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At least 1,225 records · Page 68Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Comparison of candesartan, enalapril, and their combination in congestive heart failure: randomized evaluation of strategies for left ventricular dysfunction (RESOLVD) pilot study. The RESOLVD Pilot Study Investigators.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effects of candesartan (an angiotensin II antagonist) alone, enalapril alone, and their combination on exercise tolerance, ventricular function, quality of life (QOL), neurohormone levels, and tolerability in congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Seven hundred sixty-eight patients in New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA-FC) II to IV with ejection fraction (EF) <0.40 and a 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) <500 m received either candesartan (4, 8, or 16 mg), candesartan (4 or 8 mg) plus 20 mg of enalapril, or 20 mg of enalapril for 43 weeks. There were no differences among groups with regard to 6MWD, NYHA-FC, or QOL. EF increased (P=NS) more with candesartan-plus-enalapril therapy (0.025+/-0.004) than with candesartan alone (0.015+/-0.004) or enalapril alone(0.015+/-0.005). End-diastolic (EDV) and end-systolic (ESV) volumes increased less with combination therapy (EDV 8+/-4 mL; ESV 1+/-4 mL; P<0.01) than with candesartan alone (EDV 27+/-4 mL; ESV 18+/-3 mL) or enalapril alone (EDV 23+/-7 mL; ESV 14+/-6 mL). Blood pressure decreased with combination therapy (6+/-1/4+/-1 mm Hg) compared with candesartan or enalapril alone (P<0.05). Aldosterone decreased (P<0.05) with combination therapy (23.2+/-5.3 pg/mL) at 17 but not 43 weeks compared with candesartan (0.7+/-7.8 pg/mL) or enalapril (-0.8+/-11. 3 pg/mL). Brain natriuretic peptide decreased with combination therapy (5.8+/-2.7 pmol/L; P<0.01) compared with candesartan (4. 4+/-3.8 pmol/L) and enalapril alone (4.0+/-5.0 pmol/L). CONCLUSIONS: Candesartan alone was as effective, safe, and tolerable as enalapril. The combination of candesartan and enalapril was more beneficial for preventing left ventricular remodeling than either candesartan or enalapril alone.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sequential external counterpulsation: an adjunctive therapy for patients with chronic coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction.

We assessed the clinical and haemodynamic improvement with 3 weeks of sequential external counterpulsation (SECP) therapy in 23 patients with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction who were refractory to maximal tolerated doses of medical therapy and in whom intervention or surgery was not contemplated. All patients were subjected to one-hour duration of SECP for 3 weeks. SECP is a new noninvasive tool which increases coronary artery filling utilizing external pressure in a sequential manner from calf to thigh. A detailed clinical and echocardiographic evaluation was done before and after the completion of therapy to assess the utility of SECP. There were 18 males and 5 females with a mean age of 53 years. On coronary angiography, 39 percent patients had single, 8.7 percent had double and 48 percent had triple vessel disease. Four patients had coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in the past. Out of all patients, 48 percent had diffuse or distal coronary artery disease which was considered not suitable for CABG, 22 percent were not willing for intervention and 30 percent had other systemic diseases making them unfit for surgery. After 3 weeks of SECP, the anginal frequency reduced from 9 episodes/week to 1 episode/week. Before SECP, 74 percent patients were in NYHA class III, whereas only 8.7 percent were class III symptomatic after SECP. All patients claimed symptomatic improvement of a mean of 6.8 +/- 1.4 on a visual analog scale of 1-10. After SECP, the LV diastolic dimensions reduced from 54.6 +/- 7 to 51 +/- 7 mm, systolic dimensions reduced from 40 +/- 8 to 36 +/- 8 mm and LVEF increased from 32.7 +/- 9 to 37.4 +/- 8.5 percent. In conclusion, 3 weeks of therapy with SECP produces significant improvement in symptomatic status and cardiac function in patients with chronic CAD and LV dysfunction, refractory to medical therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Predictors of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with Takayasu's or giant cell aortitis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and angiographic predictors of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) from a relatively large and angiographically characterized Takayasu's or Giant Cell aortitis (TA/GCA) population. BACKGROUND: LVSD in patients with TA/GCA has been described in case reports and attributed variously to hemodynamic and immunologic factors. The predictors of LVSD in patients with angiographically confirmed TA/GCA are not known. METHODS: We identified 78 patients with angiographically confirmed TA/ GCA that underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) at Mayo Clinic. Echocardiograms were then reviewed independently by reviewers blinded to clinical and angiographic data. LVSD was defined as an ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 50%. RESULTS: The study population was 84% Caucasian (54/78), 91% female (58/78), and had a mean age of disease onset of 30 years (+/- 15 years). LVSD was present in 14 of 78 patients (18%) with TA/GCA. The mean LVEF in the LVSD group (n = 14) was 37% +/- 7%, compared to an LVEF of 62% +/- 6% (p < 0.0001) in those without LVSD (n = 64). LVSD was not associated with hypertension or aortic regurgitation (p > 0.5). However, LVSD was found in 43% (9/21) of patients with aortic arch involvement, versus only 9% (5/57) of patients without aortic arch involvement (p = 0.0013). Patients with LVSD had a median of 2 (range 1-4) involved aortic segments compared to a median of 1 (range 1-4) among those without LVSD (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: In TA/GCA aortitis, LVSD is associated with involvement of the aortic arch and with the greater extent of aortic involvement. The hemodynamic variables, aortic regurgitation and systemic hypertension, were not associated with LVSD, consistent with reports that cardiac inflammation is responsible for LVSD in a majority of cases. Ours is the first study to estimate an incidence of LVSD in patients with TA/GCA aortitis, which was 18%.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Acute blood pressure response to trandolapril and captopril in patients with left ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the blood pressure response to short-term treatment with captopril or trandolapril in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel group study was performed. Treatment was initiated 3 to 10 days after the onset of symptoms. On day 1, patients received a single dose of captopril 6.25 mg, trandolapril 0.5 mg, or placebo in the morning. Treatment was then titrated upward over the next 5 days. Blood pressure was monitored with an automated device for the first 12 hours after dosing on day 1. Conventional blood pressure measurements were performed throughout the study. RESULTS: Of 205 patients treated in the study, 193 patients were evaluated for first-dose effects. In the captopril group, the maximum decrease in blood pressure occurred after 2 hours, and the magnitude of this decrease was significantly greater than in the other 2 groups: 8.8 +/- 12/6.3 +/- 8 mm Hg (captopril) versus 5.4 +/- 10/3.1 +/- 8 mm Hg (trandolapril) versus 2.4 +/- 9/1.4 +/- 7 mm Hg (placebo) (P <.01). In the trandolapril group, the maximum decrease occurred after 7 hours and the magnitude of this effect was similar in all 3 groups: 5.9 +/- 11/3.6 +/- 8 mm Hg (trandolapril) versus 4.3 +/- 10/3.5 +/- 8 mm Hg (captopril) versus 3.1 +/- 11/2.8 +/- 8 mm Hg (placebo) (not significant). Although there was a higher incidence of hypotension on day 1 in the captopril group, the overall incidence of hypotension during the study period was similar in both active treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Because of differences in initial blood pressure response profiles, short-term treatment with trandolapril tended to be better tolerated than captopril in post-AMI patients with LV dysfunction.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Effects of chronic neutral endopeptidase inhibition on the progression of left ventricular dysfunction and remodeling in dogs with moderate heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The diuretic actions of endogenously produced atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) may be beneficial in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF). Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is the primary enzyme responsible for the degradation of ANF. The present study investigates the effects of long-term NEP inhibition on the progression of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and remodeling in dogs with moderate heart failure. METHODS: LV dysfunction was produced in 12 dogs by multiple sequential intracoronary microembolizations. Embolizations were discontinued when LV ejection fraction (EF) was between 30-40%. Two weeks after the last embolization, dogs were randomized to 3 months of oral therapy with the NEP inhibitor ecadotril (100 mg, once daily, n = 6) or to no therapy at all (control, n = 6). RESULTS: During the 3 months of follow-up, LV EF in control dogs decreased from 37 +/- 1% to 28 +/- 1% (P < 0.01) and LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) and end-systolic volume (ESV) increased (EDV: 72 +/- 3 vs. 84 +/- 5 ml, P < 0.01); ESV: 45 +/- 1 vs. 60 +/- 4 ml, P < 0.01). In dogs treated with ecadotril, LV EF (34 +/- 1% vs. 37 +/- 2%), EDV (79+/- 5 vs. 78+/- 6 ml) and ESV (52 +/- 3 vs. 49 +/- 4) remained essentially unchanged after 3 months of therapy. Histomorphometric measurements at the termination of the study showed that ecadotril was associated with significantly reduced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy compared to control. CONCLUSION: Early, long-term NEP inhibition with ecadotril prevents the progression of LV dysfunction and attenuates progressive LV remodeling in dogs with moderate heart failure.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Enhanced external counterpulsation as treatment for chronic angina in patients with left ventricular dysfunction: a report from the International EECP Patient Registry (IEPR).

The International Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) Patient Registry tracks acute and long-term outcome for consecutive patients treated for chronic angina. Although EECP has previously been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for angina, little information is available on its use in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. This report compares the acute outcome and 6-month follow-up for a group of patients with severe LV dysfunction and a group of patients without LV dysfunction. Of 1,402 patients in the registry recruited in 1998-1999 who had recorded values of LV ejection fraction (LVEF) at baseline, 1,090 (77.7%) had preserved LV function (LVEF >35%) and 312 (22.3%) had LV dysfunction (LVEF </=35%). Six-month follow-up was available on 84% of these patients. Pre-EECP patients with LV dysfunction had a longer history of coronary artery disease (12.9 years vs. 9.1 years; p<0.001), a higher rate of congestive heart failure (60.6% vs. 20.1%; p<0.001) and myocardial infarction (83.5% vs. 61.9%; p<0.001). Patients with LV dysfunction had more severe pre-EECP angina, with 86.2% presenting with Canadian Cardiovascular Society Class III/IV vs. 73.6%; p<0.01. Patients with LV dysfunction, consistent with their more severe baseline profile, suffered more adverse events (death, unstable angina, and exacerbation of heart failure) during the treatment period and were less likely to complete the full course. Immediately post-EECP, angina decreased by at least one class in 67.8% of patients with LV dysfunction (vs. 76.2%; p<0.01), and 35.9% of LV dysfunction patients vs. 39.0% had discontinued nitroglycerin use (p=ns). At 6-month follow-up, patients with LV dysfunction showed higher rates of death (9.3% vs. 2.2%; p<0.001) and exacerbation of congestive heart failure (9.9% vs. 3.7%; p<0.001). Rates of the composite outcome of death/myocardial infarction/coronary artery bypass grafting/percutaneous coronary intervention (15.4% vs. 8.3%; p<0.001) were also higher for patients with LV dysfunction. However, patients not reporting such an event showed maintenance of their improved anginal status, with 81% of LV dysfunction vs. 83.8% of patients without LV dysfunction (p=ns) reporting angina at 6 months equal to or less severe than immediately post-EECP, and nitroglycerin use was still reduced at 46.1% for LV dysfunction vs. 37.4% (p<0.05). The rate of event-free angina maintenance at 6 months was 67.0% for patients with LV dysfunction and 70.6% of patients with preserved LV function (p=ns). Patients with LV dysfunction achieved a less robust reduction in angina than did those without LV dysfunction. For the majority of the patients in the registry, this reduction was maintained at 6 months.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Randomised trial of effect of amiodarone on mortality in patients with left-ventricular dysfunction after recent myocardial infarction: EMIAT. European Myocardial Infarct Amiodarone Trial Investigators.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular arrhythmias are a major cause of death after myocardial infarction, especially in patients with poor left-ventricular function. Previous attempts to identify and suppress arrhythmias with various antiarrhythmic drugs failed to reduce or actually increase mortality. Amiodarone is a powerful antiarrhythmic drug with several potentially beneficial actions, and has shown benefit in several small-scale studies. We postulated that this drug might reduce mortality in patients at high risk of death after myocardial infarction because of impaired ventricular function, irrespective of whether they had ventricular arrhythmias. METHODS: The European Myocardial Infarct Amiodarone Trial (EMIAT) was a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial to assess whether amiodarone reduced all-cause mortality (primary endpoint) and cardiac mortality and arrhythmic death (secondary endpoints) in survivors of myocardial infarction with a left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 40% or less. Intention-to-treat and on-treatment analyses were done. FINDINGS: EMIAT enrolled 1486 patients (743 in the amiodarone group, 743 in the placebo group). Median follow-up was 21 months. All-cause mortality (103 deaths in the amiodarone group, 102 in the placebo group) and cardiac mortality did not differ between the two groups. However, in the amiodarone group, there was a 35% risk reduction (95% CI 0-58, p = 0.05) in arrhythmic deaths. INTERPRETATION: Our findings do not support the systematic prophylactic use of amiodarone in all patients with depressed left-ventricular function after myocardial infarction. However, the lack of proarrhythmia and the reduction in arrhythmic death support the use of amiodarone in patients for whom antiarrhythmic therapy is indicated.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

[Practical assessment using transmitral Doppler echocardiography for the evaluation of left ventricular filling pressure in patients with systolic ventricular dysfunction].

Transmitral flow velocity profiles by Doppler echocardiography are strongly related to left ventricular diastolic properties. The aim of this study was to address the assessment of left ventricular filling pressures by transmitral flow velocity curves in patients with impaired systolic function. 90 patients (23 female, 67 men, age 60.0 +/- 9,9 a) with an ejection fraction < or = 45% either due to coronary artery disease (n = 67) or dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 23) were investigated by Doppler echocardiography prior to left heart catheterization. Early diastolic deceleration time (DT) and ratio of early to late diastolic peak velocities (VE/VA) were measured. Both, DT and VE/VA showed a significant correlation to left ventricular enddiastolic pressures (r = -0.79 respectively r = 0.73, p < 0.001 for all). According to DT three different transmitral flow patterns were identified. All patients with restrictive filling patterns (DT < 160) had elevated left ventricular filling pressures, whereas impaired relaxation (DT > 210) was a strong predictor of normal filling pressures. In patients with pseudonormal transmitral flow patterns (DT 160 to 210) filling pressures could not be predicted. Furthermore DT was strongly related to clinical signs of left heart failure. Doppler echocardiography gives useful additional information on left ventricular filling pressures in patients with systolic dysfunction.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Prognostic values of perfusion-metabolic mismatch in Tl-201 and BMIPP scintigraphic imaging in patients with chronic coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction undergoing revascularization.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of the amount of perfusion-metabolic mismatch in revascularized patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction by means of Thallium (Tl)-201 and BMIPP imaging. METHODS: Seventy-six patients with LV dysfunction and coronary artery disease underwent Tl-201 and BMIPP imaging. They were revascularized with either coronary artery bypass graft or balloon angioplasty and were entered into this study. To quantify the amount of perfusion-metabolic mismatch, SPECT images were displayed as polar maps and analyzed semiquantitatively. The patients were followed up for a mean period of 32 months for cardiac mortality and non-fatal cardiac events. Standard follow-up left ventriculography was performed 6 to 12 months after revascularization. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients exhibited a large amount of perfusion-metabolic mismatch (> 7 segments, group A), 28 patients had a small amount of perfusion-metabolic mismatch (2 to 6 segments, group B), and 16 patients were found to have no perfusion-metabolic mismatch (group C). Similar pre-revascularization LVEF of 35 +/- 5%, 34 +/- 8% and 36 +/- 6% increased to 45 +/- 8% (p < 0.0001), to 38 +/- 8% (p < 0.05), and to 36 +/- 3% (n.s.), respectively, after revascularization. The functional improvement after revascularization in group A was accompanied by a low rate of cardiac events during follow-up and better cardiac event free survival as judged by the Kaplan-Meier method (p < 0.05, vs. group B and C). CONCLUSION: In revascularized patients with severe LV dysfunction, the presence of a large amount of perfusionmetabolic mismatch evaluated by Tl-201 and BMIPP imaging identifies patients with the best prognosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Latent left ventricular dysfunction in patients with mitral regurgitation: feasibility of measuring diminished contractile reserve from a simplified model of noninvasively derived left ventricular pressure-volume loops.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of left ventricular (LV) contractility in mitral regurgitation is difficult, and latent systolic dysfunction may be present despite conventional indexes being in the "normal" range. We sought to demonstrate the presence of latent LV dysfunction in mitral regurgitation by showing diminished contractile reserve with the use of simplified pressure-volume loops from noninvasively derived parameters. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed exercise echocardiography in 72 patients with isolated mitral regurgitation, minimal or no symptoms, normal resting LV function, and no coronary disease who subsequently underwent uncomplicated valve repair and in 15 healthy subjects. Simplified pressure-volume loops were constructed and LV stroke work was estimated at rest and immediately after exercise. As pressures were estimated, the findings were confirmed with a validated numerical model to estimate stroke work in patients and control subjects. Patients had a higher stroke work than did control subjects at rest (1.45 +/- 0.39 vs 0.92 +/- 0.21 J, P <.001). Eighteen patients had LV dysfunction develop after surgery. Patients with postrepair dysfunction had a significantly lower exercise stroke work (1.79 +/- 0.69) than did patients without (2.28 +/- 0.84 J, P =.02), but there was no difference in resting stroke work (1.48 +/- 0.39 vs 1.44 +/- 0.4, P = not significant). Change in stroke work with exercise was higher in patients with normal postoperative function (0.84 +/- 0.59 J) and control subjects (0.59 +/- 0.36 J) than patients with postoperative dysfunction (0.31 +/- 0.55 J, P =.001). The numerical model confirmed the lower exercise stroke work and change in stroke work in patients with postoperative dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical study and numerical model confirmed diminished contractile reserve in patients who had LV dysfunction develop after uncomplicated mitral valve repair. Diminished contractile reserve may be a preoperative marker of latent contractile dysfunction.

Cardiac Volume↗
PubMed2005

Do female patients with metabolic syndrome have masked left ventricular dysfunction?

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a condition, which is recognized as raising the risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of our study is to estimate the left ventricular functions by atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD), myocardial performance index (MPI) and conventional methods in patients with MS who were diagnosed according to NCEP (ATP III) criteria. METHODS: Fifty-three female patients with MS (mean age 53.1+/-6.9 years) and 30 healthy female subjects (mean age 52.8+/-6.3 years, p>0.05) underwent complete echocardiographic assessment. All of the subjects had no heart and pulmonary diseases. The systolic mitral AVPD was recorded at 4 sites (septal, lateral, anterior, and posterior) by M-mode echocardiography and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) was calculated from the AVPD-mean (EF-AVPD). The LVEF was also established by biplane Simpson's (EF-2D) and Teichholz's methods (EF-T). Left ventricular MPI was calculated as (isovolumic contraction time + isovolumic relaxation time) / aortic ejection time by Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: Patients with MS showed mild left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (DD) in comparison to healthy subjects. The EF-2D and EF-T in patients with MS and healthy subjects were not different significantly and were within normal limits. Patients with MS showed LV global dysfunctions compared to healthy subjects (MPI: 0.56+/-0.12 and 0.46+/-0.11 respectively, p<0.01). Both the septal, anterior, lateral and posterior part of the atrioventricular plane values and also AVPD-mean during systole were statistically lower in patients with MS (12.85+/-1.76 mm) as compared with controls (14.65+/-2.19 mm, p<0.05). The EF-AVPD in patients with MS was statistically lower (65.58+/-11.95%) as compared with healthy subjects (74.45+/-11.07%, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Female patients with MS had both left ventricular DD and a global dysfunction with an increased MPI. The EF-2D and EF-T were not different significantly between patients and controls, but patients with MS had a relatively reduced EF-AVPD. The AVPD method may indicate a systolic dysfunction with a relatively lower AVPD-mean and relatively lower EF-AVPD. The presence of global dysfunction in patients with MS may lead to heart failure.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2001

Reduced kidney function and anemia as risk factors for mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate the relationship between the level of kidney function, level of hematocrit and their interaction on all-cause mortality in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. BACKGROUND: Anemia and reduced kidney function occur frequently in patients with heart failure. The level of hematocrit and its relationship with renal function have not been evaluated as risk factors for mortality in patients with LV dysfunction. METHODS: We retrospectively examined the Studies Of LV Dysfunction (SOLVD) database. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was predicted using a recently validated formula. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to compare survival times between groups stratified by level of kidney function (predicted GFR) and hematocrit. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to explore the relationship of survival time to level of kidney function, hematocrit and their interaction. RESULTS: Lower GFR and hematocrit were associated with a higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. In univariate analysis, reduced kidney function and lower hematocrit, in men and in women, were risk factors for all-cause mortality (p < 0.001 for both). After adjustment for other factors significant in univariate analysis, a 10 ml/min/1.73 m(2) lower GFR and a 1% lower hematocrit were associated with a 1.064 (95% CI: 1.033, 1.096) and 1.027 (95% CI: 1.015, 1.038) higher risk for mortality, respectively. At lower GFR and lower hematocrit, the risk was higher (p = 0.022 for the interaction) than that predicted by both factors independently. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased kidney function and anemia are risk factors for all-cause mortality in patients with LV dysfunction, especially when both are present. These relationships need to be confirmed in additional studies.

Double-Blind Method↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative relationship of stress Tc-99m sestamibi lung uptake with resting Tl-201 lung uptake and with indices of left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the relationship of stress technetium 99m sestamibi lung uptake with rest thallium 201 lung uptake and with indices of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with known or suspected CAD undergoing stress testing and cardiac catheterization. Stress Tc-99m sestamibi lung uptake and both stress and rest Tl-201 lung uptake are associated with LV dysfunction and extent of CAD. Although the mechanism of lung uptake is thought to be similar for the two isotopes, their physiologic characteristics are different. No direct comparison of lung uptake for the two isotopes has been reported. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated 192 consecutive patients who underwent dual-isotope myocardial perfusion imaging and cardiac catheterization within 30 days. We examined the relationship of stress Tc-99m sestamibi lung-to-heart ratio (LHR) with rest Tl-201 LHR, with indices of myocardial perfusion, and with invasive measures of the severity of LV dysfunction and CAD. Stress Tc-99m sestamibi LHR correlated with rest Tl-201 LHR (r = 0.548, P <.001). Stress Tc-99m sestamibi LHR was positively associated with LV filling pressures and extent of CAD and negatively associated with LV ejection fraction and arterial systolic blood pressure. However, after adjustment for multiple comparisons, stress Tc-99m sestamibi LHR was significantly associated only with LV end-diastolic pressure (r = 0.287, P =.002) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (r = 0.337, P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Increased stress Tc-99m sestamibi LHR correlates with rest Tl-201 LHR in patients with known or suspected CAD. Stress Tc-99m sestamibi lung uptake is also associated with invasively measured LV filling pressures.

Coronary Artery Disease↗
PubMed2003

[Calcified aortic stenosis with left ventricular dysfunction and low transvalvular gradients. Must one reject surgery in certain cases?].

The natural history of severe aortic stenosis (aortic valve area < 1 cm2 or < 0.6 cm2/m2) with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and low transvalvular gradients (mean gradient < 40 mmHg) is mediocre in the short term and the operative risk is high. Dobutamine echocardiography provides a reliable evaluation of the aortic obstacle by diagnosing the rare cases of relative aortic stenosis in which the valve surface area has been underestimated because of a low cardiac output (aortic surface area > 1.2 cm2 with a mean gradient < 30 mmHg with dobutamine): in this case, the limited available data suggests that medical therapy with strict follow-up of its efficacy is the best management. The other use of dobutamine echocardiography is to assess left ventricular contractile reserve, defined as a increase > or = 20% in stroke volume under dobutamine. Cases with a contractile reserve have an operative risk of 5 to 10% and the medium-term benefits of valve replacement have been demonstrated. In the absence of contractile reserve, the operative risk is much grater, 30 to 60%, and also depends on other parameters such as the mean basal transaortic pressure gradient (risk five times greater in cases with a mean gradient < 20 mmHg), the need for coronary bypass surgery and associated co-morbid conditions. The surgical contraindications are in fact relatively few and concern patients with several risk factors: absence of contractile reserve itself is not a definitive surgical contraindication.

Aortic Valve Stenosis↗
PubMed2001

Spironolactone prescribing in heart failure: comparison between general medical patients and those attending a specialist left ventricular dysfunction clinic.

We compared the rate of prescription of low-dose spironolactone among patients with heart failure in a general medical inpatient setting and in a specialist left ventricular (LV) dysfunction clinic. 38% of general medical patients and 72% of patients attending the specialist clinic had been prescribed spironolactone. When contraindications were considered, 54% of patients in the general medical group and 77% of patients in the specialist clinic group were appropriately treated in respect of spironolactone prescribing. Patients attending a specialist LV dysfunction clinic are therefore more likely to be treated with low dose spironolactone, an accepted appropriate treatment for heart failure, than those admitted to general medical and acute geriatric units. Improvement in care for patients with CHF may be achieved either by increasing the use of specialist clinics or by better dissemination of evolving evidence.

Diuretics↗