title: [Pacing and heart failure].
abstract: Conventional dual-chamber cardiac pacing with the right ventricular pacing catheter positioned at the apex of the right ventricle was proposed eight years ago by Hochleitner as primary treatment of refractory cardiac failure. Although the preliminary results were encouraging, those at long-term and subsequent studies were less favourable in this indication. Biventricular pacing is now a technical possibility and allows at least partial correction of the electromechanical abnormalities observed in dilated cardiomyopathy. The preliminary results of biventricular pacing in patients with refractory cardiac failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy with major intraventricular conduction defects are very encouraging. This new therapeutic approach should now be validated by controlled, randomised therapeutic trials.
authors.affiliation: Département de cardiologie et maladies vasculaires, CHU de Rennes.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leclercq
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cazeau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daubert
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right
vernacular_title: Stimulation cardiaque et insuffisance cardiaque.