Biventricular pacemakers in patients with heart failure.

Biventricular pacing in heart failure: update on results from clinical trials

Biventricular pacing or resynchronisation therapy is a non-pharmacological therapy for patients with chronic heart failure. Since being originally described in 1994, biventricular pacing has become a subject of intense interest and investigation. This review analyses the results reported in observational series and randomised trials, and seeks to answer two questions. If it works, why does it w...

Giant biventricular thrombi in a patient with heart failure and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Clinical Outcomes After Ablation of the AV Junction in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Impact of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

BACKGROUND Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) often undergo AV junction ablation (AVJA) and pacemaker implantation. Right ventricular (RV) pacing contributes to increased risk of heart failure (HF), which may be mitigated by biventricular pacing. We sought to determine the impact of AVJA concurrent with RV versus biventricular pacemaker implantation on AF and HF hospitalizations. METHODS ...

Increased incidence of tachyarrhythmias and heart failure hospitalization in patients with implanted cardiac devices after the great East Japan earthquake disaster.

BACKGROUND After the East Japan Earthquake disaster there may have been a deterioration of patients with cardiovascular diseases. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined the data from 189 consecutive patients implanted with cardiovascular devices for the 6-month period before and after the Earthquake. In 170 patients with defibrillators, the number who experienced tachyarrhythmias increased significa...

Initial experience with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator incorporating cardiac resynchronization therapy.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) incorporating biventricular pacing. BACKGROUND Biventricular pacing improves the symptoms of heart failure, a frequent problem in ICD recipients. METHODS This prospective multicenter study evaluated the safety and efficacy of an ICD with biventricular pacing. RESULTS A total of 84 patients...