A futuristic perspective on clinical studies of cardiac resynchronization therapy for heart failure patients.
OBJECTIVE
Heart failure is a major public health problem. Many heart failure patients have electrical and mechanical ventricular dyssynchrony, which are risk factors for death in heart failure patients.


RESULTS
Cardiac resynchronization therapy, by stimulating both ventricles, is a strategy to improve ventricular dyssynchrony.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper describes the historic development of this therapy; reviews the results of completed clinical cardiac resynchronization therapy studies, and discusses ongoing and future studies.
Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada. atang@ottawaheart.ca
Anthony S L
AS
Tang
Kenneth A
KA
Ellenbogen
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002423:Cause of Death; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000639:trends*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005544:Forecasting; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000639:trends*; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000639:trends; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000639:trends*; D016896:Treatment Outcome