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.

SGLT2 inhibitors associated with consistent cardiovascular benefits

The study's authors explored data from six different randomized, placebo-controlled trials.

October 7, 2020

How treating AFib with catheter ablation affects patients with heart failure

One key finding reported by the research team was a substantial decrease in AFib readmissions.

September 30, 2020

Chemotherapy could be damaging children’s heart cells, leading to problems later in life

The researchers think their findings may explain why so many cancer survivors go on to experience heart failure.

September 30, 2020

Up close and personal: Detailed cellular map of the heart offers ‘a goldmine of information’

The map, part of a study published in Nature, can provide new details about cellular structure and how cells interact with one another. It could even help with the treatment of COVID-19.

September 24, 2020

Patient outcomes stay the same when heart transplants are from severely obese donors

No significant differences were detected when it came to post-transplant outcomes, one-year survival or long-term mortality.

September 16, 2020

New discovery could make stem cells much more effective at repairing heart damage

“We think we’ve found a way to quiet that inflammatory environment, giving stem cells a chance to survive and do the healing work we know they can do,” one researcher said.

September 10, 2020