Improving Risk Assessment in Acquired Heart Disease: Biomarkers and Beyond

The aim of this thesis was to identify characteristics associated with adverse clinical outcome, and to present novel prediction models that may aid in risk stratification of patients at different stages of cardiovascular disease.
First, we focused on patients with coronary artery disease, with or without left ventricular dysfunction. Specifically, we examined patients undergoing PCI, and identified characteristics associated with poor outcome after PCI.
Secondly, we focused on patients with established (chronic) heart failure, and investigated what strategy or which combination of biomarkers should be used for risk assessment.
Finally, we examined patients with severely reduced cardiac function, that require prevention of sudden cardiac death by means of an ICD with our without cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT); here, we aimed to reveal characteristics associated with response and poor clinical outcome.