Heart failure clinics
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Heart failure clinics · Jul 2016
ReviewTemporary Percutaneous Mechanical Circulatory Support in Advanced Heart Failure.
Cardiogenic shock is severe, refractory heart failure caused by significant myocardial dysfunction in the setting of adequate preload that is accompanied by systemic hypoperfusion. Progressive end-organ dysfunction is a hallmark of persistent cardiogenic shock and necessitates intervention to overcome altered hemodynamics and restore end-organ perfusion. Temporary percutaneous mechanical circulatory support is an established modality in the treatment of cardiogenic shock and is increasingly used in patients with cardiogenic shock as a bridge to recovery or further definitive therapy. This article reviews the current devices, their effects on left ventricular hemodynamics, and the evidence supporting their continued use.
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Heart failure is a leading case of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and patients with advanced heart failure have limited options without any available cure. These options mainly include cardiac transplantation or mechanical circulatory support device implantation. Chronic home inotropes are an option in these patients for a variety of indications. This report discusses the use of chronic home inotropes in palliated heart failure patients and reviews the role of palliative care management in end-stage heart failure.
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Heart failure clinics · Jul 2016
ReviewNovel Biological Therapies Targeting Heart Failure: Myocardial Rejuvenation.
Recovery of ventricular function occurs in a subset of patients with advanced heart failure treated with medical and/or mechanical therapy. Finding strategies that induce ventricular recovery through induction of repair, regeneration, or "rejuvenation" is a long-sought goal of research programs. Cell-based strategies, use of recombinant growth and survival factors, and gene delivery are under investigation. In this brief article we highlight a few of the biological approaches in development to treat heart failure.
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Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure is being increasingly used as a treatment strategy to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have contraindications to anticoagulants. Several approaches and devices have been developed in the last few years, each with their own unique set of advantages and disadvantages. In this article, the published studies on surgical and percutaneous approaches to LAA closure are reviewed, focusing on stroke mechanisms in AF, LAA structure and function relevant to stroke prevention, practical differences in procedural approach, and clinical considerations surrounding management.
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Heart failure clinics · Oct 2015
ReviewCharacteristics of Intensive Care in Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure in Europe.
Patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF) may clinically decompensate and experience life-threatening complications. Regional differences in intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates have been reported by European registries. ⋯ ICU triage decision requires cautious clinical judgment to balance between clinical benefit of ICU care and associated risk and cost. In Europe, despite large variations in treatment practices, in-hospital mortality of AHF patients managed in ICUs is similar, suggesting that high-risk characteristics of AHF patients admitted to ICUs, rather than geographic variation in intensity of therapies, may be the principal determinant of prognosis.