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).

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Circ: Costs to treat heart disease will triple to $818B by 2030

By 2030, the cost to treat heart disease will triple, and rise from $273 billion to $818 billion in the U.S. A bigger push to find effective prevention strategies is necessary to limit the burden of cardiovascular disease, according to a policy statement published Jan. 25 in Circulation.

Study assesses earlier use of LVADs in HF

The University of Michigan (U-M) Cardiovascular Center and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) have been awarded $13.3 million to explore the potential benefits of earlier implantation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) in those with less advanced heart failure (HF).

Heart: Gaping HF death disparity between specialist, general wards

Heart failure (HF) patients admitted to general wards were twice as likely to die as those admitted to cardiology wards, according to a nationwide U.K. audit of the treatment of the condition, published online Jan. 17 in the journal Heart.

AIM: High-volume facilities provide better CHF care at a higher cost

High-volume hospitals may provide better congestive heart failure care and produce better outcomes than lower volume hospitals, but they do so at a higher price tag, according to a study published in the Jan. 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Pfizer withdraws pulmonary arterial hypertension drug

Pfizer has voluntarily withdrawn Thelin (sitaxentan) for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in regions where it is approved (the European Union, Canada and Australia), in the interest of patient safety. In addition, Pfizer is discontinuing clinical studies of Thelin globally.

JAMA Feature: Sensitive assay detects 'undetectable' troponin linked to mortality risk

A highly sensitive assay for cardiac troponin T has been developed that detects levels approximately 10-fold lower than those detectable with the standard assay. Researchers have found that these lower levels of the biomarker are associated with structural heart disease and an increased risk of all-cause death, according to a study in the Dec. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Thomson Reuters' Top 50 cardiac hospitals deliver safe, cost-effective care

 The Thomson Reuters top 50 U.S. hospitals for inpatient cardiovascular services have fewer deaths, shorter lengths of stay and lower costs per case, according to the firm's latest ranking.

AHA: CAD treatment for uninsured is subpar, but better for HF

CHICAGOUninsured patients are less likely to receive evidence-based medication treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD), but not for heart failure (HF), based on data from the national outpatient cardiac registry PINNACLE, which were presented as a scientific poster at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions this week.

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