echocardiographic assessment of left atrial mechanics: are we ready for daily clinical use?

Pharmacogenetics in psychiatry: are we ready for widespread clinical use?

There are high expectations about the capabilities of pharmacogenetics to tailor psychotropic treatment and "personalize" treatment. While a large number of associations, with generally small effect size, have been discovered, a "test" with widespread use and adoption is still missing. A more realistic picture, recognizing the important contribution of clinical and environmental factors toward ...

Left atrial function: pathophysiology, echocardiographic assessment, and clinical applications.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF LEFT ATRIAL MECHANICAL FUNCTION Atrial function, in a close interdependence with left ventricular (LV) function, plays a key role in maintaining an optimal cardiac performance. The left atrium (LA) modulates LV filling through its reservoir, conduit, and booster pump function, whereas LV function influences LA function throughout the cardiac cycle. The LA can act to increase ...

Echocardiographic assessment of the left atrial appendage.

The left atrial (LA) appendage is a common source of cardiac thrombus formation associated with systemic embolism. Transesophageal echocardiography allows a detailed evaluation of the structure and function of the appendage by two-dimensional imaging and Doppler interrogation of appendage flow. Specific flow patterns, reflecting appendage function, have been characterized for normal sinus rhyth...

Atrial Fibrillation Ablation - Are we ready?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in day to day practice. It contributes to morbidity in the form of heart failure and stroke and increased overall and cardiovascular mortality1. Moreover, no treatment of AF to date has resulted in a lower overall death rate. Anti arrhythmic therapy for AF may also contribute to increased mortality in this subgroup2. Even though AFFIRM inve...

strain evaluation of left atrial function: ready for the future?

Are We Ready for Mass Screening to Detect Atrial Fibrillation?