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).

LBBAP limits hospital readmissions after TAVR
Left bundle branch area pacing is associated with better long-term outcomes than traditional right ventricular pacing when patients require PPMI after TAVR, according to new research in Heart Rhythm.
FDA approves Boston Scientific leads for left bundle branch area pacing
Boston Scientific's INGEVITY+ pacing leads were originally approved by the FDA back in 2019. They can now be used for LBBAP, a new alternative to biventricular pacing.
JACC editor excited by progress during a 'very important moment' for cardiology
Harlan Krumholz, MD, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, explains some of the key technology and treatment trends he has his eyes on.
FDA approves Biotronik lead, catheter for left bundle branch area pacing
LBBAP is a relatively new alternative to biventricular pacing. The FDA's decision was based largely on data from the BIO-CONDUCT clinical trial.
Surgeons make history, perform world’s first fully robotic heart transplant
The procedure, which lasted roughly two and half hours, was performed on a 16-year-old patient with end-stage heart failure.

How patient-reported data compare to NYHA classifications for evaluating heart failure

The study’s authors tracked data from more than 2,800 patients with HFrEF, sharing their findings in JAMA Cardiology.

March 24, 2021

American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association share updated heart failure guidance

The guidance, an update to a similar document from 2005, was published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

March 23, 2021

Minor impairments in systolic function linked to heart failure, HFrEF in late life

Tracking a patient's longitudinal strain and circumferential strain may improve the ability to predict their risk of heart failure later in life.

March 17, 2021

FDA grants breakthrough device designation to new heart failure solution from Berlin Heals

The company also hopes to launch an early feasibility study in the United States in the near future.

March 11, 2021

5 important tips about COVID-19 vaccines for heart failure, heart transplant patients

As more and more Americans receive their COVID-19 vaccine, heart failure patients and heart transplant recipients may have specific questions about how they should proceed.

March 10, 2021

An encouraging update: Professional athletes rarely develop heart inflammation after a mild COVID-19 infection

After tracking data for nearly 800 professional athletes, the researchers found that no adverse cardiac events were reported after a mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 infection.

March 5, 2021