International journal of cardiology
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Medical therapy versus implantable cardioverter -defibrillator in preventing sudden cardiac death in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure: a meta-analysis of > 35,000 patients.
Patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) are at high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have an important role in preventing SCD in selected patients with LVSD and chronic heart failure (CHF). Drug therapies for LVSD and CHF also appear to also be useful in reducing SCD. However, the magnitude of benefit of these approaches on SCD is uncertain. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis comparing the effect on SCD achieved by ICDs versus medical therapies, additional to standard background medical therapies including ACE inhibitors and/or beta-blockers (BBs). ⋯ Drug therapies when added to a standard background regimen comprising ACE inhibitor and/or BB reduced SCD overall and MRAs alone were most effective in this regard. ICDs were more effective than drugs in SCD abrogation. However, the added procedural morbidity and the cost of ICD need to be considered in decision-making re-approach to SCD reduction in the individual patient.
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Review Meta Analysis
Effects of yoga on cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The aim of this review was to systematically assess and meta-analyze the effects of yoga on modifiable biological cardiovascular disease risk factors in the general population and in high-risk disease groups. ⋯ This meta-analysis revealed evidence for clinically important effects of yoga on most biological cardiovascular disease risk factors. Despite methodological drawbacks of the included studies, yoga can be considered as an ancillary intervention for the general population and for patients with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.