European journal of heart failure
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Apr 2013
Predictors and prognostic implications of incident heart failure following the first diagnosis of atrial fibrillation in patients with structurally normal hearts: the Belgrade Atrial Fibrillation Study.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) commonly co-exists with heart failure (HF). The risk factors for and prognostic implications of incident HF development in patients with first-diagnosed AF and structurally normal hearts are poorly defined. In a cohort of patients with first-diagnosed AF and structurally normal hearts on baseline echocardiography, we investigated baseline risk factors for the development of incident HF and tested the hypothesis that incident HF was an independent predictor of adverse outcomes during a mean 10-year follow-up period. ⋯ Underlying co-morbidities or subtle alterations such as mild left atrial dilatation or low-normal LVEF in the absence of overt underlying heart disease are baseline independent risk factors for incident HF during a long-term follow-up. Incident HF was an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in patients initially diagnosed with first-diagnosed AF and structurally normal hearts. These findings could facilitate the identification of AF patients at increased risk for adverse outcomes within the cohort perceived as being at 'low risk' given a structurally normal heart on echocardiography.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Apr 2013
Prognostic relevance of a non-invasive evaluation of right ventricular function and pulmonary artery pressure in patients with chronic heart failure.
To determine the prognostic relevance of the echocardiographic evaluation of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction have both been associated with poor prognosis in CHF. ⋯ A simple echocardiographic evaluation of PASP and RV function with TAPSE may improve risk stratification in patients with CHF. Importantly, if PASP cannot be recorded at echocardiography, a restrictive DT, measurable in the vast majority of patients, may be coupled with TAPSE to stratify patients.