Congestive heart failure: what can we offer our patients?
Year: 2001
Type: article
Abstract: pertension and valvular heart disease. An accurate diagnosis of the cause of heart failure is critical. Interventional therapies for specific cardiovascular disorders, such as myocardial ischemia or valvular dysfunction, are essential. Systolic dysfunction with reduction in myocardial contractility is present in the majority of patients with heart failure. This reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction can be readily determined by noninvasive assessment with either echocardiography or radionuclide angiography. Indeed, this noninvasive assessment is essential in all patients with clinical evidence of congestive heart failure both to aid in diagnosis and to monitor progress. About one-third of patients, however, may have a normal or nearly normal left ventricular ejection fraction. In these patients, heart failure is the result of diastolic dysfunction, namely, impaired left ventricular relaxation or decrease in ventricular compliance. The chief risk factors are advancing age, hypertension, diabetes, left ventricular hypertrophy and coronary artery disease. 4
Source: Europe PMC (PubMed Central)
Author: W J Kostuk
Institution: London Health Sciences Centre
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2141808788