Heart rate (HR) is not only a physical sign but also a biomarker. High HR in several cardiac disorders is associated with increased mortality. In heart failure (HF), HR represents an important ...therapeutic target, both in the acute and chronic phase. Beta-blockers are a milestone of recommended treatments in HF patients with reduced ejection fraction. However, hemodynamic profile or intolerance may limit the use or the optimization of beta-blocker treatment, both during hospitalization and outpatient follow-up. More recently, ivabradine has become available, a drug that lowers HR by blocking the I(f) current in the pacemaker cells at the sinoatrial node level. In the SHIFT trial, ivabradine was shown to improve the outcome of patients with chronic HF, in sinus rhythm, with HR >70 b/min while on beta-blockers. Preliminary data have shown that this drug has a good safety profile and lowers effectively HR even during hospitalization due to worsening HF. However, further studies are warranted to understand if an earlier administration of ivabradine can lead to a better prognosis beyond symptom control and improved hemodynamics. In patients with atrial fibrillation and HF, the target is the restoration of sinus rhythm, alternatively rate control should be pursued with beta-blockers, amiodarone or digitalis, even if there is no clear evidence of an association between ventricular rate response in patients with atrial fibrillation at discharge after an HF hospitalization and major cardiovascular events. In this review, the studies that point to a role of HR both as a biomarker and a therapeutic target in patients with acute and chronic HF are described. In addition, the proportions of patients who do not reach target HR values at discharge after an acute decompensated HF episode or in the chronic phase are evaluated based on the Italian registries.
Ventricular aneurysm as late complication has been described in cardiac sarcoidosis and occasionally in giant cell myocarditis. The images from the present case of ventricular aneurysm formation as a ...late complication of giant cell myocarditis underline a potential cause of sudden arrhythmic death in patients who survive this life-threatening condition in the absence of recurrent inflammation and with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. Follow-up with cardiac magnetic resonance can detect small aneurysms, and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator may be considered when this complication occurs.
The role of the right ventricle has often been underestimated in heart failure. It has been thought that the right cavity has a less prominent impact on symptoms, therapeutic approach, and prognosis. ...Right ventricular dysfunction is a complex issue and its diagnosis has acquired a relevant role, in particular with the improvement of new therapeutic options such as ventricular assist devices. The complex geometry of the right ventricle and its interaction with the left ventricle are still a matter of debate, leaving several open questions about the best therapeutic approach to manage right ventricular dysfunction. Echocardiography remains the first-line imaging technique, but an integrated multimodality evaluation with clinical, biochemical and hemodynamic parameters, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging can provide a more comprehensive way to choose the most appropriate treatment for patients with heart failure associated with right ventricular dysfunction.
The underlying causes of ischemic stroke in young patients are often difficult to find, despite systematic investigations concerning heart, coagulation system or any other type of vascular disease, ...thus the definition of 'cryptogenic'. In patients with cryptogenic stroke, the prevalence of a patent foramen ovale is about 45%, versus 25% of the general healthy population, leading to many speculations about a potential role of intracardiac right-to-left shunts in determining ischemic cerebral disease. Since a possible mechanism has been thought to be paradoxical embolism, percutaneous closure of the foramen ovale is currently discussed, at least until the appearance of data from the ongoing randomized trials. However, recurrent paradoxical embolism in patients with an aneurysmal atrial septum and a patent foramen ovale is currently the only unequivocal indication for percutaneous closure. Professional divers may benefit from the procedure as well, whereas migraine is still not considered an indication. In the pediatric population, closure of the patent foramen ovale seems to be safe and effective to prevent recurrent stroke. As the complication rate for device implantation decreases, the threshold for percutaneous closure is likely to decline.
Heart transplantation (HTx) is considered to be the gold standard treatment for advanced heart failure (HF) but it is available only for a minority of patients, due to paucity of donor hearts (278 ...HTx were performed in 2011 in Italy). Patients listed for HTx have a prolonged waiting time (that is about 2.3 years in the 2006-2010 time period in Italy) that is superior compared with patients who receive HTx (median time around 6 months), to underline the presence of an allocation system that prioritizes candidates in critical conditions. Patients listed for HTx have a poor quality of life and their annual mortality is around 8-10%. Another 10-15% of HTx candidates are removed from the waiting list each year because they are no longer suitable for transplantation. On the other hand, continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have been demonstrated to improve survival and quality of life of patients with advanced/refractory HF. LVAD therapy can represent a valid alternative to HTx, and it is recommended for patients with advanced HF in the recent edition of the European Society of Cardiology guidelines on HF management. In the United States, a larger number of centers compared with European ones started to apply a strategy of LVAD implant for many patients who meet clinical criteria for listing for HTx. Data from our center concerning the last 6 years of LVAD implant (51 implants since 2006) reported a 75.5% survival rate at 1 year. In Italian series, as in our center, current HTx survival is only slightly superior (83% survival rate at 1 year), based on data from the Italian National Transplant Center. We report a proposal for updated listing criteria for HTx and indications for LVAD implant in patients with advanced acute and chronic HF. Criteria for identifying suitable patients for HTx and/or LVAD considering the shortage of donors are discussed.
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