Key result
CRT reduces mortality and heart failure hospitalizations when added to medical therapy.
Why the study?
Cardiac resynchronization therapy reduces mortality and heart failure hospitalizations when added to medical therapy in selected heart failure patients, but perceptions about device use vary among U.S. cardiologists.
Supports CRT in selected HF patients with low EF and wide QRS; reinforces mortality and hospitalization reductions from RCT meta-analysis.
Letters15 February 2005Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Heart FailureEnrique V. Carbajal, MD, Grace W. Huang, DO, and Billy Hu, MDEnrique V. Carbajal, MDFrom VA Central California Health Care System, Fresno, CA 93703.Search for more papers by this author, Grace W. Huang, DOFrom VA Central California Health Care System, Fresno, CA 93703.Search for more papers by this author, and Billy Hu, MDFrom VA Central California Health Care System, Fresno, CA 93703.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-142-4-200502150-00016 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:McAlister and colleagues (1), in their systematic review, concluded that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalizations when added to medical therapy in selected patients with heart failure. Among some U.S. cardiologists, there appears to be a perception that patients with heart failure should receive a device with defibrillator ability and biventricular pacing function. It is likely that the report by McAlister and colleagues will further contribute to this perception and possibly influence practice trends.McAlister and colleagues used a comprehensive search strategy and intensive extraction and evaluation of data from pertinent studies. ...References1. McAlister FA, Ezekowitz JA, Wiebe N, Rowe B, Spooner C, Crumley E, et al. Systematic review: cardiac resynchronization in patients with symptomatic heart failure. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:381-90. [PMID: 15353430] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Abraham WT, Fisher WG, Smith AL, Delurgio DB, Leon AR, Loh E, et al. Cardiac resynchronization in chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:1845-53. [PMID: 12063368] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Young JB, Abraham WT, Smith AL, Leon AR, Lieberman R, Wilkoff B, et al. Combined cardiac resynchronization and implantable cardioversion defibrillation in advanced chronic heart failure: the MIRACLE ICD Trial. JAMA. 2003;289:2685-94. [PMID: 12771115] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Bristow MR, Saxon LA, Boehmer J, Krueger S, Kass DA, De Marco T, et al. Cardiac-resynchronization therapy with or without an implantable defibrillator in advanced chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:2140-50. [PMID: 15152059] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Enrique V. Carbajal, MD; Grace W. Huang, DO; Billy Hu, MDAffiliations: From VA Central California Health Care System, Fresno, CA 93703. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoSystematic Review: Cardiac Resynchronization in Patients with Symptomatic Heart Failure Finlay A. McAlister , Justin A. Ezekowitz , Natasha Wiebe , Brian Rowe , Carol Spooner , Ellen Crumley , Lisa Hartling , Terry Klassen , and William Abraham Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Heart Failure Melanie Calvert , Nick Freemantle , and John G.F. Cleland Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Heart Failure Finlay A. McAlister , Natasha Wiebe , and William Abraham Metrics Cited byCardiac resynchronisation for patients with heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction - a systematic review and meta-analysis 15 February 2005Volume 142, Issue 4Page: 305KeywordsClinical trialsDeath ratesHeart failureHospitalizationsLongitudinal studiesPerceptionSystematic reviews ePublished: 15 February 2005 Issue Published: 15 February 2005 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2005 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...
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Carbajal et al. (2005) conducted a letter in Heart failure. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) vs. Medical therapy was evaluated on All-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalizations. Cardiac resynchronization therapy reduces all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalizations when added to medical therapy in selected patients with heart failure.