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).

doctor with overweight patient who may be treated with TAVR or surgery

Bayer's finerenone reduces risk of AFib, atrial flutter in all CKM syndrome patients

New data published in JACC represents another big win for Bayer's finerenone. The drug has previously been linked to cardiovascular benefits for patients with CKD and heart failure, but its potential across the full CKM spectrum remained a bit of a mystery.

FDA announces new recall of Abbott heart pump accessories over significant safety risks

The mobile power units of certain HeartMate 3 and HeartMate II LVADs have been experiencing “sudden, unexpected performance issues” such as turning on, off or even restarting with no warning. These issues can potentially be fatal, according to an alert shared by the FDA.

WiSE CRT system EBR Systems leadless pacing

FDA approves leadless CRT device for heart failure

The WiSE CRT system is approximately the size of a single cooked grain of rice. It works with a patient’s existing implant to provide biventricular pacing. 

FIRE1 Norm inferior vena cava (IVC) heart failure sensor

Implantable IVC sensor shows early potential to guide heart failure management

The goal is to measure changes in a patient’s IVC area and collapsibility, which can help anticipate when heart failure events might occur. This first-in-human study included data from the first 50 patients to receive the device. 

Many older heart failure patients are alone and vulnerable—what can be done to help?

Older heart failure patients with no immediate family are especially vulnerable. Additional interventions may be necessary to reach these patients and provide the best care possible.

A majority of medical devices involved in Class I recalls were never required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to undergo premarket or postmarket clinical testing, according to new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]

Quality of care for heart patients does not improve in first year of ACO participation

Researchers tracked patient outcomes through the use of 15 performance measures related to hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation.

Sergio Raposeiras-Roubin, MD, presenting new data on TAVR and dapagliflozin at ACC.25 in Chicago

Dapagliflozin improves outcomes for elderly TAVR patients with heart failure

The positive data were presented as part of a late-breaking clinical trial at ACC.25 in Chicago. One cardiologist on stage for the presentation said these findings will impact the way he manages certain TAVR patients.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for vutrisiran, a subcutaneous injection the company sells under the brand name Amvuttra, to treat adult patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).

FDA approves vutrisiran to treat ATTR-CM

The subcutaneous drug, sold under the brand name Amvuttra, joins an ATTR-CM market that already includes Pfizer’s tafamidis (Vyndaqel, Vyndamax) and BridgeBio’s acoramidis (Attruby).