Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Inpatient Cardiology Service to Improve Heart Failure Outcomes in Guyana.

BACKGROUND: Guyana is a small developing country with a high burden of cardiovascular disease and extensive barriers to optimal care delivery. We investigated the effectiveness of a newly established multidisciplinary inpatient cardiology service in this setting. METHODS: We performed an interrupted time-series cohort study of heart failure (HF) patients admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation from January to December 2015 and July 2016 to December 2017. The primary outcome was discharge on guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT). Secondary outcomes included length of hospitalization and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: We identified 740 patients, 347 (46.9%) of whom were admitted after service implementation. The postimplementation cohort was more likely to be discharged on a beta-blocker (66.6% vs 41.7%; P < .01) and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (31.7% vs 15.3%; P = .01). They were also more likely to undergo echocardiography (60.8% vs 40.5%; P < .01) and chest x-rays (70.6% vs 46.6%; P < .01). Hospitalization length (10.0 ± 13.1 vs 9.8 ± 10.1 days) and readmissions within 90 days (19.0% vs 19.1%) were not significantly different. There were fewer deaths in the postimplementation cohort compared with the preimplementation cohort (12/347 vs 28/393). CONCLUSIONS: Establishment of a multidisciplinary inpatient cardiology service demonstrated increased adherence to GDMT without extending length of hospitalization.

The Guyana Program to Advance Cardiac Care: A Model for Equitable Cardiovascular Care Delivery.

Guyana is one of the poorest countries in South America, with the highest rate of cardiovascular mortality on the continent. As is the case in many low- and middle-income countries, cardiovascular care is available through the private sector but is not accessible to much of the urban and rural poor. We present the 10-year experience of the Guyana Program to Advance Cardiac Care (GPACC), an academic partnership aiming to provide high-quality, equitable cardiovascular care in Georgetown's only public hospital. We discuss the implementation of a cardiac care program using the World Health Organization Framework for Action, outlining vital components for care delivery in resource-limited settings. GPACC was able to demonstrate that targeted investment, education of clinicians, and cohesive healthcare delivery strategies can contribute to sustainable service delivery for Guyana's largest burden of disease. This structured approach may provide lessons for implementation of similar programs in other resource-limited settings. Highlights: In many LMICs, specialized cardiovascular care is available in the private, but not public, sector.The WHO Framework for Action can guide development of sustainable programs in low-resource settings.GPACC can serve as a successful and innovative model for delivery of sustainable cardiovascular care.

Management and outcomes of cardiac sarcoidosis: a 20-year experience in two tertiary care centres.

AIMS: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) often presents with ventricular arrhythmias, heart block, and cardiomyopathy. The prognosis of CS with contemporary management is uncertain. We estimated the impact of baseline and treatment variables on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), ventricular assist device placement, heart transplant, and death. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified patients with CS seen from 1994-2014 at two large academic medical centres. All met the 2014 Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus criteria for diagnosis. From the 574 patients identified, 91 met inclusion criteria. Twenty-two (24.2%) were diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy. Cardiomyopathy was the primary presentation in 47 patients (51.6%). Within 90 days of diagnosis, 41 patients (45.0%) received prednisone alone, 29 (31.9%) received alternative immunosuppression with or without prednisone, and 21 (23.1%) received no immunosuppression. During follow-up, 31 of 47 cardiomyopathy patients experienced improvement in LVEF, while 23 experienced decline in LVEF or clinical exacerbation, and 15 of 22 patients presenting with ventricular arrhythmia had recurrence. These results did not differ by treatment group. During a median follow-up of 44 months for our cohort, 14 patients reached the composite endpoint of ventricular assist device placement, heart transplant, or death. Survival without the composite outcome did not differ by treatment group, but was worse among patients presenting with cardiomyopathy (log-rank = 0.005). CONCLUSION: In a large series of CS subjects, rates of ventricular arrhythmia and heart failure events remain high with no treatment regimen clearly associated with better outcome. Patients with cardiomyopathy at diagnosis were more likely to reach the composite endpoint.

Orthostatic Hypotension After Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in a Patient With Longstanding Diabetes Mellitus.

A continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) benefits patients with advanced heart failure as a bridge to cardiac transplantation. However, unanticipated complications may occur. We report a patient with end-stage heart failure and longstanding diabetes who experienced functionally debilitating orthostatic hypotension from autonomic insufficiency after CF-LVAD implantation. This case demonstrates a role for comprehensive autonomic function testing in the workup of orthostatic hypotension after LVAD implantation.

Increased left ventricular extracellular volume and enhanced twist function in type 1 diabetic individuals.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) characteristically have high glycemic levels that over time can result in reactive fibrosis and abnormalities in myocardial function. T1 mapping with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can estimate the extent of reactive fibrosis by measurement of the extracellular volume fraction (ECV). The extent of alterations in the ECV and associated changes in left ventricular (LV) function and morphology in individuals with T1D is unknown. Fourteen individuals with long-term T1D and 14 sex-, age-, and body mass index-matched controls without diabetes underwent MRI measurement of myocardial T1 and ECV values as well as LV function and morphology. Ventricular mass, volumes, and global function (LVEF and circumferential/longitudinal/radial strain) were similar in those with T1D and controls. However, those with T1D had larger myocardial ECV (22.1 ± 1.8 vs. 20.1 ± 2.1, P = 0.008) and increased native (noncontrast) myocardial T1 values (1,211 ± 44 vs. 1,172 ± 43 ms, P < 0.001) as compared with controls. Both the ECV and native T1 values significantly correlated with several components of torsion and circumferential-longitudinal shear strain (Ecl, the shear strain component associated with twist). Individuals with T1D had increased systolic torsion (P = 0.035), systolic torsion rate (P = 0.032), peak Ecl (P = 0.001), and rates of change of systolic (P = 0.007) and diastolic (P = 0.007) Ecl Individuals with T1D, with normal structure, LVEF, and strain, have increased extracellular volume and increased native T1 values with associated augmented torsion and Ecl These measures may be useful in detecting the early stages of diabetic cardiomyopathy and warrant larger prospective studies.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Individuals with type 1 diabetes, with normal left ventricular structure and function (ejection fraction and strain), have signs of interstitial fibrosis, measured with MRI as increased extracellular volume fraction and increased native myocardial T1, which significantly correlated with a number of measures of augmented left ventricular twist function. These measures may be useful in detecting the early stages of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

The 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Heart Failure Management Guidelines Focus Update: anemia, biomarkers, and recent therapeutic trial implications.

The 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Heart Failure Management Guidelines Update provides discussion on the management recommendations on 3 focused areas: (1) anemia; (2) biomarkers, especially natriuretic peptides; and (3) clinical trials that might change practice in the management of patients with heart failure. First, all patients with heart failure and anemia should be investigated for reversible causes of anemia. Second, patients with chronic stable heart failure should undergo natriuretic peptide testing. Third, considerations should be given to treat selected patients with heart failure and preserved systolic function with a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist and to treat patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction with an angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor, when the drug is approved. As with updates in previous years, the topics were chosen in response to stakeholder feedback. The 2014 Update includes recommendations, values and preferences, and practical tips to assist the clinicians and health care workers to best manage patients with heart failure.

Comparative effects of nitroglycerin on intestinal vascular capacitance and conductance.

BACKGROUND: Nitroglycerin (NTG) dilates capacitance veins and resistance arterioles, but its relative effects on veins and arterioles are not known. OBJECTIVES: To compare NTG-induced changes in capacitance and conductance. ANIMALS AND METHODS: Aortic, left ventricular and portal venous (P(port)) pressures, portal flow and relative changes in intestinal blood volume (IBV) ((99m)technetium blood-pool scintigraphy) were measured in seven isoflurane-anesthetized, splenectomized dogs. Changes in intestinal vascular capacitance and conductance (mean portal flow/[mean aortic pressure - mean P(port)]) were determined when NTG was continuously administered (0.8 to 150 microg/kg/min) into a jugular vein. Pressure-volume (ie, P(port)-IBV) curves were defined by impeding portal flow, and capacitance was defined as the IBV at P(port)=7.5 mmHg. RESULTS: At lower doses, NTG increased capacitance without increasing conductance, but conductance increased considerably with little further increase in capacitance at higher doses. Dose-response analysis revealed that the half-maximum capacitance effect was achieved at an NTG infusion rate of 3.5 microg/kg/min, whereas a rate of 35 microg/kg/min was required for the half-maximum conductance effect. CONCLUSIONS: At lower doses, NTG dilates capacitance vessels primarily, and that effect approaches its maximum before significant dilation of conductance vessels is manifest. However, at higher doses, the increase in conductance is substantial with little additional effect on capacitance.

The 2013 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Heart Failure Management Guidelines Update: focus on rehabilitation and exercise and surgical coronary revascularization.

The 2013 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Heart Failure Management Guidelines Update provides focused discussions on the management recommendations on 2 topics: (1) exercise and rehabilitation; and (2) surgical coronary revascularization in patients with heart failure. First, all patients with stable New York Heart Association class I-III symptoms should be considered for enrollment in a tailored exercise training program, to improve exercise tolerance and quality of life. Second, selected patients with suitable coronary anatomy should be considered for bypass graft surgery. As in previous updates, the topics were chosen in response to stakeholder feedback. The 2013 Update also includes recommendations, values and preferences, and practical tips to assist the clinicians and health care workers manage their patients with heart failure.

The 2012 Canadian Cardiovascular Society heart failure management guidelines update: focus on acute and chronic heart failure.

The 2012 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Heart Failure (HF) Guidelines Update provides management recommendations for acute and chronic HF. In 2006, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society HF Guidelines committee first published an overview of HF management. Since then, significant additions to and changes in many of these recommendations have become apparent. With this in mind and in response to stakeholder feedback, the Guidelines Committee in 2012 has updated the overview of both acute and chronic heart failure diagnosis and management. The 2012 Update also includes recommendations, values and preferences, and practical tips to assist the medical practitioner manage their patients with HF.

The 2011 Canadian Cardiovascular Society heart failure management guidelines update: focus on sleep apnea, renal dysfunction, mechanical circulatory support, and palliative care.

The 2011 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Heart Failure (HF) Guidelines Focused Update reviews the recently published clinical trials that will potentially impact on management. Also reviewed is the less studied but clinically important area of sleep apnea. Finally, patients with advanced HF represent a group of patients who pose major difficulties to clinicians. Advanced HF therefore is examined from the perspectives of HF complicated by renal failure, the role of palliative care, and the role of mechanical circulatory support (MCS). All of these topics are reviewed from a perspective of practical applications. Important new studies have demonstrated in less symptomatic HF patients that cardiac resynchronization therapy will be of benefit. As well, aldosterone receptor antagonists can be used with benefit in less symptomatic HF patients. The important role of palliative care and the need to address end-of-life issues in advanced HF are emphasized. Physicians need to be aware of the possibility of sleep apnea complicating the course of HF and the role of a sleep study for the proper assessment and management of the conditon. Patients with either acute severe or chronic advanced HF with otherwise good life expectancy should be referred to a cardiac centre capable of providing MCS. Furthermore, patients awaiting heart transplantation who deteriorate or are otherwise not likely to survive until a donor organ is found should be referred for MCS.

Biomarkers in heart failure management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recent literature on the role of biomarkers in heart failure is reviewed, focusing on B-type natriuretic peptide. RECENT FINDINGS: Knowledge of the processes which increase ventricular stress, thus increasing B-type natriuretic peptide, is key to appropriate utilization and interpretation of B-type natriuretic peptide levels. B-type natriuretic peptide is a useful adjunct to confirm or rule out heart failure. B-type natriuretic peptide is a robust prognostic indicator in all stages of heart failure, with prognostic significance in patients undergoing cardiac and noncardiac surgery, and in those with acute coronary syndromes. Serial B-type natriuretic peptide testing predicts outcomes in hospitalized patients with heart failure. The role of B-type natriuretic peptide in screening high-risk populations is promising, but its use in unselected populations is unclear. There is increasing evidence that the use of B-type natriuretic peptide to guide heart failure management is associated with improved clinical outcomes and reduced health costs. SUMMARY: Biomarkers play an important role in heart failure, but there remain unanswered questions regarding optimization of their use. They should be used as an adjunct to, not replacement for, clinical assessment. Currently available B-type natriuretic peptide assays have limitations relating to clinical variability and assay specificity. Other neurohormonal, inflammatory and metabolic markers may add complementary information to that provided by currently available B-type natriuretic peptide assays.