Heart : official journal of the British Cardiac Society
-
To study the possible occurrence of left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic asynchrony in patients with systolic heart failure (HF) and narrow QRS complexes. ⋯ LV systolic and diastolic mechanical asynchrony is common in patients with HF with narrow QRS complexes. As QRS complex duration is not a determinant of systolic asynchrony, it implies that assessment of intraventricular synchronicity is probably more important than QRS duration in considering cardiac resynchronisation treatment.
-
To describe the change in survival and factors associated with survival during a 20 year period among patients suffering from out of hospital cardiac arrest and being hospitalised alive. ⋯ There was no improvement in survival over time among initial survivors of out of hospital cardiac arrest during a 20 year period. Major indicators for an increased chance of survival were initial ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, arrest being witnessed, and the patient being conscious on admission. Major indicators for a lower chance were high age, requirement for atropine in the emergency department, and chronic treatment with diuretics before cardiac arrest.
-
Glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) infusion improves cardiac function and outcome during acute ischaemia. ⋯ In patients with viable myocardium and chronic left ventricular dysfunction, GIK improves wall motion score, myocardial velocity, and end systolic volume, independent of effects on haemodynamics or catecholamines. The response to GIK is observed in areas of normal and abnormal perfusion assessed by contrast echocardiography.