With the increasing number of medications demonstrating mortality benefits in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the pharmacological treatment of HFrEF is entering a new phase. To enhance outcomes in heart failure patients through medical treatment, the choice of appropriate medications and simultaneous and rapid uptitration are critical. However, there are several challenges encountered during this medication uptitration, including issues like hypotension, fatigue, worsening renal function, and hyperkalemia. This paper addresses strategies for effectively managing these challenges to successfully reach the maximum tolerated dose in patients. Additionally, it will discuss the management of comorbidities often associated with heart failure, the importance of exercise and rehabilitation, and the significance of proper nutrition intake, in addition to guideline-directed medical therapy.

Background and Objectives: Several cases involving severe right ventricular (RV) failure in advanced cancer patients have been found to be pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathies (PTTMs). This study aimed to discover the nature of rapid RV failure syndrome with a suspected diagnosis of PTTM for better diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis prediction in clinical practice. Methods: From 2011 to 2021, all patients with clinically suspected PTTM were derived from the one tertiary cancer hospital with more than 2000 in-hospital bed. Results: A total of 28 cases of clinically suspected PTTM with one biopsy confirmed case were included. The most common cancer types were breast (9/28, 32%) and the most common tissue type was adenocarcinoma (22/26, 85%). The time interval from dyspnea New York Heart Association (NYHA) Grade 2, 3, 4 to death, thrombocytopenia to death, desaturation to death, admission to death, RV failure to death, cardiogenic shock to death were 33.5 days, 14.5 days, 7.4 days, 6.4 days, 6.1 days, 6.0 days, 3.8 days and 1.2 days, respectively. The NYHA Grade 4 to death time was 7 days longer in those who received chemotherapy (7.1 days vs.13.8 days, p value=0.030). However, anticoagulation, vasopressors or intensive care could not change clinical course. Conclusions Rapid RV failure syndrome with a suspected diagnosis of PTTM showed a rapid progressive course from symptom onset to death. Although chemotherapy was effective, increased life survival was negligible, and treatments other than chemotherapy did not help to improve the patient’s prognosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of a colorectal tumor is technically difficult. This study aimed to analyze the clinical outcomes of superficial large rectosigmoid tumors after ESD. METHODS: Medical records of 15 patients with large rectosigmoid tumors (more than 30 mm), in which ESD performed, were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean tumor size was 42.5+/-14.3 mm (range, 30~78 mm). A histological examination revealed a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma in five cases (33.3%), adenoma with high-grade dysplasia in six cases (40%), and low-grade dysplasia in four cases (26.7%). The mean procedural time was 90.5+/-60.7 min (range, 22~246 min). The en bloc resection rate was 86.7%, and the complete resection rate 100%. The lateral resection margin was positive in four cases (26.6%), but no cases with a positive vertical margin were observed. Bleeding occurred in three cases (20%), and all were treated successfully using endoscopic measures. Perforations occurred in three cases (20%); two cases were treated by clipping and the other by a laparotomy. CONCLUSIONS: ESD is a treatment option for superficial large rectosigmoid tumors. Further studies with larger cases and a longer term follow-up are needed to establish the efficacy and safety of ESD for colorectal tumors.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Medical Records

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely performed. However, procedure related-complications and the risk of tumor recurrence are limitations. We analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of patients who underwent curative additional gastrectomy (gastrectomy) after ESD. METHODS: The clinical characteristics of cases underwent gastrectomy after ESD were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Between January 2002 and August 2010, 1,512 cases underwent ESD for early gastric cancer (n=511) or adenoma (n=1,001). Thirty-two cases (2.1%) underwent gastrectomy after ESD. Thirty cases (2.0%) were EGC and 2 cases (0.1%) were adenoma. Extended indication, larger tumor size and piecemeal resection were risk factors for gastrectomy after ESD. According to the causes of gastrectomy, 13 cases underwent gastrectomy due to complications (40.6%; bleeding in 9, perforation in 4), and 19 cases based on pathological results (incomplete resection in 13, lymphatic invasion in 6). In cases with incomplete resection, the rate of residual tumor and lymph node metastasis after gastrectomy was 69.2% (75% lateral margin, 60% deep and 75% both) and 7.7%, respectively. Three (50%) of the 6 cases with lymphatic invasion had lymph node metatstasis. CONCLUSIONS: The causes of gastrectomy after ESD were the procedure-related complications, the incomplete resection and lymphatic invasion. For complete and curative ESD, endoscopists should try to minimize complications and determine the depth of invasion accurately before ESD.
Adenoma/*pathology/surgery ; Aged ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Mucosa/pathology/surgery ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms/*pathology/surgery