Heart Failure

An analysis of the VICTORIA trial showed that the benefits of vericiguat in HF with reduced ejection fraction was consistent across various background therapies for HFrEF, a speaker reported.

Among patients with HF, empagliflozin lowered diastolic pulmonary artery pressure and was effective at reducing CV death and HF hospitalizations regardless of sacubitril/valsartan use, researchers reported.

In patients with HF, empagliflozin showed similar effects on estimated glomerular filtration rate, regardless of diabetes at baseline, and demonstrated safety and tolerability in line with the drug’s safety profile, a speaker reported.

Spironolactone reduces levels of biomarkers linked to fibrosis, inflammation, congestion and vascular function, according to findings from the HOMAGE study presented at the virtual Heart Failure Society of America Scientific Meeting.

Black patients living in socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods may represent the most at-risk group for 30-day HF readmission compared with white patients and patients living in less deprived areas, a speaker reported.

In patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction and pulmonary hypertension, levosimendan did not meet its primary endpoint but met two secondary endpoints, according to results from the phase 2 HELP-PH-HFpEF trial.

There may be a link between COVID-19 and HF with preserved ejection fraction, as infection from SARS-CoV-2 may cause, unmask or exacerbate HFpEF, according to a viewpoint published in JAMA.

Treatment with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine may increase the rates of several CV adverse events, including QT prolongation, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias and HF, researchers found.

Utilization of pyrophosphate imaging to identify patients with cardiac amyloidosis has increased, although questions remain regarding its use for screening and to assess responses to therapy, according to a presentation.

How much risk is too much? It depends on what is at stake.