View clinical trials related to Heart Failure.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of an early, coordinated rehabilitation intervention for patients with severe heart failure in NYHA class III and IV with a ejection fraction of <40% of normal cardiac function measured on frequency of readmissions, physical ability and participation in activities of daily living and quality of life.
Cardiac rehabilitation is the ideal comprehensive intervention for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), since it addresses the complex interplay of medical, psychological and behavioural factors facing these individuals. Structured exercise training within a cardiac rehabilitation programme is firmly recommended for these patients. However, it is questionable whether patients are achieving an adequate dose of exercise to provide optimal benefits. The essential components for setting optimal training include the appropriate mode, duration, frequency and intensity of exercise. UK surveys of cardiac rehabilitation describe the frequency and duration of training, but here is scant information on exercise intensity. However, it is apparent that randomised controlled trials of exercise training use doses more than 4 times greater than in UK current practice. The Eastbourne Exercise Cardiology Research Group has demonstrated that although patients benefit from improved quality of life and submaximal fitness after a hospital outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme, they do not achieve the increases in important prognostic indicators reported by the majority of exercise training trials. The critical factor in terms of eliciting a sufficient training effect while minimising risk is the intensity of the exercise performed. It is now widely accepted that the traditional methods of using fixed percentages of maximal heart rate or oxygen uptake to set exercise intensity include serious errors. The European Society of Cardiology recommends that cardiopulmonary exercise testing should be used to provide an objective evaluation of the metabolic demand of exercise. This allows physiologically meaningful reference points to be established for aerobic exercise prescription and is the solution to defining safe and effective training intensities. The next step is to determine whether this information can be transferred to a practical cardiac rehabilitation environment to set and monitor exercise intensity
The purpose of this study is to determine whether Salbutamol is effective in the treatment of severe heart failure due to ischemic and non- ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is an established treatment for improving symptoms in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) by left ventricular (LV) pacing. CRT can help to improve LV function in patients with heart failure if those regions of the myocardium which are most compromised by electromechanical dyssynchrony can be identified and effectively stimulated. There still remains, however, a significant rate of up to 30% of patients who do not respond to treatment. Reasons for lack of benefit can be related to the inability of identifying and effectively stimulating those regions of myocardium, which are most compromised by electromechanical dyssynchrony. The investigators hypothesize that by using cardiac MR and 3D echo to identify scar, reconstruct coronary sinus anatomy, and determine the site of latest LV activation, the investigators can find the best place to implant the left ventricular lead. By avoiding scar and pacing in the site of latest activation, the investigators believe the investigators will reduce dyssynchrony and thus improve overall heart function. The researchers thus aim to increase the proportion of people who respond to treatment. The researchers also believe that the procedure may be streamlined so as to reduce procedure duration, radiation dose and dose of iodinated contrast medium.
This study will examine the efficacy of group therapy utilizing the Existential Approach in heart failure patients when compared to a control group of patients who are waiting for the same group treatment. This comparison will be achieved by measuring changes in the variables studied namely, the levels of psychological distress and levels of psycho-social adjustment.
The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of monitoring hemodynamic changes, which result from heart failure exacerbations, by recording the respiratory effort, chest wall dynamics and quantifying the development of dyspnea by using miniature mechanical sensors that are attaches to the chest.
The association between exposure to ambient air pollution and pulmonary disease has been well established.To date no study has assessed the burden of cardiovascular disease in Israel and its relation to ambient air pollution. The Haifa Bay Area has a long history of industrialization including possessing the nation's largest oil refineries, oil-fired power plant, agrochemical and cement producers, industrial incinerators and the Eastern Mediterranean's busiest port. The presence of industrial and mobile sources, combined with a basin effect has contributed to air pollution in the Haifa Bay Area and has raised concerns about potential health effects. Research Objectives - Determine if the increased rate of cardiovascular mortality in Haifa is associated with PM 2.5 concentrations. - Assess effect modification in diverse sub-populations. - If an association does exist, assess the economic burden of PM 2.5 associated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. - Design prediction models of daily cardiovascular emergency department visits based on daily and seasonal variation of air pollution.
Background and Purpose- According to our prior studies, left atrial (LA) distensibility was associated significantly with left ventricular filling pressure in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic stable angina, and severe mitral regurgitation. LA distensibility can be used as noninvasive Swan-Ganz catheter. Additionally, it could predict in-hospital mortality in AMI patients. In the current study, left atrial distensibility guiding management in advanced chronic heart failure will be performed to assess whether those management could influence long-term prognosis including mortality rate, rehospitalization rate and the duration of rehospitalization. Materials and Methods- Advanced chronic heart failure (HF) is defined as left ventricular ejection fraction less than 35%, creatinine less than 2 mg/dL, and CHF NY functional class III-IV for more than 3 months. Enrolled patients should be admitted to hospital due to heart failure requiring adjustment of inotropic agents or diuretics within recent 6 months. Three hundred HF cases will be recruited - 100 with sinus rhythm, and 100 with atrial fibrillation served as LA distensibility guided treatment group (guide group) and another 100 patients, either sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation, served as control group. The management of guide group will be adjusted by LA distensibility, including the dose of inotropic agents, diuretics, beta-blocker, ACEI, and AIIB. Initially, the guide group will be followed 1 time per 2 week at first 3 months, then 1 time per month later. The control group will be treated by conventional management and traditional echocardiography can be performed as in-charge doctor request. The necessity of hospitalization for heart failure will be adjusted by 2 cardiovascular specialists and all patients admitted for heart failure will be managed by the same one cardiovascular specialist (Shih-Hung Hsiao). The total duration of follow-up will be 2 years. For life-threatening heart failure, intravenous nitroprusside drip under continuous A-line monitor, percutaneous coronary intervention, Swan-Ganz catheter insertion, intra-aortic balloon pump, and ECMO can be done according to the order of in-charge doctor. The primary end-point will be all-cause mortality. The second end-points will be heart failure with hospitalization and the duration of each hospitalization. Additionally, the ratios of medication changes in 2-year follow-up, including diuretics, inotropic agents, beta blockers, ACEI, and AIIB, will be assessed. Analysis will also be performed to estimate the trends of heart function (either systolic or diastolic) and renal function during 2-year follow-up according to whether guiding by LA distensibility is done or not.
To compare two methods of chest impedance: the Medtronics Optivol Measurement via CRT pacemakers for patients with heart failure and external non-invasive measurement
The purpose of this study is to develop and implement a critical pathway to identify patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy who are candidates for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). This study will also determine whether the use of the critical pathway for ICDs is associated with a change in the ICD referral and implantation rate.