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.

Heart transplant recipients face increased risk of maternal complications when giving birth

Today's cardiologists are fielding more questions than ever about the safety of giving birth following a heart transplant.

January 12, 2024

Bruce Wilkoff, MD, a veteran cardiologist with Cleveland Clinic

Cardiologist Bruce Wilkoff remembered as a ‘pioneer’ of electrophysiology, ‘beacon of medical excellence’

Friends, colleagues and professional societies have all shared loving tributes to the veteran electrophysiologist, who died at the age of 69.

January 12, 2024

Stephanie Golab, MD, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, explains statistics on heart transplant outcomes in older adults

It may be time to revisit patient selection protocols for heart transplants

In a new video interview, Stephanie Golab, MD, examines the latest data on heart transplant outcomes in older adults.

January 8, 2024

AI artificial intelligence stethoscope doctor

AI models for predicting heart failure still far from perfect

Advanced AI models can evaluate a patient's heart failure risk using 12-lead ECG data—but there is still some room for improvement.

January 5, 2024

Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest health network, recently announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Complete Care to acquire a majority of its long-term care facilities.

Falls, infections much more likely among Medicare patients treated at private equity-owned hospitals

Private equity is becoming more and more influential in many healthcare specialties, including cardiology. This has prompted increased speculation about the impact such investments may have on patient outcomes.

January 3, 2024

Transplant recipients may face risk of aging-related complications if receiving a much older heart

Early research suggests initiating therapy with senescence-inhibiting drugs could limit the risk of these side effects.

January 2, 2024

Abbott’s HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has been implanted in thousands of U.S. patients in recent years.According to a new investigative report from CBS News and KFF Health News, however, safety data related to the device have raised questions in certain parts of the healthcare industry.

Former FDA employees share concerns about heart device safety data

Abbott's HeartMate 3 LVAD is the only FDA-approved device of its kind currently available in the United States. Should reports of adverse events worry cardiologists? Or are they to be expected when treating such a vulnerable patient population?

December 18, 2023

‘A true breakthrough’: The eye-opening potential of GLP-1 agonists to treat heart, kidney disease in addition to obesity

While GLP-1 drugs were originally developed to treat diabetes, researchers keep finding additional ways these medications can potentially benefit patients.

December 15, 2023

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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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