Cardiac resynchronization therapy for CHF. The rewards and risks of biventricular pacing.

PREVIEW Despite the latest drug treatment strategies, the prognosis remains poor in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Only a small minority of these patients qualify for and receive mechanical heart devices, heart transplantation, or both. Furthermore, patients who do receive these therapies experience impaired quality of life and have high rates of morbidity and mortality. In this article, the authors discuss the role of cardiac resynchronization therapy in symptom relief and improved prognosis in patients with moderate or advanced CHF.