Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jun 2011
Plasma von Willebrand factor levels are an independent risk factor for adverse events including mortality and major bleeding in anticoagulated atrial fibrillation patients.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of plasma von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels and fibrin d-dimer in a large cohort of anticoagulated permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. ⋯ High plasma vWF levels (≥221 IU/dl) are an independent risk factor for adverse events in anticoagulated permanent AF patients. This biomarker may potentially be used to refine stroke and bleeding clinical risk stratification in AF.
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Despite substantial efforts to make cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) algorithms known to healthcare workers, the outcome of CPR has remained poor during the past decades. Resuscitation teams often deviate from algorithms of CPR. Emerging evidence suggests that in addition to technical skills of individual rescuers, human factors such as teamwork and leadership affect adherence to algorithms and hence the outcome of CPR. ⋯ Teamwork and leadership training have been shown to improve subsequent team performance during resuscitation and have recently been included in guidelines for advanced life support courses. We propose that further studies on the effects of team interactions on performance of complex medical emergency interventions such as resuscitation are needed. Future efforts to better understand the influence of team factors (e.g., team member status, team hierarchy, handling of human errors), individual factors (e.g., sex differences, perceived stress), and external factors (e.g., equipment, algorithms, institutional characteristics) on team performance in resuscitation situations are critical to improve CPR performance and medical outcomes of patients.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jun 2011
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyReverse remodeling and the risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in the MADIT-CRT (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial-Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy).
We aimed to evaluate the relationship between echocardiographic response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and the risk of subsequent ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTAs). ⋯ In patients with left ventricular dysfunction enrolled in the MADIT-CRT trial, reverse remodeling was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of subsequent life-threatening VTAs. (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial-Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy [MADIT-CRT]; NCT00180271).
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jun 2011
Comparative StudyLate status of Fontan patients with persistent surgical fenestration.
This study was undertaken to determine the effects of creating a systemic-to-pulmonary venous atrial-level communication (fenestration) at the time of the Fontan procedure on late outcomes. ⋯ Surgical fenestration is associated with well-demonstrated early post-operative benefits. This cross-sectional study found few associations between a persistent fenestration and deleterious later outcomes.