Current opinion in critical care
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2019
ReviewMechanical circulatory support devices in cardiogenic shock and acute heart failure: current evidence.
The main purpose of this review is to highlight and summarize recently published studies on the usage of short-term mechanical circulatory support devices for treatment of cardiogenic shock. Importantly, this review will focus on percutaneously implanted devices. ⋯ Randomized, controlled trials are utterly needed to guide treatment with mechanical circulatory support for patients with cardiogenic shock. Importantly, such trials should focus patient selection criteria.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2019
ReviewRevascularization strategies in cardiogenic shock after acute myocardial infarction.
Coronary revascularization compared with medical treatment alone leads to improved survival in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiogenic shock. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the predominant mode of revascularization in clinical practice. This review discusses several aspects relevant to mechanical revascularization such as general indication, the roles of PCI and bypass surgery, percutaneous access site choice, strategy in multivessel disease and adjunctive antithrombotic therapy. ⋯ Coronary revascularization remains the cornerstone in the early management of patients with acute MI and cardiogenic shock. In patients with multivessel disease, a strategy of culprit lesion only PCI is the default approach.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2019
ReviewAn overview of international cardiogenic shock guidelines and application in clinical practice.
In this review, we compare central differences in cardiogenic shock recommendations in international clinical practice guidelines, scientific statements, and the strength of the supporting evidence. Furthermore, we discuss their associations with adherence to guidelines in registry studies. ⋯ There are some inconsistencies between individual guideline recommendations, but there are no consistent associations between the strength of underlying evidence, weight of guideline recommendations, and adherence to guidelines in clinical practice. Improved knowledge translation of recommendations with a strong evidence base, together with research efforts to address priority cardiogenic shock research needs, could serve-to-harmonize recommendations and improve patient outcomes.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2019
ReviewVenoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in cardiogenic shock: indications, mode of operation, and current evidence.
Temporary circulatory support (TCS) with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is increasingly used as a salvage therapy for patients with refractory cardiogenic shock. This article provides an overview of VA-ECMO principles, indications, management, complications, and discusses the results of recent case series and trials. ⋯ TCS have become the cornerstone of the management of patients with cardiogenic shock, although the evidence supporting their efficacy is limited. VA-ECMO is considered the first-line option, with a growing number of accepted and emerging indications. Randomized clinical trials are now needed to determine the place VA-ECMO in cardiogenic shock treatment strategies.
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Adequate tissue perfusion is of utmost importance to avoid organ failure in patients with cardiogenic shock. Within the recent years, the microcirculation, defined as the perfusion of the smallest vessels, has been identified to play a crucial role. Microcirculatory changes may include capillary flow disturbances as well as changes in the density of perfused vessels. Due to the availability of new technologies to assess the microcirculation, interesting new data came up and it is the purpose of this review to summarize recent studies in the field. ⋯ The parameter most frequently used to detect tissue malperfusion is serum lactate. Novel, noninvasive methods to quantify microvascular perfusion have the potential to guide treatment in terms of optimizing organ perfusion and oxygenation probably paving the way for an individualized therapy.