American Heart Association
Frustrated by limited, single small center risk scores for RV failure? Kiernan and colleagues analyzed the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) to identify factors associated with RV failure following continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) support.
Natural history is catching up when arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) patients develop heart failure.
ARVC/D is an inherited cardiomyopathy in which myocardium is replaced with fibro-fatty tissue. This is followed by development of right ventricular dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmia.
Why are heart failure specialists seeing more patients with ARVC/D? The patients are living longer. Increased awareness allows timely diagnosis. ICD implantation prevents sudden cardiac death. As a result, ARVC/D patients eventually develop heart failure. Gilotra et al explores the increased prevalence of HF related to ARVC/D and characterizes the evolution to HF.