European journal of heart failure
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Jun 2005
Multicenter StudyIncidence of normal values of natriuretic peptides in patients with chronic heart failure and impact on survival: a direct comparison of N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide, N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide.
N-ANP, N-BNP and BNP are proven to be excellent markers for diagnosis and the prediction of outcome in heart failure patients. Published studies on this subject differ in respect of their design and are therefore difficult to compare. The EuroHeart Failure Survey was undertaken to evaluate the drug prescription rate; the cohort of this survey best reflects clinical practice. The purpose of the present study was to compare the three hormones in clinical practice for the purpose of diagnosis and the prediction of outcome. Attention was focused on patients with normal values and the implications of these on survival. ⋯ In a clinical setting, the risk stratification for outcome is similar for N-ANP, N-BNP and BNP. More importantly, all hormones are reliable parameters to diagnose CHF using normal values as a cut-point. However, N-ANP appears to be more sensitive than BNP or N-BNP.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Mar 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialPatients with heart failure in primary health care: effects of a nurse-led intervention on health-related quality of life and depression.
To determine the effects of a nurse-led intervention designed to improve self-management of patients with heart failure in a primary health care setting regarding health-related quality of life and depression. ⋯ A nurse-led intervention directed toward patients with heart failure in a primary health care setting resulted in limited effects between the groups, although the physical and mental status were retained during 12 months of follow-up to a greater extent than in the control group.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialIncreased exercise ejection fraction and reversed remodeling after long-term treatment with metoprolol in congestive heart failure: a randomized, stratified, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in mild to moderate heart failure due to ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
the effects of long-term administration of beta-blockers on left ventricular (LV) function during exercise in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are controversial. ⋯ metoprolol improves EF both at rest and during submaximal exercise and prevents LV dilatation in mild to moderate CHF due to IHD or DCM.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Dec 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialBaseline demographics of the Valsartan Heart Failure Trial. Val-HeFT Investigators.
The Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-HeFT) is the first large-scale randomized, multinational clinical study to assess the efficacy and safety of valsartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, added to conventional therapy, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, in heart failure patients. A total of 5010 patients with an ejection fraction <40% have been randomized to either valsartan titrated to 160 mg b.i.d. or to placebo. ⋯ Overall the Val-HeFT population is generally representative of the population of patients with mild to moderate heart failure in industrialized countries.