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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
 72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Two pregnant patients presented with Takayasu's disease predominating in the major branches of the aorta. There was no extention below the diaphragm and no complications. One of the patients had Still's disease which is a predominantly cutaneous form without chronic arthritis. Both pregnancies were uneventful excepting dysgravidia in one case. Two eutrophic infants were born at term. The risk of Takayasu's arteritis associated with pregnancy, as reported in the literature, is mainly due to the consequences of arterial hypertension with pre-eclampsia (60%), heart failure and cerebral vascular events (5%). The major fetal risk is in utero death (2 to 5%), but intra-uterine growth retardation is more frequent (18%). The risk is greatest during the third trimester and during the perinatal period. Fetal involvement is greatest in sever cases and in those treated late. Prevention is based on the initial work-up to identify the disease and possible complications, programming pregnancies and increasing surveillance during periods of risk, defining the delivery route with cesarean section reserved for complications of arteritis (30%), and planned labour with instrumental extraction and epidural anaesthesia with control of the blood pressure. Still's disease has no particular consequence on pregnancy, although sequellae of chronic arthritis of the pelvis may have an impact on obstetrical technique. An association with Takayasu's disease is rare with only one case being reported in the literature; aetiopathology remains unknown.
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PMID:[Association of Takayasu's arteritis, pregnancy and Still's disease]. 856 84

The traumatic aortic valvular insufficiency (TAVI), through less frequent after a non-penetrating thoracic traumatism, is a serious entity with a very reserved prognosis. So it must be suspected in every patients with signs or symptoms of de novo heart failure post-traumatism. The transthoracic echocardiography and eventually transesophageal echocardiography have a fundamental role in the confirmation of the diagnosis. The clinical picture of traumatic aortic regurgitation is quickly evolutionary and the non efficacy of medical therapy has placed the valvular substitution surgery as the best succeeded treatment. With the advent of the aortic valve repairing surgery some TAVI cases has been submitted to this procedure. Nevertheless, the development of residual aortic regurgitation in these situations, usually requiring later valvular replacement surgery, make the aortic valvuloplasty a controversial surgical technique. The AA describe a recent clinical case of aortic regurgitation after a non-penetrant thoracic traumatism, discussing the aspects connected with physiopathology, diagnosis and therapy. The singularity of this case was based on the fact that the initial clinical diagnosis had been prejudiced by the context of a polytraumatism and there had been a time free of symptoms between the traumatism and the beginning of the symptomatology of left ventricular failure. Even though the identification of the problem allowed an intensive treatment of this serious situation that ended with the replacement of the aortic valve by mechanical aortic prosthesis, with the patient's total recovery.
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PMID:[Traumatic aortic valve insufficiency]. 864 78

Of 16 infants with infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma, 14 (88%) presented before age 3 months. For seven cases (44%), the diagnosis was suspected from antenatal ultrasonographic findings. Two (13%) presented with asymptomatic hepatomegaly. The most common presenting features were high-output cardiac failure in 11 (69%), consumptive coagulopathy in 12 (75%), and anemia in 12(75%). Sixty-three percent of the children had associated cutaneous hemangiomata, and disseminated hemangiomatosis was noted in two (13%). Medical measures were effective in stabilizing seven (44%) cases with high-output congestive cardiac failure and/or consumptive coagulopathy. Partial right hepatectomy was successful for four patients; the only death occurred in a newborn, after intraperitoneal rupture of the hepatic hemangioma. Embolization was used in two children to induce involution. Spontaneous involution occurred in two patients. Initially, hepatic hemangiomas should be treated conservatively, with surgery reserved for intractable cardiac failure and/or refractory consumptive coagulopathy.
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PMID:Infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma: the role of surgery. 878 79

Despite the availability and use of effective methods for limiting infarct size with thrombolytic agents and primary angioplasty, patients experiencing a myocardial infarction (MI) are at increased risk for a second cardiac event in the post-MI period (e.g., reinfarction, heart failure, and sudden death). For this reason, postinfarction risk management is crucial. An extensive data base has firmly established the efficacy of beta blockers in reducing cardiovascular risk following acute MI. The full advantages of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have only recently begun to emerge as the result of a growing understanding of the mechanisms of adverse outcomes following MI. The importance of lipid-lowering agents, in particular the "statins," should be considered in all post-MI patients, especially since recent studies have conclusively shown improved survival and reduced rates of MI and coronary artery bypass surgery in this population with this therapy. Aspirin is now considered a standard part of the early management of the acute infarct patient as well as for secondary prevention in post-MI patients. At present, chronic anticoagulation with warfarin should be reserved for selected patients. The nondihydropyridine calcium antagonists diltiazem and verapamil can be considered for post-MI use only in patients in whom beta blockers are contraindicated and who have preserved systolic function and/or those without clinical heart failure. In contrast, the dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, particularly nifedipine, have no role in secondary prevention. Although long-term benefits are minimal, nitrates continue to be useful in post-MI patients with residual ischemia (angina or silent ischemia), heart failure (systolic or diastolic), or postinfarction hypertension. Antiarrhythmic agents, except amiodarone, are relatively contraindicated in post-MI patients. Recent data show that vitamin E reduces the rate of nonfatal MI. Its role in cardiovascular death and overall mortality remains to be clarified. Despite their demonstrated value, agents used in secondary prevention generally appear to be underutilized. In addition, when pharmacologic therapies are administered for secondary prevention, they are often prescribed at lower doses than those tested and proved in trials. A greater appreciation for the efficacy and safety profiles of these agents could lead to more widespread use and more pronounced reductions in morbidity and mortality among post-MI patients.
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PMID:Pharmacologic therapies after myocardial infarction. 890 Mar 39

The mortality of heart failure remains high despite recent therapeutic progress. The objectives of treatment are to relieve symptoms, but also to improve survival. The secondary objectives are extension of the duration of effort, improvement of the ejection fraction, reduction of arrhythmias and neuroendocrine disturbances, although these criteria are not strictly related to the primary objectives. Diuretics should be used from the first symptoms, but their effect on survival has not been evaluated. Digitalis alkaloids, with no effect on survival, also improve functional signs, even in patients in sinus rhythm. All other positive inotropic agents increase mortality. Nitrates improve symptoms and, when associated with hydralazine, prolong survival. Amiodarone should be reserved to patients with dangerous arrhythmias. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors have the best demonstrated effect on survival and must be used as first-line treatment. Their preventive effect on mortality is limited, except in post-infarction ventricular dysfunction. Beta-blockers, which appear very promising for the improvement of survival, functional signs and ejection fraction, are currently under evaluation. Their mechanisms of action and the choice of the most active drugs have yet to be determined.
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PMID:[Drug therapy of heart failure. What choice in 1996?]. 895 37

Mortality in patients with congestive heart failure has been assessed in several large scale multicentric studies, confirming the therapeutic effect of certain treatments and raising questions as to the efficacy of other, sometimes new propositions. Conversion enzyme inhibitors are currently considered to be the first line treatment for heart failure because of their beneficial effect on mortality figures and their capacity to prevent aggravation. These drugs should always be prescribed for patients without contraindications, together with diuretics when signs of congestion develop, and digitalis in case of non-response, then finally nitroglycerin. Debate is still open on the effect of beta-blockers and amiodarone which should be reserved for use by specialists since it has not been definitely proven that they can lengthen survival time. Certain other drugs have given disappointing results compared with early expectations: direct vasodilators, positive inotrops (with the possible exception of vesnarinone), and class Ic antiarrhythmics. Finally several drugs in the development or research stage may prove to be effective in improving heart function, intermediary criteria and, most importantly, survival.
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PMID:[Current treatments of congestive heart failure]. 903 19

The amount and location of intra- and extravascular fluids varies for the type and duration of heart failure. In some instances (acute LHF) pulmonary and systemic blood volume actually diminishes, and in others (chronic LHF) pulmonary blood volume diminishes at the bases while increasing in the upper lobes. It is only in right heart failure that clinically visible "congestion" occurs and the phrase congestive failure should be reserved for right heart failure. It is more valuable clinically for the film reader to analyze which compartments contain increased or diminished fluid and from this analysis, to decide whether the patient is in left, right or biventricular failure and whether this is acute or chronic. Upper lobe engorgement, (flow inversion) is not caused by basal edema, as previously hypothesized, but by reflex vasoconstriction secondary to chronic elevation of left atrial pressure. The mechanism is designed to improve left atrial function.
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PMID:What is "congested" in cardiac failure? A newer approach to plain film interpretation of cardiac failure. 914 17

We assessed the value of symptoms, past history, medications and signs in the evaluation of patients who might have heart failure secondary to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. An open-access echocardiography service was set up to help identify patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction who might benefit from treatment with an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor. History and examination were recorded for each of these patients. The patients were divided into groups according to whether left ventricular systolic function was preserved or not and whether various clinical features were present or not. Of 259 consecutive patients studied, 41 had impairment of left ventricular systolic function as assessed by echocardiography. Past history of myocardial infarction and displaced apex beat were the best single predictors of left ventricular systolic dysfunction as assessed by echocardiography. The combination of past history of myocardial infarction and displaced apex had the best positive predictive value of all. Patients with such clinical features or combinations of clinical features may not need echocardiography, and where access to this resource is limited, it could be reserved for patients without such diagnostic features.
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PMID:Assessing diagnosis in heart failure: which features are any use? 920 68

Non-pharmacologic therapy has revolutionized the management of arrhythmias and prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Of particular importance is the introduction of radiofrequent catheter ablation (RFCA) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). RFCA is effective and useful in the treatment and prevention of SCD, especially in supraventricular tachyarrhythmias related to dual or accessory atrioventricular pathways. There are some limitations in using this method in the prevention of SCD in ventricular tachyarrhythmias. RFCA is very successful, particularly in the treatment of bundle branch reentrant ventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia in patients without structural heart disease. RFCA can be used as a palliative treatment of incessant or frequent VT before and after ICD implantation. Antibradycardia pacing decreases SCD not only by the removal of serious bradyarrhythmias but also by prevention of the occurrence of malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias induced by bradyarrhythmia. Antitachycardia pacing is used in the prevention of SCD only as a part of ICD device. Implantation of an antitachycardia pacemaker as an isolated permanent treatment of tachycardias is currently almost not used. This method was replaced by RFCA in supraventricular tachyarrhythmias and by ICD in ventricular tachyarrhythmias. ICD is a very perspective non-pharmacologic approach to SCD prevention, particularly as transvenous leads were introduced and device construction was simplified. ICD is indicated especially in patients with spontaneous sustained hemodynamically significant ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation and when antiarrhythmic drug treatment, RFCA or antitachycardia surgery are ineffective, intolerated, contraindicated or cannot be performed. ICD as the treatment of first choice instead of antiarrhythmic drugs as well as prophylactic ICD implantation in asymptomatic patients at high risk is a subject of discussion. ICD decreases the incidence of SCD significantly. However, the decrease in overall mortality was not verified. Antitachycardia surgery is less frequently used after RFCA, and ICD have been introduced. At present, this therapy is reserved only for the cases of failure of RFCA or the impossibility to use RFCA and ICD. Surgical therapy can be combined also with concommitant surgical correction of associated structural heart disease. Sympathectomy is used in prevention of malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias and SCD in patients with congenital long Q-T syndrome. Selective left cardiac sympathetic denervation significantly reduces the risk of SCD in these patients but does not remove it completely. Heart transplantation is the last alternative of non-pharmacologic prevention of SCD. It is indicated in cases when all pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches have been exhausted. Heart transplantation is the only effective modality for the improvement of long-term prognosis in patients with malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias and advanced chronic heart failure.
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PMID:[Non-pharmacologic prevention of sudden cardiac death]. 947 37

Considerable advances have been made in the management of heart failure during the past decade, with the development of new pharmacological agents. Now the therapeutic goals are not only to reduce symptoms but also to decrease the occurrence of acute heart failure, hospitalizations and to delay death. Prevention plays a key role: by correcting predisposing factors, and by slowing the process which leads from asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction to overt heart failure. The range for therapeutic action is broad: general and dietetic advices, pharmacological agents, surgical procedures which are reserved for the end-stage patient. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors remain the cornerstone of treatment at almost all stages of the disease.
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PMID:[Therapeutic strategy of chronic heart failure]. 950 7


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