Use of combined hemodynamic and echocardiographic ramp tests in patients provides objective means of optimizing RPM, and has the potential to guide medical management. It remains to be tested whether this strategy has a beneficial impact on quality of life or clinical outcomes.

Inotropes have been fundamental to resuscitation of acute cardiogenic shock for decades. Heart failure and cardiogenic shock, in severe cases, are syndromes characterized in many patients by a reduction in myocardial contractile force. While inotropes successfully increase cardiac output, their use has been plagued by excessive mortality due to increased tachycardia and myocardial oxygen consumption leading to arrhythmia and myocardial ischemia. There is a pressing need for new inotropic agents that avoid these harmful effects. This review describes the mechanism of action and the clinical utility of some of the older inotropic agents, which are still commonly used, and provides an update for physicians on the development of newer inotropic drugs. The field is rapidly changing, and it is likely that new agents will be designed that improve systolic performance without necessarily increasing the myocardial oxygen consumption.

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Background Cannula and pump positions are associated with clinical outcomes such as device thrombosis in patients with HeartMate II; however, clinical implications of HVAD (HeartWare International, Framingham, Massachusetts) cannula position are unknown. This study aims to assess the relationship among cannula position, left ventricular (LV) unloading, and patient prognosis. Methods and results Twenty-seven HVAD patients (60.0 ± 12.6 years of age and 19 males [70%]) underwent ramp test. Device position was quantified from chest X-ray parameters obtained at the time of the hemodyamic ramp test: (1) cannula coronal angle, (2) pump depth, (3) cannula sagittal angle, and (4) pump area. Lower cannula coronal angle was associated with LV unloading (as measured by smaller LV diastolic dimension and lower pulmonary capillary wedge pressure). Smaller pump area was associated with LV dynamic unloading, as assessed by steeper negative slopes of LV diastolic dimension and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure during incremental rotational speed change. Cannula coronal angle ≤65° was associated with reduced heart failure readmission rate (hazard ratio, 10.33; P = .007 by log-rank test). Conclusion HVAD cannula and pump positions are associated with LV unloading and improved clinical outcomes. Prospective studies evaluating surgical techniques to ensure optimal device positioning and its effects on clinical outcomes are warranted.

Hemodynamic normalization of pressures was achieved in the majority of patients implanted with the HM3 pump within a narrow speed range.

The LVAD patients with surgically corrected MR had improved midterm hemodynamics and survival compared with spontaneously resolved MR, along with low recurrence of MR. Aggressive surgical mitral valve intervention during LVAD implantation may be recommended.

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