European journal of heart failure
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2012
Angiotensin receptor blockers and outcomes in real-world older patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction: a propensity-matched inception cohort clinical effectiveness study.
To examine the clinical effectiveness of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in older patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF). ⋯ In real-world older HF-PEF patients, ARB use was not associated with improved clinical outcomes.
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To investigate in detail the correlates of dysnatremia, and to estimate its differential prognostic relevance in patients with heart failure with reduced or preserved LVEF. Background Hyponatraemia has been shown to carry important prognostic information in patients with heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, exact serum sodium cut-off levels are not defined and the implications for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HF-pEF) are unclear. The prognostic value of hypernatraemia has not been investigated systematically. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate in detail the correlates of dysnatraemia, and to estimate its differential prognostic relevance in patients with heart failure with reduced or preserved LVEF. ⋯ Both hypo- and hypernatraemia indicate a markedly compromised prognosis in heart failure regardless of LVEF. Sodium levels within the reference range carry differential information on survival, with serum levels of 135-139 mmol/L indicating an increased mortality risk.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2012
Global left ventricular longitudinal strain is closely associated with increased neurohormonal activation after acute myocardial infarction in patients with both reduced and preserved ejection fraction: a two-dimensional speckle tracking study.
N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is released in response to increased myocardial wall stress and is associated with adverse outcome in acute myocardial infarction. However, little is known about the relationship between longitudinal deformation indices and NT-proBNP. ⋯ Left ventricular longitudinal function assessed by GLS exhibits a stronger association with NT-proBNP levels in acute myocardial infarction compared with LVEF. In patients with apparently preserved systolic function, GLS is superior to LVEF in identifying increased neurohormonal activation.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2012
Heart failure in severe aortic valve stenosis: prognostic impact of left ventricular ejection fraction and mean gradient on outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.
This prospective study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and aortic mean gradient patterns on outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). ⋯ Severe aortic stenosis with low gradient and/or reduced LVEF is associated with worse outcome after TAVI compared with aortic stenosis with preserved LVEF/high gradient. The evaluation of these haemodynamic parameters may help to improve risk stratification in patients undergoing TAVI.