Case Report: Assessing the Position of Pacemaker Leads via Transthoracic Echocardiography: Additional Value of the Subcostal En Face View.

There is an association between presence of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) and development of tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Mechanisms proposed to explain CIED-induced TR can be classified as implantation-related, lead-related, and pacing-related. Lead-related TR results from the direct interaction of the lead with the tricuspid valve (TV). The localization of the lead at the TV level directly influences the probability of subsequent development of significant TR. A transthoracic subcostal en face view of the TV can be acquired in most patients through a 90° rotation from the subcostal 4-chamber view with clear anatomic delineation of the TV and the commissures including lead position. This case-series presents three examples where the transthoracic en face view could add incremental information on the position of the pacemaker leads and on the mechanism of TR. Conclusion: When performing transthoracic echocardiography in patients with trans-tricuspid CIED lead(s), an en face view of the TV with exact reporting of the position of the lead(s) should be included.

Sacubitril/valsartan for the management of heart failure: A perspective viewpoint on current evidence.

Current international guidelines recommend switching angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-i) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) to sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) in stable outpatients affected by heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who remain symptomatic despite being on optimal medical therapy. Since these guidelines were published, new data may support further clinical applications and benefits of S/V beyond ambulatory HFrEF patients. The efficacy of S/V seems to be consistent across a wider array of subgroups including age, sex, etiology of HF, comorbidities, EF and estimated cardiovascular risk, with safety and tolerability profiles similar to ACE-I and ARBs. Additional clinical trial data are required to confirm the potential benefits of S/V in patients with mid-range or preserved EF, as suggested by analysis of PARAGON-HF, or in combination with sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors or in post-myocardial infarction HF. In this article we summarize the new evidence on the effects and safety profile of S/V in HF and discuss current perspectives and persisting gaps. Currently, available evidence may support S/V as a first-line therapy in outpatient or in-hospital HFrEF patients, and possibly also in HFmrEF patients.