European journal of heart failure
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2019
Departments involved during the first episode of acute heart failure and subsequent emergency department revisits and rehospitalisations: an outlook through the NOVICA cohort.
We investigated the natural history of patients after a first episode of acute heart failure (FEAHF) requiring emergency department (ED) consultation, focusing on: the frequency of ED visits and hospitalisations, departments admitting patients during the first and subsequent hospitalisations, and factors associated with difficult disease control. ⋯ In the present aged cohort of AHF patients from Barcelona, Spain, the natural history after FEAHF showed different patterns of hospital department involvement. Advanced age, low systolic blood pressure and anaemia were factors related to uncontrolled disease during the year after debut.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Jul 2019
Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of peripartum cardiomyopathy: a position statement from the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology Study Group on peripartum cardiomyopathy.
Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a potentially life-threatening condition typically presenting as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in the last month of pregnancy or in the months following delivery in women without another known cause of heart failure. This updated position statement summarizes the knowledge about pathophysiological mechanisms, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of PPCM. As shortness of breath, fatigue and leg oedema are common in the peripartum period, a high index of suspicion is required to not miss the diagnosis. ⋯ Pharmacological blockade of prolactin release using bromocriptine as a disease-specific therapy in addition to standard therapy for heart failure treatment has shown promising results in two clinical trials. Thresholds for devices (implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, cardiac resynchronization therapy and implanted long-term ventricular assist devices) are higher in PPCM than in other conditions because of the high rate of recovery. The important role of education and counselling around contraception and future pregnancies is emphasised.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Jul 2019
ReviewTreatment of functional mitral regurgitation in chronic heart failure: can we get a 'proof of concept' from the MITRA-FR and COAPT trials?
Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is associated with poor outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). However, it is not clear whether FMR is just a consequence of left ventricular (LV) remodelling or a factor contributing to cardiomyopathy progression. There will be more clarity about this controversy when the effects of FMR correction on outcomes will be shown. ⋯ We speculate that the two trials should be interpreted as complementary rather than opposite. Patients with severe FMR (effective regurgitant orifice area > 30 mm2 ) despite maximum tolerated GDMT (including cardiac resynchronization therapy), and without too advanced cardiomyopathy seem to be the best candidates for MitraClip treatment. MITRA-FR and COAPT provide us a long awaited 'proof of concept': FMR may be considered a leading actor in cardiomyopathy progression rather than a mere marker of severity.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Jun 2019
Multicenter Study Observational StudyBio-adrenomedullin as a marker of congestion in patients with new-onset and worsening heart failure.
Secretion of adrenomedullin (ADM) is stimulated by volume overload to maintain endothelial barrier function, and higher levels of biologically active (bio-) ADM in heart failure (HF) are a counteracting response to vascular leakage and tissue oedema. This study aimed to establish the value of plasma bio-ADM as a marker of congestion in patients with worsening HF. ⋯ Plasma bio-ADM in patients with new-onset and worsening HF is associated with more severe HF and more oedema, orthopnoea, hepatomegaly and jugular venous pressure. We therefore postulate bio-ADM as a congestion marker, which might become useful to guide decongestive therapy.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Jun 2019
Comparative StudyLong-term outcome in patients with Takotsubo syndrome presenting with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.
To evaluate the long-term outcome of patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) and severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 35%) at presentation. ⋯ Left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 35% at presentation is a key parameter to identify TTS patients at higher risk not only in the acute phase but also at long-term follow-up.