Background: Cardiac autonomic dysfunction as assessed by 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-mIBG) scintigraphy is associated with poor prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. Although cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has emerged as an effective therapy in improving outcomes on HF patients, its effect on cardiac sympathetic nervous function is still not fully understood. We aimed to study the value of p...
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a multidisciplinary process for patients recovering after an acute cardiac event or with chronic cardiovascular disease that reduces mortality and morbidity and improves quality of life. It is considered a cost-effective intervention and is expressly indicated in the guidelines of the major medical societies. In Portugal, only 8% of patients discharged from hospital after myocardi...
INTRODUCTION: There is a lack of consensus on the definition of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), and it is not clear which response criteria have most influence on cardiac event-free survival. OBJECTIVES: To assess the predictive value of various response criteria in patients undergoing CRT and the agreement between them. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of the BETTER-HF trial. Pat...
INTRODUCTION: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has modified the prognosis of chronic heart failure (HF) with left ventricular systolic dysfunction. However, 30% of patients do not have a favorable response. The big question is how to determine predictors of response. AIMS: To identify baseline characteristics that might influence echocardiographic response to CRT. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a pros...
INTRODUCTION: The benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) documented in heart failure (HF) may be influenced by atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to compare CRT response in patients in AF and in sinus rhythm (SR). METHODS: We prospectively studied 101 HF patients treated by CRT. Rates of clinical, echocardiographic and functional response, baseline NYHA class and variation, left ventricular ejectio...
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an established treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe chronic heart failure (CHF) and intraventricular conduction delay, which is identified by a QRS interval of 120msec or more on a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). CRT improved functional capacity, reduced hospitalizations for worsening CHF and increased survival. However, about 30-40% of patients who underwen...