Clinical observations with real timing.

This article describes the hemodynamic effects of IABC therapy on patients supported with real timing. Criteria used to assess "proper" timing are discussed and challenged as they relate to the limited research available on the subject and to the cases in this article. It is important that clinicians who time the IAB consoles and assess therapeutic benefit of this therapy are aware of the different timing modalities and their potential benefits or ill effects in certain patient populations. The observations made by the authors strongly suggest the need for clinical research, case reports, and further evidence of valid assessment criteria to develop a research-based theory for practice of IABC timing and to provide criteria for selecting timing modalities for specific patient populations.