysfunction.

Background: We tested our hypothesis that serum BNP levels rise in sepsis and septic shock patients as a result of an inflammatory state and not only because of left ventricular dysfunction.

Methods: Twenty-one patients with sepsis or septic shock were enrolled in the study. Echocardiography was performed in every patient on admission and at discharge.

Ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm complicated by myocardial ischemia: pathogenetic mechanisms.

Significant left-to-right shunt in combination with severe aortic regurgitation (AR) accelerates the development of symptoms after rupture of congenital sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) in spite of intact coronary arteries. We depict a rare description of a situation where acute coronary syndrome was the first manifestation of such an occurrence. We believe that the progress of the myocardial ischemia after ruptured SVA depends on the severity of AR and the quantity of the left-to-right shunt.