Heart failure

Subspecialty certification on the way for specialists in advanced heart failure

Sep 30, 2008 16:30 EDT

The certification is expected to encompass the management of patients with implantable defibrillators and biventricular pacemakers, although not device insertions.

St Paul, MN - The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has approved a proposal to establish a subspecialty certification in "advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology," the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) has announced [1]. The HFSA was a prime mover in the effort to establish the certification, which it hopes will promote quality and guarantee a degree of consistency in the training and expertise of physicians specializing in heart failure. Read full article »

Inside: Heart failure

Accredited educational programs, supported by industry, developed by theheart.org

Arrhythmia/EP

Device Therapy for Heart Failure: Debating the Guidelines - Which Should We Really Follow?

Oct 8, 2008 14:50 EDT

Join Drs Yancy, Jessup, Lindenfeld, Saxon, and Stevenson as they discuss how similar databases can be interpreted differently. Device-based therapy is effective when selected for the right patient; but there is considerable underuse of devices, in part due to ambiguity in the guidelines.

Arrhythmia/EP

The Evolution of ICD and CRT Clinical Trials and Their Impact on Clinical Practice

Sep 30, 2008 15:00 EDT

The overall heart failure-related mortality rate in the United States has almost doubled in the past two decades. Which patients will benefit the most from the use of ICDs? Join our panel of experts, Drs Abraham, Fonarow, Francis, and Gold as they discuss the latest evidence from clinical trials.

Heart failure

National Heart Failure Training for Improved Patient Care N-HeFT

Aug 22, 2008 09:25 EDT

Heart failure is one of the most important cardiovascular public health burdens in contemporary medicine. Join Ileana L Piña, MD in a discussion of the National Heart Failure Training Programs (N-HeFT) strategies for the identification of treatment gaps and improving care in heart failure.

Heart failure

The Management of Congestion in ADHF

Aug 5, 2008 08:49 EDT

Congestion, volume overload, dyspnea, decompensation all leading to hospitalization. Just what starts this cascade and how does a clinician stop the cycle. Is it as simple as a prescribing a diuretic? Don't bet on it.

Heart failure

Focus ON - Hyponatremia: Clinical challenges and unmet needs

1 COMMENT - May 9, 2008 11:30 EDT

The science behind hyponatremia: How a physiologic approach can help stabilize patients with and without heart failure. A new class of agents emerges.

Acute Coronary Syndrome

Stem cells for AMI: New review finds same old story

Oct 7, 2008 19:00 EDT

A familiar message has emerged from a new review of stem-cell therapy for acute MI—a moderate improvement was seen, but much more research is needed. (Martin-Rendon E et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008; 4: CD006536. Eur Heart J 2008; 29:1807-1818.)

Heart failure

Outcomes, quality of care largely unaffected by weekend admission for heart failure

2 COMMENTS - Oct 2, 2008 18:15 EDT

The finding is contrary to what has been found for hospitalizations due to some other CV disorders. (Heart Failure Society of America 2008 Scientific Meeting.)

Clinical cardiology

Pfizer to drop development of drugs for hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and heart failure

14 COMMENTS - Oct 2, 2008 17:00 EDT

UPDATED // Forbes reported the news online after obtaining an internal Pfizer memo.

Clinical cardiology

Routinely screen for clinical depression in CHD, AHA formally recommends

Sep 30, 2008 09:45 EDT

Providers should take the opportunity in any setting in which they see CHD patients, according to a "science advisory" from the organization, which acknowledges a lack of direct evidence that such efforts will improve the patients' clinical outcomes. (Lichtman JH et al. Circulation 2008; published online before print September 29, 2008.)

Heart failure

Myosin-activating agent boosts systolic function, but please don't call it an "inotrope"

Sep 26, 2008 15:45 EDT

It's still in early-phase studies, but researchers hope the drug, which seems to prolong systole and enhance cardiac output without raising myocardial oxygen demand, will offer the benefits of conventional inotropic agents without their dark side. (Heart Failure Society of America 2008 Scientific Meeting.)

Heart failure

Improved renal function and modest hemodynamic changes with adenosine-receptor antagonist

Sep 25, 2008 17:45 EDT

The agent modestly reduced pulmonary capillary wedge pressures at the highest doses, had a weak diuretic effect, and improved renal-function measures. More research into the effects of A1-receptor antagonists on morbidity and mortality are still needed, say investigators. (Heart Failure Society of America 2008 Scientific Meeting.)

Murmurs

Senate asks NIH for details on Dr Marvin Konstam's one-year contract with NHLBI

Sep 25, 2008 11:30 EDT

Konstam, hired as a senior advisor to the NHLBI director, also retains ties to Tufts and is the medical director for medical device company Orqis, prompting Sen Charles Grassley to question whether the NIH is avoiding strict conflict-of-interest policies by hiring experts as contractors, rather than full-time employees.

Heart failure

Once-a-day carvedilol "noninferior" to twice-daily version in heart failure; need for it questioned

3 COMMENTS - Sep 24, 2008 17:45 EDT

Some believe once-daily carvedilol for heart failure will improve compliance and therefore outcomes, compared with the twice-daily version; others wonder whether noninferiority is worth the extra cost. (Heart Failure Society of America 2008 Scientific Meeting.)

Heart failure

Intrathoracic impedance predicts heart-failure events in PARTNERS-HF

Sep 24, 2008 15:45 EDT

Fluid indices crossing a predefined threshold significantly increased the risk of subsequent heart-failure decompensation, shortness of breath, peripheral edema, and fatigue, suggesting impedance data can help stratify patients at risk for worsening heart failure, report investigators. (Heart Failure Society of American 2008 Scientific Meeting.)

Heart failure

Thyroid hormone analog fails in the treatment of heart failure

2 COMMENTS - Sep 23, 2008 13:00 EDT

The phase 2 study was stopped early because the compound worsened heart-failure symptoms, although it did have a positive effect on weight and lipid profiles. (Heart Failure Society of American 2008 Scientific Meeting.)

Heart failure

SADHART-CHF: Nurse intervention impresses for depression in heart failure, SSRI doesn't

1 COMMENT - Sep 23, 2008 09:30 EDT

The trial, underpowered for clinical outcomes, failed even to demonstrate that sertraline alleviated depression; observers attribute the finding to the unique nonpharmacologic therapy actively treated patients and controls both received. (Heart Failure Society of America 2008 Scientific Meeting.)

Arrhythmia/EP

ICD effectiveness: Do patients appreciate their limits? The debate continues

Sep 22, 2008 17:00 EDT

A review casts a critical eye on how ICDs are used in the US and argues that their benefits have been overstated; a commentary from a key figure behind the latest device-therapy guidelines takes exception. (Tung R et al. J Am Coll Cardiol; published online before print September 22, 2008.)

Heart failure

Severe subclinical hypothyroidism ups risk of HF

Sep 22, 2008 17:00 EDT

A new study has found that older adults with severe subclinical hypothyroidism had almost double the risk of developing heart failure compared with those with normal thyroid function. The findings are important to inform the debate on whether to screen and treat subclinical hypothyroidism, say the researchers. (Rodondi N et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2008; 52:1152-1159.)

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Academic partnership

Heart failure

National Heart Failure Training for Improved Patient Care N-HeFT

Aug 22, 2008 09:25 EDT

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