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.

Decades of data help researchers recommend the optimal HFrEF treatment

The new analysis, published in JACC: Heart Failure, included data from 75 different studies.

December 17, 2021

What new research tells us about HIV and heart failure

Patients with HIV have a greater chance of developing heart failure, according to new data published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

December 13, 2021

Heart attack survivors with kidney issues face a greater risk of heart failure

The study included more than 200,000 MI survivors—and nearly 25% presented with one form of renal failure or another.

December 13, 2021

KCCQ-12 scores a valuable asset for managing patients with acute HF

The scores can help predict a patient's short- and long-term risk of adverse outcomes.

December 7, 2021

Patient doctor with masks. A team of specialists from Cleveland Clinic reviewed nearly 3,000 medications, writing that a common type 2 diabetes medication offered the most potential as an effective treatment for AFib.

DOACs outperform VKAs among cardiac amyloidosis patients with HF, AFib

Outcomes from patients prescribed apixaban, rivaroxaban or dabigatran were compared with outcomes from patients given warfarin.

December 2, 2021

IVUS guidance during DES implantation boosts long-term outcomes in new study

SGLT2 inhibitors lower risk of HFpEF, new meta-analysis confirms

Patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors were 22% less likely to die from heart-related causes.

December 1, 2021

Cardiac rehabilitation benefits heart failure patients—but for how long?

The study tracked 2,876 patients hospitalized for acute HF or deteriorating chronic HF.

November 29, 2021

Hypertension patients measured their blood pressure less frequently during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research published in Hypertension. In addition, when those patients did measure their blood pressure, the readings were less healthy than they had been before the pandemic.

In-hospital mortality more common among COVID-19 patients with heart failure

The authors also noted that cardiac complications such as myocarditis, MI and new-onset heart failure were rare during hospitalization for COVID-19.

November 23, 2021

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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

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