Urgent cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with decompensated chronic heart failure receiving inotropic therapy. A case series.
BACKGROUND
It remains unknown whether patients with severe decompensated class IV heart failure (HF) receiving intravenous inotropic treatment benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).


METHODS
We identified patients who underwent urgent CRT implantation due to decompensated class IV HF necessitating intravenous inotropic therapy.


RESULTS
Of 10 patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (median QRS duration of 170 ms), CRT implantation was associated with symptomatic improvement in 8 patients. The mortality rate was 50% during a median follow-up of 9.5 months, with a median CRT-to-death duration of 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
CRT was feasible among class IV patients receiving inotropic treatment and was associated with clinical improvement.
Konstantino
Yuval
Y
Department of Cardiology, Rabin Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Petah-Tikva, Israel.
Iakobishvili
Zaza
Z
Arad
Orna
O
Ben-Gal
Tuvia
T
Kusniec
Jairo
J
Mazur
Alexander
A
Porter
Avital
A
Strasberg
Boris
B
Battler
Alexander
A
Hasdai
David
D
D000368:Aged; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000628:therapy*
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents