Open AccessAn early proof-of-concept of cardiac resynchronization therapy
Author(s) -
Martial G. Bourassa,
Paul Khairy,
Denis Roy
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
world journal of cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1949-8462
DOI - 10.4330/wjc.v3.i12.374
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , heart failure , ejection fraction , left bundle branch block , cardiac resynchronization therapy , cardiac function curve , blood pressure , hemodynamics , bundle branch block , electrocardiography
Almost 50 years ago, we published detailed hemodynamic findings in a patient with heart failure and intermittent left bundle branch block. Delayed intraventricular conduction was consistently accompanied by an increased duration of left ventricular (LV) isometric contraction, a drop in systolic blood pressure, a rise in heart rate, and a drop in cardiac output. To our knowledge, this observation provided the first ever evidence that delayed mechanical LV contraction was associated with deterioration, and return to a normal pre-ejection phase with improvement in LV function.