Rev Cardiovasc Med
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Heart failure (HF) is the most common reason for hospital admission for patients older than 65 years. With an aging population and improving survival in heart failure patients, the number of people living with HF continues to grow. As this population increases, the importance of treating symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, pain, and depression that diminish the quality of life in HF patients becomes increasingly important. ⋯ Early communication with patients and families regarding the unpredictable nature of HF and the increased risk of sudden cardiac death enables discussions around advanced care directives, health care proxies, and deactivation of permanent pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Cardiologists and primary care physicians who are comfortable initiating these discussions are encouraged to do so; however, many fear destroying hope and are uncertain how to discuss end-of-life issues. Thus, in order to facilitate these discussions and establish an appropriate relationship, we recommend that patients and families be introduced to a palliative care team at the earliest appropriate time after diagnosis.
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Review Case Reports
The use of percutaneous left ventricular assist device in high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention and cardiogenic shock.
Patients with high-risk coronary lesions may be denied coronary artery bypass grafting due to excessive comorbidities. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be a feasible revascularization strategy in high-risk patients who present with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. ⋯ The use of a left ventricular assist device is a reasonable and safe alternative compared with IABP counterpulsation, giving greater cardiac output and hemodynamic support in patients undergoing high-risk PCI and in those with severe cardiogenic shock. This review outlines a case of severe cardiogenic shock and hemodynamic instability where high-risk PCI is a reasonable option.
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Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has become an alternative treatment option for acute thoracic aortic disease. This review focuses on current endovascular treatment of acute thoracic aortic disease and future directions of TEVAR. TEVAR is a promising alternative approach to open surgery, with lower early mortality and morbidity rates, especially in high-risk cohorts. Furthermore, with accumulating experience and improving device technology and imaging modalities, TEVAR has become safer and has potential to expand treatment options to include ascending and arch pathologies.