Altshock-2 REGISTRY

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is the most severe form of acute heart failure. Data on epidemiology of CS have been drawn from previously published registries focussing on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and myocardial infarction (AMI). Indeed, CS occurs in 5-7% of patients presenting with ACS and ACS has been reported as the most prevalent cause of CS, accounting for about 80% of cases. However, recent evidences in a contemporary cohort in North America have shown that more than two-thirds of all cardiogenic shock cases were related to causes other than AMI and that these patients had outcomes at least as poor as patients with AMI-CS. Given the high short-term mortality of these patients and the need for developing dedicated cardiac shock centres and systems of care to time our interventions, it is of utmost importance to achieve a better clinical phenotyping of the heterogeneous causes and presentations of CS patients and carefully perform research outcome. Accordingly, the Altshock-2 registry will represent a unique opportunity to evaluate the full spectrum of CS admitted in Intensive Coronary Care Units and to collect a selected number of variables related to aetiology, clinical presentation, ongoing pharmacological treatments, use of mechanical support devices and outcome.