Effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on disease progression in chronic heart failure

Eur Heart J. 2006 May;27(9):1018-25. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehi734. Epub 2006 Jan 27.

Abstract

Despite the alleviation of symptoms and longer survival conferred by pharmacological management of chronic congestive heart failure (CHF), this progressive syndrome remains associated with high morbidity and premature death. A new treatment of CHF should ideally alleviate symptoms, improve functional capacity, decrease mortality, and slow or reverse its progression without adding risks for the patient that outweighs the benefits. Growing evidence indicates that devices implanted to resynchronize ventricular contraction are a beneficial adjunct in the treatment of CHF. This review discusses the remodelling process, and its clinical and prognostic significance. We also discuss the impact of CRT, on remodelling and disease progression with a particular focus on patients with asymptomatic or mild heart failure (NYHA Class I-II).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / methods*
  • Disease Progression
  • Heart Failure / pathology
  • Heart Failure / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Prognosis
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Risk Factors
  • Ventricular Remodeling / physiology*