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).

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.
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.

Cardiovascular deaths are on the decline—but there is still a lot of work to do

Three recent NIH-supported studies took a close look at disparities in cardiovascular care.

August 11, 2022

A patient has a telehealth visit with their doctor remotely in their home via video conferencing. The COVID-19 cause massive movement to telehealth since 2020.

‘Virtual wards’ could boost outcomes, save up to $10K per heart failure patient

Following medical discharge, a program consisting of at-home visits, telehealth appointments and clinic visits resulted in better outcomes and lower healthcare costs than typical post-discharge care.

August 10, 2022

Bodyport, a San Francisco-based healthcare technology company focused on detecting cardiovascular disease, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for a new digital scale that can help monitor fluid retention and enable earlier interventions in heart failure management.

Cardiac scale gains FDA clearance, putting patients 1 step away from a heart assessment

The newly cleared device works like a traditional scale, but it captures more data than just the user's weight.

August 9, 2022

The Harmony pulmonary valve was among the devices involved with the FDA Breakthrough Device Designation program that gained more rapid market clearance. The FDA graph shows cardiovascular devices leading the types of devices involved in the program.

Cardiovascular devices lead FDA Breakthrough Device Designation program

The FDA said cardiovascular devices make up the largest number of technologies accepted into the Breakthrough Devices Program, and several are on the list of the first 50 in the program to gain market clearance.

August 4, 2022

This latest shortage involves dobutamine, an injectable medication often prescribed for advanced heart failure and cardiogenic shock. It is also a central component of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), a test used to evaluate patients with severe aortic stenosis.

A new supply issue hits cardiology: 5 recommendations for cardiologists during the dobutamine shortage

The shortage could lead to significant issues for cardiologists. The American College of Cardiology provided some words of wisdom on the ongoing issue.

August 3, 2022

Cardiologists sound the alarm as ‘staggering’ new data suggest CVD rates in the U.S. will rise dramatically

New data from the CDC and U.S. Census Bureau show just how bad CVD rates could get in the next few decades. Specialists agree that a lot of work is needed to help keep these estimates from becoming a reality.

August 2, 2022

doctor patient spanish hispanic young man.png

Heart failure deaths on the rise among young adults

After staying mostly consistent between 1999 and 2012, age-adjusted mortality rates rose sharply through 2019.

July 29, 2022

Ancora Heart AccuCinch Ventricular Restoration System heart failure FDA

Regulatory Roundup: FDA clears AI-powered Apple Watch competitor, grants breakthrough designation to new heart failure device

Ancora Heart received the FDA’s breakthrough device designation for its AccuCinch Ventricular Restoration System, a new minimally invasive transcatheter device designed for the treatment of heart failure.

July 25, 2022

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

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

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

Around the web