Editorial
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Cardiol. Dec 26, 2011; 3(12): 374-376
Published online Dec 26, 2011. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v3.i12.374
An early proof-of-concept of cardiac resynchronization therapy
Martial G Bourassa, Paul Khairy, Denis Roy
Martial G Bourassa, Paul Khairy, Denis Roy, Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute/Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H1T 1C8, Canada
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to this review.
Correspondence to: Martial G Bourassa, MD, Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, Quebec H1T 1C8, Canada. martial.bourassa@icm-mhi.org
Telephone: +1-514-3763330 Fax: +1-514-5932521
Received: May 17, 2011
Revised: August 5, 2011
Accepted: August 27, 2011
Published online: December 26, 2011
Abstract

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.

Keywords: Intermittent left bundle branch bock; Heart failure; Left ventricular dyssynchrony; Systolic blood pressure; Cardiac output