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).

Statin therapy may help HFpEF patients lower their risk of death, heart attack or stroke
All participants were free of ASCVD and had no history of statin use at the start of the study.
Diabetic cardiomyopathy treatment shows promise in ARISE-HF
James Januzzi Jr., MD, said the treatment's overall impact was neutral, but he and his team saw "a very clear and encouraging signal."
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.

Beta-blocker use benefits patients with HFrEF and chronic kidney disease

However, these trends do not appear to be true for all heart failure patients.

October 19, 2020

COVID-19 patients with a history of heart failure face considerably worse outcomes

In-hospital mortality, myocardial injury and acute kidney injury were all more common when patients with a history of heart failure tested positive for COVID-19.

October 16, 2020

MitraClip an effective bridge strategy for advanced heart failure patients waiting for a heart transplant

The findings were presented Friday, Oct. 16, at TCT Connect 2020.

October 16, 2020

How much is too much? Older heart failure patients often go home on 10 or more prescriptions

Clinicians should consider the potential negative impact of prescribing so many medications at once, the study's authors noted.

October 13, 2020

A breakthrough on the horizon: Humans could begin receiving transplanted pig hearts by 2021

A longtime goal for cardiac surgeons now appears to be within reach, according to researchers out of Massachusetts General Hospital.

October 8, 2020

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.

SGLT2 inhibitors associated with consistent cardiovascular benefits

The study's authors explored data from six different randomized, placebo-controlled trials.

October 7, 2020

How treating AFib with catheter ablation affects patients with heart failure

One key finding reported by the research team was a substantial decrease in AFib readmissions.

September 30, 2020

Chemotherapy could be damaging children’s heart cells, leading to problems later in life

The researchers think their findings may explain why so many cancer survivors go on to experience heart failure.

September 30, 2020

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Heart Failure

Statin therapy may help HFpEF patients lower their risk of death, heart attack or stroke

Diabetic cardiomyopathy treatment shows promise in ARISE-HF

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

Around the web