Tag Archives: heart failure

Neurohormonal blockade A cardiac resynchronisation therapy pacemaker (CRT-P), provides cardiac resynchronisation therapy and diagnostics to assist in patient management The meeting set off to a stimulating start with Professor Theresa McDonagh (Kings College Hospital, Chair of the British Society of Heart Failure) reviewing primarily the growing evidence for aldosterone antagonists in the management of systolic heart failure (HF). Large clinical trials have established the role of aldosterone antagonists, such as spironolactone, in severe systolic HF (Randomised Aldactone Evaluation Study – RALES) and eplerenone in acute myocardial infarcti

Introduction Hyponatraemia is a common electrolyte disorder among patients with heart failure (HF), nephrotic syndrome or cirrhosis.1-3 It is recognised as a predictor of adverse outcomes in hospitalised patients with these conditions,4-5 and its prognostic implications are commonly attributed to the severity of the underlying pathology. Patients admitted to hospital with decompensated heart failure have a poor prognosis, with in-hospital mortality rates approaching 10%.5-7 Hyponatraemia associated with decompensation results in added adverse outcomes resulting in high 30–90-day mortality and re-hospitalisation rates.5-9 These results have

Highlights of the American Heart Association 2010 meeting held in November 2010, in Chicago, USA, included a breakthrough for the treatment of resistant hypertension, and another oral anticoagulant that could be used instead of warfarin in atrial fibrillation patients, without the need for monitoring. RAFT: CRT reduces deaths and hospitalisations in mild heart failure Adding cardiac-resynchronisation therapy (CRT) to implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and medication, led to a reduction in deaths and heart failure hospitalistions among patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms of heart failure in the RAFT (Resynchronisation-Defibrilla

Introduction During the past 10 to 15 years, numerous drugs have been introduced for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes to prevent the complications of poor glycaemic control. Two such oral drugs, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, belong to the class of drugs called thiazolidinediones (TZDs), also known as glitazones. Both were licensed for use as monotherapy or in combination with other hypoglycaemic drugs. Through their actions on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ), they improve hyperglycaemia and alter dyslipidaemia. It was hoped this would translate into cardiovascular benefits for patients taking them. Recent e

The new guideline, which covers the management of heart failure in adults in primary and secondary care, contains new and updated recommendations on diagnosis, pharmacological treatment, monitoring and rehabilitation. Key priorities for implementation in the guidance include: Referring patients with suspected heart failure and previous myocardial infarction (MI) to transthoracic Doppler 2D echocardiography and specialist assessment within two weeks. Measuring serum natriuretic peptides in patients with suspected heart failure without previous MI; referring those with very high levels of serum natriuretic peptides to urgent transthoracic Dopp

Highlights of this year’s European Society of Cardiology Congress, held in Stockholm, Sweden, from August 28th to September 1st included a new drug which benefits heart failure by slowing heart rate, and more exciting results from oral compounds that could replace warfarin in various indications. Highlights of this year’s European Society of Cardiology Congress, held in Stockholm, Sweden, from August 28th to September 1st included a new drug which benefits heart failure by slowing heart rate, and more exciting results from oral compounds that could replace warfarin in various indications. SHIFT: ivabradine shows benefit in heart failure

New NT-proBNP test Roche Diagnostics has announced the launch of a new NT-proBNP+ test, which it says can give a result in under 15 minutes when tested on its cobas h232 near-patient testing meter. In addition, the test has an extended measuring range (60 – 9000pg/ml). The test can serve as an aid in the diagnosis of suspected heart failure, in the monitoring of compensated left ventricular dysfunction and in the risk stratification of patients with acute coronary symptoms. Recent recommendations of a consensus group (Br J Cardiol 2010;17:76-80) highlight the importance of B-type natriuretic peptide (NP) testing for heart failure. NP testi

According to Pfizer, an interim analysis of the trial showed that patients treated with eplerenone in addition to current standard of care experienced a significant reduction in risk of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalisation compared with those in the placebo arm of the trial.  The company says it is now working to ensure that all patients are informed of this decision, and an amendment to the protocol will be requested to allow all consenting patients to start treatment with eplerenone in an open-label extension of the study, after completing a close-out visit ending the double-blind, placebo-controlled phase.  Eplerenone is

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New pocket-sized visualisation tool This new pocket-sized visualisation tool provides ultrasound technology at the point-of-care. Similar in size to a mobile phone and weighing less than one pound, it can give high quality colour images enabling physicians to take a quick look inside the body and detect disease earlier. Vscan™ is marketed by GE Healthcare and has received the CE Mark by the European Union. Heart failure report published A comprehensive review of the quality of heart failure care in England Bridging the quality gap: heart failure, has been published by The Health Foundation. It highlights that prevention is key to imp