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Published on: May 11, 2018
Trying to succeed when the right ventricle fails
Michael A McDonald1, Heather J Ross
1Division of Cardiology, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2N2, Canada.
Current Opinion in Cardiology
|March 12, 2009
Summary
Right ventricular failure is a significant clinical issue, often linked to pulmonary hypertension and poor survival in heart failure patients. Noninvasive assessments and novel therapies are key to managing this condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Right ventricular failure (RVF) has historically received less attention than left ventricular failure.
- Growing recognition of RVF's prognostic impact in heart failure (HF) patients and advancements in imaging have spurred new research.
- Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is frequently observed in patients with systolic and diastolic HF, correlating with diminished survival rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding and management strategies for right ventricular failure.
- To highlight the prognostic significance of right ventricular dysfunction in heart failure.
- To discuss advances in noninvasive assessment and therapeutic approaches for RVF.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on right ventricular failure.
- Analysis of noninvasive imaging techniques (echocardiography, MRI) for assessing RV function.
- Evaluation of current and emerging management strategies for RVF.
Main Results:
- Right ventricular dysfunction is common in heart failure patients with pulmonary hypertension and is associated with poor prognosis.
- Echocardiographic and MRI indices of RV function are valuable for prognosis and monitoring treatment response.
- Current management of RVF is primarily empirical, focusing on underlying causes, diuretics, and inotropes.
Conclusions:
- Right ventricular failure is a clinically important condition requiring further dedicated research.
- Noninvasive methods effectively assess parameters of right ventricular dysfunction.
- Future management should incorporate novel pharmacologic and device-based therapies for RVF.
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