Use of Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy – Change of Clinical Settings

Abstract

Current guidelines recommend cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) for patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≤35 %), QRS duration of ≥120–150 ms (Class IA and IB indications) on surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart failure (HF) symptoms. Ongoing studies aim to expand the use of CRT in patients with asymptomatic or minimal symptoms left ventricular dysfunction. There have been studies that have shown benefit of CRT extended to this group of patients. There have also been different implications of the role of CRT in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), patients with narrow QRS duration or with right bundle branch block (RBBB) on surface ECG, as well as patients with end-stage renal failure on dialysis therapy. This article aims to review the current body of evidence of expanding use of CRT in these populations.