Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump as much blood as the body requires. This ineffective pumping can lead to enlargement of the heart as the myocardium works harder pump the same amount of blood. Heart failure may be caused by defects in the myocardium, such as an a heart attack infarct, or due to structural issues such as severe heart valve regurgitation. Heart failure can be divided into HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The disease is further divided into four New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes. Stage IV heart failure is when the heart is completely failing and requires a heart transplant or hemodynamic support from a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).

Keto diet ‘does not fulfill the criteria of a healthy diet,’ could be harmful for heart patients
The popular high-fat, low-carb diet is associated with multiple short-term benefits, but they appear to diminish over time.
Bayer subsidiary granted FDA’s fast track designation for new congestive heart failure treatment
AskBio, acquired by Bayer for more than $2 billion in 2020, is enrolling patients for a new clinical trial focused on the therapy's effectiveness in adult patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
2 out of 5 AFib patients develop heart failure later in life
Stroke is typically seen as the biggest danger for patients after they receive an AFib diagnosis. This study, however, suggests heart failure could be an even bigger threat.
FDA announces new recall of Abbott’s HeartMate LVADs after 14 deaths
The issue at the center of this recall, which includes both the HeartMate II and HeartMate 3 LVAD, is the gradual buildup of biological materials. This can impact the device's performance, creating a heightened risk of injury or death.
Inter-atrial shunt in RELIEVE-HF improves symptoms in HFrEF, but not HFpEF
Gregg Stone, MD, explains the details of the late-breaking RELIEVE-HF trial at ACC.24, where an inter-atrial shunt improved symptoms in HFrEF, but not in HFpEF patients.

Large peridevice leaks after left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) are incredibly rare and not associated with a greater risk of adverse outcomes, according to new research published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.[1] Smaller residual links are more common, however, and associated with a risk of thromboembolic and bleeding events.

Policy update: CMS proposes expanded coverage for artificial hearts, LVADs

The proposed changes, announced August 12, are focused on easing a variety of requirements.

August 12, 2020

Pupil measurements predict all-cause mortality among heart failure patients

The study's authors explored data from 870 acute heart failure patients treated at the same facility from January 2012 to December 2017.

August 11, 2020

Cardiovascular research taking a hit during pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, researchers have been forced to put important projects on hold—and it’s unclear when things will return to normal.

August 3, 2020

Caption Health gains FDA clearance for AI-powered ejection fraction software

The original software first received FDA clearance back in 2018. This updated version, Caption Health has said, is easier for clinicians to use.

July 24, 2020

What cardiologists know, and don’t know, about genetic testing for heart disease

Such testing typically makes the most sense when patients have a confirmed diagnosis of an inherited cardiovascular disease or an abnormality has already been identified.

July 23, 2020

Treating heart failure during a pandemic: 3 key recommendations

A new commentary in Circulation: Heart Failure offers a first-hand account of how one facility embraced telehealth and faced the pandemic head-on.

July 17, 2020

MRI detects heart failure risk in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

About 40% of individuals had scarring patterns on their heart muscle visible during imaging, which was associated with a greater risk of suffering a major cardiac event.

July 16, 2020

COVID-19 leads to sharp rise in stress cardiomyopathy

Stress cardiomyopathy—often referred to as broken heart syndrome—was up significantly in March and April 2020.

July 9, 2020

Around the web

Health Imaging

New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

Radiology Business

What does radiology have to do with climate change?

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

Heart Failure

Keto diet ‘does not fulfill the criteria of a healthy diet,’ could be harmful for heart patients

Bayer subsidiary granted FDA’s fast track designation for new congestive heart failure treatment

2 out of 5 AFib patients develop heart failure later in life

FDA announces new recall of Abbott’s HeartMate LVADs after 14 deaths

Inter-atrial shunt in RELIEVE-HF improves symptoms in HFrEF, but not HFpEF

Around the web