Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Oct 2013
Multicenter StudySurvival after shock therapy in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator recipients according to rhythm shocked. The ALTITUDE survival by rhythm study.
This study sought to determine if the risk of mortality associated with inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks is due to the underlying arrhythmia or the shock itself. ⋯ Compared with no shock, those who received their first shock for ventricular rhythms and atrial fibrillation had an increased risk of death. There was no significant difference in survival after inappropriate shocks for sinus tachycardia or noise/artifact/oversensing. In this study, the adverse prognosis after first shock appears to be more related to the underlying arrhythmia than to an adverse effect from the shock itself.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Oct 2013
Long-term cardiovascular risk in women prescribed fertility therapy.
The purpose of the study was to investigate whether fertility therapy might contribute to subsequent cardiovascular disease. ⋯ Successful fertility therapy was not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Oct 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialSafety and efficacy of eplerenone in patients at high risk for hyperkalemia and/or worsening renal function: analyses of the EMPHASIS-HF study subgroups (Eplerenone in Mild Patients Hospitalization And SurvIval Study in Heart Failure).
The study sought to investigate the safety and efficacy of eplerenone in patients at high risk for hyperkalemia or worsening renal function (WRF) in EMPHASIS-HF, a trial that enrolled patients at least 55 years old with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF), in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II and with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >30 ml/min/1.73 m(2) and serum potassium <5.0 mmol/l. Patients were receiving optimal therapy and most had been hospitalized for a cardiovascular reason within 180 days of inclusion. ⋯ In patients with chronic HF-REF, in NYHA functional class II, and meeting specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, including an eGFR >30 ml/min/1.73 m(2) and potassium <5.0 mmol/l, eplerenone was both efficacious and safe when carefully monitored, even in subgroups at high risk of developing hyperkalemia or WRF. (A Comparison Of Outcomes In Patients In New York Heart Association [NYHA] Class II Heart Failure When Treated With Eplerenone Or Placebo In Addition To Standard Heart Failure Medicines [EMPHASIS-HF Study]; NCT00232180).