Search

Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) plays an important role as pulmonary vasodilator and currently there are targeted therapy to stimulate cGMP in the management of patients with pulmonary hypertension. It is known that patients with pulmonary hypertension and heart failure have impairment of cGMP

Surgical left ventricular assist device (LVAD) explantation remains the main method for device deactivation. However, such reoperation in patients with advanced cardiac disease carries significant potential risks. The role of a percutaneous LVAD deactivation program, including patient selection and

Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor, is elevated in heart failure as well as in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Heart failure with preserved EF (HFpEF) is the most common cause of pulmonary hypertension (D-PH). To date, there is no known level of ET-1 in rest and exercise conditions

Established prognostic factors for pulmonary hypertension (PH) include brain natriuretic peptide and hemodynamic measures such as central venous pressure and cardiac output. The prognostic role of atrial fibrillation (AF) is yet to be determined in patients with PH. The aim of this study was to

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rapidly progressive disorder with high mortality rates despite traditional medical treatment. With the availability of PA targeted therapy, early PAH detection improves treatment outcomes. Exercise- induced Pulmonary Artery Hypertension (EiPAH) represents

The red cell distribution width (RDW) predicts mortality in many cardiovascular (CV) diseases. The sex-specific complete blood count (CBC) risk score uses the RDW and other CBC components to predict mortality. Very few risk models are known for predicting survival in patients undergoing left

While digoxin can exert favorable hemodynamic effects in acute right ventricular (RV) failure secondary to pulmonary hypertension (PH), its role in chronic management of these patients is controversial. From 2002 to 2012, all consecutive patients with age ≥18 years, severe PH defined by a

Exercise-induced Pulmonary Artery Hypertension (EiPAH) represents an early phase of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) in which screening and early detection might facilitate treatment aimed at preventing progression of EiPAH to resting PAH. In this study we sought to compare change in 6MWD after

Systolic Heart failure (sHF) is a growing public health concern as it portends a significant morbidity and mortality and accounts for a large percentage of annual health care expenditures. Hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate (HISDN), via their potent antioxidant properties, augmentation of nitric

Reluctance to using beta blockers may derive from concerns about their association with depression, sexual dysfunction and chronic fatigue. We used MEDLINE, Cochrane and EMBASE (through June 2011) to conduct a comprehensive search for randomized clinical trials of beta blocker use in patients with

tional class (FC) I/II and III/IV. Results: Analysis was performed on a subset of 43 patients who had CAMPHOR scores and clinician assessed FC at two time points in 2009. Change in score components failed to significantly correlate with log odds and hazard rate of CW. However, in models of the baseline scores, we found evidence of a statistically significant relationship between log odds of CW and activities score (p 0.020). Cox regression results similarly indicate that there are significant associations between the risk of CW and baseline symptoms (HR 0.914, p 0.046) and activities (HR 1.2, p 0.001) scores. Similarly, ROC analysis finds that change in CAMPHOR score does not differentiate FC, whereas in follow up the symptoms score is most predictive of FC (Symptoms AUC 0.8; Activities AUC 0.76; Quality of Life AUC 0.74; Total AUC 0.78). Conclusions: Use of CAMPHOR in the clinical setting can be helpful for predicting probability and risk of hospitalization and death. The symptoms score can help the clinician assess patient FC.

Reduced bioavailability of nitric oxide due to endothelial dysfunction causes generation of reactive oxygen species which leads to vascular stiffness and worsening of HFpEF. Pleotropic effects of Statins beneficially modulate endothelial function by reducing inflammation, stabilizing atherosclerotic

It has been hypothesized that efficacy of spironolactone (spirono) in heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) may differ by race with less clinical benefit in African-Americans. There is no clinical data regarding other races. From 2002 to 2012, all consecutive

The effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) on renal function during continuous flow left ventricular assist device support is unknown. A retrospective analysis was conducted in all patients who underwent CF LVAD placement at our center

Spironolactone is known to improve survival in patients with left ventricular failure. However, it is unclear whether it provides a survival benefit in patients with isolated right ventricular failure secondary to pulmonary hypertension (PH). We aimed to examine the effect of spironolactone on

Little is known about the effect of a low platelet count (PC) on mortality of patients (pts) with systolic heart failure (SHF). The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of thrombocytopenia (TMPA) in SHF pts by assessing all-cause mortality and hospital readmission rates. 2705 SHF

Online patient-education has been shown to be an effective tool in managing several chronic medical problems. We sought to examine the frequency of the use of internet education in heart failure patients in 3 different communities and the factors that impede patient access to internet education.

While mortality benefit of spironolactone in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has been well-described, there is no clinical study demonstrating this effect in diabetics versus non-diabetics. From 2002 to 2012, all consecutive patients ≥18

The impact of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists (MRAs) on cardiac function during Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device (CF LVAD) support remains unknown. A post-hoc analysis of a prospective study conducted at our center to evaluate the effect of combining pharmacological

Since the first description of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC), an increasing number of cases have been diagnosed and yet there is no known effective therapy. More precisely, Beta Blockers (BB) that have been shown to have significant benefit in heart failure have not been shown to be of benefit in

Anemia of chronic disease (AOCD) is the most common anemia in systolic heart failure (SHF). While generalized anemia in SHF has been linked to a poor prognosis and greater risk of hospitalization, the effect of AOCD on outcomes in SHF is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of

Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor, is elevated in heart failure states as well as in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Additionally, ET-1 receptor blockade is a mainstay of PAH treatment. Diastolic heart failure (DHF) is a common cause of secondary pulmonary hypertension (D-PH), and