Following heart failure guidelines could save 1.2 million lives per year
New UCLA-led research reinforces the important role guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) can play in reducing mortality rates in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). HFrEF affects about 29 million people worldwide, according to the study's authors.
The analysis, published in JAMA Cardiology, found that many patients eligible to be given life-saving medical therapy do not receive it, demonstrating the challenge in implementing global guidelines.[1]
Researchers identified 8.2 million patients who qualify, but do not receive, beta blocker treatment. Large numbers of patients were also identified who are missing out on angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors (20.4 million), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (12.2 million) and SGLT2 inhibitors (21.2 million).
“These guidelines are being significantly underutilized in clinical settings globally and there are barriers that contribute to this, including poor health literacy, limited access to care and medication costs,” Amber Tang, MD, lead author of the study and a medical resident at UCLA, said in a statement.
The researchers predict that the use of GDMT could prevent 1.2 million deaths per year worldwide.
To reach that estimate, they examined existing patient data published from large registries to estimate heart failure prevalence, GDMT eligibility, current prescription rates, and potential lives saved across the world. This is the first estimate the mortality benefit of individuals with HFrEF globally, rather than just in the United States.
“There are significant regional disparities that exist across the world, and this study draws attention to the fact that heart failure is not a monolithic entity, but a condition that varies greatly based on socioeconomic and cultural nuances,” Gregg Fonarow, MD, senior author, director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center and co-director of UCLA’s Preventative Cardiology Program, said in the same statement.
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: dfornell@innovatehealthcare.com