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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Mitochondrial DNA could more accurately predict 10-year risk for heart failure

Analyzing mitochondrial DNA copy numbers (mtDNA-CN) in patients at risk for cardiovascular disease could help clinicians predict sudden cardiac death and heart failure in patients up to a decade before anything happens, a study published in JAMA: Cardiology reports.

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Tai chi shows potential as cardiac rehab exercise

Tai chi proved to be safe and enjoyable in a small study of patients who declined traditional cardiac rehabilitation, suggesting the Chinese martial art could be an alternative exercise option.

Some cardiologists equate LVAD deactivation to physician-assisted suicide

Beliefs regarding deactivation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) differ significantly between cardiologists and hospice and palliative medicine clinicians (HPMCs), leading to incoherent end-of-life care for some patients, according to a new study in the Journal of Cardiac Failure.

Ever wondered what it's like to work as a cardiologist in a federal prison?

The archetype of prison life is rugged: rolls of barbed wire, concrete floors, cold steel and brawls—lots of them. But what about the inmates who are limited to hospital rooms? What about those who have to be hooked up to machines to keep breathing, or have fluid drained from their lungs every day to stay alive?

Inhibiting signaling pathway reverses heart failure in mice

Researchers may have discovered an approach to reverse heart failure, a condition that affects nearly five million Americans and contributes to an estimated 287,000 deaths each year.

Medtronic HeartWare(TM) HVAD(TM) System Approved for Destination Therapy

Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its HeartWare(TM) HVAD(TM) System as a destination therapy for patients with advanced heart failure who are not candidates for heart transplants. The HVAD System, a left ventricular assist device or LVAD, helps the heart pump and increases the amount of blood that flows through the body.

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Elderly patients at increased risk for heart failure in cold weather

Elderly patients with a history of cardiovascular disease might want to limit outdoor activities this winter season, according to a group of researchers in Quebec. Their recent study showed that risk of heart failure in older populations can increase as temperature drops.

Lowest volume LVAD centers associated with worse survival

The authors of a new study suggested CMS revise its standards for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation based on patients from the lowest-volume centers demonstrating worse 90-day survival outcomes.

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