Chapter 1

Epidemiology of Heart Failure: The Importance of Ventricular Dyssynchrony and Left Bundle Branch Block in Heart Failure Patients

José González-Costello, Nicolás Manito Lorite and Josep Roca Elías

Abstract

Heart failure is a very prevalent disease in the general population, but more so in the elderly. It has a very high morbidity and mortality and it is a growing public health problem. Half of the patients with heart failure have a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and fewer have a left bundle branch block, which is our currently best selection criterion to identify electrical and mechanical dyssynchrony. When these patients are severely symptomatic despite adequate medical treatment of their heart failure, implantation of a biventricular pacemaker can resynchronize the ventricles and induce a reverse remodelling of the left ventricle and marked symptomatic improvement.

Total Pages: 1-10 (10)

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