Prognostic impact of digoxin use for rate control of atrial fibrillation in patients ≥75 years of age

Digoxin use remains a common therapeutic option in the pharmacological control of heart rate in patients with atrial fibrillation, endorsed in current guidelines with the same level of evidence than beta-blockers in patients with and without heart failure. Digoxin has a narrow therapeutic range and is influenced by drug‐to‐drug interactions, serum electrolyte concentrations, and renal function. Conflicting data exist regarding adverse outcomes that are associated with digoxin use in patients with atrial fibrillation. It remains unclear whether the association between digoxin use and worse clinical outcome is causal or may be the result of confounding by differences in the characteristics of patents including age, comorbidities and treatment. Particularly in older patients with atrial fibrillation, who are frequently prescribed a multitude of agents for stroke prevention, treatment of cardiovascular disease and other comorbidities, use of digoxin should be cautious and instituted with assessment of drug concentrations

Role and efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure

Despite improvements in treatments, the prognosis of heart failure remains poor. Elderly patients with heart failure are burdened with multiple co-morbidities and polypharmacy. Multidisciplinary disease-management programs are recommended as standard care for patients at high risk of hospitalization. Cardiac rehabilitation is defined a coordinated multidimensional intervention that integrates the basic elements in multidisciplinary management programs with a continuing program of physical activity and exercise training. Cardiac rehabilitation services can be provided on an inpatient or outpatient basis according to the clinical characteristics and severity of the disease. Data support the usefulness of inpatient cardiac rehabilitation interventions soon after hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure as a “transition care service” to overcome the particularly high risk “vulnerable” phase. Although in the elderly, physical activity is conditioned by the general clinical conditions, the presence of comorbidities and frailty, several data underscore the importance of improving exercise capacity in the elderly vulnerable patient

Automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator: when not to implant.

The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is the mainstay therapy for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction. Current indications for prophylactic ICD are based on the results of randomized controlled trials dating back to 15-20 years ago, which have usually enrolled highly selected patients with few comorbidities and only a small number of patients aged >75 years. Existing literature suggest an age-dependent attenuation of the efficacy of the ICD. Because of the ageing of the population, there is need for data addressing device efficacy among older patients that also considers the impact of geriatric syndromes on health status. The assessment of frailty may be of value in identifying elderly patients who may or may not benefit from ICD placement for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death

Clinical and haemodynamic correlates of heart rate turbulence as a non-invasive index of baroreflex sensitivity in chronic heart failure

HRT (heart rate turbulence), describing the heart rate changes following a premature ventricular contraction, has been regarded as an indirect index of baroreflex function. However, limited data are available on its relationship with invasive assessment by phenylephrine injection (Phe-slope). In the present study, we therefore compared these methodologies in a series of patients with HF (heart failure) in which both measures together with clinical and haemodynamic data were available. HRT parameters [TO (turbulence onset) and TS (turbulence slope)] were measured from 24-h Holter recordings obtained within 1 week of baroreflex sensitivity assessment and right heart haemodynamic evaluation (Swan-Ganz catheter). HRT was computable in 135 out of 157 (86%) patients who had both a phenylephrine test and haemodynamic evaluation. TO and TS significantly correlated with Phe-slope (r=−0.39, P<0.0001 and r=0.66, P<0.0001 respectively). Age, baseline heart rate, LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction), PCP (pulmonary capillary pressure), CI (cardiac index) and sodium were significant and independent predictors of Phe-slope, accounting for 51% of its variability. Similarly, age, baseline heart rate and PCP, and NYHA (New York Heart Association) classes III–IV were independent predictors for TS and explained 48% of its variability, whereas only CI and LVEF were found to be significantly related to TO and explained a very limited proportion (20%) of the variability. In conclusion, these results suggest that HRT may be regarded as a surrogate measure of baroreflex sensitivity in clinical and prognostic evaluation in patients with HF

Prognostic Implications of Baroreflex Sensitivity in Heart Failure Patients in the Beta-Blocking Era

ObjectivesThis study investigated the clinical correlates and prognostic value of depressed baroreceptor-heart rate reflex sensitivity (BRS) among patients with heart failure (HF), with and without beta-blockade.BackgroundAbnormalities in autonomic reflexes play an important role in the development and progression of HF. Few studies have assessed the effects of beta-blockers on BRS in HF.MethodsThe study population consisted of 103 stable HF patients, age (median [interquartile range]) 54 years (48 to 57 years), with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class ≥III in 22, and with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 30% (24% to 36%), treated with beta-blockers; and 144 untreated patients, age 55 years (48 to 60 years), with NYHA functional class ≥III in 47%, and an LVEF of 26% (21% to 30%). They underwent BRS testing (phenylephrine technique).ResultsIn both treated and untreated patients, a lower BRS was associated with a higher (≥III) NYHA functional class (p = 0.0002 and p < 0.0001, respectively); a more severe (≥2) mitral regurgitation (p = 0.007 and p = 0.0002), respectively; a lower LVEF (p = 0.0004 and p = 0.001, respectively), baseline RR interval (p = 0.0004 and p = 0.0002, respectively), and SDNN (p < 0.0001, p = 0.002, respectively); and a higher blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.004, p < 0.0001, respectively). Clinical variables explained only 43% of BRS variability among treated and 36% among untreated patients. During a median follow-up of 29 months, 17 of 103 patients and 55 of 144 patients, respectively, experienced a cardiac event. A depressed BRS (<3.0 ms/mm Hg) was significantly associated with the outcome, independently of known risk predictors and beta-blocker treatment (adjusted hazard ratio: 3.0 [95% confidence interval: 1.5 to 5.9], p = 0.001).ConclusionsBaroreceptor-heart rate reflex sensitivity does not simply mirror the pathophysiological substrate of HF. A depressed BRS conveys independent prognostic information that is not affected by the modification of autonomic dysfunction brought about by beta-blockade

Into the cognitive constructs related to adherence to treatment in CHD outpatients: the importance of accepting the disease limitations

Background and aims: Poor adherence to clinical prescriptions has been recognized as a major problem in management of chronic diseases. Only few studies tried to identify which factors could be considered predictive of low adherence to pharmacological and non pharmacological prescriptions in Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) patients. The aims of our observational-longitudinal study were to assess in CHD outpatients admitted to a Cardiological Day Hospital (DH): self-reported knowledge and acceptance about illness, perceived self-efficacy in disease management and emotional status, and the possible relationships among these variables. Methods: Patients were assessed at baseline during the first days of DH and few days before discharge (follow-up) by the Adherence Schedule in Ischemic Heart Disease (ASIHD) and by the Anxiety and Depression Scale (AD). The ASIHD is a tool specifically aimed at evaluating the cognitive, relational and behavioural antecedents of adherence to treatment of patients suffering CHD. The rehabilitation programme comprised: individualized physical training, nutrition monitoring, psychological assessment and psychoeducational interventions, when indicated. Baseline and follow- up clinical data, ASHID and AD scores were analysed both considering the whole sample (n=117) and the subgroup which met the clinical criteria for psychological counselling (n=35, psychologically treated group). Intracorrelation and intercorrelation coefficients of the whole sample baseline data were calculated among ASIHD, AD scores and socio-demographic data. Results: Our CHD outpatients (62.6±9.3 years) were mainly male, married and retired. They had 5,2 years of illness on the average, and only 9% of them were still smokers, whereas 62% had smoked in the past. Total and LDL cholesterol levels showed a significant reduction at follow up evaluation. Among ASIHD baseline item scores, many statistically significant intracorrelations emerged, in particular: disease limitations acceptance showed significant positive correlations with disease knowledge (r=.34, p=.0001), family/friend support (r=.27, p=.003), following dietary prescriptions (r=.38, p=.0001), exercise (r=.35, p=.0001), taking medicines punctually (r=.35, p=.0001), identifying physical/ psychological fatigue (r=.45, p=.0001), monitoring clinical parameters (r=.42, p=.0001), management of stressful situations (r=.26, p=.006), and reducing stress sources (r=.34, p=.0001). Concerning the significant intercorrelations between AD and ASIHD scores, disease acceptance showed negative correlations with anxiety and depression (r=-.27, p=.004; r=-.26, p=.004 respectively). Conclusions: The pathway stemmed from our data enlights that in the area of cognitive and relational antecedents of adeherence, accepting the disease limitations can be considered a central issue in CHD patient’s illness adjustment and prescriptions adherence. Moreover, the ASHID resulted a useful synthetic schedule of psychological/behavioural variables regarding perceived self-efficacy in disease management. This may facilitate a synergic team work on common priorities that respect the point of view of the patient and the clinical-rehabilitation purposes